John McCain: Born In The Panama Canal Zone

9:17 pm EST February 27th, 2008 | News | 8 Comments

This seems like it may come up as an issue of interest. I don’t think it really amounts to anything, but here’s some previous writing on it.

McCain was indeed born in the Canal Zone, and Article II of the Constitution plainly states that “no person except a natural born Citizen… shall be eligible to the Office of President.”

Some might define the term “natural-born citizen” as one who was born on United States soil. But the First Congress, on March 26, 1790, approved an act that declared, “The children of citizens of the United States that may be born beyond sea, or outside the limits of the United States, shall be considered as natural-born citizens of the United States.” That would seem to include McCain, whose parents were both citizens and whose father was a Navy officer stationed at the U.S. naval base in Panama at the time of John’s birth in 1936.

I don’t really remember it but apparently there was a dispute about McCain’s citizenship due to his birth in the Panama Canal Zone. Everything old is new again.

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8 Responses to “John McCain: Born In The Panama Canal Zone”

  1. Sean D. Martin says:
    February 28, 2008 at 3:44 am

    “That would seem to include McCain”

    “seem” ???

    Both his parents were US citizens. Children of US citizens are US citizens regardless of where they are born.

    There is nothing here. I pretty much agree with you around 90% of the time, Oliver. This is deep in the 10%.

    I don’t even see why this is worth posting. It carries as much relevance as Obama’s middle name.

  2. somejackass says:
    February 28, 2008 at 3:51 am

    The Canal Zone was a US territory for the better part of the 20th century, including when McCain was born.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panama_Canal_Zone

    It might go to court, but if it did, it would only establish a precedent, not call into question the validity of a McCain presidency. Kind of like the hubbub about voting rights but not the right to be commander in chief.

  3. merl says:
    February 28, 2008 at 4:37 am

    I have a lot of friends who were born in Germany to military families. They are all citizens and can run for President.

  4. I'm a Hick says:
    February 28, 2008 at 8:46 am

    I’m with Sean on this one. Some tried to raise a similar point with Goldwater in ’64 due to the fact that Arizona was still a territory and not a state when he was born there.

  5. August J. Pollak says:
    February 28, 2008 at 9:51 am

    Children of US citizens are US citizens regardless of where they are born.

    Yes, but this regulation wasn’t established until 1790, and McCain was born before then.

    Thank you. Try the veal.

  6. https://bryanmartin.sxipper.com// says:
    February 28, 2008 at 11:00 am

    I have taken the great work done by The Mudslinger [http://muddythoughts.blogspot.com/2008/02/panmanchurian-candidate-mccain.html] and turned it into a resolution.

    Take this resolution to your precinct convention and start the conversation to protect the Constitution today!

  7. duros62 says:
    February 28, 2008 at 12:15 pm

    I don’t even see why this is worth posting. It carries as much relevance as Obama’s middle name.

    I agree, but perhaps that’s the point.

  8. NoBama says:
    November 9, 2008 at 11:41 am

    Will the Messiah please prove his eligibility?

    His paternal grandmother and other Kenyan family members are on record about being there in a hospital in Kenya for his birth. Are they liars? Will Barry throw them under the bus to keep the ‘typical white woman’ who raised him and Rev. Wright company?

    Why won’t he prove his eligibility like McCain did? The Obama camp posted a crude photoshop-ed forgery as proof.
    Obama is pathetic. He’s going to uphold the Constitution? He’s making a mockery out of it.

    -NOBAMA!