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, June 25, 2008

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS
U.S. Funding to Pakistan Plagued With Problems, GAO Report Says
The Bush administration has paid Pakistan more than $2 billion without adequate proof that the Pakistani government used the funds for their intended purpose of supporting U.S. counterterrorism efforts, congressional auditors reported yesterday. Their report concluded that more than a third of U.S....
(By Robin Wright, The Washington Post)

In China's Quake Zone, Aftershocks of the Spirit
Hardy Optimism Likely to Mask Despair
(By Edward Cody, The Washington Post)

To the Loser Go the Spoils
(By Dana Milbank, The Washington Post)

Driving Cabs Instead of Building Bridges, Iraqis Languish in U.S.
Skilled Refugees Struggle After Fleeing Retaliation for Aiding America
(By Pamela Constable, The Washington Post)

Vital Part of Housing Bill Is Brainchild of Banks
Mortgage Aid Under 'Credit Suisse Plan' Would Benefit Lenders
(By Jeffrey H. Birnbaum, The Washington Post)

More Today's Highlights

POLITICS
McCain Has Plan to Make Government More Green
Sen. John McCain pledged yesterday that he would make the federal government more environmentally friendly, while Sen. Barack Obama mocked his rival as crafting energy policies that merely pander to voters, in the latest skirmish over which presidential candidate is better prepared to tackle the...
(By Juliet Eilperin and Lyndsey Layton, The Washington Post)

Teacher Bonuses Get Unions' Blessing
Pr. George's Offers Rewards of Up to $10,000 Linked to Test Scores, Evaluations
(By Nelson Hernandez, The Washington Post)

Vietnamese Premier Meets With Bush, Gates
Topics Include Economic Policy, Religious Freedom
(By Dan Eggen, The Washington Post)

House Passes Bill Postponing Cut in Medicare Payments to Doctors
(By Paul Kane, The Washington Post)

McCain Adviser May Have Struck a Nerve
(By Jonathan Weisman and Anne E. Kornblut, The Washington Post)

More Politics

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NATION
Ideology-Based Hiring at Justice Broke Laws, Investigation Finds
Senior Justice Department officials broke civil service laws by rejecting scores of young applicants who had links to Democrats or liberal organizations, according to a biting report issued yesterday.
(By Carrie Johnson, The Washington Post)

House Passes Bill Postponing Cut in Medicare Payments to Doctors
(By Paul Kane, The Washington Post)

Florida Moves to Restore Wetlands
Sugar Corp. Purchase Would Aid Everglades
(By Joel Achenbach, The Washington Post)

Vacancies on FEC Filled As 5 Win Senate Approval
(By Matthew Mosk, The Washington Post)

Pentagon Contractor Was Suspect
Company Accused of Fraud Had Been Flagged by State Dept.
(By Walter Pincus, The Washington Post)

More Nation

WORLD
African Leaders Press Mugabe
HARARE, Zimbabwe, June 24 -- Influential leaders in South Africa and Senegal on Tuesday joined the global condemnation of Zimbabwe's lethal political violence and called on President Robert Mugabe to cancel Friday's election on grounds it would not reflect the free will of voters.
(The Washington Post)

4 Americans Die in Attack During Sadr City Meeting
State Dept. Governance Specialist Is Among Victims
(By Ernesto Londoño, The Washington Post)

Gazan Rockets Threaten Truce
Islamic Jihad Cites Israeli Operation in West Bank
(By Griff Witte and Samuel Sockol, The Washington Post)

In China's Quake Zone, Aftershocks of the Spirit
Hardy Optimism Likely to Mask Despair
(By Edward Cody, The Washington Post)

Vietnamese Premier Meets With Bush, Gates
Topics Include Economic Policy, Religious Freedom
(By Dan Eggen, The Washington Post)

More World

METRO
Driving Cabs Instead of Building Bridges, Iraqis Languish in U.S.
Two years ago, Firas Safar was a successful Baghdad printer, winning contracts with U.S. authorities to produce brochures for aid missions, posters for army units, and several million copies of the new Iraqi constitution.
(By Pamela Constable, The Washington Post)

D.C. Plans To Inspect All Rental Housing
Proactive Tack Part Of Crackdown on Negligent Landlords
(By Debbie Cenziper, The Washington Post)

