Birthers ask: Is Marco Rubio eligible to be president?

[Sancho]

Source: St. Petersburg Times

WASHINGTON — Unable to prevent Barack Obama from becoming president, rigid followers of the Constitution have turned their attention to another young, charismatic politician many think could one day occupy the White House.

The birthers rely on writings at the time of the formation of the republic and references in court cases since then to contend that "natural born" means a person born to U.S. citizens. Rubio was born in 1971 at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital, his office said, but his parents did not become citizens until 1975.

"Marco Rubio was born a Cuban citizen via his parents," screams a headline on a blog by birther Charles Kerchner, who obtained copies of the naturalization petitions by Rubio's parents in May, igniting talk that is spreading across the Internet

Rubio, whose national ascent has been propelled by a tea party that demands absolute fealty to the Constitution, shrugged off the issue.

Read more: http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/national/birthers-ask-is-marco-rubio-eligible-to-be-president/1197628

---

I hope that Rush and Glen all the Fox friends spend a few years talking about Rubio!!

[rpannier]

1. They're consistent at least

Stupid, Moronic, Bigoted - But Consistent

[Merlot]

3. As consistent as a dog chewing a bone

Didn't Thoreau have some choice words regarding consistency?

[SoCalNative]

4. As did Ralph Waldo Emerson

A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines.

[Renew Deal]

18. We'll see about that.

This is just one of the xenophobic crazies. There's many more.

[yellowcanine]

22. Consistently wrong is still wrong.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

2. Marco Rubio is from wherever the GOP thinks will get him elected easiest

He's a horse's ass, like the rest of the GOP.

[ngant17]

5. Marco would have to re-invent himself

to gain any ground, he has accumulated too many liabilities. That would be hard if not impossible to do, he has ossified himself into the far right since day one. At least Charlie Crist was willing to compromise on some important issues.

Don't really care about the naturalized citizen issue. He is an extreme rightwinger by anyone's measure. Also corrupt to the core.

[onehandle]

6. Rubio will be President in 2016.

After he and Mittens lose this time around.

Prepare yourselves.

[Firebrand Gary]

9. Rubio is very weak.

I doubt it.

[customerserviceguy]

7. He's at least as natural born as McCain

I don't seem to remember any Repukes raising that argument the last election.

[Ter]

16. I do

But Rubio's argument is a bit different. Both of McCain's parents were US born citizens. He was born on a US military base in Panama. Very similar to a baby being born while his parents are on vacation in England.

Rubio's case is much more complicated. Neither parent was US born. They weren't even citizens until 1975, when he was like 4 or 5 I guess.

[lunasun]

19. As complicated as the 14th amendment?

[customerserviceguy]

20. Somewhat different circumstances

But Rubio has the stronger case, in my opinion. Being as Cubans who get that dry foot on US soil are not considered illegal aliens, Rubio's parents seem to be under the jurisdiction of US laws.

In any case, I really don't care what a bunch of racist Rethugs think, anyway.

[COLGATE4]

37. McCain wasn't born on the military base in Panama - it had no

medical facilities. He was born in a Panamanian hospital in the town close to the base.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

47. Furthermore, the hospital McCain was born in was outside the Panama Canal zone.

I'm by no means a birther, but McCain really isn't eligible to be President. He wasn't on sovereign US territory.

[underpants]

54. You are right but Congress actually had a vote certifying him in 2008

I brought this point up before but it was pointed out to me that they (at least the Senate) actually took time to verify that he was eligible to be President.

Even if the Naval base had a hospital I find it hard to believe that the son of a third generation US Admiral would have subjected his wife to military medical care in 1936 Panama.

[plumbob]

42. Nothing complicated about. People born on US soil are US citizens.

That is the sum of natural born.

[marybourg]

8. I don't understand. Were George Washington's parents US

citizens? Of course not. Was he an illegitimate president?

[shraby]

11. There was an exception for the first presidents because

the country was young and many were not born here.

[COLGATE4]

38. Not true. That's why Alexander Hamilton never could become

President - he was born in Bermuda.

[The Croquist]

40. That is not my understanding

I was taught that it was because he was born illegitimate.

Article II, Section 1, Clause 5: No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.

On edit: There is no constitutional provision regarding being illegitimate. It was just considered to be an election killer.

[tritsofme]

17. Citizens at the time the Constitution was adopted were allowed to be president.

So to answer someone upthread, John McCain's candidacy was perfectly legitimate.

Joking aside, many believe it was intended to allow Alexander Hamilton to be president, since he was born in Barbados.

[Historic NY]

21. Well they were born here in British America.and so were his grandparents.

[No Elephants]

34. I believe a separate clause of the Constitution took care of that.

[loyalsister]

48. There was no US when Washington was born

Martin Van Buren was the first president to be born a US citizen all previous presidents were born before the American Revolution.

