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Encyclopedia > Barack Obama

Barack Obama
Barack Obama

Incumbent
Assumed office 
January 3, 2005
Serving with Richard Durbin
Preceded by Peter Fitzgerald
Succeeded by Incumbent

Born August 4, 1961 (1961-08-04) (age 46)
Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
Nationality American
Political party Democratic
Spouse Michelle Obama
Alma mater Columbia University,
Harvard Law School
Religion United Church of Christ
Signature Barack Obama's signature

Barack Hussein Obama (born August 4, 1961) is the junior United States Senator from Illinois and a member of the Democratic Party. The U.S. Senate Historical Office lists him as the fifth African American Senator in U.S. history and the only African American currently serving in the U.S. Senate.[1] A bottle of Barack brandy Barack is a Hungarian brandy (Palinka) flavored with apricots. ... Obama may refer to: Barack Obama, a United States Senator from Illinois Obama, Fukui, a city in Japan Obama, Nagasaki, a town in Japan Category: ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 444 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (444 × 600 pixel, file size: 147 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Black people University of Chicago Barack... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Politics Portal      The United States Senate is one of the two chambers of the bicameral United States Congress, the... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (149,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... For the ecclesiastical office, see Incumbent (ecclesiastical). ... is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Richard Joseph Dick Durbin, (born November 21, 1944) is currently the senior United States Senator from Illinois and Democratic Whip, the second highest position in the party leadership in the Senate. ... Peter G. Fitzgerald (born October 20, 1960) was the junior United States Senator from Illinois from 1999 until 2005. ... For the ecclesiastical office, see Incumbent (ecclesiastical). ... is the 216th day of the year (217th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For the city and county of Honolulu, see City & County of Honolulu. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... Michelle Robinson Obama (born January 17, 1964) is Vice President for Community and External Affairs for the University of Chicago Hospitals. ... Columbia University is a private research university in the United States and a member of the prestigious Ivy League. ... Harvard Law School (colloquially, Harvard Law or HLS) is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. ... Disambiguation: This article is about the United States denomination known as United Church of Christ. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... is the 216th day of the year (217th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Senior Senator and Junior Senator are terms commonly used in the media to describe U.S. Senators. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Politics Portal      The United States Senate is one of the two chambers of the bicameral United States Congress, the... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (149,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with United States Senate Historical Office. ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... “American history” redirects here. ...


Born to a black Kenyan father and a white American mother, 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. A graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, Obama worked as a community organizer, university lecturer, and civil rights lawyer before running for public office. He served in the Illinois Senate from 1997 to 2004, launching his campaign for U.S. Senate in 2003. US states and districts in which non-Hispanic whites are a plurality/minority. ... Official language(s) English, Hawaiian Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Area  Ranked 43rd  - Total 10,931 sq mi (29,311 km²)  - Width n/a miles (n/a km)  - Length 1,522 miles (2,450 km)  - % water 41. ... Columbia University is a private research university in the United States and a member of the prestigious Ivy League. ... Harvard Law School (colloquially, Harvard Law or HLS) is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. ... Community organizing is a process by which people are brought together to act in common self-interest. ... Lecturer is a term of academic rank. ... Civil rights or positive rights are those legal rights retained by citizens and protected by the government. ... Public administration is, broadly speaking, the implementation of policy within a state framework. ... The Illinois Senate convenes at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield. ...


Obama delivered the keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention while still an Illinois state legislator. He went on to win election to the U.S. Senate in November 2004 with a landslide 70% of the vote in an election year marked by Republican gains.[2][3] 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. 2004 Democratic National Convention logo The 2004 Democratic National Convention culminated in the arrival of John Kerry on July 29 to address the delegates. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      In the United States of America, a state legislature is a generic term referring to the... In politics, a landslide victory (or just a landslide) is the victory of a candidate or political party by an overwhelming majority in an election. ... Presidential election results map. ... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States of America, along with the Democratic Party. ... United States Capitol (2002) // The One Hundred Ninth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, comprised of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. ... A conventional weapon is a weapon that does not incorporate chemical, biological or nuclear payloads. ... In the physical sciences, specifically in optics, a transparent physical object is one that can be seen through. ...


