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.
The Slate Dozen - Morning Edition 
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Big Winners in Health Care Vote? Baucus and Snowe
As the Senate finance committee approved the health care package with a 14-to-9 vote, its chairman and the lone Republican supporter now have more clout than ever.
Read original story in Politico | Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009 -
Wall Street Payments Set To Break Another Record
Workers at top firms are on track to earn even more money than they did in 2007, a peak year.
Read original story in The Wall Street Journal | Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009 -
Amidst Two Wars, Military Recruitment Thrives
Largely thanks to the Great Recession, the military has managed to meet all of its recruiting goals for the first in more than 35 years.
Read original story in The Washington Post | Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009 -
Mussolini Briefly Worked for British Intelligence
Before he was a dictator, Mussolini received 100 pounds from British agents to advocate for the first world war and stop peace protests.
Read original story in The Guardian | Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009 -
Strong Figures From China Raise Recovery Hopes
Surprising good news from China's economy caused stocks to increase and the dollar to fall to its lowest level since August 2008. Intel also forecast sales that beat expectations in what was seen as further evidence that the global economy is bouncing back.
Read original story in Reuters | Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009 -
Polanski Finishing Film From Prison
The director is putting the finishing touches on his latest movie while sitting in a prison cell in Switzerland, waiting for extradition proceedings to the United States.
Read original story in The Times (of London) | Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009 -
Congress Finally Begins To Move on Financial Overhaul
After lots of waiting, lawmakers are getting ready to take up the first baby steps toward overhauling the regulation of financial companies.
Read original story in Associated Press | Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009 -
Brown Will Send More Troops To Afghanistan
The British prime minister will announce today his decision, which comes in spite of increased public opposition to the war effort.
Read original story in The Guardian | Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009 -
Is Pay Czar Powerless To Stop AIG's Bonuses?
The giant insurer's compensation practices are once again facing scrutiny from government officials eager to avoid another scandal.
Read original story in The Wall Street Journal | Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009 -
Bloomberg Will Own Business Week
McGraw-Hill Cos. agreed to sell the venerable business publication to the financial-news giant after millions of dollars in losses.
Read original story in Los Angeles Times | Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009 -
Model Who Looks Emaciated in Ad Was Fired for Being Fat
The model who is depicted in an ad for Ralph Lauren that caused an Internet sensation due to dramatic Photoshopping says she weighed too much to work for the clothing company.
Read original story in The New York Daily News | Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009 -
Nobel Panel Backs Obama: "We Simply Disagree That He Has Done Nothing"
In a rare move, the Nobel jury has defended the decision to award Barack Obama the Nobel Peace Prize, stating that he "got the prize for what he has done."
Read original story in The Washington Post | Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009 | Advertisement   | |
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US$24.8 million of Obama's first quarter funds can be used in the primaries, the highest of any 2008 presidential candidate.
I am not opposed to all wars.
His opponent in the general election was expected to be Republican primary winner Jack Ryan.
During his 2004 U.S. Senate campaign, Obama won the endorsement of the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police, whose officials cited his "longtime support of gun control measures and his willingness to negotiate compromises," despite his support for some bills the police union had opposed.
Obama was sworn in as a Senator on January 4, 2005.
Obama has divested US$180,000 in personal holdings of Sudan-related stock, and he has urged divestment from companies doing business in Iran.
But I've got news for them too.
The first such poll, taken in November 2006, ranked Obama in second place with 17% support among Democrats after Sen.
Since announcing his candidacy in February 2007, Obama has emphasized ending the Iraq War and implementing universal health care as campaign themes.
presidential candidate has attracted conflicting analyses among commentators challenged to align him with traditional social categories.
" But in an October 2006 article titled "Obama: Black Like Me," British columnist Gary Younge describes Obama as "a black man who does not scare white people.
" Reviewing Obama's career in the Illinois Senate, a February 2007 article in the Washington Post noted his work with both Democrats and Republicans in drafting bipartisan legislation on ethics and health care reform.
In a nationally televised speech at the University of Nairobi, he spoke forcefully on the influence of ethnic rivalries and corruption in Kenya.
Through the fall of 2006, Obama had spoken at political events across the country in support of Democratic candidates for the midterm elections.
" Speaking in November 2006 to members of Wake Up Wal-Mart, a union-backed campaign group, Obama said: "You gotta pay your workers enough that they can actually not only shop at Wal-Mart, but ultimately send their kids to college and save for retirement.
"Obama's rapid rise from Illinois state legislator to U.S.
Describing his working life in Illinois, and symbolically linking his presidential campaign to Abraham Lincoln's 1858 House Divided speech, Obama said: "That is why, in the shadow of the Old State Capitol, where Lincoln once called on a house divided to stand together, where common hopes and common dreams still live, I stand before you today to announce my candidacy for President of the United States of America.
Obama received over 52% of the vote in the March 2004 primary, emerging 29% ahead of his nearest Democratic rival.
Obama spoke out in June 2006 against making recent, temporary estate tax cuts permanent, calling the cuts a "Paris Hilton" tax break for "billionaire heirs and heiresses.
