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.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS
Intense Fighting Erupts In Iraq
BAGHDAD, March 25 -- Fierce gun battles erupted between Iraqi security forces and Shiite militias in Basra, Baghdad and other cities Tuesday as the government, backed by U.S. and British reconnaissance planes, launched an offensive aimed at breaking the power of politically backed gunmen.
(By Sholnn Freeman and Sudarsan Raghavan, The Washington Post)

In Obama's New Message, Some Foes See Old Liberalism
(By Alec MacGillis, The Washington Post)

Spring Forecast? It's Always Gloomy.
(By Dana Milbank, The Washington Post)

Justices Rebuff Bush and World Court
Powers Limited in Texas Death Case
(By Robert Barnes, The Washington Post)

As Fighting Flares in Civil War, Key Buddhist Shuns Nonviolence
(By Emily Wax, The Washington Post)

More Today's Highlights

POLITICS
Justices Rebuff Bush and World Court
The Supreme Court yesterday issued a broad ruling limiting presidential power and the reach of international treaties, saying neither President Bush nor the World Court has the authority to order a Texas court to reopen a death penalty case involving a foreign national.
(By Robert Barnes, The Washington Post)

In Obama's New Message, Some Foes See Old Liberalism
(By Alec MacGillis, The Washington Post)

Clinton Appears Weary Of Taking 'Sniper Fire'
(By Michael Dobbs, The Washington Post)

ANALYSIS: Flip Side of Democrats' Spat: Higher Turnout
(By Dan Balz, The Washington Post)

More Politics

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NATION
Mars Rovers Survive NASA's Budget Crunch
For four years, the Mars robot rovers Spirit and Opportunity have braved deep cold and burning heat, week-long dust storms and steep crater walls -- continuing to send back invaluable data well past the three months they were expected to survive.
(By Marc Kaufman, The Washington Post)

Affirmative Action Foes Push Ballot Initiatives
Activists, With Eyes on November, Focus on Five States
(By Peter Slevin, The Washington Post)

After a Lifetime in Law, a First Day in Court
(By Carrie Johnson and Robert Barnes, The Washington Post)

Nuclear Parts Sent To Taiwan In Error
U.S. Just Learned Of 2006 Mix-Up
(By Josh White, The Washington Post)

Warming Is Blamed for Collapse of Huge Chunk of Antarctic Ice
(The Washington Post)

More Nation

WORLD
Japan's Starry Gems of the Diamond
TOKYO, March 25 -- Baseball opened its season here Tuesday with an extra-inning corker of a game that showed off hometown hero and Boston Red Sox pitching ace Daisuke Matsuzaka, one of three Japanese superstars who have made the American big leagues part of people's lives across Japan from April to...
(By Blaine Harden, The Washington Post)

Intense Fighting Erupts In Iraq
U.S., British Back Anti-Sadr Offensive
(By Sholnn Freeman and Sudarsan Raghavan, The Washington Post)

Sierra Leone Special Court's Narrow Focus
Well-Funded but Selective War Crimes Probe Draws Resentment of Impoverished Victims
(By Craig Timberg, The Washington Post)

Nuclear Parts Sent To Taiwan In Error
U.S. Just Learned Of 2006 Mix-Up
(By Josh White, The Washington Post)

After a Lifetime in Law, a First Day in Court
(By Carrie Johnson and Robert Barnes, The Washington Post)

More World

METRO
Capitol Police Missed Device
Federal officers searching a suspicious pickup truck near the U.S. Capitol in January missed an explosive device that remained undetected behind the seat for three weeks, officials said yesterday.
(By Mary Beth Sheridan and Keith L. Alexander, The Washington Post)

Fairfax Victim's Family Waits for Answers
Woman Died in Crash With Police Car
(By Tom Jackman, The Washington Post)

Straining in the Stadium's Shadow
Soaring Taxes Put Youth Agency, Others in SE at Risk
(By Robert E. Pierre, The Washington Post)

Soldier's Burial Wish Is Fulfilled
Maryland Guardsman Had Helped Train Afghan Soldiers
(By Mark Berman, The Washington Post)

EPA Told to Set Timeline for Cutting Nitrogen Pollution
(By David A. Fahrenthold, The Washington Post)

