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{{Redirect4|Barack|Obama}}
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{{Infobox President
| image = Poster-sized portrait of Barack Obama OrigRes.jpg
| office = [[President-elect of the United States]]
| order = <!-- // DO NOT ADD 44TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES UNTIL JANUARY 20, 2009 Noon EST -->
| term_start = January 20, 2009
| term_end =
| vicepresident = [[Joe Biden]] (elect)
| succeeding = [[George W. Bush]]
| successor = Vacant
| jr/sr2 = United States Senator
| state2 = [[Illinois]]
| term_start2 = January 3, 2005
| term_end2 = November 16, 2008
| predecessor2 = [[Peter Fitzgerald]]
| successor2 = TBD <!-- wait until successor is sworn in -->
| state_senate3 = Illinois
| state3 = [[Illinois]]
| district3 = 13<sup>th</sup>
| term_start3 = January 8, 1997
| term_end3 = November 4, 2004
| predecessor3 = [[Alice Palmer (Illinois politician)|Alice Palmer]]
| successor3 = [[Kwame Raoul]]
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1961|08|4}}
| birth_place = [[Honolulu]], [[Hawaii]], [[United States|U.S.A.]]<ref name="birth-certificate">{{cite web|url=http://www.politifact.com/media/img/graphics/birthCertObama.jpg|title=Birth Certificate of Barack Obama |work=Department of Health, Hawaii| publisher=[[St. Petersburg Times|PolitiFact.com]] | date=8 August 1961| accessdate=2008-12-12}}</ref>
| birthname = Barack Hussein Obama II<ref name="birth-certificate"/>
| nationality = [[United States|American]]
| party = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| spouse = [[Michelle Obama]] <small>(m. 1992)</small>
| children = [[Family of Barack Obama#Immediate family|Malia Ann <small>(b. 1998)</small><br />Sasha <small>(b. 2001)</small>]]
| residence = [[Kenwood, Chicago|Kenwood]], [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]] (Private)<br />[[Washington, D.C]] (Official)
| alma_mater = [[Occidental College]]<br />[[Columbia University]]<br />[[Harvard Law School]]
| profession = [[Community Organizing|Community Organizer]]<br />[[Attorney at law|Attorney]]<br />[[Law School]] [[lecturer]]<br />[[Author]]<br />[[Politician]]
|blank1 = Net worth
|data1 = $1.3 million<ref>http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/moneymag/0712/gallery.candidates.moneymag/5.html</ref>
| religion = [[Christianity]]<br />(Most recent [[denomination]]:<br />[[United Church of Christ]])
| signature = Barack Obama signature.svg
| website = [http://www.change.gov/ Obama-Biden Transition Team]
| footnotes = <center>'''This article is part of a series about'''<div style="font-size:120%">'''Barack Obama'''<br />[[Early life and career of Barack Obama|Background]] {{·}} [[Illinois Senate career of Barack Obama|Illinois Senate]] {{·}} [[United States Senate career of Barack Obama|US Senate]]<br />[[Political positions of Barack Obama|Political positions]] {{·}} [[Public image of Barack Obama|Public image]] {{·}} [[Family of Barack Obama|Family]]<br />[[Barack Obama presidential primary campaign, 2008|2008 primaries]]{{·}}[[Barack Obama presidential campaign, 2008|Obama–Biden campaign]]<br />[[Presidential transition of Barack Obama|U.S. Presidential transition]] {{·}} [[Barack Obama 2009 presidential inauguration|Inauguration]]</div></center>
}}
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Now this is the story all about how,
<!-- PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE OBAMA'S NAME -->'''Barack Hussein Obama II'''<!-- PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE OBAMA'S NAME --> ({{pron-en|bəˈrɑːk hʊˈseɪn oʊˈbɑːmə}}; born August 4, 1961) is the [[President-elect of the United States|President-elect]] of the [[United States of America]]. The [[List of African-American firsts|first]] [[African American]] to be elected [[President of the United States]], Obama was the [[Seniority in the United States Senate|junior]] [[United States Senate|United States Senator]] from [[Illinois]] in 2004 and served until his resignation on November 16, 2008, following his [[United States presidential election, 2008|election to the Presidency]]. His term of office as the [[List of Presidents of the United States|forty-fourth]] U.S. president will begin on January 20, 2009.
My life got flipped, turned upside down,
And I'd like to take a minute, just sit right there,
I'll tell you how I became the prince of a town called Bel Air.


