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==Senate campaign==
==Senate campaign==

⚫
{{see also|Illinois United States Senate election, 2004}}

===Primary===

[[Image:Barack Obama campaign logo.JPG|200px|thumb|right|A campaign banner used by Obama supporters during his 2004 bid for the Senate.]]
Obama ran for the [[open seat]] vacated by Sen. [[Peter Fitzgerald]], who had chosen not to run for re-election in the [[Illinois United States Senate election, 2004|2004 U.S. Senate election]]. In the lead-up to the March 16, 2004 Democratic primary, Obama trailed businessman [[Blair Hull]], Illinois Comptroller [[Dan Hynes]], and [[Cook County]] Treasurer Maria Pappas. However, Hull was soon embroiled by allegations of domestic [[domestic violence|abuse]]. Obama's name recognition increased, and he won the endorsements of four Illinois congressmen, as well as those of many progressive leaders such as former DNC chairman [[David Wilhelm]].

In the final weeks of the campaign, Obama's primary campaign picked up steam due to favorable media coverage; a strong advertising campaign, designed by [[David Axelrod (political consultant)|David Axelrod]], that featured the images of Democratic luminaries such as the late U.S. Senator [[Paul M. Simon]] and the late Chicago Mayor [[Harold Washington]]; the support of Simon's daughter; and the endorsement of most of the state's major papers, including the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' and the ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]''. In the March primary, he won more support than the other six candidates combined, earning 52% of the vote fueled by an overwhelming victory in Chicago.{{fact}}

===General===


[[Image:obamaparade.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Barack Obama joins his wife Michelle and U.S. Senator [[Richard Durbin]] for a [[parade]] on [[Independence Day (United States)|Independence Day]] 2004 in [[Wheaton, Illinois]].]]
[[Image:obamaparade.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Barack Obama joins his wife Michelle and U.S. Senator [[Richard Durbin]] for a [[parade]] on [[Independence Day (United States)|Independence Day]] 2004 in [[Wheaton, Illinois]].]]
Obama then squared off against [[Jack Ryan (Senate candidate)|Jack Ryan]], the winner of the [[United States Republican Party|Republican]] primary. Ryan trailed Obama in early polls, with Obama opening up a twenty point lead after the media reported that Ryan had assigned an aide to track Obama's appearances. As the campaign progressed, a lawsuit brought by the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' and ABC-owned station ([[WLS-TV]]) led to a [[California]] court's opening [[Child custody laws in the United States|child custody]] files from Ryan's divorce with actress [[Jeri Ryan]]. In those files, she alleged that he had taken her to sex clubs in several cities, intending for them to have sex in public.<ref>Maura Kelly Lannan, [http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/20040622-0304-illinoissenate.html Illinois Republican vows to stay in Senate race despite embarrassing allegations], ''Associated Press'', June 22, 2004</ref> Although the [[sensationalism|sensational nature]] made the revelations fodder for [[tabloid]] and [[television programs]] specializing in such stories, the files were also newsworthy because Ryan had insisted to Republican leaders that there was nothing damaging in them. As a result, many Republicans questioned Ryan's integrity{{fact}} following the release, and he dropped out of the race on June 25, 2004, leaving Obama without an opponent.


⚫
{{see also|Illinois United States Senate election, 2004}}
Finding a replacement for Ryan proved challenging for the Illinois GOP, as a number of potential candidates, including former [[Chicago Bears]] head coach [[Mike Ditka]], declined to run. The state party's chairwoman [[Judy Baar Topinka]] eventually announced two possible replacements, both of whom were African-American: [[Alan Keyes]], a former state department official and radio commentator from Maryland, and [[Andrea Barthwell]], a former DEA official.

