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.

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS
From Chief Prosecutor To Critic at Guantanamo
GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba, April 28 -- The Defense Department's former chief prosecutor for terrorism cases appeared Monday at the controversial U.S. detention facility here to argue on behalf of an accused terrorist that the military justice system has been corrupted by politics and inappropriate inf...
(By Josh White, The Washington Post)

Tornadoes Batter Southeast Virginia
Rampage Injures 200, Flips Cars and Demolishes Homes
(By Martin Weil and Anita Kumar, The Washington Post)

Some War Veterans Find GI Bill Falls Short
(By Susan Kinzie, The Washington Post)

The Latest Ingenue To-Do
Vanity Fair Portrait Tests Image of Disney Superstar
(By Teresa Wiltz, The Washington Post)

As Minister Repeats Comments, Obama Tries to Quiet Fray
(By Shailagh Murray and Peter Slevin, The Washington Post)

More Today's Highlights

POLITICS
High Court Upholds Indiana Law On Voter ID
The Supreme Court ruled yesterday that states may require voters to present photo identification before casting ballots, opening the way for wider adoption of a measure that Republicans say combats fraud and Democrats say discourages voting among the elderly and the poor.
(By Robert Barnes, The Washington Post)

As Minister Repeats Comments, Obama Tries to Quiet Fray
(By Shailagh Murray and Peter Slevin, The Washington Post)

Some War Veterans Find GI Bill Falls Short
(By Susan Kinzie, The Washington Post)

Lawmaker Threatens Subpoenas for Aides
Officials Spurn Hearing on Torture
(By Carrie Johnson, The Washington Post)

Adding Up the Benefit Of Pennies at the Pump
(The Washington Post)

More Politics

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NATION
High Court Upholds Indiana Law On Voter ID
The Supreme Court ruled yesterday that states may require voters to present photo identification before casting ballots, opening the way for wider adoption of a measure that Republicans say combats fraud and Democrats say discourages voting among the elderly and the poor.
(By Robert Barnes, The Washington Post)

From Chief Prosecutor To Critic at Guantanamo
(By Josh White, The Washington Post)

Some War Veterans Find GI Bill Falls Short
(By Susan Kinzie, The Washington Post)

Emptying the Breadbasket
For decades, wheat was king on the Great Plains and prices were low everywhere. Those days are over.
(By Dan Morgan, The Washington Post)

FDA Faulted for Approving Studies of Artificial Blood
(By Rob Stein, The Washington Post)

More Nation

WORLD
For Chinese, a Shift in Mood, From Hospitable to Hostile
BEIJING, April 28 -- At an airport in northeast China, a young security guard recently spotted a foreign airline passenger with shaving cream in his carry-on bag. "No," he said sternly, wagging his finger like a cross schoolteacher. "No, no, no."
(By Edward Cody, The Washington Post)

4 U.S. Troops In Baghdad Are Killed by Rocket Fire
Month's Toll of 44 Americans Is Highest Since September
(By Ernesto Londoño and Amit R. Paley, The Washington Post)

In France, Prisons Filled With Muslims
(By Molly Moore, The Washington Post)

Mother, 4 Children Die After Israel Strikes Gaza
(By Griff Witte, The Washington Post)

Emptying the Breadbasket
For decades, wheat was king on the Great Plains and prices were low everywhere. Those days are over.
(By Dan Morgan, The Washington Post)

More World

METRO
Supervisors Pass Budget, Draw Criticism From Teachers
In affluent Fairfax County, it's never enough. That was the lesson yesterday for the county Board of Supervisors, which approved its annual budget amid criticism -- not for raising taxes but for inadequately funding the public schools.
(By Amy Gardner, The Washington Post)

Bethesda Zoning Dispute Is Case Of Goliath vs., Well, Goliath
(By Miranda S. Spivack, The Washington Post)

Study Won't Lead to Suggestions
Commission Will Gather Data but Doesn't Plan to Recommend a Bill
(By Brigid Schulte, The Washington Post)

Some War Veterans Find GI Bill Falls Short
(By Susan Kinzie, The Washington Post)

D.C. Cabbies Feel The Pinch as They Prepare for Meters
(By Paul Duggan, The Washington Post)