He is among the Democratic Party's leading candidates for nomination in the 2008 U.S. presidential election.[4] Since announcing his candidacy in February 2007, Obama has emphasized ending the Iraq War and implementing universal health care as campaign themes.[5][6] He married in 1992 and has two daughters. He has authored two bestselling books: a memoir of his youth titled Dreams from My Father, and The Audacity of Hope, a personal commentary on U.S. politics.[7] Presidential electoral votes by state The U.S. presidential election of 2008 is scheduled to occur on November 4, 2008. ... This page is about a candidate running for the 2008 election; for the whole presidential election, click here. ... For other uses, see Iraq war (disambiguation). ... Universal health care is a state in which all residents of a geographic or political region have access to most types of health care. ... Dreams from My Father : A Story of Race and Inheritance is the autobiography of U.S. Senator Barack Obama. ... The Audacity of Hope : Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream is the second book written by U.S. Senator Barack Obama. ...

Contents

Early life and career

See also: Dreams from My Father

Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii to Barack Obama, Sr. (born in Nyanza Province, Kenya) and Ann Dunham (born in Wichita, Kansas).[8] His parents met while both were attending the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where his father was enrolled as a foreign student.[9] Obama's parents separated when he was two years old and later divorced.[10] 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.[11] His mother married Lolo Soetoro, an Indonesian foreign student, with whom she had one daughter, Maya.[12] The family moved to Jakarta in 1967, where Obama attended local schools from ages 6 to 10.[13] He then returned to Honolulu to live with his maternal grandparents while attending Punahou School from 5th grade until his graduation in 1979.[14] Obama's mother died of ovarian cancer a few months after the publication of his 1995 memoir, Dreams from My Father.[15] Dreams from My Father : A Story of Race and Inheritance is the autobiography of U.S. Senator Barack Obama. ... For the city and county of Honolulu, see City & County of Honolulu. ... Official language(s) English, Hawaiian Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Area  Ranked 43rd  - Total 10,931 sq mi (29,311 km²)  - Width n/a miles (n/a km)  - Length 1,522 miles (2,450 km)  - % water 41. ... The capital of Kenyas Nyanza Province, on Lake Victoria, is Kisumu (click to enlarge map) Nyanza Province of Kenya, on Lake Victoria, is one of Kenyas seven administrative provinces outside Nairobi; it is in the southwest corner of Kenya. ... Nickname: Location in the state of Kansas County Sedgwick Government  - Mayor Carl Brewer (D) Area  - City 359. ... Official language(s) English[2] Capital Topeka Largest city Wichita Area  Ranked 15th  - Total 82,277 sq mi (213,096 km²)  - Width 211 miles (340 km)  - Length 417 miles (645 km)  - % water 0. ... The University of HawaiÊ»i at Mānoa is a public, co-educational university and is the main campus of the greater University of HawaiÊ»i system. ... International students are students, usually in early adulthood, who study in foreign schools. ... Harvard University (incorporated as The President and Fellows of Harvard College) is a private university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA and a member of the Ivy League. ... Doctor of Philosophy (Ph. ... Jakarta (also Djakarta or DKI Jakarta), formerly known as Sunda Kelapa, Jayakarta and Batavia is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. ... Established 1841 School Type Private Preparatory Day (Primary and Secondary) Students 3,700 approx. ... Ovarian cancer is a malignant tumor (a kind of neoplasm) located on an ovary. ... As a literary genre, a memoir (from the Latin memoria, meaning memory) forms a subclass of autobiography, although it is an older form of writing. ...


In the memoir, Obama describes his experiences growing up in his mother's American middle class family. His knowledge about his absent Luo father came mainly through family stories and photographs.[16] Of his early childhood, Obama writes: "That my father looked nothing like the people around me—that he was black as pitch, my mother white as milk—barely registered in my mind."[17] The book describes his struggles as a young adult to reconcile social perceptions of his multiracial heritage.[18] He used alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine during his teenage years, Obama writes, to "push questions of who I was out of my mind."[19] A monument to the working and supporting classes along Market Street in the heart of San Franciscos Financial District, home to tens-of-thousands of professional and managerial middle class workers each day. ... The Luo (also called Jaluo and Joluo) are an ethnic group in Kenya, eastern Uganda and northern Tanzania. ... Actress Halle Berry was born to a white mother of British extraction and a black father of American extraction. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Cannabis (also known as marijuana[1] or ganja[2] in its herbal form and hashish in its resinous form[3]) is a psychoactive product of the plant Cannabis sativa L. subsp. ... Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. ...