Debating Coal's Cost in Rural Va.
Utility's Plans for Plant Meet Opposition in Fuel-Rich Region
(By David A. Fahrenthold, The Washington Post)

Montgomery Council Approves Fillmore Tax Break Measure
(By Ann E. Marimow, The Washington Post)

Experts Urge Longer Day to Raise Scores
(By Nelson Hernandez, The Washington Post)

More Metro

BUSINESS
Vital Part of Housing Bill Is Brainchild of Banks
A key provision of the housing bill now awaiting action in the Senate -- and widely touted as offering a lifeline to distressed homeowners -- was initially suggested to Congress by lobbyists for major banks facing their own huge losses from the subprime mortgage crisis, according to congressional...
(By Jeffrey H. Birnbaum, The Washington Post)

Pearlstein: Live Nation's New Deals
(Steven Pearlstein, washingtonpost.com)

Relief Measure Passes Key Test Vote in Senate
(By Lori Montgomery, The Washington Post)

McCain Has Plan to Make Government More Green
(By Juliet Eilperin and Lyndsey Layton, The Washington Post)

One Man, One Long List, No More Web Ads
In his free time, 'Rick752' helps millions skip banners and pop-ups. Should a $40 billion industry be scared?
(By Peter Whoriskey, The Washington Post)

More Business

TECHNOLOGY
Internet Provider Halts Plan to Track, Sell Users' Surfing Data
Charter Communications, the fourth-largest cable operator in the United States, announced yesterday that it has backed off a plan to monitor customers' Internet transmissions.
(By Peter Whoriskey, The Washington Post)

In Energy-Stingy Japan, an Extravagant Indulgence: Posh Privies
(By Blaine Harden, The Washington Post)

One Man, One Long List, No More Web Ads
In his free time, 'Rick752' helps millions skip banners and pop-ups. Should a $40 billion industry be scared?
(By Peter Whoriskey, The Washington Post)

More Technology

SPORTS
Which Way Do They Go?
In a draft deep with talent but short on experience, the Wizards have options with the 18th overall pick but are not tipping their hand less than 48 hours before the draft.
(By Ivan Carter, The Washington Post)

Angels Batter Hill, Nats Lose Again
Pitcher Appears Headed for Disabled List: Angels 8, Nationals 3
(By Chico Harlan, The Washington Post)

V. Williams Trumps Wimbledon Wild Card
(By Liz Clarke, The Washington Post)

The Buddy System Helps Keep Webb on Track
(By Matthew Stanmyre, The Washington Post)

Youkilis to See Eye Specialist After Being Hit
(The Washington Post)

More Sports

STYLE
Miles to Go
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. Ralph Nader still gets hate mail. Strangers stop him to dress him down. Friends and associates who supported him eight years ago have moved on. Worse, people who revered him for decades of advocacy on behalf of a zillion good causes -- from auto safety to environmental protection...
(By Paul Farhi, The Washington Post)

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

A Case Of Stolen Formula
'Baby Borrowers' Follows The Reality Show Playbook
(By Tom Shales, The Washington Post)

Group Hopes to Bring Lincoln Collection to Washington
(By Jacqueline Trescott, The Washington Post)

'This Storm': Partly Cloudy, With Lightning
(By Peter Marks, The Washington Post)

More Style

LIVE DISCUSSIONS
Washington Nationals
Washington Post writer Chico Harlan takes your questions and comments about the Washington Nationals.
(Chico Harlan, washingtonpost.com)

Dirda on Books
(Michael Dirda, washingtonpost.com)

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

Soccer Insider
(Steven Goff, washingtonpost.com)

The Reliable Source
(Amy Argetsinger and Roxanne Roberts, washingtonpost.com)

More Live Discussions

Can India Say Yes?
INDIA IS clearly destined for a greater role on the world stage, and there are sound reasons to hope that it will increasingly find itself in sync with the United States as its influence grows. India, a culturally diverse and economically booming democracy of more than 1 billion people, and Ameri...
(The Washington Post)

Footing the Bill
Why should Montgomery County students pay for the school system's soaring fuel costs?
(The Washington Post)

To Our Readers
Changes and constants at The Post
(The Washington Post)

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