In West Philadelphia I was born and raised
He is a graduate of [[Columbia College of Columbia University|Columbia University]] and [[Harvard Law School]], where he was the first African-American president of the ''[[Harvard Law Review]]''. Obama worked as a [[Community organizing|community organizer]] and practiced as a [[civil and political rights|civil rights]] attorney in [[Chicago]] before serving three terms in the [[Illinois Senate]] from 1997 to 2004. He also taught [[constitutional law]] at the [[University of Chicago Law School]] from 1992 to 2004. Following an unsuccessful bid for a seat in the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House of Representatives]] in 2000, Obama was elected to the Senate in November 2004. Obama delivered the [[keynote|keynote address]] at the [[2004 Democratic National Convention|Democratic National Convention]] in July 2004.
On the playground is where I spent most of my days.
Chillin' out, maxin', relaxin all cool,
And all shootin' some b-ball outside of the school.


When a couple of guys who were up to no good,
As a member of the Democratic minority in the [[109th United States Congress|109th Congress]], Obama helped create legislation to control [[conventional weapon]]s and to promote greater public accountability in the use of federal funds. He also made official trips to Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. During the [[110th United States Congress|110th Congress]], he helped create legislation regarding [[lobbying in the United States|lobbying]] and [[electoral fraud]], [[Mitigation of global warming|climate change]], [[nuclear terrorism]], and care for U.S. military personnel returning from combat assignments in [[Iraq]] and [[Afghanistan]].
Started makin' trouble in my neighborhood.
I got in one little fight and my mom got scared,
And said "You're movin' with your auntie and uncle in bel Air."


I whistled for a cab, and when it came near,
==Early life and career==
The license plate said "fresh" and it had dice in the mirror.
{{main|Early life and career of Barack Obama}}
If anything I could say that this cat was rare,
Barack Obama was born at the [[Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women & Children]] in [[Honolulu]], [[Hawaii]],<ref name="maraniss">{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/23/AR2008082301620.html |title=Though Obama Had to Leave to Find Himself, It Is Hawaii That Made His Rise Possible | last=Maraniss |first=David |work=Politics | publisher=Washington Post | date=24 August 2008 | accessdate=2008-10-27}}</ref><ref name="honstar-21Mar04">{{cite news|last=Serafin|first=Peter|title=Punahou grad stirs up Illinois politics|work=Special to the Star-Bulletin|format=Article|publisher=[[Honolulu Star-Bulletin]]|date=21 March 2004|url=http://archives.starbulletin.com/2004/03/21/news/story4.html|accessdate =November 30 2008}}</ref> to [[Ann Dunham]], a [[White American]] from [[Wichita, Kansas|Wichita]], [[Kansas]]<ref>{{cite web|publisher=[[FactCheck]] |url=http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/born_in_the_usa.html |title=Born in the U.S.A. |date=August 21, 2008 |accessmonthday=October 24 |accessyear=2008}}</ref> of [[English people|English]] and [[Irish people|Irish]] descent.