Some readers note that according to a literal reading of the Kenyan Constitution, Barack Obama is technically a Kenyan citizen. Kenya achieved independence from Britain on December 12, 1963; under the
- 87*. Persons who became citizens on 12th December, 1963
- Every person who, having been born in Kenya, is on llth December. 1963 a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies or a British protected person shall become a citizen of Kenya on 12th December, 1963:
Provided that a person shall not become a citizen of Kenya by virtue of this subsection if neither of his parents was born in Kenya.
- Every person who, having been born outside Kenya. is on llth December, 1963 a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies or a British protected person shall. if his father becomes. or would but for his death have become, a citizen of Kenya by virtue of subsection (1). become a citizen of Kenya on 12th December. 1963.
Some would argue that by virtue of having a Kenyan citizen as his father, Obama “became” a Kenyan citizen back in 1963, even though he was in Hawaii at the time and did not visit the country until much later in his life. Others would argue that that would only apply to those born in the UK or its colonies (and I have no idea whether the United States qualifies as a UK colony under Kenyan law).
Of course, Barack Obama has never claimed to be a Kenyan citizen, nor has he, to the best of anyone’s knowledge, ever claimed dual citizenship.
Having said that, a serious effort to argue that McCain is disqualified from being president will attempt to establish that a child of one American and one foreign-born parent is eligible for the presidency, but a child of two Americans, one a serving member of the U.S. Armed Forces, born in a U.S. territory (Coco Solo Air Base in the then-American-controlled Panama Canal Zone) is not.
Dear Democrats, please go down this road; Team McCain would like to ensure that their candidate’s share of the military and veteran vote goes from 90 percent to 100 percent.