"Habeas Corpus Was Invented For American Citizens"

I am posting on Lola's behalf as an outraged American citizen. This morning, I was watching NBC's "Morning Joe" on mute while Lola slept. I didn't know that the host, Joe Scarborough, is a lawyer and former Republican congressman. They were discussing Habeas Corpus (roughly, the right not to be held without charges), and Joe Scarborough says, "Habeas Corpus was invented for American citizens." I couldn't believe it, and neither could the journalist who was one of his guests. She responded, "It comes from British common law," at which point he stammered for a second and then started talking about something else, because he couldn't wriggle out of it. I am a mere English professor, but I teach the suspension of Habeas Corpus in Britain every time I teach the French Revolution (which began in 1789). I am more outraged that this man is a credentialled lawyer than I am that he is a politician. We expect stupidity from politicians. We don't expect incompetence from practicing professionals. I have to save this blog post for Lola as a grim example of the long slow slide of American educational standards.--K