[jetxnet]

Which Presidential candidates have shown their birth certificates in previous elections? Who did they show them to? Try the State Department.

[kenboy]

Which prior candidate showed a birth certificate to "the State Department?" I can't seem to find any news articles about John Kerry, Al Gore, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Bob Dole, George H. W. Bush, Michael Dukakis, Walter Mondale, Ronald Reagan, or Jimmy Carter arriving at "the State Department" to present their papers.

Do I need to look back beyond that for the last time it happened?

Did every single State Department employee witness the presentation of documents? Was it just the Secretary of State who received the formal papers from each candidate? Perhaps a deputy? Is it a civil servant who looks over and approves the form, or a political appointee? If the candidate disagrees with the State Department's assessment of the validity of his papers, is there an appeals process?

Did the candidates need to show their parents birth certificates as well, you know, to ensure they were natural born citizens? Or is that a new requirement?

Please, do tell me more about this procedure. I'm fascinated by this untold story of American politics.