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.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS
U.S. Troops in Iraq Face A Powerful New Weapon
BAGHDAD, July 9 -- Suspected Shiite militiamen have begun using powerful rocket-propelled bombs to attack U.S. military outposts in recent months, broadening the array of weapons used against American troops.
(By Ernesto Londoño, The Washington Post)

A Vision of Washington With Unfettered Views
Plan Would Link Locales, Extend the Mall
(By Michael E. Ruane, The Washington Post)

Doctors' Group Plans Apology For Racism
AMA Once Barred Black Physicians
(By Holly Watt, The Washington Post)

ANALYSIS: Obama's Ideology Proving Difficult to Pinpoint
Democrats Decry a Move Toward Middle, but Republicans Still See a Liberal
(By Dan Balz, The Washington Post)

Dogs' New Trick: Finding Cellphones
Animals Root Out Inmates' Contraband
(By Dan Morse, The Washington Post)

More Today's Highlights

POLITICS
Mukasey Vows Smooth Transition At Justice for Next Administration
Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey yesterday pledged to use the final six months of his tenure to guard against political interference in Justice Department operations and ensure a smooth transition to the next administration.
(By Carrie Johnson, The Washington Post)

Findings on Katrina Trailers Went Undisclosed, Maker Says
(By Spencer S. Hsu, The Washington Post)

Obama Joins Fellow Senators in Passing New Wiretapping Measure
(By Shailagh Murray, The Washington Post)

McCain Gets a Third-Rail Shock
(The Washington Post)

Tanker Bidding To Be Reopened
Gates Halts Northrop Award
(By Dana Hedgpeth, The Washington Post)

More Politics

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NATION
Doctors' Group Plans Apology For Racism
The country's largest medical association is set to issue a formal apology today for its historical antipathy toward African American doctors, expressing regret for a litany of transgressions, including barring black physicians from its ranks for decades and remaining silent during battles on...
(By Holly Watt, The Washington Post)

Findings on Katrina Trailers Went Undisclosed, Maker Says
(By Spencer S. Hsu, The Washington Post)

Obama Joins Fellow Senators in Passing New Wiretapping Measure
(By Shailagh Murray, The Washington Post)

U.S. Consulate in Istanbul Is Attacked
Gunmen Kill 3 Policemen Outside Gate Before Being Fatally Shot Themselves
(By Ellen Knickmeyer, The Washington Post)

U.S. General: Iraqi Forces to Be Fully Ready in '09
(By Ann Scott Tyson and Dan Eggen, The Washington Post)

More Nation

WORLD
U.S. Troops in Iraq Face A Powerful New Weapon
BAGHDAD, July 9 -- Suspected Shiite militiamen have begun using powerful rocket-propelled bombs to attack U.S. military outposts in recent months, broadening the array of weapons used against American troops.
(By Ernesto Londoño, The Washington Post)

7 Troops Killed In Sudan Ambush
Gunmen Besiege Peacekeepers in Northern Darfur
(By Stephanie McCrummen, The Washington Post)

China's Silencing Season
Activist Journalists and Lawyers Jailed, Harassed in Far-Reaching Pre-Olympic Operation
(By Jill Drew, The Washington Post)

U.S. Consulate in Istanbul Is Attacked
Gunmen Kill 3 Policemen Outside Gate Before Being Fatally Shot Themselves
(By Ellen Knickmeyer, The Washington Post)

Iran Launches Nine Test Missiles, Says More Are Ready
U.S. Plays Down Military Showdown
(By Glenn Kessler, The Washington Post)

More World

METRO
A Vision of Washington With Unfettered Views
Imagine the drab fortress of the FBI building gone, the freeways and ramps around the Kennedy Center covered by parks and boulevards, and a Metro stop near the Jefferson Memorial.
(By Michael E. Ruane, The Washington Post)

A Hispanic Population in Decline
Illegal Immigrant Policy Alters Pr. William on Many Levels
(By Nick Miroff, The Washington Post)

Va. Toddler Dies After Father Leaves Him in SUV
(By Michael Laris, The Washington Post)

Ex-Station Manager Is Sentenced
Worker Charged in Prostitution Sting to Enter Diversion Program
(By Keith L. Alexander, The Washington Post)

D.C. Students See Big Academic Gains
Test Scores Increase, but Percentage Reaching Proficiency Remains Low
(By V. Dion Haynes, The Washington Post)

