Natural Born Citizen

The US Constitution requires the President be someone that is a natural born citizen. However, there is no definition extent for natural born citizen. It seems clearly meant as in contrast to the naturalization process foreigners must go through to become a US citizen. It also comes from a time when the US defined itself as a distinct nation, when it had an interest in not allowing foreign leaders to preside.

John McCain was not born in the 50 states, he was born in Panama. His parents both being citizens he was of course born a US citizen. He did not have to be naturalized to become a citizen, so rationally he is a natural born citizen. DC lawyers agree with that assessment. However two lawsuits want the courts to decide the matter definitively.

Rest assured, someone filed a case in PA against Barrack Obama, claiming he is not a citizen and therefore ineligible to become president. This case argues since Obama's mother moved to another nation with him and she became a citizen there, they both lost citizenship in the US.

It is incredible these cases exist in the first place, perhaps Congress will clean up the citizenship requirement laws. I wonder if the Governor in California awaits the removal of the natural born requirement for US President.