After much deliberation, Keyes was chosen, and he officially accepted the nomination on August 8, 2004.<ref>Maura Kelly Lannan, [http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/20040809-0849-illinoissenate.html Alan Keyes enters U.S. Senate race in Illinois against rising Democratic star], ''Associated Press'', August 9, 2004</ref> Keyes had gained much attention as a conservative firebrand in his unsuccessful presidential campaigns in [[U.S. presidential election, 1996|1996]] and [[U.S. presidential election, 2000|2000]]. The nomination was widely viewed as a victory for the [[Factions in the Republican Party (United States)|more conservative wing of the party]], and a loss for the more moderate Topinka.<ref>Phyllis Schlafly, [http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=4867 The Fight in Illinois: Alan Keyes vs. Barack Obama], ''Human Events'', [[24 August]] 2004</ref>


In 2004, Obama ran for the U.S. Senate [[open seat]] vacated by [[Peter Fitzgerald]]. In early opinion polls leading up to the Democratic [[Primary election|primary]], Obama trailed multimillionaire businessman [[Blair Hull]] and Illinois Comptroller [[Dan Hynes]]. However, Hull's popularity declined following allegations of [[domestic violence|domestic abuse]].<ref>
Keyes, a [[American conservatism|conservative Republican]] running in Democratic Illinois, faced an uphill battle, especially because Obama had built up his name recognition and popularity across the state, and because Keyes had few ties to Illinois political leaders. During the time when Obama had no opponent, he had campaigned throughout the more conservative downstate regions that would have served as the [[base (politics)|base]] for the Republican nominee. A Marylander, Keyes had established legal residency in [[Calumet City, Illinois]] with the nomination, the only requirement to run for office.{{fact}}
David Mendell, [http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/specials/elections/chi-0403170332mar17,1,1737252.story?coll=chi-news-hed Obama routs Democratic foes; Ryan tops crowded GOP field], ''Chicago Tribune'', March 17, 2004</ref> Obama's candidacy was boosted by an advertising campaign featuring images the late Chicago Mayor [[Harold Washington]] and the late U.S. Senator [[Paul Simon (politician)|Paul Simon]]; the support of Simon's daughter; and political endorsements by the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' and ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]''.<ref>Scott Fornek, [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20040318/ai_n12537351 Obama's appeal spans racial lines], ''Chicago Sun-Times'', Mar 18, 2004</ref><ref>Christopher Hayes, [http://www.tnr.com/doc.mhtml?i=express&s=hayes031704 Check Bounce], ''TNR Online'', March 17, 2004</ref> From a crowded field of seven candidates, Obama received over 52% of the vote in the March 16, 2006 primary, emerging well ahead of his Democratic rivals.<ref>[http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/specials/elections/primary/ Illinois Primary 2004: Primary Elections Results], ''Chicago Tribune''</ref>


Obama ran the most successful Senate campaign for a non-incumbent in 2004, and was so far ahead in polls that he soon began to campaign outside of Illinois in support of other Democratic candidates. He gave large sums of campaign funds to other candidates and the [[Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee]], and sent many of his volunteers to work on other races, including that of now-Congresswoman [[Melissa Bean]] who defeated then-Congressman [[Phil Crane]] in that year's election. Obama and Keyes differed on many issues including [[education voucher|school vouchers]] and tax cuts, both of which Keyes supported and Obama opposed.<ref>Alan Keyes Archives, [http://www.keyesarchives.com/debates.htm 2004 Illinois Debates]</ref> Obama's huge early lead, the general Democratic dominance of Illinois, and Keyes' controversial statements helped Obama win handily in the general election, receiving 70% of the popular vote to Keyes's 27%.<ref>CNN, [http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/states/IL/S/01/index.html America Votes 2004: U.S. Senate / Illinois]</ref>
Obama was then matched in the general election against [[United States Republican Party|Republican]] primary winner [[Jack Ryan (Senate candidate)|Jack Ryan]]. However, Ryan withdrew from the race on June 25, 2004 following public disclosure of [[child custody]] divorce records containing embarrassing sexual allegations by Ryan's ex-wife.<ref>CNN, [http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/06/25/il.ryan/ Ryan drops out of Senate race in Illinois], June 25, 2004</ref> On August 8, 2004, with less than three months to go before election day, [[Alan Keyes]] accepted the Illinois Republican Party's nomination to replace Ryan.<ref>Maura Kelly Lannan, [http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/20040809-0849-illinoissenate.html Alan Keyes enters U.S. Senate race in Illinois against rising Democratic star], ''Union-Tribune'' (AP), August 9, 2004</ref> A long-time resident of [[Maryland]], Keyes established legal residency in Illinois with the nomination.<ref>Liam Ford and David Mendell, [http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/specials/elections/chi-0408130201aug13,1,7640082.story Keyes sets up house in Cal City], ''Chicago Tribune'', August 13, 2004</ref> Through three televised debates, Obama and Keyes expressed opposing views on [[Stem cell controversy|stem cell research]], [[Abortion in the United States|abortion]], [[Gun politics in the United States|gun control]], [[education voucher|school vouchers]], and [[tax cuts]].<ref>Alan Keyes Archives, [http://www.keyesarchives.com/debates.htm 2004 Illinois Debates]</ref> In the general election held November 2, 2004, Obama received 70% of the popular vote to Keyes' 27%.<ref>CNN, [http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/states/IL/S/01/index.html America Votes 2004: U.S. Senate / Illinois]</ref>


