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.

Friday, April 18, 2008

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS
Public's View of Economy Takes Fast Turn Downward
The public's ratings of the national economy continue to sour, with assessments deteriorating faster than at any point in Washington Post-ABC News polling. Views on the Iraq war have also turned more negative, with six in 10 now rejecting the notion that the United States needs to win there to ef...
(By Jennifer Agiesta and Jon Cohen, The Washington Post)

Pontiff Prays With Sex Abuse Victims
Meeting Follows Stadium Mass
(By Jacqueline L. Salmon, Michelle Boorstein and Alan Cooperman, The Washington Post)

South Korean Leader Plans New Outreach To the North
(By Glenn Kessler, The Washington Post)

Suburban Schools Reject Metal Detectors
(By Daniel de Vise, The Washington Post)

One Man's Pet, Another's Invasive Species
(By Joel Achenbach, The Washington Post)

More Today's Highlights

POLITICS
Student Loan Bill Passes in House
The House, trying to avert a looming shortage in available student loans, approved a measure allowing the Department of Education to buy federally guaranteed loans that lenders are unable to sell to private investors.
(By Christopher Stern, The Washington Post)

Obama Looks To Turn Debate Into a Victory
Harsh Tone Is Symptomatic Of Politics as Usual, He Says
(By Shailagh Murray and Perry Bacon Jr., The Washington Post)

Former '60s Radical Is Now Considered Mainstream in Chicago
(By Peter Slevin, The Washington Post)

Britain's Brown Gets Feel for Future of Alliance With U.S.
(By Michael Abramowitz, The Washington Post)

Public's View of Economy Takes Fast Turn Downward
(By Jennifer Agiesta and Jon Cohen, The Washington Post)

More Politics

Add topics to this e-mail

Make this e-mail your own by selecting the topics and columnists that interest you! Personalize this e-mail now.

NATION
Public's View of Economy Takes Fast Turn Downward
The public's ratings of the national economy continue to sour, with assessments deteriorating faster than at any point in Washington Post-ABC News polling. Views on the Iraq war have also turned more negative, with six in 10 now rejecting the notion that the United States needs to win there to ef...
(By Jennifer Agiesta and Jon Cohen, The Washington Post)

Pontiff Prays With Sex Abuse Victims
Meeting Follows Stadium Mass
(By Jacqueline L. Salmon, Michelle Boorstein and Alan Cooperman, The Washington Post)

One Man's Pet, Another's Invasive Species
(By Joel Achenbach, The Washington Post)

South Korean Leader Plans New Outreach To the North
(By Glenn Kessler, The Washington Post)

Report Finds Air Force Officers Steered Contract
(By Josh White, The Washington Post)

More Nation

WORLD
Bombing Kills 55 At Funeral in Iraq
BAGHDAD, April 17 -- A suicide bombing killed 55 people at a funeral service Thursday in a village 90 miles north of Baghdad, police said, the latest in a string of deadly attacks this week attributed to Sunni insurgents.
(By Sholnn Freeman, The Washington Post)

A Tense Welcome in India
Massive Security Presence Protects Olympic Torch From Protesters in Capital
(By Emily Wax and Rama Lakshmi, The Washington Post)

Mexicans Get Less Aid From Migrants
Downturn in U.S. Increases Poverty, Desire to Go North
(By Manuel Roig-Franzia, The Washington Post)

South Korean Leader Plans New Outreach To the North
(By Glenn Kessler, The Washington Post)

China Spurns Apology, Keeps Pressure on CNN
(By Jill Drew, The Washington Post)

More World

METRO
Decade of Deregulation Felt in Climbing Bills
As they watch their bills climb, electricity customers in the Washington region might be surprised to know they are paying costs that have nothing to do with the rising price of fuel.
(By Lisa Rein, The Washington Post)

D.C.'s Puny Peak Enough to Pump Up 'Highpointers'
(By Petula Dvorak, The Washington Post)

Small Va. Vintners See Hope Amid Marketing Drought
State-Backed Firm Will Help With Distribution
(By Sandhya Somashekhar, The Washington Post)

For Crowd, Miraculous Moments
(By Michael E. Ruane, Hamil R. Harris and David Fahrenthold, The Washington Post)

An Elementary Lesson in Classical Music
Schools Bring 8,000 Fourth-Graders to See Symphony Orchestra
(By Nelson Hernandez, The Washington Post)

