I do not remember being taught that "both parents of the candidate had to be citizens of the United States" to produce a natural born citizen. I went to school over fifty years ago. Maybe you went to school before that.
As I read Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution, the President of the United States is to be chosen by Electors. In order to properly perform their Constitutional function, the Electors must pass upon the qualifications of anyone that they choose to be President.
I know that there are some people who would prefer that courts play a role in that process, but the Constitution does not provide a role for courts in the selection of presidents. If the Electors fail to choose someone by a majority of their votes, the House of Representatives (voting by state) chooses the President.
As a practical matter, since the voters select Electors who are often obligated to vote for the candidate favored by the voters, it is in fact the voters who rule upon the qualifications of the candidates. Accordingly, it is very important that each voter consider carefully what he/she believes these qualifications require.
“I do not remember being taught that “both parents of the candidate had to be citizens of the United States” to produce a natural born citizen.”
You “do not remember”?
Does not cancel out those who do remember, or more importantly, abrogate the provision in the Constitution.
“...the Electors must pass upon the qualifications of anyone that they choose to be President.”
Laughable. Electors can’t change the Constitution.
“... the Constitution does not provide a role for courts in the selection of presidents.”
Go ask a Gore fan. NOW you resort to Constitutional law.
“...it is in fact the voters who RULE upon the qualifications of the candidates.”
No, voters don’t rule on anything; they vote.
The ONLY time the term “natural born citizen” is used in the Constitution is referring to who is eligible to run for president. The other qualification requirement is being thirty-five years of age.
The term “citizen” is used quite often. That should give you a clue that they had something more in mind than mere citizen. As I posted earlier, the Naturalization Act of 1790 clearly refers to and defines the term “natural born” — both parents citizens of the United States.
Whether a person meets Constitutional requirements is a question of law, not politics. The Judiciary handles questions of law, they find facts and apply law.
“No Person except a natural born Citizen [] shall be eligible to the Office of President” is a requirement no different than the requirement that the eligible person shall “have attained to the Age of thirty five Years” and the requirement that they have “been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States” - they all are judicable.
To contend that eligibility is determined politically renders the Constitutional requirements a nullity.