More Metro

BUSINESS
Emptying the Breadbasket
At Stephen Fleishman's busy Bethesda shop, the era of the 95-cent bagel is coming to an end.
(By Dan Morgan, The Washington Post)

Buffett Confects One Sweet Deal
Financier Aids Mars's $23 Billion Bid for Wrigley
(By Frank Ahrens, The Washington Post)

GM Will Cut SUV, Pickup Output
Four Factories To Lay Off 3,500
(By Michael S. Rosenwald, The Washington Post)

Mortgage Broker Sues Lenders in Privacy Breach
Passwords Were Leaked, LendingTree Says
(By Ellen Nakashima, The Washington Post)

The Ethanol Cure's Side Effects
(By Allan Sloan, The Washington Post)

More Business

TECHNOLOGY
FDA Faulted for Approving Studies of Artificial Blood
A new analysis concludes that the Food and Drug Administration approved experiments with artificial blood substitutes even after studies showed that the controversial products posed a clear risk of causing heart attacks and death.
(By Rob Stein, The Washington Post)

Now Boarding at BWI: Security With Hint of Calm
Prototype Checkpoint Aims to Be More Efficient, Easier on Fliers
(By Del Quentin Wilber and Ellen Nakashima, The Washington Post)

Verizon Adds Customers; Profit Rises 10%
(By Peter Svensson, The Washington Post)

More Technology

SPORTS
Newest Targets Are in Place for the Redskins
Devin Thomas, Malcolm Kelly and Fred Davis are welcomed to Redskins Park, where they see plenty of opportunity in the West Coast offense that Coach Jim Zorn plans to run.
(By Jason Reid, The Washington Post)

Wizards Believe a Comeback Is Possible
Getting Over Their Lack of Success in Cleveland Is Key
(By Ivan Carter, The Washington Post)

The Louie and Ronnie Show Is Back
(By Andrew Beyer, The Washington Post)

A Slow Start Right Off the Bat
For Nationals' Zimmerman, an Early Slump Has Been a Rite of Spring
(By Barry Svrluga, The Washington Post)

Ovechkin Joins Squad, But Remains on Hold
(The Washington Post)

More Sports

STYLE
A Son's Own Orbit
NEW YORK He had just finished chatting up Charlize Theron, but that wasn't Chris Cuomo's favorite part of "Good Morning America." It was the post-show ritual of schmoozing with audience members and posing for pictures.
(By Howard Kurtz, The Washington Post)

The Latest Ingenue To-Do
Vanity Fair Portrait Tests Image of Disney Superstar
(By Teresa Wiltz, The Washington Post)

Madonna Gives Hip-Hop Fans Some Sugar
(By J. Freedom du Lac, The Washington Post)

With Five Wins, 'Macbeth' Helps Synetic Rule At Hayes Awards
(By Nelson Pressley, The Washington Post)

Sallie Wilson, Keeper of The Choreographer's Fire
(By Sarah Kaufman, The Washington Post)

More Style

LIVE DISCUSSIONS
Book World: 'The Bridge at the Edge of the World'
Author and environmental leader James Gustave Speth discusses his new book, 'The Bridge at the Edge of the World,' a critique of the current state of the environmental movement.
(James Gustave Speth, washingtonpost.com)

Voter IDs and Election Law
(Roy A. Schotland, washingtonpost.com)

Freedom Rock
(J. Freedom du Lac, washingtonpost.com)

Lean Plate Club
Talk About Nutrition and Health
(Sally Squires, washingtonpost.com)

Station Break
(Paul Farhi, washingtonpost.com)

More Live Discussions

Vouching for Vouchers
IN MAKING education his top priority, D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty has been guided by one principle: Children trump politics. It's an idea that Mr. Fenty might want to expound on when he goes to Capitol Hill this week to defend funding for the city's unique school voucher program. Political ideolog...
(The Washington Post)

The Audacity of Rev. Wright
A tale of a candidate, a pastor and some repugnant remarks
(The Washington Post)

Carded at the Polls
Indiana's voter ID law is ruled constitutional; it's still a bad solution to a nonproblem.
(The Washington Post)

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