I don't know what most Americans will think about it (but the British will think it's great), but the father of the man who is about the become the new US President was born in the British Empire.
Obama's father was Kenyan, and he was born in Kenya whilst it was a part of the British Empire. When Barack Obama was born in 1961, Kenya was still part of the British Empire and his father was a citizen of the British Empire.
Because of this, his father also acquired British citizenship, and this meant that when Obama was born in Hawaii he had to hold both US citizenship (due to his being born in hawaii) and British citizenship (due to his father being a citizen of the British Empire).
Now an appeal claiming that Obama is "too British" to be President has been rejected...
'Obama too British' case rejected
The BBC
Mr Obama's father was born in Kenya when it was part of the British Empire
An appeal claiming Barack Obama is too British to become president of the United States has been rejected by the US Supreme Court.
The lawsuit claimed he should be disqualified because, it claimed, he acquired the same British citizenship that his father had when he was born.
This meant he was not a "natural-born" US citizen, as the US constitution requires, it alleged.
Mr Obama's birth certificate shows he was born in Hawaii.
The issue was addressed by Mr Obama's aides during his presidential campaign, when they posted online his birth certificate - which was verified by Hawaiian officials.
This lawsuit, brought by retired New Jersey lawyer Leo Donofrio, gained a high profile because it was distributed by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to other justices for discussion.
It conceded that Mr Obama was born in Hawaii - but contended that he still held foreign citizenship at birth.
It read: "Since Barack Obama's father was a citizen of Kenya, and therefore subject to the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom at the time of Senator Obama's birth, then Senator Obama was a British citizen 'at birth', just like the framers of the Constitution, and therefore, even if he were to produce an original birth certificate proving he were born on US soil, he still wouldn't be eligible to be president."
Kenya was part of British East Africa until it received its independence in 1963. A decision not to grant a writ of certiorari - the legal term for the declaration that the justices will hear the case - means that a lower court ruling that dismissed the lawsuit can stand.
news.bbc.co.uk
Obama's father was Kenyan, and he was born in Kenya whilst it was a part of the British Empire. When Barack Obama was born in 1961, Kenya was still part of the British Empire and his father was a citizen of the British Empire.
Because of this, his father also acquired British citizenship, and this meant that when Obama was born in Hawaii he had to hold both US citizenship (due to his being born in hawaii) and British citizenship (due to his father being a citizen of the British Empire).
Now an appeal claiming that Obama is "too British" to be President has been rejected...
'Obama too British' case rejected
The BBC
Mr Obama's father was born in Kenya when it was part of the British Empire
An appeal claiming Barack Obama is too British to become president of the United States has been rejected by the US Supreme Court.
The lawsuit claimed he should be disqualified because, it claimed, he acquired the same British citizenship that his father had when he was born.
This meant he was not a "natural-born" US citizen, as the US constitution requires, it alleged.
Mr Obama's birth certificate shows he was born in Hawaii.
The issue was addressed by Mr Obama's aides during his presidential campaign, when they posted online his birth certificate - which was verified by Hawaiian officials.
This lawsuit, brought by retired New Jersey lawyer Leo Donofrio, gained a high profile because it was distributed by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to other justices for discussion.
It conceded that Mr Obama was born in Hawaii - but contended that he still held foreign citizenship at birth.
It read: "Since Barack Obama's father was a citizen of Kenya, and therefore subject to the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom at the time of Senator Obama's birth, then Senator Obama was a British citizen 'at birth', just like the framers of the Constitution, and therefore, even if he were to produce an original birth certificate proving he were born on US soil, he still wouldn't be eligible to be president."
Kenya was part of British East Africa until it received its independence in 1963. A decision not to grant a writ of certiorari - the legal term for the declaration that the justices will hear the case - means that a lower court ruling that dismissed the lawsuit can stand.
news.bbc.co.uk