More Metro

BUSINESS
January Home Prices Down 10.7% From '07
Home prices fell the most on record in January while consumer confidence in the U.S. economy plunged this month, according to separate reports published yesterday.
(By Alejandro Lazo, The Washington Post)

Pearlstein: XM-Sirius Merger
(Steven Pearlstein, washingtonpost.com)

Bill of Rights for Air Travelers Invalidated by Appeals Court
(By Frank Ahrens, The Washington Post)

In Trial Run, Chipotle Heads to the Farm
For Chains, Buying Locally Still Means a Long Journey
(By Jane Black, The Washington Post)

Cable Companies In Talks to Fund WiMax Network
Comcast, Time Warner Venture Would Challenge Verizon, AT& T
(By Cecilia Kang, The Washington Post)

More Business

TECHNOLOGY
The Technologist
Newsweek senior editor Steven Levy, whose column now appears bi-weekly in The Washington Post, will be online to discuss the latest buzz in the tech industry.
(Steven Levy, washingtonpost.com)

Antitrust Static on Satellite Radio
(By Steven Pearlstein, The Washington Post)

Cable Companies In Talks to Fund WiMax Network
Comcast, Time Warner Venture Would Challenge Verizon, AT& T
(By Cecilia Kang, The Washington Post)

Fortunate Daughter
Meghan McCain Offers Her Own Straight Talk on The Campaign -- And Who Wears The Best Shoes
(By Libby Copeland, The Washington Post)

Pearlstein: XM-Sirius Merger
(Steven Pearlstein, washingtonpost.com)

More Technology

SPORTS
Ovechkin Picks Up 61, Caps Get 2
Alex Ovechkin scores his 61st goal to set Washington's single season record, and Viktor Kozlov scores the only goal in the shootout to give the Capitals a 3-2 win over the Hurricanes.
(By Tarik El-Bashir, The Washington Post)

Portland Leaves Skid Marks on Wizards in Rout
Trail Blazers 102, Wizards 82
(By Ivan Carter, The Washington Post)

IOC Needs to Step In Or Perhaps Move On
(By Sally Jenkins, The Washington Post)

This Time, Terps Avoid Upset
U-Md. Fends Off Cornhuskers and Specter of Consecutive Early Exits From NCAAs : Maryland 76, Nebraska 64
(By Kathy Orton, The Washington Post)

United Has to Divide Its Attention
(By Steven Goff, The Washington Post)

More Sports

STYLE
Fortunate Daughter
Meghan McCain, who blogs about life inside her dad's presidential campaign, is not terribly interested in matters of policy, but she is acutely attuned to matters of footwear.
(By Libby Copeland, The Washington Post)

The Reliable Source
(By Amy Argetsinger and Roxanne Roberts, The Washington Post)

No Trash Talking at This Museum to the Clean Team
Tidy Exhibit Honors New York's Rubbish Specialists
(By David Segal, The Washington Post)

Female Voices Strike a Vibrant Chord In Wilson's '20th Century'
(By Peter Marks, The Washington Post)

Portsmouth, Va.: An Olde but a Goody
(By Diane Daniel, The Washington Post)

More Style

LIVE DISCUSSIONS
D.C. United Begin 2008 Season
D.C. United veteran Ben Olsen takes your questions about the team, his career and the upcoming season.
(Ben Olsen, washingtonpost.com)

Wizards/NBA
(Ivan Carter and Michael Lee, washingtonpost.com)

Dirda on Books
(Michael Dirda, washingtonpost.com)

Washington Nationals Spring Training
(Barry Svrluga, washingtonpost.com)

Free Range on Food
Dish With the Experts
(The Food Section, washingtonpost.com)

More Live Discussions

Olympic Shame
AS CHINA'S COMMUNIST leadership conceived it, this year's Olympic Games were to mark the country's debut as a global power, with a booming economy and rapidly modernizing society. Instead, it's beginning to look as though the Games could become a showcase for violent repression, censorship and po...
(The Washington Post)

Oversight's Results
The FBI tightens its procedures for using national security letters.
(The Washington Post)

Needed Protection
A federal study on teen sexual disease underlines the need for the HPV vaccine.
(The Washington Post)

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