If it had been allowed, who would be some likely immigrant Presidents of the US?

[False Dmitri]

Of course no one born outside the United States has ever "almost become" President, since any possible contender would have already known he was disqualified from serving. But if it had been allowed, which non-native citizens occupied positions that would have made them plausible candidates? If Article II Section 1 Clause 5 of the Constitution had been written differently, when would history have started to change ... if at all?

I am posting this in Before 1900 because of when the requisite PoD would have occurred, but post-1900 candidates should be OK to discuss, I hope.

 

[Kaiser K]

Henry Kissinger is a post-1900 example that springs to mind.

 

[Grimbald]

Henry Kissinger

Alexander Hamilton (though as a British subject prior to the revolution, he may have been eligible.)

 

[Dustin]

I believe that Hamilton would have been grandfathered in due to residing in the US at the time independence was declared.

 

[False Dmitri]

Problem with Kissinger is that he was never an elected leader at all, was he? More of a career diplomat. Though I can see him getting in as Nixon's VP or something along those lines.

 

[Nofix]

For reference, here's a list of foreign-born United States Cabinet Secretaries and a list of foreign-born United States politicians.

Carl Schurz would probably be to risky as a 48er. He's the only one I can think of. Both Hamilton and Albert Gallatin were grandfathered in, but neither were nationally popular enough to get to backing of their party for POTUS.

 

[Indicus]

Carl Schurz would probably be to risky as a 48er. He's the only one I can think of. Both Hamilton and Albert Gallatin were grandfathered in, but neither were nationally popular enough to get to backing of their party for POTUS.

According to the Constitution, Hamilton was eligible for the presidency, as he was residing in the US at the time of its formation. Gallatin, of course, was not.

A Hamilton-Gallatin rivalry would be pretty awesome.

 

[Nofix]

According to the Constitution, Hamilton was eligible for the presidency, as he was residing in the US at the time of its formation. Gallatin, of course, was not.

A Hamilton-Gallatin rivalry would be pretty awesome.

But he was nominated in 1823 by the DR caucus for Vice-President (with Crawford as the top man), wasn't he? Sure he withdrew (fearing he wouldn't win), but the fact he was nominated lead me to think he was eligible for VP and thus the Presidency.

 

[False Dmitri]

Carl Schurz would probably be to risky as a 48er. He's the only one I can think of.

This is exactly the sort of person I was hoping to learn about. Thanks very much! Schurz sounds like the kind of man who would be unlikely to win, but whose candidacy could still affect history in a substantial way. That could be an interesting TL - the PoD is 1787, but no real changes happen until the 1876 Presidential election, when Schurz campaigns to the left of Hayes in a dramatic three-way race. Probably that means a Tilden victory, but nevertheless it's interesting.

Both Hamilton and Albert Gallatin were grandfathered in, but neither were nationally popular enough to get to backing of their party for POTUS.

I had thought of Gallatin. He was popular enough to have four towns and three counties named for him. But yes, like Kissinger he was a diplomat rather than a politician for most of his career - though he did win a few elections early on.

 

[packmanwiscy]

Didn't Arnold Schwarzenegger consider trying to make a case that he should be able to run for President? Maybe without as many hoops to jump through he tries for the '08 or '12 nomination.

 

[Mitchell Hundred]

I know this is before 1900 but I think Trump has shown what a name and the right (or wrong) personality can do in an election campaign.

I'm quite sure if allowed to Arnold would have ran at least in 2008 (was he still governor then?) or 2012.

How far could he have gone? We may have to wait to see how this Trump thing plays out.

 

[ranichi17]

Hamilton, if only he didn't publish the Reynolds Pamphlet and ruin his own career. Who does that, anyway?

 

[False Dmitri]

I know this is before 1900 but I think Trump has shown what a name and the right (or wrong) personality can do in an election campaign.

I'm quite sure if allowed to Arnold would have ran at least in 2008 (was he still governor then?) or 2012.

How far could he have gone? We may have to wait to see how this Trump thing plays out.

But Arnold, if it had been possible, would probably have run as a moderate, wouldn't he? Similar to Trump in that he was an iconic celebrity, but very different politically.

 

[Byzantion]

Of course no one born outside the United States has ever "almost become" President, since any possible contender would have already known he was disqualified from serving. But if it had been allowed, which non-native citizens occupied positions that would have made them plausible candidates? If Article II Section 1 Clause 5 of the Constitution had been written differently, when would history have started to change ... if at all?

I am posting this in Before 1900 because of when the requisite PoD would have occurred, but post-1900 candidates should be OK to discuss, I hope.

Lafayette ?

 

[GTStinger]

Bob Hope
Knew all sorts of people in high places and America loved him.

 

[jahenders]

How about Lafeyette?

 

[RyuDrago]

Lafayette ?

How about Lafeyette?

He would have never competed against Washington for first, second he was too young in a political way and third he returned in France to assist the initial phase of the Revolution. Lafayette was and remained a French.

 

[jahenders]

True, but he might have stuck around and run if it was hinted that he might have a role in leading the new country. For example, maybe Washington offers him a seat on the cabinet.

So, he wouldn't run against Washington but might run for #2 or #3.

He would have never competed against Washington for first, second he was too young in a political way and third he returned in France to assist the initial phase of the Revolution. Lafayette was and remained a French.

 

[ennobee]

Okay, since we're talking about Lafayette? What about all those other foreign volunteers? Kasimir Pulaski, if he had not been killed in the last month of the war? I understand that he was something of a career military man with just an idealistic idea of freedom, but as a nobleman landowner he could have stuck around as an organizer bureaucrat and slowly worked his way up through the ranks. Then again, if he hadn't heroically died on the last siege of the war, he would probably just faded into nothingness either in the new republic or in his native Poland.

 

[ennobee]

And while we're talking about Arnold Schwarzenegger, what about former secretary of state Madeleine Allbright. It is my understanding that she was ineligible to run because she was born in London as a child of a US ambassador so American,but not born on native soil... Today a case coup be made that she did not violate the clause as she was de facto born TO the embassy, which would be equivalent to born IN the embassy, but in 2000, she decided not even to try...