Donald Trump and Ted Cruz during a recent debate in Las Vegas. (Photo: AP)
Birther-ism, Part II?
Donald Trump, who famously questioned whether President Obama was really born in Hawaii, is now raising questions about the Canadian birth of Republican presidential campaign rival Ted Cruz.
Republicans are going to have to ask themselves the question: Do we want a candidate who could be tied up in court for two years?" Trump told The Washington Post in reference to the Texas senator. "Thatd be a big problem ... Itd be a very precarious one for Republicans because hed be running and the courts may take a long time to make a decision. You dont want to be running and have that kind of thing over your head.
While born in Canada, Cruz and allies have said he is eligible for the presidency because his mother's status as an American citizen made him a citizen upon his birth. His father was born in Cuba. Since his election to the U.S. Senate from Texas in 2012, Cruz has released his birth certificate and renounced his Canadian citizenship.
Still, some critics of Cruz have suggested taking the issue to court.
Id hate to see something like that get in his way," Trump told the Post. "But a lot of people are talking about it and I know that even some states are looking at it very strongly, the fact that he was born in Canada and he has had a double passport.
Trump made the comments as Cruz has passed him in polls in Iowa, which opens the GOP nomination process with caucuses on Feb. 1.
Cruz responded to Trump's jibe with a tweet showing a famous scene from the 1970s sitcom Happy Days, one in which the character Fonzie jumps over a school of sharks on water skis inspiring the term "jump the shark," used to describe the moment at which a television show begins to lose its quality.
"While born in Canada, Cruz and allies have said he is eligible for the presidency because his mother's status as an American citizen made him a citizen upon his birth."
Correct. He was a U.S. citizen at birth because his mother was a U.S. citizen. But not a natural born citizen (IMO) which is the issue.
If the sta the status the status of the mother is the determining factor, then why all the hoopla about where Obama was born? Are we now saying the place of birth makes no difference as long as the mother is a U.S. citizen? First time I've heard that argument.
I don't have the answer. No one does. The Supreme Court has not defined a natural born citizen. Meaning Trump is 100% correct -- this could be a potential stumbling block.