Barack Obama

Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii to Barack Obama, Sr. (born in Nyanza Province, Kenya) and Ann Dunham (born in Wichita, Kansas). Barack Hussein Obama (born August 4, 1961) is the junior United States Senator from Illinois and a member of the Democratic Party.

Obama grew up in culturally diverse surroundings. He spent most of his childhood in the majority-minority U.S. state of Hawaii and lived for four years in Indonesia. Obama delivered the keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention while still an Illinois state legislator. Since announcing his candidacy in February 2007, Obama has emphasized ending the Iraq War and implementing universal health care as campaign themes.

As a member of the Democratic minority in the 109th Congress, Obama co-sponsored the enactment of conventional weapons control and transparency legislation, and made official trips to Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Obama's parents separated when he was two years old and later divorced. His father went to Harvard University to pursue Ph.D. studies, then returned to Kenya, where he died in an auto accident when the younger Obama was twenty-one years old.

Monday, December 24, 2007

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS
Warnings Unheeded On Guards In Iraq
The U.S. government disregarded numerous warnings over the past two years about the risks of using Blackwater Worldwide and other private security firms in Iraq, expanding their presence even after a series of shooting incidents showed that the firms were operating with little regulation or...
(By Steve Fainaru, The Washington Post)

Dollar's Fall Is Felt Around The Globe
Weakening U.S. Currency Harms Overseas Markets
(By Anthony Faiola, The Washington Post)

Christmas Cheer, Campaigns an Awkward Mix For Iowa Voters
(By Joel Achenbach, The Washington Post)

Fenty Friend And Counsel Walks Hard, Steps on Toes
(By David Nakamura, The Washington Post)

Romney Strategy in Peril With Huckabee's Ascent
Bid for Early States Appears in Jeopardy
(By Michael D. Shear, The Washington Post)

More Today's Highlights

POLITICS
Romney Strategy in Peril With Huckabee's Ascent
DES MOINES -- A year ago, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney gathered his campaign team for the first time at his suburban Boston home. There were PowerPoint presentations, and Ann Romney made sandwiches. "It was like the first day of school," said one senior-level participant.
(By Michael D. Shear, The Washington Post)

Christmas Cheer, Campaigns an Awkward Mix For Iowa Voters
(By Joel Achenbach, The Washington Post)

As Holiday Break Nears, Obama and Edwards Spar Over Outside Groups
(By Anne E. Kornblut and Perry Bacon Jr., The Washington Post)

Putting Her Heart and Soles Into the Iowa Campaign
(By Sridhar Pappu, The Washington Post)

More Politics

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NATION
Warnings Unheeded On Guards In Iraq
The U.S. government disregarded numerous warnings over the past two years about the risks of using Blackwater Worldwide and other private security firms in Iraq, expanding their presence even after a series of shooting incidents showed that the firms were operating with little regulation or...
(By Steve Fainaru, The Washington Post)

Probe of Calif. Fires Lays Most Blame on Power Lines
Downing of Poles by Santa Ana Winds Renews Debate Over Costly Option of Burying Electrical Cables
(By Karl Vick, The Washington Post)

Storm Causes Deaths, Outages Across Several States
(By Carrie Antlfinger, The Washington Post)

Dollar's Fall Is Felt Around The Globe
Weakening U.S. Currency Harms Overseas Markets
(By Anthony Faiola, The Washington Post)

Jury Convicts Black Man in Shooting Death of White Teen
Long Island Case Involved Questions of Race, Recklessness
(By Frank Eltman, The Washington Post)

More Nation

WORLD
Warnings Unheeded On Guards In Iraq
The U.S. government disregarded numerous warnings over the past two years about the risks of using Blackwater Worldwide and other private security firms in Iraq, expanding their presence even after a series of shooting incidents showed that the firms were operating with little regulation or...
(By Steve Fainaru, The Washington Post)

A Green Light for Common Sense
To Slow Drivers, German Town Drops Traffic Signals and Lane Markers
(By Craig Whitlock, The Washington Post)

Hindu Nationalists Win Key Vote in India
Local Elections in Restive, Wealthy Gujarat State Go Against Ruling Party for Fourth Straight Time
(By Emily Wax, The Washington Post)

Amid the Travel And Fatigue, A Blessed Berth
(By Kevin Sullivan, The Washington Post)

Turkish Planes Bomb Northern Iraq for Second Consecutive Day
(By Joshua Partlow and Dlovan Brwari, The Washington Post)

