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.

Sunday, July 06, 2008

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS
Bush: Olympic Boycott Would Be an 'Affront to the Chinese People'
TOYKO, Japan, July 6 -- President Bush Sunday defended his decision to attend the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games next month in Beijing, saying that to skip the event -- as human rights activists have urged -- would be an "affront to the Chinese people."
(By Michael Abramowitz, The Washington Post)

Post-9/11 Dragnet Turns Up Surprises
Biometrics Link Foreign Detainees To Arrests in U.S.
(By Ellen Nakashima, The Washington Post)

'To Be Busy Helps Them Forget'
Burma's Storm Survivors Cobble Together a Meager Future
(The Washington Post)

Obama Addresses His Faith
Senator Describes Spiritual Journey
(By Jonathan Weisman, The Washington Post)

Thieves Find Easy, Lucrative Work In Siphoning Fuel From Cars, Stations
(By Elissa Silverman, The Washington Post)

More Today's Highlights

POLITICS
DEA Holding Some Mighty Fine Cards
Searching for a 1909 Ty Cobb baseball card, part of the rare T206 series printed by the Sweet Caporal Cigarettes company? How about a 1938 Goudey card featuring Joe DiMaggio?
(By Lyndsey Layton, The Washington Post)

Post-9/11 Dragnet Turns Up Surprises
Biometrics Link Foreign Detainees To Arrests in U.S.
(By Ellen Nakashima, The Washington Post)

Obama Addresses His Faith
Senator Describes Spiritual Journey
(By Jonathan Weisman, The Washington Post)

African Immigrants Among Obama's Enthusiastic Backers
(By Darryl Fears, The Washington Post)

Fundraising Ruling Prompts a Scramble
Opponents of Self-Financers Seek Advice
(By Paul Kane, The Washington Post)

More Politics

Add topics to this e-mail

Make this e-mail your own by selecting the topics and columnists that interest you! Personalize this e-mail now.

NATION
Chicago Gun Ban May Test Ruling
CHICAGO -- One small reflection of Chicago's bloody year is a sign outside a South Side school that says, "Congratulations Class of 2008. Stop the Violence." The school is not a college or a high school, but Carnegie Elementary in Woodlawn.
(By Peter Slevin and Kari Lydersen, The Washington Post)

DEA Holding Some Mighty Fine Cards
Arrest of Physician Puts Prized Rarities in the Hands of Federal Drug Agency
(By Lyndsey Layton, The Washington Post)

Post-9/11 Dragnet Turns Up Surprises
Biometrics Link Foreign Detainees To Arrests in U.S.
(By Ellen Nakashima, The Washington Post)

Bush: Olympic Boycott Would Be an 'Affront to the Chinese People'
In Japan, Bush Meets With Fukuda Ahead of Annual G-8 Summit
(By Michael Abramowitz, The Washington Post)

Chicago Ban May Test Ruling
Challenges Follow Justices' Decision on D.C. Gun-Control Law
(By Peter Slevin and Kari Lydersen, The Washington Post)

More Nation

WORLD
Colombian Officials Recount Rescue Plan
BOGOTA, Colombia, July 5 -- Colombian Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos told a special team of intelligence agents assigned with drawing up a hostage rescue operation to be inventive and bold.
(By Juan Forero, The Washington Post)

Restoring Past Glory in Old Kabul
Ambitious Project Pumps New Life Into Crumbling Historic District
(By Candace Rondeaux, The Washington Post)

'To Be Busy Helps Them Forget'
Burma's Storm Survivors Cobble Together a Meager Future
(The Washington Post)

Bush: Olympic Boycott Would Be an 'Affront to the Chinese People'
In Japan, Bush Meets With Fukuda Ahead of Annual G-8 Summit
(By Michael Abramowitz, The Washington Post)

African Immigrants Among Obama's Enthusiastic Backers
(By Darryl Fears, The Washington Post)

More World

METRO
Drivers Feeling Shunned by D.C.
The District is escalating what some suburban commuters are calling its war against workers who drive into the city.
(By Eric M. Weiss, The Washington Post)