After graduating from Punahou, Obama studied at Occidental College for two years, then transferred to Columbia University, where he majored in political science with a specialization in international relations.[20][21] He received his B.A. degree in 1983, then worked for one year at Business International Corporation[22] before moving to Chicago to take a job as a community organizer.[23] He entered Harvard Law School in 1988.[24] In 1990, The New York Times reported his election as the Harvard Law Review's "first black president in its 104-year history."[25] He completed his J.D. degree magna cum laude in 1991.[26] On returning to Chicago, Obama directed a voter registration drive.[26] As an associate attorney with Miner, Barnhill & Galland from 1993 to 1996, he represented community organizers, discrimination claims, and voting rights cases.[27] He was a lecturer of constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School from 1993 until his election to the U.S. Senate in 2004.[28] Occidental College, located in Los Angeles, California, is a small private coeducational liberal arts college. ... Columbia College is the main undergraduate college at Columbia University, situated on the universitys main campus of Morningside Heights in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York. ... The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      Political Science is the field concerning the theory and practice of politics and the description and analysis of political systems and political behaviour. ... The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      International relations (IR), a branch of political science, is the study of foreign affairs and global issues among states within the international system, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations (IGOs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and multinational corporations (MNCs). ... A Bachelor of Arts (B.A. or A.B.) is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course or program in the arts and/or sciences. ... Business International Corporation (BI) was a publishing and advisory firm dedicated to assisting American companies in the operations abroad. ... Nickname: Motto: Urbs in Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location in the Chicago metro area and Illinois Coordinates: , Country State Counties Cook, DuPage Settled 1770s Incorporated March 4, 1837 Government  - Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Area  - City  234. ... Community organizing is a process by which people are brought together to act in common self-interest. ... Harvard Law School (colloquially, Harvard Law or HLS) is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. ... The Harvard Law Review is a journal of legal scholarship published by an independent student group at Harvard Law School. ... Doctor of Law, Doctor of Jurisprudence, or Juris Doctor (abbreviated J.D. or JD, from the Latin, Teacher of Law) is a professional degree in law offered by universities in a number of countries. ... Latin honors are Latin phrases used to indicate the level of academic distinction with which an academic degree was earned. ... A voter registration drive is an effort, often undertaken by a political campaign, political party, or other outside groups (partisan and non-partisan), that seeks to register to vote those who are eligible but not registered. ... A lawyer, according to Blacks Law Dictionary, is a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person licensed to practice law. ... In the United States, employment discrimination is prohibited by a collection of state and federal laws, as well as by ordinances of counties and municipalities. ... The National Voting Rights Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. Â§ 1973-1973aa-6)[1] outlawed the requirement that would-be voters in the United States take literacy tests to qualify to register to vote, and it provided for federal registration of voters in areas that had less than 50... The French Declaration of the Rights of the Man and of the Citizen, whose principles still have constitutional value Constitutional law is the study of foundational or basic laws of nation states and other political organizations. ... The University of Chicago is a private university located principally in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago. ... The University of Chicago Law School, having recently celebrated its centennial in the 2002-2003 school year, has established itself as a high profile part of the University of Chicago. ...


State legislature

Obama was elected to the Illinois State Senate in 1996 from the state's 13th District in the south-side Chicago neighborhood of Hyde Park.[29] In 2000, he made an unsuccessful Democratic primary run for the U.S. House of Representatives seat held by four-term incumbent candidate Bobby Rush.[30] He was reelected to the Illinois Senate in 1998 and 2002, officially resigning in November 2004 following his election to the U.S. Senate.[31][32] As a state legislator, Obama worked with both Democrats and Republicans in drafting successful legislation on ethics and health care reform.[33] He sponsored a law enhancing tax credits for low-income workers, negotiated welfare reform, and promoted increased subsidies for child care.[34] Obama also led the passage of legislation mandating videotaping of homicide interrogations, and a law to monitor racial profiling by requiring police to record the race of drivers they stopped.[34][35] During his 2004 general election campaign for U.S. Senate, Obama won the endorsement of the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police, whose president credited him with having been "immensely helpful in working with police organizations" on death penalty reform.[36] He was criticized by a rival pro-choice candidate in the Democratic primary and by his Republican pro-life opponent in the general election for having voted either "present" or "no" on anti-abortion legislation.[33][37] The Illinois Senate convenes at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield. ... Hyde Park, located on the south side of Chicago, Illinois and seven miles south of the Chicago Loop, is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas. ... The United States House of Representatives (or simply the House) is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. ... Bobby Lee Rush (born November 23, 1946) has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1993, representing the 1st District of Illinois (map). ... World map of the Corruption Perceptions Index, which measures the degree to which corruption is perceived to exist among public officials and politicians. Blue colors indicate little corruption, red colors indicate much corruption In broad terms, political corruption is the misuse by government officials of their governmental powers for illegitimate... (This article is about political movements affecting the delivery of health care and health care systems. ... Within the Australian, Canadian, United Kingdom, and United States tax systems, a tax credit is an item which is treated as a payment already made towards taxes owed. ... Welfare reform is the name for a policy change in countries with a state-administered social welfare system to reduce dependence on welfare, as demanded by political conservatives. ... Childcare is the act of caring for and supervising minor children. ... Racial profiling, also known as ethnic profiling, is the inclusion of racial or ethnic characteristics in determining whether a person is considered likely to commit a particular type of crime (see Offender Profiling). ... The Fraternal Order of Police is a fraternal organization for sworn police officers. ... Capital punishment in the United States is officially sanctioned by 38 of the 50 states, as well as by the federal government and the military. ... This article needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ... Issues of discussion Pro-life is a term representing a variety of perspectives and activist movements in bioethics. ...