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/368961,CST-NWS-ireland03.article |title=For sure, Obama's South Side Irish |last=Hutton |first=Brian |work=Politics |publisher=[[The Chicago Sun-Times]] |date=3 May 2007 |accessdate=2008-11-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/12/AR2007051201551.html |title=Tiny Irish Village Is Latest Place to Claim Obama as Its Own - washingtonpost.com |publisher=Washingtonpost.com |date= |accessdate=2008-11-08}}</ref> Obama's father was [[Barack Obama, Sr.]], a [[Luo (Kenya and Tanzania)|Luo]] from [[Nyang’oma Kogelo]], [[Nyanza Province]], [[Kenya]]. His parents met in 1960 while attending the [[University of Hawaii at Manoa|University of Hawaii at Mānoa]], where his father was a foreign student.<ref>Obama (1995, 2004), pp. 9–10. For book excerpts, see {{cite news |title=Barack Obama: Creation of Tales|date=2004-11-01 |url=http://www.nationmedia.com/EastAfrican/01112004/Features/PA2-2212.html |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070927225314/http://www.nationmedia.com/EastAfrican/01112004/Features/PA2-2212.html |archivedate=2007-09-27 |work=East African |accessdate=2008-04-13}}</ref><ref name="baltimoresun2007">{{cite news|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation/politics/chi-0703270151mar27-archive,0,91024,full.story | title=Obama's mom: Not just a girl from Kansas: Strong personalities shaped a future senator
But I thought "Nah forget it, Yo home to Bel Air."
| first=Tim |last=Jones | publisher=''[[Chicago Tribune]]'', reprinted in ''[[The Baltimore Sun]]''| date=2007-03-27 | accessdate=2008-10-27}}</ref> The couple married on February 2, 1961;<ref>{{cite news |author=Ripley, Amanda |title=The Story of Barack Obama's Mother |url=http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1729524,00.html |date=2008-04-09 |work=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |accessdate=2007-04-09}}</ref> they separated when Obama was two years old and divorced in 1964.<ref name="baltimoresun2007"/> Obama's father returned to Kenya and saw his son only once more before dying in an automobile accident in 1982.<ref>{{cite news |first=Kevin |last=Merida |title=The Ghost of a Father |date=2007-12-14 |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2007/12/13/ST2007121301893.html |work=Washington Post |accessdate=2008-06-24}} See also: {{cite news |first=Philip |last=Ochieng |title=From Home Squared to the US Senate: How Barack Obama Was Lost and Found |date=2004-11-01 |url=http://www.nationmedia.com/EastAfrican/01112004/Features/PA2-11.html |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070927223905/http://www.nationmedia.com/EastAfrican/01112004/Features/PA2-11.html |archivedate=2007-09-27 |work=East African |accessdate=2008-06-24}} In August 2006, Obama flew his wife and two daughters from Chicago to join him in a visit to his father's birthplace, a village near [[Kisumu]] in rural western Kenya. {{cite news |first=Nico |last=Gnecchi |title=Obama Receives Hero's Welcome at His Family's Ancestral Village in Kenya |date=2006-02-27 |url=http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2006-08/2006-08-27-voa17.cfm |work=Voice of America |accessdate=2008-06-24}}</ref>