==Senate career==
==Senate career==

Revision as of 12:21, 5 October 2006

Barack Obama
File:Barack Obama portrait 2005.jpg
Junior Senator, Illinois
In office
January 2005–present
Preceded byPeter Fitzgerald
Succeeded byIncumbent (2011)
Personal details
Nationalityamerican
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseMichelle Obama

Barack Hussein Obama, Jr. (born August 4, 1961) is the junior U.S. Senator from Illinois. He received widespread media coverage for his keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, delivered while he was still an Illinois State Senator. In November 2004, Obama won election to the United States Senate with over two-thirds of the vote. Obama is the third African American popularly elected to the United States Senate and the only African American currently serving in the Senate.[1]

Early life and career

See also: Dreams from My Father

Barack Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii to Harvard University-educated economist Barack Obama, Sr., of Kenya, and Ann Dunham of Wichita, Kansas. At the time of Obama's birth, both his parents were students at the East-West Center of the University of Hawaii at Manoa.[2]

Of his years in Hawaii, Obama has written, "The irony is that my decision to work in politics, and to pursue such a career in a big Mainland city, in some sense grows out of my Hawaiian upbringing, and the ideal that Hawaii still represents in my mind."[3]

When Obama was two years old, his parents divorced. His mother then married an Indonesian oil manager, moving to Jakarta with Obama when he was six years old. Four years later, Obama returned to Hawaii under the care of his maternal grandparents.[4] He was enrolled in the fifth grade at Punahou School, where he graduated high school in 1979.[5]

After Punahou, Obama studied for two years at Occidental College, before transferring to Columbia College at Columbia University. There he majored in political science, with a specialization in international relations. Upon graduation, Obama worked for one year at Business International Corporation before moving to Chicago and taking a job with a non-profit organization helping local churches organize job training programs for residents of poor neighborhoods.[6]

Obama then left Chicago for three years to study law at Harvard University. He was elected the first African American president of the Harvard Law Review, graduating magna cum laude in 1991. Following law school Obama returned to Chicago, first supporting a voter registration drive, then working for a civil rights law firm and teaching constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School.[7]

State legislature

In 1996, Obama was elected to the Illinois State Senate from the south side neighborhood of Hyde Park, in Chicago. He served as chairman of the Public Health and Welfare Committee when the Democrats regained control of the chamber.

Obama helped to author a state Earned Income Tax Credit that provided benefits to the working poor. He also worked for legislation that would cover residents who could not afford health insurance, and helped pass bills to increase funding for AIDS prevention and care programs.

In 1999, Obama made an unsuccessful Democratic primary run for the U.S. House of Representatives seat held by four-term incumbent candidate Bobby Rush. Rush, a former Black Panther and community activist, charged that Obama hadn't "been around the first congressional district long enough to really see what's going on".[8] Rush received 61% of the vote, while Obama received 30%.[9]

After the loss, Obama rededicated his efforts to the state Senate. He authored a death penalty reform law under the guidance of former U.S. Senator Paul Simon. He also pushed through legislation that would force insurance companies to cover routine mammograms.

Reviewing Obama's career in the Illinois State Senate, commentators noted his ability to work effectively with both Democrats and Republicans, and to build coalitions.[10][11] In his subsequent campaign for the U.S. Senate, 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", this despite his support for some bills that the police union had opposed.[12]

Keynote address

See also: 2004 Democratic National Convention

Midway through his campaign for U.S. Senator, Obama delivered the keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston, Massachusetts.[13]

After describing his maternal grandfather's experiences as a World War II veteran and a beneficiary of the New Deal's FHA and GI Bill programs, Obama said:

No, people don't expect government to solve all their problems. But they sense, deep in their bones, that with just a 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 handling 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 was serving us?" He continued:

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 our libraries in the Red States. We coach Little League in the Blue States and have gay friends in the Red States. There are patriots who opposed the war in Iraq and patriots who supported it. We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America.

