Austrian-born action film star, former California governor, and naturalized US citizen Arnold Schwarzenegger is often given as the classic example of someone who is not eligible to run for President of the United States. Some years back there were proposals for a Constitutional amendment floating around Congress to change Article II to make Schwarzenegger eligible. They went nowhere.
Is it time for a President Schwarzenegger? The “governator” himself thinks so according to an article at The Washington Times, “Arnold Schwarzenegger lobbies for law change to seek presidency.”
“Schwarzenegger has been talking openly about working on getting the constitutional rules changed so he can run for president in 2016,” a source said, The [New York] Post reported. “He is ready to file legal paperwork to challenge the rules.”
Source? I don’t know. The preceding statement is pretty muddled. No one can “file legal paperwork” to change the Constitution. There are only two ways that can happen, as specified by Article V:
The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; …
I have significant doubts about the veracity of this story at the Washington Times. I also have significant doubts that the Country is in any mood to adopt such an amendment, particularly before the 2016 election.
Update:
The Washington Post, confirming my doubts, reports that Schwarzenegger is not planning to lobby to have the Constitution changed.
It would be pandemonium on birther sites if such a thing happened. To paraphrase the great philosopher, Strongbad “Their heads would be asplode.”
The Republicans wouldn’t elect him anyway. He’s too sane.
Doc, I’m shocked, shocked! that you found ‘muddled’ writing in the Moonie Times. From the article:
The piece is completely devoid of any educational value regarding the electoral process, not that that yellow rag has any interest in educating its audience!
Another fun angle is the selective outrage. In Arnold’s case, lack thereof. They’d have a grand old time wallowing in his personal, if they weren’t so high on Reagan lust. Give them an actor-turned-California governor, and they get all kinds of myopic / amnesiac!
The original source, such as it is, is this piece of journalistic cotton candy from page six in the New York Post:
http://pagesix.com/2013/10/18/schwarzenegger-mounting-legal-challenge-to-run-for-president/?_ga=1.217781841.637799218.1358105857
WaPo: “… former California governor Arnold Schwarzengger (R) says he’s not angling to change the Constitution to allow foreign-born people like himself to serve as president.” They quote a tweet from the Governator: “Appreciate all the comments, but no plans to lobby to change the constitution.”
So we have two conflicting stories: on one side, the Moonie Times quoting the New York Post quoting an anonymous source; on the other side, WaPo quoting Schwarznegger. Who to believe?
Just goes to show, there are two sides to every story: the factually correct one, and the idiotic one.
I had thought he soured on the idea of being a politician after his experience as governor. On a side note, if he were to attempt to run and be prevented by some authority, he would actually have standing.
I assume this a fluff piece from the NY Post but last year a fellow named Abdul Hassan who was born in Guyana and a naturalized US citizen tried to sue the Federal Elections Commission to force them to declare him a natural born citizen and therefore eligible to be president. He claimed the equal protection clause in the 14th Amendment in effect repealed the NBC requirement in Article II. He lost of course.
See this thread on the case at the Fogbow: Hassan v. FEC (D.D.C.)
They’ve been trotting this piece of fluff out almost every year since the Guvernator ended up in the governor’s chair in CA, and I don’t think it is any more true now than it was then, what eight nine years ago now. Must have been a really slow news day, or their just weren’t any alien abductions left to report.
I can’t somehow see the national party getting behind him, as someone has already pointed out, he is too sane to suit their current mold, and I don’t think he follows orders too well either, which wouldn’t set well with the party either.
It’s as stupid today as it was the first time. As much as I’m sure Arnold wants to be President his wishing it so isn’t going to cut it. No lawsuit is going to make it happen. A Constitutional Amendment is what it takes and the chances of one getting through the process in a year are less than slim.
Other than that it’s a hell of an idea……but a stupid story.
RE; The Update … I’m shocked, shocked to hear that the Post has contradicted the Times 😉
I met Armold (admittedly before he ran for Governor). As a Conservative (which he is) he is to the left of Bill Clinton.
The current iteration of the GOP would never accept him in a million years.
C’mon, Lupin, he’s an actor!
Any review of his Ouevre will leave no doubt that he can play the any part, including that of a wingtard, with ease:
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/arnold_schwarzenegger/
*cough, cough*
Seriously, tho, celebrity carries weight with the easily-impressed. The Santorum crowd, objecting to pretty much every aspect of his personal and professional lives, would never go for him, but the goofballs that backed Fred Thompson, Herman Cain, etc., would eat him up.
Yet for some reason, they didn’t fall for Colbert. I think they literally think and do whatever talk radio/Fox news tells them to!
The man would never take Airforce one. Instead he would opt for Marine One, always shouting “Get to the CHOPPA!!! NAO!!!! *several incoherence syllables*” It’d be epic!
Verily, we are a nation of Constitutional jeanyusses.
Our German newspapers mostly get this wrong; I’ve read a lot of “all that’s required is a 2/3’s majority in the Senate” in the last days.
Good point. Indeed I know folks who hated him and still voted for him when he ran as Governor.
But he still is way to the left to the GOP.
In the film Demolition Man, Ah-nold was president after a constitutional amendment.