More Metro

BUSINESS
Pentagon, FBI Probing Air Force Contracts
Federal authorities have begun investigating a contracting arrangement between the Air Force and an intelligence firm called Commonwealth Research Institute, according to documents and people familiar with the case.
(By Robert O'Harrow Jr., The Washington Post)

Merrill Posts Wide Loss, Plans to Cut 3,000 Jobs
(By Tomoeh Murakami Tse and Thomas Heath, The Washington Post)

Mexicans Get Less Aid From Migrants
Downturn in U.S. Increases Poverty, Desire to Go North
(By Manuel Roig-Franzia, The Washington Post)

Ambushing Private Equity
As SEIU Harries New Absentee Owners, Buyout Firms Dispute the Union's Agenda
(By Thomas Heath, The Washington Post)

One Man's Pet, Another's Invasive Species
(By Joel Achenbach, The Washington Post)

More Business

TECHNOLOGY
Net Neutrality Hearing Hits Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley high-tech entrepreneurs told the Federal Communications Commission yesterday that there needed to be more oversight of phone and cable companies at the agency's second off-site hearing on broadband Internet rules.
(By Cecilia Kang, The Washington Post)

Orbital Sciences Sells Transportation Unit
Dallas Firm to Pay $42.5 Million
(By Kendra Marr, The Washington Post)

Google Profit Jumps 30% Despite Slowing Economy
Company Credits Overseas Growth, Better Ad Delivery
(By Peter Whoriskey, The Washington Post)

On the Record
The Local Search for That Old-Time Rock-and-Roll
(By Ann Cameron Siegal, The Washington Post)

More Technology

SPORTS
Fire Offers A Flicker Of Hope
The light that makes young, star-struck skaters understand their purpose in the postseason was ignited in Alexander Semin and Niklas Backstrom on Thursday.
(By Mike Wise, The Washington Post)

Bases-Loaded Wild Pitch In 14th Sinks Nationals
Lannan's Superb Start Spoiled in 12th Loss in 13 Games : Mets 3, Nationals 2
(By Barry Svrluga, The Washington Post)

Round 3 To Wizards
(By Michael Wilbon, The Washington Post)

It's Getting Late for Capitals
Washington on Verge of Elimination After Knuble's Goal Wins It for Flyers in Second OT
(By Tarik El-Bashir, The Washington Post)

Tejada Tells Astros He's Actually 33, Not 31
(AP)

More Sports

STYLE
Mass Appeal
"S o do not worry and say, 'What are we to eat? or 'What are we to drink? What are we to wear?' . . . "
(By Hank Stuever, The Washington Post)

Arts Appropriations Disputes: The Musical!
(By Amy Argetsinger and Roxanne Roberts, The Washington Post)

Performance By ABC's Moderators Is a Matter Of Debate
(By Howard Kurtz, The Washington Post)

This 'Visitor' Is Most Welcome
(By Ann Hornaday, The Washington Post)

'Forgetting Sarah Marshall': Guy Loses Girl, Winningly
(By Desson Thomson, The Washington Post)

More Style

LIVE DISCUSSIONS
Boswell on Baseball
Washington Post sports columnist Thomas Boswell takes your questions about the Washington Nationals and the rest of Major League Baseball.
(Thomas Boswell, washingtonpost.com)

The Washington Capitals
(Tarik El-Bashir, washingtonpost.com)

Meet the Comics Pages
(Tony Rubino, washingtonpost.com)

Behind the Screen
Hollywood and Indie Offerings
(Desson Thomson, washingtonpost.com)

Broder on Politics
(David S. Broder, washingtonpost.com)

More Live Discussions

Anguish and Hope
WITH A MOVING message of hope and healing during his historic visit to this city, Pope Benedict XVI opted to speak not only to the Catholics who claim him as their spiritual leader. He spoke to all Americans. His words were a positive reminder of our national character and its potential to do gre...
(The Washington Post)

A Deal With Pyongyang?
Once again, North Korea may gain concessions from the Bush administration while evading its own commitments.
(The Washington Post)

Buyout in D.C.
The chancellor's plan to reinvigorate the teaching staff is commendable -- and is meeting resistance.
(The Washington Post)

E-Mail Newsletter Services
• To sign up for additional newsletters or get help, visit the E-mail Preferences Page.

Unsubscribe | Feedback | Advertising | Subscribe to the Paper