Keynote address at 2004 Democratic National Convention

Obama addresses the 2004 Democratic National Convention as keynote speaker.
Obama addresses the 2004 Democratic National Convention as keynote speaker.[38]
See also: 2004 Democratic National Convention

Obama wrote and delivered the keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston, Massachusetts, while still serving as a state legislator.[39][40] After describing his maternal grandfather's experiences as a World War II veteran and a beneficiary of the New Deal's FHA and G.I. Bill programs, Obama said: Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... 2004 Democratic National Convention logo The 2004 Democratic National Convention culminated in the arrival of John Kerry on July 29 to address the delegates. ... 2004 Democratic National Convention logo The 2004 Democratic National Convention culminated in the arrival of John Kerry on July 29 to address the delegates. ... 2004 Democratic National Convention logo The 2004 Democratic National Convention culminated in the arrival of John Kerry on July 29 to address the delegates. ... Nickname: Location in Massachusetts, USA Coordinates: , Country United States State Massachusetts County Suffolk County Settled 1630 Incorporated (city) 1822 Government  - Mayor Thomas M. Menino (D) Area  - City  89. ... Official language(s) English Capital Boston Largest city Boston Area  Ranked 44th  - Total 10,555 sq mi (27,360 km²)  - Width 183 miles (295 km)  - Length 113 miles (182 km)  - % water 13. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      In the United States of America, a state legislature is a generic term referring to the... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... The New Deal was the title President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave to the series of programs he initiated between 1933 and 1938 with the goal of providing relief, recovery, and reform (3 Rs) to the people and economy of the United States during the Great Depression. ... The FHAs logo The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) is a United States government agency created as part of the National Housing Act of 1934. ... The Servicemens Readjustment Act of 1944 (better known as the G.I. Bill) provided for college or vocational education for returning World War II veterans (commonly referred to as GIs or G.I.s) as well as one year of unemployment compensation. ...

No, people don't expect government to solve all their problems. But they sense, deep in their bones, that with just a slight change in priorities, we can make sure that every child in America has a decent shot at life, and that the doors of opportunity remain open to all. They know we can do better. And they want that choice.

Questioning the Bush administration's management of the Iraq War, Obama spoke of an enlisted Marine, Corporal Seamus Ahern from East Moline, Illinois, asking, "Are we serving Seamus as well as he is serving us?" He continued: President George W. Bush delivers his first State of the Union Address. ... For other uses, see Iraq war (disambiguation). ... The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States military responsible for providing power projection from the sea,[1] utilizing the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. ... East Moline is a city located in Rock Island County, Illinois. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (149,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ...

When we send our young men and women into harm's way, we have a solemn obligation not to fudge the numbers or shade the truth about why they're going, to care for their families while they're gone, to tend to the soldiers upon their return, and to never, ever go to war without enough troops to win the war, secure the peace, and earn the respect of the world.

Finally, he spoke for national unity:

The pundits like to slice-and-dice our country into Red States and Blue States; Red States for Republicans, Blue States for Democrats. But I've got news for them too. We worship an awesome God in the Blue States, and we don't like federal agents poking around in our libraries in the Red States. We coach Little League in the Blue States and yes, we got some gay friends in the Red States. There are patriots who opposed the war in Iraq and patriots who supported the war in Iraq. We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America.[38] Map of results by state of the 2004 U.S. presidential election, representing states won by the Democrats as blue and those won by the GOP as red. ... Little League Baseball - Logo Little League pitcher in Winesburg, Ohio Little League, Wayne, Michigan Little League Baseball is the name of a non-profit organization in the United States which organizes local childrens leagues of baseball and softball throughout the USA and the rest of the world. ...

