Un-natural Born Ted?

As we pointed out a few days ago, the Presidential eligibility issue for radical wingnut Sen. "Tailgunner Ted" Cruz (R-Calgary) centers on the Constitutional phrase describing who is eligible to be President as a "natural born citizen." Canadian-born Tailgunner Ted maintains that since his mother was a Canadian U.S. citizen, he automatically is a "natural born citizen" regardless of where he was born. However, some legal scholars, including Harvard Law's eminent Laurence Tribe, say the definition of "natural born" has never definitively been established, and is open to interpretation.

Now, a Constitutional law professor, Mary Brigid McManamon, says the English law upon which the Founders based their writing clearly defines a "natural born citizen" only as someone born within the country's territories. Researching English case law back to 1350, McManamon concludes that the "natural born" usage in English common law -- usage that the framers of the Constitution followed -- refers only to people born inside the country, a narrow definition that James Madison supported in his writings.

Tailgunner Ted should take some heat at tonight's Rethuglican poo-fling on the subject of his eligibility to be President, and he's certain to have a canned response ready, but it's growing into a serious question for him and for the Rethuglican Party, now seemingly being hoisted on its own birther petard.