More World

METRO
Fenty Friend And Counsel Walks Hard, Steps on Toes
Peter J. Nickles didn't wait until he was formally appointed as D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty's general counsel before getting to work.
(By David Nakamura, The Washington Post)

Cleanup Estimate For Bay Lacking
EPA Program's Computer Formulas Called Optimistic
(By David A. Fahrenthold, The Washington Post)

Divided by Deportation
Unexpected Orders to Return to Countries Leave Families in Anguish During Holidays
(By Pamela Constable, The Washington Post)

Two Police Officers Hurt When Cruiser Hits Tree, Then Van
(By Martin Weil and Ruben Castaneda, The Washington Post)

Suspicious Parcel Disrupts Service in Silver Spring Area
(By Elissa Silverman and Martin Weil, The Washington Post)

More Metro

BUSINESS
Dollar's Fall Is Felt Around The Globe
The sharp decline of the U.S. dollar since 2000 is affecting a broad swath of the world's population, with its drop on global markets being blamed at least in part for misfortunes as diverse as labor strikes in the Middle East, lost jobs in Europe and the end of an era of globe-trotting rich...
(By Anthony Faiola, The Washington Post)

Where Technocrats Play With Toys of Tomorrow
At Booz Allen's 'Petting Zoo' and Similar Exhibits, Visitors Get Up Close and Personal With Newest Gadgets
(By Zachary A. Goldfarb, The Washington Post)

Warm, Gooey Corporate Gifts Sometimes Prove Ethically Sticky
(By Ylan Q. Mui, The Washington Post)

Fenty Friend And Counsel Walks Hard, Steps on Toes
(By David Nakamura, The Washington Post)

Warnings Unheeded On Guards In Iraq
Despite Shootings, Security Companies Expanded Presence
(By Steve Fainaru, The Washington Post)

More Business

TECHNOLOGY
Where Technocrats Play With Toys of Tomorrow
When Booz Allen Hamilton, the big McLean technology and consulting firm, wants to demonstrate the art of the possible, it invites visitors into a room it calls the "technology petting zoo."
(By Zachary A. Goldfarb, The Washington Post)

Tinsel Cinema Brings Bollywood Abroad on Demand
(The Washington Post)

General Dynamics Unit to Continue Marine Operations Work
(By William Welsh, The Washington Post)

More Technology

SPORTS
Deacons' Rally Is a Crusher for the Hokies
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., Dec. 23 -- Down the hall from the Virginia Tech locker room, the Wake Forest players bounced off the court, leaping on each other's backs. The Hokies skulked into their locker room, hands on hips and heads down, the only noise an anguished yell by Coach Seth Greenberg.
(By Adam Kilgore, The Washington Post)

What a Difference a Year Makes -- Pirates Stun Broncos
East Carolina 41, No. 24 Boise State 38
(By Jaymes Song, AP)

With Moss and Portis Clicking, It's All Good
Offensive Cogs Healthy and Active To Subdue Vikings
(By Jason Reid, The Washington Post)

Friedgen Selects Franklin To Run Terrapins' Offense
(By Marc Carig, The Washington Post)

McNabb Runs, Passes Eagles Over Saints
Eagles 39, Saints 23
(By BRETT MARTEL, AP)

More Sports

STYLE
You Call That a Gift?!
Our writers remember that year they ripped open the packaging and their faces fell.
(The Washington Post)

The Reliable Source Person of the Year
(By Amy Argetsinger and Roxanne Roberts, The Washington Post)

When LBJ Took a Flying Leap At Peace
Secret Global Trip Was No Holiday
(By Sid Davis, The Washington Post)

Putting Her Heart and Soles Into the Iowa Campaign
(By Sridhar Pappu, The Washington Post)

Freemasonry, Eager to Step From Cultural Shadows
(By Daniela Deane and Kirstin Downey, The Washington Post)

More Style

EDITORIALS
Climate Change Malpractice
THE INK was barely dry on the energy bill signed by President Bush last week when Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Stephen L. Johnson used it as a wobbly crutch to deny California's request to institute tough tailpipe emissions regulations. "The Bush administration is moving forward...
(The Washington Post)

A Shift in South Africa
A ground-breaking democratic election elevates a potentially problematic leader.
(The Washington Post)

D.C.'s Attorney General
As Linda Singer departs, the position's independence must be preserved.
(The Washington Post)

More Editorials

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