I pulled up to the house about seven or eight,
After her divorce, Dunham married [[Indonesia]]n student [[Lolo Soetoro]], who was attending college in Hawaii. When [[Soeharto]], a military leader in Soetoro's home country, [[Transition to the New Order|came to power]] in 1967, all students studying abroad were recalled and the family moved to [[Indonesia]].<ref>Obama (1995, 2004), pp. 44–45.</ref> There Obama attended local schools in [[Jakarta]], such as Besuki Public School and St. Francis of Assisi School, until he was ten years old.
and I yelled to the cabby "Yo homes, smell ya later."

Looked at my kingdom, I was finally there,
He then returned to Honolulu to live with his maternal grandparents, [[Madelyn and Stanley Dunham]], while attending [[Punahou School]] from the [[Education in the United States#School grades|fifth grade]] in 1971 until his graduation from high school in 1979.<ref>{{cite news |first=Peter |last=Serafin |title=Punahou Grad Stirs Up Illinois Politics |date=2004-03-21 |url=http://archives.starbulletin.com/2004/03/21/news/story4.html |work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin |accessdate=2008-04-13}} See also: Obama (1995, 2004), Chapters 3 and 4.</ref> Obama's mother returned to Hawaii in 1972 for five years, and then in 1977 went back to Indonesia, where she worked as an [[anthropology|anthropological]] field worker. She stayed there most of the rest of her life, returning to Hawaii in 1994. She died of [[ovarian cancer]] in 1995.<ref>{{cite news |first=Amanda |last=Ripley |title=The Story of Barack Obama's Mother |date=2008-04-09 |url=http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1729524,00.html |work=Time |accessdate=2008-06-24}} See also: {{cite news |first=Julia |last=Suryakusuma |title=Obama for President... of Indonesia |date=2006-11-29 |work=Jakarta Post |url=http://old.thejakartapost.com/yesterdaydetail.asp?fileid=20061129.F03 |accessdate=2008-06-24}}</ref>
To sit on my throne as the Prince of Bel Air.

