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 Vote or Die By Roger McShane Posted Saturday, June 28, 2008, at 5:58 AM ET The Washington Post and Wall Street Journal world-wide news box lead with, while the Los Angeles Times fronts, Zimbabwe's one-man presidential election. Gangs of thugs loyal to President Robert Mugabe, the only candidate, drove frightened voters to the polls, collecting their personal information and threatening violence if they resisted. The New York Times poetically describes it as a "woeful event in a woebegone nation". The LAT leads with a report on Barack Obama's move to the center on many issues, while the WP fronts his appearance with Hillary Clinton in Unity, New Hampshire. The NYT leads with a potential deal between the U.S. and Europe that would allow American law enforcement and security agencies to access information about European citizens. Credit card transactions, travel histories and internet browsing habits might be shared, but there are still about half a dozen outstanding issues to be dealt with. To continue reading, click here. Roger McShane writes for the Economist online. Join the Fray: our reader discussion forum What did you think of this article? POST A MESSAGE \| READ MESSAGES Also In Slate Business & Tech Who Cares Whether Foreigners Buy Anheuser- Busch? Arts & Life My Dog and My Sheep Have Fallen in Love Arts & Life Angelina Jolie Crushes James McAvoy Like a Bug	Advertisement
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