The speech was Obama's introduction to most of America. Its enthusiastic reception at the convention and widespread coverage by national media gave him instant celebrity status.[41]


Senate campaign

In 2003, Obama began his run for the U.S. Senate open seat vacated by Peter Fitzgerald. In early opinion polls leading up to the Democratic primary, Obama trailed multimillionaire businessman Blair Hull and Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes.[42] However, Hull's popularity declined following allegations of domestic abuse.[42] Obama's candidacy was boosted by an advertising campaign featuring images of the late Chicago Mayor Harold Washington and the late U.S. Senator Paul Simon; the support of Simon's daughter; and political endorsements by the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times.[43][44] Obama received over 52% of the vote in the March 2004 primary, emerging 29% ahead of his nearest Democratic rival.[45] To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... The incumbent, in politics, is the current holder of a political office. ... Peter G. Fitzgerald (born October 20, 1960) was the junior United States Senator from Illinois from 1999 until 2005. ... A primary election is an election in which voters in a jurisdiction select candidates for a subsequent election (nominating primary). ... For other uses, see Millionaire (disambiguation). ... Blair Hull was an early front-runner in the 2004 United States Senate primary election season in Illinois. ... Look up comptroller in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Daniel W. Hynes (born July 20, 1968 in Chicago, Illinois) is currently the Comptroller of the State of Illinois. ... “Domestic disturbance” redirects here. ... Harold Lee Washington (April 15, 1922 – November 25, 1987) was a lawyer, legislator and the first African American Mayor of Chicago, Illinois serving from 1983 until his death in 1987. ... Paul Martin Simon (November 29, 1928 – December 9, 2003) was an American politician from Illinois. ... // The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois and owned by the Tribune Company. ... The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago. ...


His opponent in the general election was expected to be Republican primary winner Jack Ryan. However, Ryan withdrew from the race in June 2004, following public disclosure of child custody divorce records containing sexual allegations by Ryan's ex-wife, actress Jeri Ryan.[46] In August 2004, with less than three months to go before election day, Alan Keyes accepted the Illinois Republican Party's nomination to replace Ryan.[47] A long-time resident of Maryland, Keyes established legal residency in Illinois with the nomination.[48] Through three televised debates, Obama and Keyes expressed opposing views on stem cell research, abortion, gun control, school vouchers, and tax cuts.[49] In the November 2004 general election, Obama received 70% of the vote to Keyes's 27%.[50] The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States of America, along with the Democratic Party. ... This article or section includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... Child custody and guardianship are legal terms which are sometimes used to describe the legal and practical relationship between a parent and his or her child, such as the right of the parent to make decisions for the child, and the parents duty to care for the child. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Alan Keyes (born August 7, 1950) is a former Reagan administration diplomat, a Harvard-educated constitutional scholar, and a conservative political activist. ... Official language(s) None (English, de facto) Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Area  Ranked 42nd  - Total 12,407 sq mi (32,133 km²)  - Width 90 miles (145 km)  - Length 249 miles (400 km)  - % water 21  - Latitude 37° 53′ N to 39° 43′ N  - Longitude 75° 03′ W to 79° 29... There is widespread controversy over stem cell research fue to techniques used in the creation and usage of embryonic stem cells. ... Gun Politics, the political aspects of gun control and firearms rights, has long been among the most controversial and intractable issues in American politics. ... An education voucher, commonly called a school voucher, is a certificate by which parents are given the ability to pay for the education of their children at a school of their choice, rather than the public school to which they were assigned. ... A tax cut is a reduction in the rate of tax charged by a government, for example on personal or corporate income. ...