Senate campaign

File:Obamaparade.jpg
Barack Obama joins his wife Michelle and U.S. Senator Richard Durbin for a parade on Independence Day 2004 in Wheaton, Illinois.
See also: Illinois United States Senate election, 2004

In 2004, Obama ran 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. However, Hull's popularity declined following allegations of domestic abuse.[14] Obama's candidacy was boosted by an advertising campaign featuring images 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.[15][16] From a crowded field of seven candidates, Obama received over 52% of the vote in the March 16, 2006 primary, emerging well ahead of his Democratic rivals.[17]

Obama was then matched in the general election against Republican primary winner Jack Ryan. However, Ryan withdrew from the race on June 25, 2004 following public disclosure of child custody divorce records containing embarrassing sexual allegations by Ryan's ex-wife.[18] On August 8, 2004, with less than three months to go before election day, Alan Keyes accepted the Illinois Republican Party's nomination to replace Ryan.[19] A long-time resident of Maryland, Keyes established legal residency in Illinois with the nomination.[20] Through three televised debates, Obama and Keyes expressed opposing views on stem cell research, abortion, gun control, school vouchers, and tax cuts.[21] In the general election held November 2, 2004, Obama received 70% of the popular vote to Keyes' 27%.[22]

Senate career

Obama addresses the First Year Student Convocation at Boston College.

Obama was sworn in as a Senator on January 4, 2005. He then ranked 99th out of 100 Senators in terms of official seniority, ranking ahead of only new fellow freshman Democrat Ken Salazar of Colorado based on Illinois' larger population. In his first months in office, Obama drew praise by his perceived attempts to avoid the limelight and devote large amounts of effort to being a Senator; a Washington Post article spread an anecdote of Obama refusing an upgrade to first-class on a flight home.[23] Obama also drew criticism from some on the left for his vote in favor of making Condoleezza Rice Secretary of State.[24]

Obama's public profile continued to climb throughout 2005. TIME magazine named Obama one of "the world's most influential people", listing him among twenty "Leaders and Revolutionaries" for his high-profile entrance to federal politics and his popularity within the Democratic Party.[25] An October 2005 article in the British journal New Statesman listed Obama as one of "10 people who could change the world".[26] Former Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton enlisted Obama to join them in New Orleans, Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Legislation

In late March 2005, Obama announced his first proposed Senate bill, the Higher Education Opportunity through Pell Grant Expansion Act of 2005 (HOPE Act), which aims to raise the maximum amount of Pell Grant awards to help assist American college students with paying for their tuition. Obama announced the bill at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and said, "Everywhere I go, I hear the same story: 'We work hard, we pay our bills, we put away savings, but we just don't know if it's going to be enough when that tuition bill comes.'"[27]

In May 2006, Obama campaigned to maintain a $0.54 per gallon tariff on imported ethanol. Obama justified the tariff by joining Senator Durbin in stating that "ethanol imports are neither necessary nor a practical response to current gasoline prices," arguing instead that domestic ethanol production is sufficient and expanding.[28]

Also in May of 2006, Obama campaigned to reform immigration law to provide a path to citizenship for undocumented workers currently in the United States through a system of fines and back taxes, learning English, satisfying a work requirement, and passing a background check. Obama also called for greater security on the border with Mexico.[29]

In June 2006, Obama campaigned against making recent, temporary estate tax cuts permanent, calling the cuts a "Paris Hilton" tax break for "billionaire heirs and heiresses".[30] He was one of forty-one Democratic and Republican Senators who voted to prevent a bill to eliminate or shrink taxes on inherited estates from advancing in the Senate.[31]

In July of 2006 Obama teamed with Senators Coburn (R-OK), Carper (D-DE), and McCain (R-AZ) to introduce S. 2590, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act, the purpose of which is to provide citizens with a website, managed by the Office of Management and Budget, which would list all organizations receiving Federal funds from 2007 onward, providing breakdowns based on the agency allocating the funds, the dollar amount given and the purpose of the grant or contract.[32]

Congressional delegations

Russia and Eastern Europe

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Richard Lugar (R-IN) and Committee member Barack Obama at a Russian base where mobile launch missiles are being destroyed by the Nunn-Lugar program.

