How can McCain become president when he was not born in the U.S.?

He was born in panama, but to parents that are american citizens. There are two ways to be born into citizenship. If you are born on the soil, even if neither parent is a citizen, you automatically become a citizen. Also, if you are born in a foreign country to american parents, or in international waters to foreign parents, you become a citizen of their country. The first way is being born of the soil, the second way is of the blood.

ps. hook em horns

John McCain, who ran for the Republican party nomination in 2000 and is the Republican nominee in 2008, was born at the Coco Solo U.S. military base in the Panama Canal Zone to U.S. parents. Although the Panama Canal Zone was not considered to be part of the United States, federal law states: "Any person born in the Canal Zone on or after February 26, 1904, and whether before or after the effective date of this chapter, whose father or mother or both at the time of the birth of such person was or is a citizen of the United States, is declared to be a citizen of the United States." The law that conferred this status took effect on August 4, 1937, one year after John McCain was born, but with retroactive effect, resulting in McCain being declared a U.S. citizen.

Of course, he still has to win the election to become president...

US presidential candidates born outside the US

"The constitutional wording has left doubts about whether those born on foreign soil are on an equal footing with those whose birth occurred inside the country's borders, and whether they have the same rights."[2] Though every president and vice president to date (as of 2008) has either been a citizen at the adoption of the Constitution, or else born in a U.S. state or Washington D.C.,[3] a number of presidential candidates have been born elsewhere.[4]

Barry Goldwater, who ran as the Republican party nominee in 1964, was born in Arizona while it was still a U.S. territory. Although Arizona was not a state, it was a fully organized and incorporated territory of the United States.[5]

George Romney, who ran for the Republican party nomination in 1968, was born in Mexico to U.S. parents. Romney’s grandfather emigrated to Mexico in 1886 with his three wives and children after Utah outlawed polygamy. Romney's parents retained their U.S. citizenship and returned to the United States in 1912. Romney was 32 years old when he arrived in Michigan.

Lowell Weicker, the former Connecticut Senator, Representative, and Governor, entered the race for the Republican party nomination of 1980 but dropped out before voting in the primaries began. He was born in Paris, France and acquired his citizenship at birth through his parents. His father was an executive for E. R. Squibb & Sons and his mother was the Indian-born daughter of a British general.[6]

John McCain, who ran for the Republican party nomination in 2000 and is the Republican nominee in 2008, was born at the Coco Solo U.S. military base in the Panama Canal Zone to U.S. parents. Although the Panama Canal Zone was not considered to be part of the United States,[7] federal law states: "Any person born in the Canal Zone on or after February 26, 1904, and whether before or after the effective date of this chapter, whose father or mother or both at the time of the birth of such person was or is a citizen of the United States, is declared to be a citizen of the United States."[8] The law that conferred this status took effect on August 4, 1937, one year after John McCain was born — albeit with retroactive effect, resulting in McCain being declared a U.S. citizen.[9]

It has nothing to do with the military, as some have suggested.

I was born in Mexico, and I was an American citizen before they cut the cord.In addition to the usual birth certificate, etc., I have form FS-240 from the U.S. Department of State, Foreign Service- Report Of Birth Abroad Of A Citizen Of The United States.

Citing section 301(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, it indicates that the following shall be citizens at birth.

(3) A person born outside the United States and its outlying possessions of parents both of whom are citizens.and one of whom has had a residence in the U.S. or one of its outlying possessions prior to the birth of such person

(4) A person....of parents one of whom is a citizen of the United States who has been physically present in the U.S. or ...for a continuous period of one year prior to the birth of such person and the other of whom is a national, but not a citizen of the U.S.

(7) A person born outside the geographical limits of the U.S. and its outlying possessions of parents of whom one is an alien and the other a citizen of the U.S. who, prior....was present in the U.S. ...for a period or periods not less than ten years, at least five of which were after attaining the age of fourteen....

Basically, its not a question of where you were born, but a question of your parents status and how long they have lived in the U.S.

Come on now this is spelled out in the Constitution. He had both parents that were American Citizens, Father was stationed in Panama which was at that time was an American Territory (before Carter gave it away, to a drug dealer, who is currently doing life in a super max federal prison). American parents, American soil = American Citizenship. Excellent question.

Because John McCain's parents were both American citizens, John was considered a natural born citizen. Questioning McCain's citizenship is just as stupid as questioning Obama's.

I support Obama, but I'm not going to let people spread bullsh*t about McCain. It's irrelevant and only diminishes the debate.

“[8 U.S.C. 1403](a) Any person born in the Canal Zone on or after February 26, 1904, and whether before or after the effective date of this chapter, whose father or mother or both at the time of the birth of such person was or is a citizen of the United States, is declared to be a citizen of the United States.”

He technically was born on US soil, since it was a military base and his parents are American citizens anyway. I had a cousin born in Germany when her dad was in the army, no problem with her citizenship. Both Obama and McCain are eligible to be prez.

Obama/Biden 08

McCain was born on American soil in the Canal Zone. Neither candidate's birth place is an issue. Arnold was born and raised in Austria. He served in the Austrian army. He emigrated to the United States because that's where the money was for body builders.

while this is a funny question, any children born on US bases around the world ARE naturalized citizens as long as one parent is a US citizen. Arnold does not fall into this category.