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 War And Almost Peace By Jesse Stanchak Posted Sunday, Aug. 17, 2008, at 7:41 AM ET The New York Times leads with Russia agreeing to a revised truce with Georgia? while still refusing to immediately withdraw from Georgian soil. The Washington Post also leads with the conflict, but instead takes the long view, in an attempt to figure out which side started the war. The Los Angeles Times leads with Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain each discussing their faith and positions on social issues at Pastor Rick Warren's Saddleback Church. Chaos continues to reign in Georgia, as Russia agrees to a cease-fire, but refuses to leave Georgian territory. Russian officials insist the agreement doesn't preclude maintaining "peace keeping" troops in Georgia and they say that the troops will stay as long as necessary, while refusing to define what those terms might mean. The paper also reports that the two sides may not have even agreed to the same language. To continue reading, click here. Jesse Stanchak is an assistant documents editor at Congressional Quarterly. He covers elections in Oregon and Idaho for CQpolitics.com. Join the Fray: our reader discussion forum What did you think of this article? POST A MESSAGE \| READ MESSAGES Also In Slate Business & Tech Which Stocks Will Go Up If Obama Wins? No One Knows. Arts & Life The Sad Fate of Lindsay Lohan's Little Sister News & Politics Lift the Gag Order on Frank Rich	Advertisement
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