[[Image:Ann Dunham with father and children.jpg|thumb|float|left|Right-to-left: Barack Obama and half-sister [[Maya Soetoro-Ng]], with their mother [[Ann Dunham]] and grandfather [[Madelyn and Stanley Dunham|Stanley Dunham]], in Hawaii (early [[1970s]])]]

Of his early childhood, Obama has recalled, "That my father looked nothing like the people around me &mdash; that he was black as pitch, my mother white as milk &mdash; barely registered in my mind."<ref>Obama (1995), pp. 9–10.</ref> In his 1995 memoir, he described his struggles as a young adult to reconcile social perceptions of his [[multiracial]] heritage.<ref>Obama (1995), Chapters 4 and 5. See also: {{cite news | first=Richard A | last=Serrano | title=Obama's Peers Didn't See His Angst | format=paid archive | date=March 11, 2007 | url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/1230439131.html?dids=1230439131:1230439131&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+11%2C+2007&author=Richard+A.+Serrano&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&edition=&startpage=A.20&desc=THE+NATION | work=Los Angeles Times | accessdate=2008-01-04}}</ref> He wrote that he used [[alcoholic beverage|alcohol]], [[Cannabis (drug)|marijuana]], and [[cocaine]] during his teenage years to "push questions of who I was out of my mind".<ref>{{cite news | title=Obama Gets Blunt with N.H. Students | date=November 21, 2007 | publisher=Boston Globe | url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/11/21/obama_gets_blunt_with_nh_students/ | agency=Associated Press | accessdate=2008-01-04}} In ''Dreams from My Father'', Obama writes: "Pot had helped, and booze; maybe a little blow when you could afford it." Obama (1995), pp. 93–94. For analysis of the political impact of the quote and Obama's more recent admission that he smoked marijuana as a teenager ("When I was a kid, I inhaled."), see: {{cite news | first=Lois | last=Romano | title=Effect of Obama's Candor Remains to Be Seen | date=January 3, 2007 | url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/02/AR2007010201359.html | work=Washington Post | accessdate=2008-01-04}} {{cite news | first=Katharine Q | last=Seelye | title=Obama Offers More Variations From the Norm | date=October 24, 2006 | url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D07E2DB173FF937A15753C1A9609C8B63&sec=&spon=&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink | work=New York Times | accessdate=2008-01-04}}</ref> At the [[Civil Forum on the Presidency|2008 Civil Forum on the Presidency]], Obama identified his high-school drug use as his "greatest moral failure."<ref>{{cite news|first=Ed |last=Hornick |url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/16/warren.forum/ |title=Obama, McCain talk issues at pastor's forum |publisher=CNN.com |location=LAKE FOREST, California |date=August 17, 2008 |accessdate=2009-01-04}}</ref>

Some of his fellow students at Punahou School later told the ''[[Honolulu Star-Bulletin]]'' that Obama was mature for his age, and that he sometimes attended college parties and other events in order to associate with [[African American]] students and military service people. Reflecting later on his formative years in Honolulu, Obama wrote: "The opportunity that Hawaii offered &mdash; to experience a variety of cultures in a climate of mutual respect &mdash; became an integral part of my world view, and a basis for the values that I hold most dear."<ref>{{cite news | first=B. J | last=Reyes | title=Punahou Left Lasting Impression on Obama | date=February 8, 2007 | url=http://starbulletin.com/2007/02/08/news/story02.html | work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin | accessdate=2008-01-04}} "As a teenager, Obama went to parties and sometimes sought out gatherings on military bases or at the University of Hawaii that were mostly attended by blacks."</ref>

