I wonder why this is?

[Max2147]

Originally Posted by Stealth Hunter

Well actually, Panama was never part of the US like Guam or Puerto Rico. The zone near the canal was, but the nation itself was and has been a constitutional democracy since 1903, a good 33 years before McCain was born. HOWEVER, he was born inside the canal zone. The debate is whether or not it belonged to the Panamanians or the US at the time. Technically, it was part of Panama's landmass, but the US signed a treaty with them which gave them control of the canal zone.

Sort of. He was born in US Navy hospital, but it was slightly outside the Canal Zone. So it was a US government owned property on Panamanian soil.

So technically he was born in Panama, but he was a US citizen from birth since both his parents were US citizens. The Senate and multiple legal opinions have confirmed his status as a natural born citizen.