Not that left-wing media pundit Cenk Uygur has a snowball’s chance of winning the Democratic presidential nomination, despite the fact he’s thrown his hat into the ring. Even if he did, there’s a big catch — namely, where he was born.
In a social media post on Wednesday evening, Uygur, creator of “The Young Turks,” announced that he was seeking the highest office in the land.
“Yes, I’m running against Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination. Joe Biden is down 24 points on the economy. He has no ability to make up that kind of ground on the most important issue,” he wrote. “We need a new candidate now!”
On his website, CenkForAmerica.com, he further spelled out why he thinks Biden needs a new quixotic challenger — you know, one not named Robert F. Kennedy Jr. or Marianne Williamson.
“Biden is 13 POINTS LOWER THAN when he barely beat Trump in the Electoral College (44,000 votes),” he said.
“Biden is 24 POINTS BEHIND Trump on the economy – the most important issue. Biden is currently TRAILING TRUMP when he has to win the popular vote by 5 points to win the Electoral College.”
His four main policy points: Paid family leave, $15 national minimum wage, public health insurance and ending gerrymandering. (For some reason, Uygur’s one-time on-air suggestion that certain types of bestiality be legalized didn’t make the cut; I cannot possibly fathom why.)
Uygur is a favorite of the far-left, having won Bernie Sanders’ brief endorsement in his one foray into electoral politics — a stab at the open seat of disgraced, resigned former “throuple” California Democratic Rep. Katie Hill ended badly after some of his more raunchy, sexist comments on “The Young Turks” and in his other political writings ended poorly. In case you’re unfamiliar with him, he’s the yelly-shouty one on “The Young Turks.” OK, OK, let me be more specific: He’s the linebacker-shaped, preternaturally sweaty yelly-shouty one on “The Young Turks.”
This enough should probably be enough to disqualify him in the eyes of voters. However, there’s a bigger problem: He’s disqualified for running for president, period.
Yes, I’m running against Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination. Joe Biden is down 24 points on the economy. He has no ability to make up that kind of ground on the most important issue. We need a new candidate now! https://t.co/JdRkmvU9Cy
— Cenk Uygur (@cenkuygur) October 12, 2023
As Article II, Section 1, Clause 5 of the U.S. Constitution states: “No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.”
Uygur was born in Istanbul, Turkey, and immigrated to America in 1978 — but, in an interview with online outlet Semafor, he sees this as no problem, saying the U.S. Supreme Court would rule the Constitution invalid in a “slam dunk” fashion.
“That’s another good reason to run,” he said. “I’m tired of 25 million Americans having this albatross around their neck.”
Uygur offered no defense for that position during the interview, but on social media, he cited Schneider v. Rusk — a case which had to do with whether naturalized and native-born citizens could be treated differently under the Immigration and Nationality Act.
Case law is clear. Naturalized citizens can run for President: “Schneider is clear that treating natural born citizens and naturalized citizens differently is contrary to the Fifth Amendment. Forbidding naturalized citizens from being president or vice president is a form of…
— Cenk Uygur (@cenkuygur) October 12, 2023
As you may have noticed from the Community Note there, the Immigration and Nationality Act and the due process clause of the Fifth Amendment under which it was decided has literally nothing to do with who can run for president, which is spelled out explicitly in the Constitution.
But then, if you’ve ever been one to consume a significant portion of “The Young Turks” content — and let me here extend my sympathies to those who have — Cenk has never let facts or reality get in his way.
That’s why he’s launching his campaign in October, months after he should have been collecting signatures and donations. Cenk’s so awesome he doesn’t even have to play by the rules. In fact, he was going to launch his campaign in 2025 and be so awesome that he’d go back in time and beat both Biden and Trump, but apparently some square told him it was best for him to announce his intentions before the primaries and the elections. Loser.
Ah well. I’m sure he’ll have no problems convincing the Supreme Court that the Constitution doesn’t say what it explicitly does, the same way he had no problems convincing California voters a bestiality-supporter with a history of misogynistic remarks was a good choice for Congress.
Oh, wait, that didn’t work either? My mistake.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