Following high school, Obama moved to [[Los Angeles]], where he studied at [[Occidental College]] for two years.<ref>{{cite web |title=Oxy Remembers "Barry" Obama '83 |date=2007-01-29 |url=http://www.oxy.edu/x8270.xml |publisher=Occidental College |accessdate=2008-04-13}}</ref> He then transferred to [[Columbia University]] in New York City, where he majored in [[political science]] with a specialization in [[international relations]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.college.columbia.edu/cct_archive/jan05/cover.php |title=Barack Obama '83 |work=Columbia College Today |author=Boss-Bicak, Shira |date=January 2005 |accessdate=2008-06-09}}</ref> Obama graduated with a [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]] from Columbia in 1983. He worked for a year at the [[Business International Corporation]]<ref name="BOCV">{{cite web|url=http://www.law.uchicago.edu/faculty/obama/cv.html|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20010509024017/http://www.law.uchicago.edu/faculty/obama/cv.html|archivedate=2001-05-09|title=Curriculum Vitae|publisher=The University of Chicago Law School|accessdate=2008-11-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Sasha |last=Issenberg |title=Obama shows hints of his year in global finance: Tied markets to social aid |date=2008-08-06 |url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/08/06/obama_shows_hints_of_his_year_in_global_finance/?page=1 |work=Boston Globe |accessdate=2008-04-13}}</ref> and then at the [[New York Public Interest Research Group]].<ref name="Who's Who 2008">{{cite book |author=Chassie, Karen (ed.) |year=2007 |title=Who's Who in America, 2008 |url=http://www.marquiswhoswho.com/products/WAprodinfo.asp |location=New Providence, NJ |publisher=Marquis Who's Who |isbn=9780837970110 |accessdate=2008-06-06 |page=3468}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Janny |last=Scott |title=Obama's Account of New York Years Often Differs from What Others Say |date=2007-10-30 |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/30/us/politics/30obama.html |work=The New York Times |accessdate=2008-04-13}} Obama (1995, 2004), pp. 133–140; Mendell (2007), pp. 62–63.</ref>

After four years in New York City, Obama moved to Chicago, where he was hired as director of the Developing Communities Project (DCP), a church-based [[Community organizing|community organization]] originally comprising eight Catholic parishes in Greater Roseland ([[Roseland, Chicago|Roseland]], [[West Pullman, Chicago|West Pullman]], and [[Riverdale, Chicago|Riverdale]]) on Chicago's far [[South Side (Chicago)|South Side]]. He worked there for three years from June 1985 to May 1988.<ref name="Who's Who 2008"/><ref>{{cite news |author=Secter, Bob; McCormick, John |date=2007-03-30 |title=Portrait of a pragmatist |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0703300121mar30,1,6651421,full.story |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20080209030448/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0703300121mar30,1,6651421,full.story |archivedate=2008-02-09 |work=Chicago Tribune |page=1 |accessdate=2008-06-06}} {{cite news |first=Ryan |last=Lizza |title=The Agitator: Barack Obama's Unlikely Political Education |format=alternate link |date=2007-03-19 |url=http://www.pickensdemocrats.org/info/TheAgitator_070319.htm |work=New Republic |accessdate=2008-04-13}} Obama (1995, 2004), pp. 140–295; Mendell (2007), pp. 63–83.</ref> During his three years as the DCP's director, its staff grew from one to thirteen and its annual budget grew from $70,000 to $400,000. His achievements included helping set up a job training program, a college preparatory tutoring program, and a tenants' rights organization in [[Altgeld Gardens, Chicago|Altgeld Gardens]].<ref>{{cite news |author=Matchan, Linda |date=1990-02-15 |title=A Law Review breakthrough |url=http://search.boston.com/local/Search.do?s.sm.query=&s.author=Linda+Matchan&s.tab=globe&s.si%28simplesearchinput%29.sortBy=-articleprintpublicationdate&docType=&date=&s.startDate=1990-02-15&s.endDate=1990-02-15 |format=paid archive |work=The Boston Globe |page=29 |accessdate=2008-06-06}} {{cite news |author=Corr, John |date=1990-02-27 |title=From mean streets to hallowed halls |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&p_theme=pi&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_trackval=PI&s_search_type=customized&s_dispstring=Author(John%20Corr)%20AND%20date(02/27/1990%20to%2002/27/1990)&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=02/27/1990%20to%2002/27/1990)&p_field_advanced-0=Author&p_text_advanced-0=(John%20Corr)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=_rank_:D&xcal_ranksort=4&xcal_useweights=yes |format=paid archive |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |page=C01 |accessdate=2008-06-06}}</ref> Obama also worked as a consultant and instructor for the [[Gamaliel Foundation]], a community organizing institute.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Obama, Barack |month=August–September |year=1988 |title=Why organize? Problems and promise in the inner city |journal=Illinois Issues |volume=14 |issue=8–9 |pages=40–42 |accessdate=2008-06-06}} reprinted in: {{cite book |year=1990 |pages=35–40 |author=Knoepfle, Peg (ed.) |title=After Alinsky: community organizing in Illinois |location=Springfield, IL |publisher=Sangamon State University |isbn=0962087335 |accessdate=2008-06-06}} {{cite news |author=Tayler, Letta; Herbert, Keith |date=2008-03-02 |title=Obama forged path as Chicago community organizer |url=http://www.newsday.com/news/printedition/nation/ny-usobam025598601mar02,0,7841545,full.story |work=Newsday |page=A06 |accessdate=2008-06-06}}</ref> In mid-1988, he traveled for the first time to Europe for three weeks and then for five weeks in Kenya, where he met many of his [[Family of Barack Obama#Paternal relations|paternal relatives]] for the first time.<ref>Obama (1995, 2004), pp. 299–437.</ref>

