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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Opinions Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2008

Kathleen Parker
The Reverse-Bradley Effect
What about whites who would never admit to voting for a black man, but do?

Ruth Marcus
The 'Socialist' Scare
McCain is running a campaign both uncivil and uncivilizing -- one I expect he will rue, win or lose.

Harold Meyerson
The Power of Two Myths
An increasingly desperate John McCain is transporting us back to the wedge issues of yesteryear.

Michael Gerson
The Irony of Obama
Would a President Obama reign in a Democratic Congress? Could he?

Robert J. Samuelson
Young Voters, Get Mad
You need to appeal to the shame and guilt of older Americans.

David Ignatius
A Critical Stage in Iraq
'Everybody is afraid of everybody. They're afraid of the past, present and future.'

Dan Froomkin's White House Watch
Bush's Prayerful Day
While most Americans are praying for the economy to turn around, or praying for Bush to leave, some are still praying for the president.

Tom TOLES & Ann TELNAES