During the August recess of 2005, Obama traveled with Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, to Russia, Ukraine, and Azerbaijan. The latest in Lugar's series of Nunn-Lugar visits to the region, 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.[33]

Lugar and Obama inspected a Nunn-Lugar program supported nuclear warhead destruction facility at Saratov, in southern European Russia.[34] In a diplomatic incident the Moscow Times reported as reminiscent of the Cold War, the delegation's departure from an airport in the city of Perm, at the foot of the Ural Mountains, was delayed for three hours when Russian border guards sought unsuccessfully to search their plane.[35] In Ukraine, Lugar and Obama 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.[36]

Middle East

In January 2006 Obama joined Senators Bayh (D-IN), Bond (R-MO), and Congressman Ford (D-TN) for meetings with U.S. military in Kuwait and Iraq. After the visits, Obama split off from the others for more meetings in Jordan, Israel, and the Palestinian territories. While in Israel, Obama met with Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom. A planned meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had been cancelled due to his recent stroke.[37]

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 US 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.[38] After the election, Obama said: "My hope is that as a consequence of now being responsible for electricity and picking up garbage and basic services to the Palestinian people, that they recognize it's time to moderate their stance."[39] Referring to Obama's comment, editorial columnist George F. Will coined the phrase "Garbage Collection Theory of History."[40]

Africa

In August 2006, Obama left for his third official trip, traveling as a Congressional delegation of one to South Africa and Kenya, and making stops in Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Chad.

The trip's Kenya segment merged policy and personal elements. Obama flew his wife and two daughters from Chicago to join him in a visit to his father's birthplace, the village of Nyangoma-Kogelo, Siaya District, located near Kisumu in Kenya's rural west. Newspapers reported enthusiastic crowds at Obama's public appearances.[41] In a public gesture aimed to capitalize on the celebrity and encourage more Kenyans to undergo voluntary HIV testing, Obama and his wife took HIV tests at a Kenyan clinic.[42]

In a nationally televised speech to students and faculty at the University of Nairobi, Obama spoke forcefully on the influence of ethnic rivalries in Kenyan politics: "Ethnic-based politics has to stop. It is rooted in the bankrupt ideology that the goal of politics is to pile as much as possible to one's family, tribe or friends. It fractures the fabric of society", Obama stated.[43] The speech touched off a public debate among rival leaders, some formally challenging Obama's remarks as unfair and improper, others defending his positions.[44][45]

Political advocacy

Speaking before the National Press Club in April 2005, Obama defended the New Deal social welfare policies of Franklin D. Roosevelt, associating Republican proposals to establish private accounts for Social Security with Social Darwinist thinking.[46]

Also in 2005, in a move more typically taken after several years of holding high political office, Obama established his own leadership political action committee devoted to channeling financial support for Democratic candidates. He has become an effective Democratic fundraiser and much sought after ally. According to an article in the Chicago Sun-Times, Obama participated in 38 fundraising events in 2005, helping to pull in $6.55 million for political issues and candidates he supports.[47]

Obama is among the first national politicians to actively engage the public through new Internet communication tools. In late 2005, he began podcasting from his U.S. Senate official web site. It has been reported that Obama responds to and has personally participated in online discussions hosted on politically-oriented blogosphere sites.[48]

In June 2006, Obama worked to broaden his party's political base, encouraging Democrats to reach out to evangelicals and other church-going people, saying, "It is doubtful that children reciting the Pledge of Allegiance feel oppressed or brainwashed as a consequence of muttering the phrase 'under God'... Having voluntary student prayer groups using school property to meet should not be a threat, any more than its use by the High School Republicans should threaten Democrats."[49]

Presidential ambitions

Obama's keynote speech to the 2004 Democratic National Convention brought his speaking skill, unique personal story, and inclusive message before a national audience, fueling expectations that the energetic politician would some day run for U.S. President. Speculation on a 2008 presidential run intensified after his decisive U.S. Senate election win in November 2004, prompting Obama to tell reporters: "I can unequivocally say I will not be running for national office in four years".[50] Asked again in a January 2006 television appearance on Meet the Press, Obama repeated his intention to finish his Senate term.[51]

