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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