Justice Breyer Enters Birther Debate

[kpete]

Chances are that if those who question President Obama’s American birth, like Donald Trump, get a case before the U.S. Supreme Court, there could be a lively and unpredictable debate. At a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing this month, Justice Stephen Breyer waded into the white-hot discussion of whether those born outside the 50 states can be president. His comments came when Bronx Rep. Jose Serrano, a Democrat and Puerto Rico native, asked if he could be president. “That still hasn’t been settled,” Serrano said. “Does the person get aggrieved (and sue) at the time I declare my candidacy, or do I have to be elected first?” Breyer took the bait. “Why would anyone be aggrieved if you were running for president? Wouldn’t they be pleased?” he said before quoting the Constitution: “It says no person except a natural-born citizen. Well?” Serrano chimed in, “I’m a natural born citizen.” Breyer: “OK.” A gleeful Serrano: “I can’t believe we just had a Supreme Court decision.” A vague Breyer: “Well, you said you are a natural-born citizen.” Serrano said, “Well that’s what I believe I am,” before assuring the hearing room that he would not make a primary challenge to Obama in 2012.

links: http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washington-whispers/2011/04/27/justice-breyer-enters-birther-debate

[MrCoffee]

1. That is a ridiculous line of questioning from a US Congressman to a Supreme Court Judge

Rep. Serrano should be ashamed of himself.

[jberryhill]

3. Not entirely....

He's Puerto Rican, and was making a point.

[The Wielding Truth]

2. What a twisted chicken/egg conversation! I would say that if McCain

was considered natural born then anyone born in a territory of the US would be a qualifier.

[provis99]

5. McCain wasn't born in any US territory. He was born in Panama.

Stretching the definition of natural born citizen to include a guy who was definitely born on foreign soil (no, he was not born in the US Canal Zone, or a US base; he was born in Panama in a Panamanian hospital) makes a mockery of the Constitution.

but I think the Constitution is ridiculous for insisting a US president be born on US soil. That makes eligible for the presidency people who may have been born on US soil, but never actually grew up in the US, while people that have lived in the US their whole lives may be ineligible, because they were born outside of the US.

[Ship of Fools]

4. what a stupid waste of time/taxpayer money

[RC]

6. Natural born?

Does that leave out those born by C-section?