Nonetheless, Illinois senior U.S. Senator Dick Durbin has consistently urged Obama to consider running.[52] A December 2005 article published in the The New Republic, reasoned that, with no incumbent president or vice president in the race, 2008 offers Obama his best chance at winning the presidency.[53]

In September 2006, Obama's Senate primary opponent Daniel Hynes, in an open letter published in the Chicago Sun-Times, urged Democrats to draft Obama for the 2008 Presidential race.[54] Also in September, Obama was the featured speaker at Iowa Senator Tom Harkin's annual steak fry, a political event favored by presidential hopefuls in the lead-up to the Iowa caucus.[55] "What a wonderful reception; I’m going to have to come to Iowa again", the New York Times quoted Obama as saying before he began his speech.[56]

Most recently (in October 2006), New York Magazine quoted Obama as saying, "People have asked me if I’m running in ’08, and I’ve said no. And if I change my mind, I’ll let you guys know". [57]

Works

Obama's autobiography Dreams from My Father was published in 1995 and re-released in 2004 with a few new features.[58] The audio book edition earned Obama a 2006 Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album.[59]

In December 2004, Obama made a $1.9 million deal for three books.[60] The first, The Audacity of Hope, is to be published October 17th, 2006, and will discuss his political convictions.[61] The second is a children's book to be co-written with his wife Michelle and their two young daughters, with profits going to charity. The content of the third book has not been announced.

Personal life

While working at a corporate law firm in the summer of 1989, Obama met Michelle Robinson, then an associate attorney at the firm; they married in 1992. Michelle Obama is Vice President for Community and External Affairs at the University of Chicago Hospitals.[62] The couple have two daughters, Malia (born 1999) and Sasha (born 2001). The Obamas are members of Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ.[63]

Of his faith, Obama has said: "I have an ongoing conversation with God... I'm constantly asking myself questions about what I'm doing, why I am doing it."[64]

Trivia

  • Obama writes in Dreams from My Father that one of his mother's Kentucky ancestors "was rumored to have been a second cousin of Jefferson Davis". This statement, itself neither proven nor disproven by genealogical investigation, has been incorrectly interpreted as Ms. Dunham being a descendant of the Confederate President.[65] Claims of an ancestral connection between Obama and Davis have continued to appear in the print media, including a September 2006 Men's Vogue cover story.[66]
  • Obama has been mentioned in songs by Neil Young[67] and the rapper Common who, in the remix of the Jadakiss hit "Why", asked "Why is Bush acting like he trying to get Osama? Why don’t we impeach him and elect Obama?"[68]

