This “let’s make sure the candidates qualify under the Constitution” discussion could get really good. Campaign Spot reader David writes in, looking closely at the Fourteenth Amendment:

“Section 3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.”
“Aid and comfort to enemies.” Well, I guess it come down to whether or not former Weatherman Bill Ayers was an “enemy of the United States” and did Obama give him “aid and comfort”. To be honest, I don’t take this seriously, but I’d say it’s as legitimate as the NYT’s fantasy regarding McCain. If nothing else, I like the contrast:
McCain – possibly ineligible because his family’s service in the military took them outside th US at the time of his birth.
Obama – possibly ineligible, depending on whether or not the former terrorists he associates with are technically “enemies of the United States”.

Well, Bill Ayers “participated in the bombings of New York City Police Headquarters in 1970, of the Capitol building in 1971, the Pentagon in 1972.” (This is from the ” ‘’I don’t regret setting bombs, I feel we didn’t do enough,” interview with the New York Times that ran September 11, 2001.)

“Aid and comfort…” well, “Young described Obama and Ayers as “friends,” but there’s no evidence their relationship is more than the casual friendship of two men who occupy overlapping Chicago political circles and who served together on the board of a Chicago foundation.”

Probably no serious reason to consider Obama constitutionally disqualified. Just an interesting line of inquiry for the fall campaign…

“Barack Obama seems like a nice guy, just like you and me… but how many of your ‘friends’ have planted bombs at the Pentagon?”