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 Staying Alive By Justin Peters Posted Monday, June 2, 2008, at 3:41 AM ET The New York Times and the Washington Post lead and the Wall Street Journal, at least online, tops its worldwide news box with Sen. Hillary Clinton's resounding victory in Puerto Rico's Democratic presidential primary. Clinton, who took 68 percent of the vote, vowed that she would not exit the race before tomorrow's final primaries in Montana and South Dakota. The Los Angeles Times offleads Clinton and leads with a fire that damaged portions of the Universal Studios Hollywood backlot and theme park. USA Today leads news that national public transit usage reached record numbers in the first quarter of 2008. The ridership spike is straining the capacity of many cities' underfunded transit agencies. In all likelihood, Clinton's Puerto Rican victory will be remembered as little more than a souvenir of what was apparently a lovely vacation. Apparently disinclined to challenge the DNC's decision to award Sen. Barack Obama a portion of the vote from the disputed Michigan primary, her best shot at the nomination now seems to involve winning the popular vote and using that fact to lure superdelegates. Obama, approximately 47 delegates away from clinching the nomination, certainly doesn't sound concerned: He congratulated Clinton on her victory and said that she would be a "great asset" during the general election. To continue reading, click here. Justin Peters is a writer in New York, and the editor of Polite. Join the Fray: our reader discussion forum What did you think of this article? POST A MESSAGE \| READ MESSAGES Also In Slate Business & Tech Which Stocks Will Go Up If Obama Wins? No One Knows. Arts & Life The Sad Fate of Lindsay Lohan's Little Sister News & Politics Lift the Gag Order on Frank Rich	Advertisement
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