References

  1. ^ U.S. Senate Historical Office, "Breaking New Ground—African American Senators"
  2. ^ Barack Obama, Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance, New York: Times Books, 1995.
  3. ^ Convention speaker says Hawai'i shaped his life, The Honolulu Advertiser, July 27, 2004
  4. ^ William Finnegan, The Candidate: How the Son of a Kenyan Economist Became an Illinois Everyman, New Yorker, 24 May 2004
  5. ^ Peter Serafin, Punahou grad stirs up Illinois politics, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, March 21, 2004
  6. ^ Shira Boss-Bicak, Barack Obama ’83, Columbia College Today, January 2005
  7. ^ University of Chicago Law School, Faculty / Barack Obama
  8. ^ Noam Scheiber, Race Against History, The New Republic, May 31, 2004
  9. ^ Federal Election Commission, 2000 U.S. House of Representatives Results
  10. ^ Richard S. Dunham, After Sharpton: The Great Black Hopes, Business Week, April 12, 2004
  11. ^ Bob Herbert, A Leap of Faith, New York Times, June 4, 2004
  12. ^ Colleen Mastony, Cops give Obama subdued reception, Chicago Tribune, August 20, 2004
  13. ^ Barack Obama, Keynote Address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, July 27, 2004
  14. ^ David Mendell, Obama routs Democratic foes; Ryan tops crowded GOP field, Chicago Tribune, March 17, 2004
  15. ^ Scott Fornek, Obama's appeal spans racial lines, Chicago Sun-Times, Mar 18, 2004
  16. ^ Christopher Hayes, Check Bounce, TNR Online, March 17, 2004
  17. ^ Illinois Primary 2004: Primary Elections Results, Chicago Tribune
  18. ^ CNN, Ryan drops out of Senate race in Illinois, June 25, 2004
  19. ^ Maura Kelly Lannan, Alan Keyes enters U.S. Senate race in Illinois against rising Democratic star, Union-Tribune (AP), August 9, 2004
  20. ^ Liam Ford and David Mendell, Keyes sets up house in Cal City, Chicago Tribune, August 13, 2004
  21. ^ Alan Keyes Archives, 2004 Illinois Debates
  22. ^ CNN, America Votes 2004: U.S. Senate / Illinois
  23. ^ Mark Leibovich, The Senator's Humble Beginning, Washington Post, February 2005
  24. ^ David Sirota, Mr. Obama Goes to Washington, The Nation, June 26, 2006
  25. ^ TIME Magazine, The 2005 Time 100: Leaders and Revolutionaries
  26. ^ William Skidelsky, Revolutionising the future: from tennis to teleportation, October 17, 2005
  27. ^ Brandee J. Tecson, Obama's HOPE Act: A Bid To Make College More Affordable, MTV News, April 1, 2005
  28. ^ Tom Harkin U.S. Senate Office, Harkin urges Bush to stop undercutting U.S. ethanol production, May 9, 2006
  29. ^ ABC News, What Do Democrats Have to Say About Bush's Immigration Plan?, May 15, 2006
  30. ^ Barack Obama U.S. Senate Office, Remarks by Senator Barack Obama on the Paris Hilton Tax Break, June 7, 2006
  31. ^ United States Senate, Vote Summary on the Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to Consideration of H.R. 8, June 8, 2006
  32. ^ Steve Lilienthal, Coburn-Obama Effort To Curb Wasteful Federal Spending, Accuracy In Media, August 17, 2006
  33. ^ Christina Larson, Hoosier Daddy: What rising Democratic star Barack Obama can learn from an old lion of the GOP, The Washington Monthly, September 2006
  34. ^ Richard G. Lugar U.S. Senate Office, Lugar visits Russia, Ukraine and Azerbaijan to Advance Nunn-Lugar Agreements, The Lugar Letter, September 2005
  35. ^ Stephen Boykewich, Nukes Giving Old Rivals a Rough Ride, Moscow Times, October 26, 2005] (alternate link)
  36. ^ Jeff Zeleny, U.S., Ukraine sign pact on germ threat, Chicago Tribune, August 30, 2005 (alternate link)
  37. ^ Associated Press, Obama meets Shalom, offers support for Israel, Israel Insider, January 11, 2006
  38. ^ Chuck Goudie, Obama meets with Arafat's successor, ABC 7 News (Chicago), January 12, 2006
  39. ^ Joseph Braude, Islamists and Pragmatic Governance, New Republic Online, April 18, 2006
  40. ^ George F. Will, The State Of Our Cynicism, Washington Post, January 31, 2006
  41. ^ Michela Wrong, Africa: Kenya glimpses a new kind of hero, New Statesman, September 11, 2006
  42. ^ CNN (AP), "Kenya 'beats the drums' for Sen. Obama", August 24, 2006
  43. ^ News24.com, Obama slates Kenya for fraud, August 28, 2006
  44. ^ Chris Wamalwa, Envoy hits at Obama over graft remark, The Standard (Nairobi), September 2, 2006
  45. ^ Vincent Moracha and Mangoa Mosota, Leaders support Obama on graft claims, The Standard (Nairobi), September 4, 2006
  46. ^ Ben A. Franklin, The Fifth Black Senator in U.S. History Makes F.D.R. His Icon, Washington Spectator, June 1, 2005
  47. ^ Lynn Sweet, Obama opens new chapter, Chicago Sun-Times, January 22, 2006
  48. ^ Daniel Terdiman, Congress catching on to the value of blogs, CNET News.com, January 26, 2006
  49. ^ Michael Lerner, U.S. Senator Barack Obama Critiques Democrats' Religiophobia, Tikkun, July 3, 2006
  50. ^ Scott Fornek, "Obama for president? That's 'silly'", Chicago Sun-Times, November 4, 2004
  51. ^ Meet the Press, Transcript for January 22, NBC News, January 26, 2006.
  52. ^ Charles Babington, "Obama's Profile Has Democrats Taking Notice: Popular Senator Is Mentioned as 2008 Contender", Washington Post, June 18, 2006, Page A01
  53. ^ Ryan Lizza, Why Barack Obama should run for president in 2008, The New Republic, December 6, 2005
  54. ^ Lynne Sweet, Draft Obama 2008 Movement Launched: Illinois State Comptroller Dan Hynes urges Sen. Barack Obama to run for president in 2008, Chicago Sun-Times, September 14, 2006
  55. ^ Tim Jones, Iowa Democrats see contender in Obama, Chicago Tribune, September 18, 2006
  56. ^ Anne E. Kornblut, For This Red Meat Crowd, Obama's '08 Choice Is Clear, New York Times, September 18, 2006
  57. ^ Jennifer Senior, Dreaming of Obama, New York Magazine, October 2, 2006
  58. ^ Obama, Barack.Dreams from My Father.
  59. ^ Brooks Boliek, Sen. Obama finally gets his Grammy, Yahoo! News (Reuters/Hollywood Reporter), September 6, 2006
  60. ^ CTV.ca, U.S. Senator Obama gets $1.9 million book deal, December 18, 2004
  61. ^ Lynn Sweet, Dems 'confused,' Obama writes in latest book, Chicago Sun-Times, September 15, 2006
  62. ^ University of Chicago Medical Center (Press Release), Michelle Obama appointed vice president for community and external affairs at the University of Chicago Hospitals, May 9, 2005
  63. ^ Barb Powell, Obama: America needs to hear more-moderate, more-inclusive religious voices, United Church News, August-September 2006.
  64. ^ Cathleen Falsani, 'I have a deep faith', Chicago Sun-Times, April 5, 2004
  65. ^ William Addams Reitwiesner Genealogical Services, Ancestry of Barack Obama
  66. ^ Jacob Weisberg, The Path to Power, Men's Vogue, September-October 2006.
  67. ^ Peter Relic, Neil Young Gives It Away for Free, Rolling Stone, May 02, 2006
  68. ^ Cheryl V. Jackson, Rap by Common plugs a potential presidential bid, Chicago Sun-Times, September 13, 2004
  69. ^ U.S. Senate Historical Office, "Breaking New Ground—African American Senators"
  70. ^ Knox College, Knox honors U.S. Senator Barack Obama, May 10, 2005
  71. ^ University of Massachusetts Boston, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama to Receive Honorary Degree, June 2, 2006
  72. ^ Northwestern University, Sen. Obama to Address Grads, June 6, 2006
  73. ^ USA Today (AP), Sen. Obama addresses Xavier graduates, August 13, 2006
  74. ^ Bill Reynolds, Robinson is offering a life-changing experience, Providence Journal, June 16, 2006
  75. ^ Jonathan Tilove, That's Obama—With a 'b', Newhouse News Service, March 18, 2004