Senate career

Obama was sworn in as a Senator on January 4, 2005.[51] He hired former Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle's ex-chief of staff to be his chief of staff, and Karen Kornbluh, an economist who was deputy chief of staff to former Secretary of the Treasury Robert Rubin, as his policy adviser.[52] In July 2005, Samantha Power, Pulitzer-winning author on human rights and genocide, joined Obama's team.[53] An October 2005 article in the British journal New Statesman listed Obama as one of "10 people who could change the world."[54] Three months into his Senate career, and again in 2007, Time magazine named Obama one of "the world's most influential people."[55] During his first two and a half years in the Senate, Obama received Honorary Doctorates of Law from Knox College,[56] University of Massachusetts Boston,[57] Northwestern University,[58] Xavier University of Louisiana,[59] and Southern New Hampshire University.[60] He holds assignments on the Senate Committees for Foreign Relations; Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; and Veterans' Affairs,[61] and is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus.[62] is the 4th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Thomas Andrew Daschle (born December 9, 1947) is a former U.S. Senator and Senate Majority Leader from South Dakota. ... An editor has expressed a concern that the subject of the article does not satisfy the notability guideline or one of the following guidelines for inclusion on Wikipedia: Biographies, Books, Companies, Fiction, Music, Neologisms, Numbers, Web content, or several proposals for new guidelines. ... Robert Edward Rubin (b. ... Samantha Power (b. ... The New Statesman is a left-of-centre political weekly published in London. ... Time (whose trademark is capitalized TIME) is a weekly American newsmagazine, similar to Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report. ... The 1999 cover of Time magazine that featured the Time 100 The Time 100 is an annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world, as assembled by Time. ... An honorary degree (Latin: honoris causa ad gradum, not to be confused with an honors degree) is an academic degree awarded to an individual as a decoration, rather than as the result of matriculating and studying for several years. ... Knox College is a four-year coeducational private liberal arts college located in Galesburg, Illinois. ... University of Massachusetts Boston, or UMass Boston, is a university in Boston, Massachusetts in the northeastern United States. ... Northwestern University (officially abbreviated NU; sometimes abbreviated NWU) is a private, nonsectarian, coeducational research university with campuses located in Evanston, Illinois and downtown Chicago, Illinois. ... Xavier University of Louisiana is a historically African-American Roman Catholic University located off Carrollton Avenue in Mid-City New Orleans, Louisiana. ... Southern New Hampshire University, also known as SNHU, is a private university in Manchester, New Hampshire. ... U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is a standing committee of the United States Senate. ... The United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) has jurisdiction over matters relating to health, education, labor, and pensions. ... The United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs has jurisdiction over matters related to the Department of Homeland Security and other homeland security concerns, as well as the functioning of the government itself, including the National Archives, budget and accounting measures other than appropriations, the Census, the... The United States Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs is responsible for dealing with matters related to veterans. ... The Congressional Black Caucus is an organization representing African American members of the Congress of the United States. ...


Legislation

Obama sponsored 152 bills and resolutions brought before the 109th Congress in 2005 and 2006, and cosponsored another 427.[63][64] His first bill was the "Higher Education Opportunity through Pell Grant Expansion Act."[65] Entered in fulfillment of a campaign promise, the bill proposed increasing the maximum amount of Pell Grant awards to help students from lower income families pay their college tuitions.[66] The bill did not progress beyond committee and was never voted on by the Senate. United States Capitol (2002) // The One Hundred Ninth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, comprised of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. ... The Pell Grant program is a post-secondary education subsidy run by the Federal government of the United States, and is the largest need-based grant aid program in the country. ...


Obama took an active role in the Senate's drive for improved border security and immigration reform. Beginning in 2005, he co-sponsored the "Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act" introduced by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ).[67] Obama later added three amendments to S. 2611, the "Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act," sponsored by Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA).[68][69] S. 2611 passed the Senate in May 2006, but failed to gain majority support in the U.S. House of Representatives.[70] In September 2006, Obama supported a related bill, the Secure Fence Act, authorizing construction of fencing and other security improvements along the United States–Mexico border.[71] President Bush signed the Secure Fence Act into law in October 2006, calling it "an important step toward immigration reform."[72] Illegal immigration to the United States refers to the act of foreign nationals voluntarily resettling in the United States in violation of U.S. immigration and nationality law. ... In 2004, United States President George W. Bush proposed a guest worker program to absorb migrant laborers who would otherwise come to the U.S. as illegal aliens. ... For McCains grandfather and father, see John S. McCain, Sr. ... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States of America, along with the Democratic Party. ... Official language(s) English Spoken language(s) English 74. ... Senate Bill 2611 (Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act) (abbreviated CIRA), is a United States Senate bill dealing with immigration reform. ... Arlen J. Specter (born February 12, 1930) is a United States Senator from Pennsylvania. ... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States of America, along with the Democratic Party. ... Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area  Ranked 33rd  - Total 46,055 sq mi (119,283 km²)  - Width 280 miles (455 km)  - Length 160 miles (255 km)  - % water 2. ... The House of Representatives is the larger of two houses that make up the U.S. Congress, the other being the United States Senate. ... President George W. Bush signs the Secure Fence Act of 2006, in the Roosevelt Room on October 26, 2006. ... The border between Mexico and the United States spans four U.S. states, six Mexican states, and has over twenty commercial crossings. ...

