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 All in the Family By Daniel Politi Posted Tuesday, July 29, 2008, at 6:22 AM ET The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal's world-wide newsbox lead, while the Washington Post goes across its front page, with an internal Justice Department report that details how department aides broke Civil Service laws by taking politics into account in hiring decisions. Close aides to former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales asked inappropriate questions at interviews for nonpolitical jobs and frequently hired those who were vocal about their conservative and Christian views, even when they were less qualified for the job. The aides also carried out Internet searches to identify conservatives and screen out applicants whose views were seen as too liberal. The Los Angeles Times leads with word that plans are currently in the works to move a unit of Pakistan's army into the country's tribal regions. The United States has long advocated such a move because Pakistan's Frontier Corps currently assigned to guarding the largely lawless region is ineffective. USA Today leads with a new poll taken over the weekend that shows a tightening presidential race. Among registered voters, Barack Obama's lead over John McCain decreased a few points as 47 percent of registered voters preferred the Democrat over 44 percent who want the Republican to win. Among likely voters, McCain comes out ahead 49 percent to 45 percent, although both cases are within the margin of error. Perhaps most worrying for Obama is that 41 percent of respondents said they don't think he has what it takes to be commander in chief, which is at the same levels as last month. To continue reading, click here. Daniel Politi writes "Today's Papers" for Slate. He can be reached at todayspapers@slate.com. Join the Fray: our reader discussion forum What did you think of this article? POST A MESSAGE \| READ MESSAGES Also In Slate Arts & Life Is Heavy Metal Changing the Middle East? Business & Tech Google's New Virtual World: Even Lamer Than Second Life Health & Science They Wash Chickens in Chlorine Before You Eat Them?	Advertisement
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