Further reading

  • Cose, Ellis (September 11, 2006). "Walking the World Stage". Newsweek International Edition.
  • Enda, Jodi (February 5, 2006). "Great Expectations". The American Prospect.
  • Finnegan, William (24 May 2004). "The Candidate: How the Son of a Kenyan Economist Became an Illinois Everyman". New Yorker.
  • Lizza, Ryan (September 2004). "The Natural: Why is Barack Obama Generating more Excitement among Democrats than John Kerry?". Atlantic Monthly.
  • Obama, Barack, The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream, Crown, 2006 (release date October 17, 2006). ISBN 0307237699. Audio CD: ISBN 0739334085. Download excerpt (PDF).
  • Obama, Barack, Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance, New York: Times Books, 1995. 2004 reprint: ISBN 1400082773. Audio CD: ISBN 0739321005.
  • Senior, Jennifer (October 2, 2006). "Dreaming of Obama". New York Magazine.
  • Sirota, David (June 26, 2006). "Mr. Obama Goes to Washington". The Nation.
  • Wallace-Wells, Benjamin (November 2004). "The Great Black Hope: What's Riding on Barack Obama?". Washington Monthly.
  • Weisberg, Jacob (September–October 2006). "The Path to Power". Men's Vogue.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: date format (link)
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