Obama entered [[Harvard Law School]] in late 1988. He was selected as an editor of the ''Harvard Law Review'' at the end of his first year,<ref name="Harvard Law 2007">{{cite news |author=Levenson, Michael; Saltzman, Jonathan |date=2007-01-28 |title=At Harvard Law, a unifying voice |url=http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/01/28/at_harvard_law_a_unifying_voice/?page=full |work=The Boston Globe |accessdate=2008-06-15}} {{cite news |author=Kantor, Jodi |date=2007-01-28 |title=In law school, Obama found political voice |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/28/us/politics/28obama.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all |work=The New York Times |page=1 |accessdate=2008-06-15}} {{cite news |author=Kodama, Marie C |date=2007-01-19 |title=Obama left mark on HLS |url=http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=516664 |work=The Harvard Crimson |accessdate=2008-06-15}} {{cite news |author=Mundy, Liza |title=A series of fortunate events |date=2007-08-12 |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/08/AR2007080802038_pf.html |work=The Washington Post |page=W10 |accessdate=2008-06-15}} {{cite journal |author=Heilemann, John |title=When they were young |date=2007-10-22 |url=http://www.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=When+They+Were+Young&expire=&urlID=24417790&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnymag.com%2Fnews%2Ffeatures%2F39321%2F&partnerID=73272 |journal=New York |volume=40 |issue=37 |pages=32–7, 132–3 |accessdate=2008-06-15}} Mendell (2007), pp. 80–92.</ref> and elected president of the journal in his second year.<ref name="Harvard Law 1990">{{cite news |author=Butterfield, Fox |date=1990-02-06|title=First black elected to head Harvard's Law Review |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE2DC1631F935A35751C0A966958260 |work=The New York Times |page=A20 |accessdate=2008-06-15}} {{cite news |author=Ybarra, Michael J |date=1990-02-07 |title=Activist in Chicago now heads Harvard Law Review |url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/28797353.html?dids=28797353:28797353&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |format=paid archive |work=Chicago Tribune |page=3 |accessdate=2008-06-15}} {{cite news |author=Matchan, Linda |date=1990-02-15 |title=A Law Review breakthrough |url=http://search.boston.com/local/Search.do?s.sm.query=&s.author=Linda+Matchan&s.tab=globe&s.si%28simplesearchinput%29.sortBy=-articleprintpublicationdate&docType=&date=&s.startDate=1990-02-15&s.endDate=1990-02-15 |format=paid archive |work=The Boston Globe |page=29 |accessdate=2008-06-15}} {{cite news |author=Corr, John |date=1990-02-27 |title=From mean streets to hallowed halls |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&p_theme=pi&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_trackval=PI&s_search_type=customized&s_dispstring=Author(John%20Corr)%20AND%20date(02/27/1990%20to%2002/27/1990)&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=02/27/1990%20to%2002/27/1990)&p_field_advanced-0=Author&p_text_advanced-0=(John%20Corr)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=_rank_:D&xcal_ranksort=4&xcal_useweights=yes |format=paid archive |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |page=C01 |accessdate=2008-06-15}} {{cite news |author=Drummond, Tammerlin |date=1990-03-12 |title=Barack Obama's Law; Harvard Law Review's first black president plans a life of public service |url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/60017156.html?dids=60017156:60017156&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |format=paid archive |work=Los Angeles Times |page=E1 |accessdate=2008-06-15}} {{cite news |author=Evans, Gaynelle |date=1990-03-15 |title=Opening another door: The saga of Harvard's Barack H. Obama |work=Black Issues in Higher Education |page=5 |url=http://www.diverseeducation.com/artman/publish/article_11791.shtml |accessdate=2008-11-15}} {{cite news |author=Pugh, Allison J. (Associated Press) |date=1990-04-18 |title=Law Review's first black president aims to help poor |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MH&p_theme=realcities2&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_site=miami&s_trackval=MH&s_dispstring=Title(Law%20Review's%20first%20black%20president%20aims%20to%20help%20poor)%20AND%20date(04/18/1990%20to%2004/18/1990)&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=04/18/1990%20to%2004/18/1990)&p_field_advanced-0=title&p_text_advanced-0=(Law%20Review's%20first%20black%20president%20aims%20to%20help%20poor)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=_rank_:D&xcal_ranksort=4&xcal_useweights=yes |format=paid archive |work=The Miami Herald |page=C01 |accessdate=2008-06-15}}</ref> During his summers, he returned to Chicago where he worked as a summer associate at the law firms of [[Sidley Austin|Sidley & Austin]] in 1989 and [[Hopkins & Sutter]] in 1990.<ref>{{cite news |author=Aguilar, Louis |date=1990-07-11 |title=Survey: Law firms slow to add minority partners |url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/28774085.html?dids=28774085:28774085&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |format=paid archive |work=Chicago Tribune |page=1 (Business) |quote=Barack Obama, a summer associate at Hopkins & Sutter in Chicago |accessdate=2008-06-15}}</ref> After graduating with a [[Juris Doctor|Juris Doctor (J.D.)]] [[Latin honors|''magna cum laude'']]<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/may/09/barackobama.uselections20081|title=Barack Obama|last=Adams|first=Richard|date=2007-05-09|publisher=The Guardian|accessdate=2008-10-26}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/973560/Barack-Obama|title=Barack Obama (American politician)|last=Mendell|first=David|accessdate=2008-10-26}}</ref> from Harvard in 1991, he returned to Chicago.<ref name="Harvard Law 2007"/>