Sweetheart Deals
When Prince George's agreed to lucrative public land sales, many of the winners shared one thing: ties to the county executive
(By Cheryl W. Thompson and Mary Pat Flaherty, The Washington Post)

A Performing Arts Festival That's Always On Edge
(By Marc Fisher, The Washington Post)

What Comes Next After Generation X?
As a Demographic, Millennials Don't All See It as the Best Label
(By Ian Shapira, The Washington Post)

Motorboat Explodes, Throwing Woman Into Bay
(By James Hohmann, The Washington Post)

More Metro

BUSINESS
Long a Reliable Profit Source, Dividends Start to Crumble
The credit crisis and economic slowdown have become so grave that many companies are chopping dividend payments to their shareholders.
(By Tomoeh Murakami Tse and Nancy Trejos, The Washington Post)

For the Big Bucks, Try a Little Yuk Yuk
(By Michelle Singletary, The Washington Post)

Spring's Rally Fades, and Dark Clouds Settle In
(By Tomoeh Murakami Tse and Nancy Trejos, The Washington Post)

Proposed Change in Global Trading Rule Raises Risks
(By Jane Bryant Quinn, The Washington Post)

Fund Managers' Vote of No Confidence
(The Washington Post)

More Business

TECHNOLOGY
Post-9/11 Dragnet Turns Up Surprises
In the six-and-a-half years that the U.S. government has been fingerprinting insurgents, detainees and ordinary people in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Horn of Africa, hundreds have turned out to share an unexpected background, FBI and military officials said. They have criminal arrest records in the...
(By Ellen Nakashima, The Washington Post)

Help File
(By Rob Pegoraro, The Washington Post)

Va. Tests Web Transcripts For College Applications
Program Aims to Streamline Process
(By Ben Hubbard, The Washington Post)

More Technology

SPORTS
On Wet Day, Pernice Doesn't Slip Up
Tom Pernice Jr. holds steady Saturday afternoon for a 1-under 69 in the AT&T National that gives him a one-shot lead and a chance to win for the first time in seven years.
(By Leonard Shapiro, The Washington Post)

Venus Williams Wins Wimbledon
Elder Williams Sister Downs Serena 7-5, 6-4 For Fifth Title
(By Liz Clarke, The Washington Post)

Dukes Is Injured in Nats' Loss
Reds 3, Nationals 2
(By Chico Harlan, The Washington Post)

Once Again, Gay Falters In the Men's 200 Meters
'I've Had a Little Bad Luck,' He Says After Leg Cramp
(By Amy Shipley, The Washington Post)

Patrick Cote beats Ricardo Almeida at UFC 86
(AP)

More Sports

STYLE
Leading Men
W onderful moment in John Ford's "The Searchers," from way back in 1956: John Wayne, as the surly, violent Ethan Edwards, signals to his young compadre that it's time to move on in their pursuit of Scar, the Comanche chief who's murdered their family and kidnapped the youngest daughter, Debbie.
(By Stephen Hunter, The Washington Post)

A Mover and Shaker, Still In Motion
(By Sarah Kaufman, The Washington Post)

Proles vs. Pros: An Experiment In Curating
(By Robin Givhan, The Washington Post)

"They call addiction the family disease for a reason."
Sam Mettler Stepped Into Serious TV Territory With 'Intervention'
(The Washington Post)

CAROLYN HAX
(By Carolyn Hax, The Washington Post)

More Style

Afghan Escalation
EACH YEAR since 2002, the number of U.S. and allied troops in Afghanistan has grown. And each year, during the "fighting season" of spring and summer, the number of attacks by the Taliban has also increased, prompting commanders to conclude that still more troops are needed. This year is no...
(The Washington Post)

Unimpaired Rights
The House votes resoundingly to recognize civil rights for the disabled.
(The Washington Post)

The $360 Million Mirage
It's time for Republicans in Richmond to get real about transportation.
(The Washington Post)

E-Mail Newsletter Services
• To sign up for additional newsletters or get help, visit the E-mail Preferences Page.

Unsubscribe | Feedback | Advertising | Subscribe to the Paper