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.



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today's papers Writers Bloc By Barron YoungSmith Posted Sunday, Feb. 10, 2008, at 5:32 AM ET The Los Angeles Times leads (and everybody else goes up top) with news of a deal that may end the screenwriters' strike by midweek. The New York Times leads with, and everyone else fronts, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.,'s substantial wins in Nebraska, Louisiana, and Washington State. The Washington Post leads local. The Writers Guild of America announced a deal with the studios that secures them a cut of internet revenues. If all goes well, they could be working by Tuesday. The NYT says writers are warily optimistic about the deal, while the WP says writers are "jubilant" about "victory." TP will trust the LAT's hometown expertise on this one. It says things look good, but the Oscars are still in limbo and--to wit--it ain't over till it's over. To continue reading, click here. Barron YoungSmith is an editorial web intern at The New Republic. Join the Fray: our reader discussion forum What did you think of this article? POST A MESSAGE \| READ MESSAGES Also In Slate News & Politics A Banner Week for Water- Boarding Style & Shopping Inside the Secret Notebooks of New York's Fashionistas Arts & Life *'80s Heartthrob Has Bad Day on Lipstick Jungle* Set**	Advertisement
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