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

[underpants]

53. Hey! Hey! stop bringin' up them facts 'n' history

:grr:

:hi:

[ixion]

10. "rigid followers of the Constitution"

uh, yeah, right. :eyes:

[Firebrand Gary]

12. Hahahahahahahaha, I can't stop laughing...

They effectively have taken out their own hopeful. Serves them well.

[Malikshah]

13. We need investigation of Rubio like a dog on a bone from now on.

He's got more skeletons than a cemetery. He and Jeb are as criminal as the day is long. Use whatever means necessary to get the word out on these two pieces of crap

[loyalsister]

49. No way

That birther syndrome was a disgusting display of hate. Retaliatory racism and xenophobia are not justifiable.

[Ter]

14. He's not

I've been saying this for over a year.

[former9thward]

23. And you have been wrong for over a year.

Anyone born on U.S. soil is considered a natural born U.S. citizen. It matters not who his parents are.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

15. lol@interpretation of natural born. nt

[24601]

24. They really don't understand that you can be a citizen by blood

(based on the citizenship of your parents) and/or by law (based on where you are born).

Our daughter was born overseas and we have two sets of birth documents. On is the UK birth certificate and the 2nd is the US Consular report of a US citizen born abroad - which is a citizen from birth.

If you are born in the US and under the jurisdiction thereof (not diplomatically immune) then you are a citizen at birth/natural born citizen.

You can be born a dual citizen based on other nation's laws and you still are a US citizen.

[SoapBox]

25. Hilarious! And I posted and posted and posted about this and his parents, during the election.

I even wrote to some newspapers...nada on the coverage.

Hell, was he a kind of "anchor baby"? Since the GOPBaggers wouldn't shut up about that term!

...back at ya, Rube!

[Firebrand Gary]

26. Oh and K&R

[Tony_FLADEM]

27. Birthers say Marco Rubio is not eligible to be president

Source: St. Petersburg Times

WASHINGTON — Unable to prevent Barack Obama from becoming president, rigid followers of the Constitution have turned their attention to another young, charismatic politician many think could one day occupy the White House.

The birthers are calling for U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, the budding Republican star from Florida.

"It's nothing to do with him personally. But you can't change the rules because you like a certain person. Then you have no rules," said New Jersey lawyer Mario Apuzzo


Read more: http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/national/article1197628.ece

---

:popcorn:

[No Elephants]

28. There is a SCOTUS saying that, when the Constitution was written, birth in a country

was widely recognized as conferring "natural born" citizenship.

I believe the language may be a dictum, but nonetheless, it does exist.

[WillParkinson]

29. And why people care what they think....

Is so beyond me.

Rigid followers of the Constitution...when it serves their own needs.

[sofa king]

32. Yep. One needs only look at the 2nd Amendment.

Threaten to strictly construct guns back to "the common defense," and all of a sudden they're as liberal as Warren Burger.

[Mac1949]

30. OK, birthers are nuts BUT...

keeping Rubio out of the White House is a good thing, no matter how you do it (within reason).

[PuffedMica]

31. We should start calling Rubio the 'Anchor Baby'

[No Elephants]

35. Different issue. Congress makes laws regarding immigrants, but this is a Constiutional requirement

re: who qualifies to be President.

[loyalsister]

50. "rigid followers of the Constitution"

referring to racist, xenophobic, pre 14th Amendment, constitution followers.

[Sam Hain]

33. He's a Republican, so it doesn't matter

Like John 'Canal Zone' McCain. :(

[No Elephants]

36. A baby born to two U.S. citizens in a U.S. military hospital is not a natural born citizen?

How do you figure that?

[COLGATE4]

39. See my reply #37. Mc Cain wasn't born in a "US military hospital"

but rather in a Panamanian hospital on Panamanian soil.

[Blue_Tires]

41. Diversionary tactic as not to look like hypocrites

1. Rubio isn't running and will probably never be a serious candidate

2. If he someday does become 'chosen' by the party bigwigs, the questions will vanish

[KamaAina]

43. Let's see. He was born here in the U.S., to two non-citizens

Isn't that the Faux/teahadist definition of an "anchor baby"? :eyes:

[wordpix]

46. "anchor baby"---yes, that's the definition

[russspeakeasy]

44. This lying asshole isn't fit to clean my shoes.

A thief and a liar...

[TheDebbieDee]

45. If that dumbass was born on American soil, he's an American.....

regardless of his parents citizenship status!

Didn't ANYBODY take civics in high school?

[treestar]

51. The irony!

:rofl:

[sakabatou]

52. His name doesn't sound American! GET HIM!

:rofl: