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 The Red Zone By Daniel Politi Posted Monday, July 28, 2008, at 6:28 AM ET The New York Times leads with a look at how banks are reducing the number of loans they give out to businesses. Over the last year, two key credit sources for companies have collectively declined three percent, which "is the largest annual decline since the credit tightening that began with the last recession, in 2001." USA Today leads with word that the White House has increased its estimate for next year's deficit to a record $490 billion. A previous estimate for the deficit in the fiscal year beginning on Oct. 1 was $407 billion, but the numbers have been revised to reflect a weakening economy and "larger-than-anticipated costs" of the fiscal stimulus package. The Los Angeles Times leads with a look at the "rickety calm" that has engulfed Iraq as the last of the "surge" troops leave the country and citizens wait to see what happens next. Even as they're getting used to living with much less violence, Iraqis "tread carefully," out of a generalized fear that gains could quickly unravel. The Wall Street Journal plays weekend catch-up and leads its world-wide newsbox with Saturday's bombings in India that killed more than 45 people. A group calling itself the "Indian Mujahadeen" claimed responsibility for the explosions. The Washington Post leads locally but goes high with the efforts by Barack Obama's campaign to increase registration and turnout among African Americans. Black voters could be the key to an Obama victory in several battleground states, including some in the South. But the campaign has a steep hill to climb and there's uncertainty whether spending so much time and effort on reaching citizens that have long tuned out of politics will actually pay off in November. 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 News & Politics Why Is Obama So Secretive About His Views on Iraq? Business & Tech How To Tell Whether You're Poor Business & Tech Mommy, What's a Land Line?	Advertisement
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It was an immediate bestseller and remains on the New York Times Best Seller List.

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. " Reviewing Obama's career in the Illinois Senate, a February 2007 article in the Washington Post noted his work with both Democrats and Republicans in drafting bipartisan legislation on ethics and health care reform. His opponent in the general election was expected to be Republican primary winner Jack Ryan. His parents met while both were attending the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where his father was enrolled as a foreign student. Obama spoke out in June 2006 against making recent, temporary estate tax cuts permanent, calling the cuts a "Paris Hilton" tax break for "billionaire heirs and heiresses.

S. 2611 passed the Senate in May 2006, but failed to gain majority support in the U.S. House of Representatives.

"Obama's rapid rise from Illinois state legislator to U.S. He then returned to Honolulu to live with his maternal grandparents while attending Punahou School from 5th grade until his graduation in 1979. " Replying to an Associated Press survey of 2008 presidential candidates' personal tastes, he specified "architect" as his alternate career choice and "chili" as his favorite meal to cook. But in a December 2006 Wall Street Journal editorial headlined "The Man from Nowhere," former Ronald Reagan speech writer Peggy Noonan advised Will and other "establishment" commentators to get "down from your tippy toes" and avoid becoming too quickly excited about Obama's still early political career. In early opinion polls leading up to the Democratic primary, Obama trailed multimillionaire businessman Blair Hull and Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes. Obama began podcasting from his U.S. Senate web site in late 2005. " Reviewing Obama's career in the Illinois Senate, a February 2007 article in the Washington Post noted his work with both Democrats and Republicans in drafting bipartisan legislation on ethics and health care reform. In her January 2007 Salon article asserting that Obama "isn't black," columnist Debra Dickerson writes: "lumping us all together Zwith ObamaZ erases the significance of slavery and continuing racism while giving the appearance of progress.