Barack Obama
Barack Obama
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.
Manage your newsletters on Slate Unsubscribe | Newsletter Center | Advertising Information | |
 | |
 | |
 Now playing: Slate V, a video-only site from the world's leading online magazine. Visit Slate V at www.slatev.com. | |
today's papers Sebelius Tapped as HHS Secretary Posted Sunday, March 1, 2009, at 4:35 AM ET The Washington Post leads with news that Kathleen Sebelius, the Democratic governor of Kansas, has been nominated as Secretary of Health and Human Services. The New York Times leads a story about how Barack Obama's election has rekindled hopes that the U.S. will soon take a major leadership role in global efforts to combat climate change. The Los Angeles Times leads a report on financial improprieties in the California governor's office; its top national story is a news feature on a veteran undercover CIA operative currently being tried for war crimes committed during the Balkan wars. Noting that her nomination comes days before a crucial White House summit on health reform, the Post blandly outlines Sebelius' resume and her gubernatorial experience with health care issues. The NYT analyzes the political implications of the pick, noting the governor's bipartisan credentials and devoting much space to her pro-choice background, which, for some reason, the paper seems to think may end up derailing her confirmation. The article cites the spectre of looming Catholic opposition to Sebelius' nomination, but neglects to mention that the Senate's Catholic bloc is by no means ideologically consistent on abortion issues. To continue reading, click here. Justin Peters is a writer in New York, and the editor of Polite.Join the Fray: our reader discussion forum What did you think of this article? POST A MESSAGE | READ MESSAGES Also In Slate The Obamas and the Great American Tradition of Church Shopping Is It Legal To Send Blood Through the Mail? The Obamas Should Name Their Dog "Government" | Advertisement  |
Ideas on how to make something better? Send an e-mail to newsletters@slate.com. | |
0 comments:
Post a Comment