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 Dominion Domination By Ryan Grim Posted Monday, Oct. 27, 2008, at 2:00 AM ET The Washington Post leads with a poll showing Barack Obama up eight points against John McCain in Virginia. If McCain loses the Old Dominion, he'll have to run the table in states where he's currently down much more than eight. The Los Angeles Times leads with news that voting by mail will be at historic levels in California and elsewhere, transforming the relationship voters have with the trappings of democracy. The New York Times highlights the predicament McCain is in. The Wall Street Journal's lead space is taken up by the expansion of the global financial crisis to the Middle East. USA Today scoops Army plans to continue to use involuntary extensions of enlistment ? so-called stop loss orders ? through 2009, despite its promises to curtail the practice. Above its lead story, the paper proclaims: "Yo! Phillies could win it all tonight." To continue reading, click here. . Join the Fray: our reader discussion forum What did you think of this article? POST A MESSAGE \| READ MESSAGES Also In Slate Is The Mentalist Going To Kill CSI? McCain and Obama Lawyer Up for the Election Help! I Take Antidepressants, but I Still Hate Myself.	Advertisement
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