McCain raises 'natural-born citizen' issue

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 (UPI) -- The birthplace of U.S. presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., brings up an age-old question about what constitutes a "natural-born citizen."

McCain was born in the Panama Canal Zone. If he wins the general election, he would be the first person to take the presidential oath with an official birthplace beyond the 50 states, The New York Times reported Thursday.

"There are powerful arguments that Sen. McCain or anyone else in this position is constitutionally qualified, but there is certainly no precedent," said Sarah Duggin, a Catholic University law professor.

When "natural-born citizen" was penned in 1787, little direction was offered about whether a candidate had to be born on American soil. In McCain's case, he was born on a U.S. military installation where his parents were stationed at the time.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and an ally of McCain, said it would be inconceivable that a son of a military member born on a military post could not run for president.

"He was posted there on orders from the United States government," Graham said. "If that becomes a problem, we need to tell every military family that your kid can't be president if they take an overseas assignment."