Shriver Doubtful About Presidential Amendment

Maria Shriver is supporting a proposed amendment to the US Constitution which would allow her husband Arnold Schwarzenegger to run for president - but she doubts it will be enacted.

California Governor Schwarzenegger, who was born in Austria and became an American citizen in 1983, has said he's interested in running for presidency. But current US laws prohibit any foreignborn person from becoming the country's president.

And while Shriver supports the change, she's not expecting it to happen.

She says in an interview with Vanity Fair magazine, "Forget about it. It is not going to happen. The process takes years, and this is as far as it goes."

She says there "absolutely" should be an amendment which would allow Republican Schwarzenegger and other naturalised citizens to run for president, adding "We are a nation of immigrants."

It would take two-thirds votes in Congress and approval by at least 38 states to adopt such an amendment.

A Texas radio talk show host has already started raising funds for television advertisements opposing the change.