More Metro

BUSINESS
Chevy Chase to Close Giant Store Branches
Chevy Chase Bank is closing 54 mini-branches in Giant Food stores across the Washington region, ending a decade-long initiative to add banking to customers' shopping lists.
(By Thomas Heath, The Washington Post)

Tanker Bidding To Be Reopened
Gates Halts Northrop Award
(By Dana Hedgpeth, The Washington Post)

The FCC's Compromiser in Chief
(By Cecilia Kang, The Washington Post)

Officials Add Jalapeños To Salmonella Warning
(By Annys Shin, The Washington Post)

A Hispanic Population in Decline
Illegal Immigrant Policy Alters Pr. William on Many Levels
(By Nick Miroff, The Washington Post)

More Business

TECHNOLOGY
Address Book Programs Need to Network to Get Ahead
A lot of Internet users now find they have two kinds of address books: Ones they've known for years, and ones that are up to date.
(By Rob Pegoraro, The Washington Post)

Senate Grapples With Web Privacy Issues
At Hearing, More Questions Than Answers
(By Peter Whoriskey, The Washington Post)

Obama Joins Fellow Senators in Passing New Wiretapping Measure
(By Shailagh Murray, The Washington Post)

The FCC's Compromiser in Chief
(By Cecilia Kang, The Washington Post)

Charles, St. Mary's Share Data On Crime
Web Site Is Part Of Statewide Effort
(By Matt Zapotosky, The Washington Post)

More Technology

SPORTS
Flores, Lannan Are Enough for Nationals
The lack of run support that had plagued so many of John Lannan's starts of late ended when a baseball came off the barrel of Jesús Flores's bat and sailed through a thick summer night's breeze into the left field stands.
(By Andrew Astleford, The Washington Post)

Capitals Reach Deals With Fedorov, Laich
(By Tarik El-Bashir, The Washington Post)

Kizer's Basketball Future Taking Shape
Training Regimen Helps All-Met Prepare for Under-18 National Team
(By Matthew Stanmyre, The Washington Post)

He's Fighting, for His Life
Boxing Is a Job For D.C. Native, And It's About To Pay Off
(By Zach Berman, The Washington Post)

76ers Make The Biggest Splash With Brand Move
(By Michael Lee, The Washington Post)

More Sports

STYLE
Old-Fashioned Legwork
The worst story in all of Willard Kravitz's 44 years in the travel business happened not long ago. There was this girl who wanted him to book a romantic weekend in Las Vegas. He gets the couple a killer deal; and a week later the boyfriend's on the phone looking to buy a honeymoon. Kravitz says,...
(By Monica Hesse, The Washington Post)

For the Kastles, D.C. Royalty
(Amy Argetsinger and Roxanne Roberts, The Washington Post)

Baby Boomers Got the Blues
Viewing Life Through Morose-Colored Glasses
(By Monica Hesse, The Washington Post)

The Legend Of the Crystal No-Brainer
Smithsonian Proudly Displays Its Hoax Skull
(By Laura Yao, The Washington Post)

Living by Their Wits
(By Thomas Meaney,, The Washington Post)

More Style

LIVE DISCUSSIONS
Election 2008: Presidential Candidate Ralph Nader
Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader takes your questions about his campaign, platform and why he's running.
(Ralph Nader, washingtonpost.com)

Dana Priest on National Security and Intelligence
(Dana Priest, washingtonpost.com)

Celebritology Live
Get the Scoop on the Latest Gossip Making Waves on the Web
(Liz Kelly, washingtonpost.com)

From Author to NFL Kicker
(Stefan Fatsis, washingtonpost.com)

Washington Sketch
(Dana Milbank, washingtonpost.com)

More Live Discussions

Bail Out Ben
IT HAS BEEN about four months since the Federal Reserve orchestrated a bailout of the Wall Street investment firm Bear Stearns. The action was unprecedented: Invoking rarely used emergency powers, the Fed put billions of taxpayer dollars at risk to stop the meltdown of a non-bank that it did not ...
(The Washington Post)

No G(r)8 Accomplishment
President Bush's agreement to a declaration on climate change comes seven years late.
(The Washington Post)

Better Scores
Who gets credit for the improvement in D.C. public school test results?
(The Washington Post)

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