[Velveeta]

No, it grandfathered in those who WERE born in the colonies. Not those who WEREN'T.

No way!

A. I admit I'll have to go break out my history books.

If I recall, most of the Framers were born on what would eventually become US soil - i.e. the Colonies.

Some of them were born overseas England, Ireland?, Scotland? - boy I'm rusty in the memory department.

It was those who were foreign born who were grandfathered in. The Framers were excluding those with allegiances to foreign countries from the point of the signing of the Constitution forward.

Do you think the Framers would consider Bobby Jindal eligible to the Presidency?

[DJ MacWoW]

Presidents were born here. Their parents were not. So they wrote the grandfather clause so that they could serve.

Washington was born in Virginia in 1732.
John Adams was born in Massachusetts in 1735
Jefferson was born in Virginia in 1743
Madison born in Virginia in 1751
Monroe born in Virginia in 1758

[Michael Michael]

No way!

Way!

A. I admit I'll have to go break out my history books.

I would highly recommend that, yes. ;)

If I recall, most of the Framers were born on what would eventually become US soil - i.e. the Colonies.

Yes, EVENTUALLY become US soil. But it WASN'T US soil at the time they were born. It was British soil. And at the time of their birth, they were natural born subjects of England, and had no other citizenship until we declared independence, at which time they became United States citizens. But they weren't natural born citizens of the United States because that requires being born in the United States.

Hence, given the natural born citizen clause of Article II, they had to make an exception for themselves so they didn't have to wait around for thirty five years or more before this country could elect a President.

Some of them were born overseas England, Ireland?, Scotland? - boy I'm rusty in the memory department.

No one who was ever elected President was. And they would have been no less "foreign born" than if they'd been born in Virginia, or Pennsylvania, as they were all part of England.

The Framers were excluding those with allegiances to foreign countries from the point of the signing of the Constitution forward.

And that's why they excluded naturalized citizens from holding the office of President. And even this came straight out of the English common law as English common law also excluded naturalized subjects from certain political offices, such as the Privy Council and Parliament.

Do you think the Framers would consider Bobby Jindal eligible to the Presidency?

He was born in the US wasn't he? If so, then absolutely they would.