Senate bill sponsors Tom Coburn (R-OK) and Obama join President Bush at the signing ceremony for the Coburn-Obama Transparency Act of 2006.
Senate bill sponsors Tom Coburn (R-OK) and Obama join President Bush at the signing ceremony for the Coburn-Obama Transparency Act of 2006.[73]

Partnering first with Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN), and then with Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), Obama successfully introduced two initiatives bearing his name. "Lugar-Obama" expands the Nunn-Lugar cooperative threat reduction concept to conventional weapons, including shoulder-fired missiles and anti-personnel mines.[74][75] The "Coburn-Obama Transparency Act" provides for a web site, managed by the Office of Management and Budget, listing all organizations receiving Federal funds from 2007 onward, and providing breakdowns by the agency allocating the funds, the dollar amount given, and the purpose of the grant or contract.[76][77] On December 22, 2006, President Bush signed into law the "Democratic Republic of the Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy Promotion Act," marking the first federal legislation to be enacted with Obama as its primary sponsor.[78] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 325 × 252 pixelsFull resolution (325 × 252 pixel, file size: 53 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Barack Obama ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 325 × 252 pixelsFull resolution (325 × 252 pixel, file size: 53 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Barack Obama ... Thomas Allen Tom Coburn, M.D. (born March 14, 1948) is a medical doctor and a Republican U.S. Senator from Oklahoma. ... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States of America, along with the Democratic Party. ... Official language(s) None Capital Oklahoma City Largest city Oklahoma City Area  Ranked 20th  - Total 69,898 sq mi (181,196 km²)  - Width 230 miles (370 km)  - Length 298 miles (480 km)  - % water 1. ... The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (S. 2590)[1] is bill that would require the full disclosure of all entities or organizations receiving federal funds beginning in fiscal year (FY) 2007 on a website maintained by the Office of Management and Budget. ... Richard Green Dick Lugar (born April 4, 1932) is the senior United States Senator from Indiana. ... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States of America, along with the Democratic Party. ... Official language(s) English Capital Indianapolis Largest city Indianapolis Area  Ranked 38th  - Total 36,418 sq mi (94,321 km²)  - Width 140 miles (225 km)  - Length 270 miles (435 km)  - % water 1. ... Thomas Allen Tom Coburn, M.D. (born March 14, 1948) is a medical doctor and a Republican U.S. Senator from Oklahoma. ... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States of America, along with the Democratic Party. ... Official language(s) None Capital Oklahoma City Largest city Oklahoma City Area  Ranked 20th  - Total 69,898 sq mi (181,196 km²)  - Width 230 miles (370 km)  - Length 298 miles (480 km)  - % water 1. ... The Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction Program is a 1991 U.S. law sponsored by Senators Richard Lugar and Sam Nunn. ... A conventional weapon is a weapon that does not incorporate chemical, biological or nuclear payloads. ... An SA-7 in use Man-portable air-defence systems (MANPADS) are shoulder-launched surface-to-air missiles. ... Italian Valmara 69 bounding type of Anti-personnel. ... The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (S. 2590)[1] is bill that would require the full disclosure of all entities or organizations receiving federal funds beginning in fiscal year (FY) 2007 on a website maintained by the Office of Management and Budget. ... The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is a body within the Executive Office of the President of the United States which is tasked with coordinating United States Federal agencies. ... December 22 is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...


On the first day of the Democratic-controlled 110th Congress, in a column published in the Washington Post, Obama called for an end to "any and all practices that would lead a reasonable person to believe that a public servant has become indebted to a lobbyist."[79] He joined with Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) in strengthening restrictions on travel in corporate jets to S.1, the Legislative Transparency and Accountability Act of 2007, which passed the Senate with a 96-2 majority.[80][81] Obama joined Charles Schumer (D-NY) in sponsoring S. 453, a bill to criminalize deceptive practices in federal elections, including fraudulent flyers and automated phone calls, as witnessed in the 2006 midterm elections.[82][83] Obama's energy initiatives scored pluses and minuses with environmentalists, who welcomed his sponsorship with Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) of a climate change bill to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by two-thirds by 2050, but were skeptical of Obama's support for a bill promoting liquefied coal production.[84][85] Also during the first month of the 110th Congress, Obama introduced the "Iraq War De-Escalation Act," a bill that caps troop levels in Iraq at January 10, 2007 levels, begins phased redeployment on May 1, 2007, and removes all combat brigades from Iraq by March 31, 2008.[86][87] United States Capitol (2002) // The One Hundred Tenth United States Congress is the current meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, comprised of the Senate and the House of Representatives. ... Russell Dana Russ Feingold (born March 2, 1953) is an American politician from the U.S. state of Wisconsin. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... Official language(s) None Capital Madison Largest city Milwaukee Area  Ranked 23rd  - Total 65,498 sq mi (169,790 km²)  - Width 260 miles (420 km)  - Length 310 miles (500 km)  - % water 17  - Latitude 42°30N to 47°3N  - Longitude 86°49W to 92°54W Population  Ranked... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... “NY” redirects here. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Politics Portal      The 2006 United States midterm elections were held on Tuesday, November 7, 2006. ... For the psychology topic, see Environmental psychology. ... For McCains grandfather and father, see John S. McCain, Sr. ... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States of America, along with the Democratic Party. ... Official language(s) English Spoken language(s) English 74. ... Global mean surface temperatures 1850 to 2006 Mean surface temperature anomalies during the period 1995 to 2004 with respect to the average temperatures from 1940 to 1980 Global warming is the observed increase in the average temperature of the Earths atmosphere and oceans in recent decades and the projected... Top: Increasing atmospheric CO2 levels as measured in the atmosphere and ice cores. ... 2050 (MML) will be a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Coal Coal (IPA: ) is a fossil fuel formed in swamp ecosystems where plant remains were saved by water and mud from oxidization and biodegradation. ... On January 30, 2007, Barack Obama introduced the Iraq War De-Escalation Act of 2007. ... March 31 is the 90th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (91st in leap years), with 275 days remaining. ... 2008 (MMVIII) will be a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...


Official travel

Obama joins Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai for a tree planting in Nairobi's Uhuru Park.
Obama joins Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai for a tree planting in Nairobi's Uhuru Park.[88]

Obama traveled to Russia, Ukraine, and Azerbaijan in August 2005 with Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN), then Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The trip focused on strategies to control the world's supply of conventional weapons, biological weapons, and weapons of mass destruction, as a strategic first defense against the threat of future terrorist attacks.[89] Lugar and Obama inspected a Nunn-Lugar program-supported nuclear warhead destruction facility at Saratov, in southern European Russia.[90] In Ukraine, they toured a disease control and prevention facility and witnessed the signing of a bilateral pact to secure biological pathogens and combat risks of infectious disease outbreaks from natural causes or bioterrorism.[91] Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Lester B. Pearson after accepting the Nobel Peace Prize Image:Nobel-medal. ... Dr. Wangari Muta Maathai born April 1, 1940 in Ihithe village, Tetu division, Nyeri District of Kenya is an environmental and political activist. ... Recreational park adjacent to the central business district of Nairobi, Kenya. ... Richard Green Dick Lugar (born April 4, 1932) is the senior United States Senator from Indiana. ... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States of America, along with the Democratic Party. ... Official language(s) English Capital Indianapolis Largest city Indianapolis Area  Ranked 38th  - Total 36,418 sq mi (94,321 km²)  - Width 140 miles (225 km)  - Length 270 miles (435 km)  - % water 1. ... U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is a standing committee of the United States Senate. ... A conventional weapon is a weapon that does not incorporate chemical, biological or nuclear payloads. ... Biological Weapons: Friend or Foe? By Dom Harris There is great debate about whether biological weapons are good or bad, and whether the world should be concerned about their development. ... For the Xzibit album, see Weapons of Mass Destruction (album). ... Terrorist redirects here. ... The Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction Program is a 1991 U.S. law sponsored by Senators Richard Lugar and Sam Nunn. ... Saratov (Russian: ) is a major city in Russia. ... Bilateralism is a term referring to trade or political relations between two states. ... A pathogen (literally birth of pain from the Greek παθογένεια) is a biological agent that can cause disease to its host. ... This false-colored electron micrograph shows a malaria sporozoite migrating through the midgut epithelia. ... For the use of biological agents in warfare, see Biological warfare. ...


In January 2006, Obama participated in a Congressional delegation for meetings with U.S. military in Kuwait and Iraq. After the visits, Obama traveled to Jordan, Israel, and the Palestinian territories. While in Israel, Obama met with Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom.[92] Obama also met with a group of Palestinian students two weeks before Hamas won the January 2006 Palestinian legislative election. ABC News 7 (Chicago) reported Obama telling the students that "the U.S. will never recognize winning Hamas candidates unless the group renounces its fundamental mission to eliminate Israel," and that he had conveyed the same message in his meeting with Palestinian authority President Mahmoud Abbas.[93] The Military of the United States, also known as the United States Armed Forces, is structured into five branches consisting of the: United States Army United States Marine Corps United States Navy United States Air Force United States Coast Guard Reserves United States National Guard United States Army Reserve United... This article is about