Obama's election as the [[List of African-American firsts|first black president of the ''Harvard Law Review'']] gained national media attention<ref name="Harvard Law 1990"/> and led to a publishing contract and advance for a book about race relations.<ref name="Scott 2008a">{{cite news |author=Scott, Janny |date=2008-05-18 |title=The story of Obama, written by Obama |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/18/us/politics/18memoirs.html?pagewanted=all |work=The New York Times |page=1 |accessdate=2008-06-15}} Obama (1995, 2004), pp. xiii–xvii.</ref> In an effort to recruit him to their faculty, the [[University of Chicago Law School]] provided Obama with a fellowship and an office to work on his book.<ref name="Scott 2008a"/> He originally planned to finish the book in one year, but it took much longer as the book evolved into a personal memoir. In order to work without interruptions, Obama and his wife, [[Michelle Obama|Michelle]], traveled to [[Bali]] where he wrote for several months. The manuscript was finally published in mid-1995 as ''[[Dreams from My Father]]''.<ref name="Scott 2008a"/>

Obama directed Illinois's [[Project Vote]] from April to October 1992, a voter registration drive with a staff of ten and seven hundred volunteers; it achieved its goal of registering 150,000 of 400,000 unregistered African Americans in the state, and led to ''Crain's Chicago Business'' naming Obama to its 1993 list of "40 under Forty" powers to be.<ref name="Illinois Blue Book 2000">{{cite book |author=White, Jesse (ed.) |year=2000 |title=Illinois Blue Book, 2000, Millennium ed. |url=http://www.sos.state.il.us/bb/toc.html |location=Springfield, IL |publisher=Illinois Secretary of State |oclc=43923973 |accessdate=2008-06-06 |page=83}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Jarrett, Vernon |date=1992-08-11 |title='Project Vote' brings power to the people |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CSTB&p_theme=cstb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=(Vernon%20Jarrett)%20AND%20date(8/11/1992%20to%208/11/1992)&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=8/11/1992%20to%208/11/1992)&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=(Vernon%20Jarrett)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no |work=Chicago Sun-Times |format=paid archive |page=23 |accessdate=2008-06-06}} {{cite journal |author=Reynolds, Gretchen |month=January |year=1993 |title=Vote of Confidence |url=http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/January-1993/Vote-of-Confidence/ |journal=[[Chicago (magazine)|Chicago]] |volume=42 |issue=1 |pages=53–54 |accessdate=2008-06-06}} {{cite journal |author=Anderson, Veronica |month=September 27–October 3, |year=1993 |title=40 under Forty: Barack Obama, Director, Illinois Project Vote |journal=[[Crain Communications Inc.|Crain's Chicago Business]] |volume=16 |issue=39 |accessdate=2008-06-06 |page=43}}</ref>

Obama served for twelve years as a professor at the [[University of Chicago Law School]], teaching [[constitutional law]]. He was first classified as a Lecturer from 1992 to 1996, and then as a Senior Lecturer from 1996 to 2004.<ref>{{cite web |author=University of Chicago Law School |date=2008-03-27 |title=Statement regarding Barack Obama |publisher=University of Chicago Law School |url=http://www.law.uchicago.edu/media/index.html |accessdate=2008-06-10}} {{cite web |author=Miller, Joe |date=2008-03-28 |title=Was Barack Obama really a constitutional law professor?|publisher=FactCheck.org |url=http://www.factcheck.org/askfactcheck/was_barack_obama_really_a_constitutional_law.html |accessdate=2008-06-10}} {{cite web |author=Holan, Angie Drobnic |date=2008-03-07 |title=Obama's 20 years of experience |url=http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2008/mar/07/obamas-20-years-experience/ |publisher=PolitiFact.com |accessdate=2008-06-10}}</ref> He also joined Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland, a twelve-attorney law firm specializing in civil rights litigation and neighborhood economic development, where he was an [[associate (business rank)|associate]] for three years from 1993 to 1996, then [[of counsel]] from 1996 to 2004, with his law license becoming inactive in 2002.<ref name="Who's Who 2008"/><ref>{{cite news |author=Robinson, Mike (Associated Press) |date=2007-02-10 |title=Obama got start in civil rights practice |url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/02/20/obama_got_start_in_civil_rights_practice/ |work=The Boston Globe |accessdate=2008-06-15}} {{cite news |author=Pallasch, Abdon M |date=2007-12-17 |title=As lawyer, Obama was strong, silent type; He was 'smart, innovative, relentless,' and he mostly let other lawyers do the talking |url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/700499,CST-NWS-Obama-law17.article |work=Chicago Sun-Times |page=4 |accessdate=2008-06-15}} {{cite news |author= |date=1993-06-27 |title=People |url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/24302659.html?dids=24302659:24302659&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |format=paid archive |work=Chicago Tribune |page=9 (Business) |accessdate=2008-06-15}} {{cite news |author= |date=1993-07-05 |title=Business appointments |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CSTB&p_theme=cstb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=(Business%20appointments)%20AND%20date(7/5/1993%20to%207/5/1993)&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=7/5/1993%20to%207/5/1993)&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=(Business%20appointments)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no |format=paid archive |work=Chicago-Sun-Times |page=40 |accessdate=2008-06-15}} {{cite web |author=Miner, Barnhill & Galland |year=2008 |title=About Us |url=http://www.lawmbg.com/index.cfm/PageID/2711 |publisher=Miner, Barnhill & Galland – Chicago, Illinois |accessdate=2008-06-15}} Obama (1995, 2004), pp. 438–439, Mendell (2007), pp. 104–106.</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=ARDC Individual Attorney Record of Public Registration and Public Disciplinary and Disability Information as of October 17, 2008 at 12:52:13 PM |url=https://www.iardc.org/ldetail.asp?id=595938384 |publisher=Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois |accessdate=2008-10-19}}</ref>

Obama was a founding member of the board of directors of [[Public Allies]] in 1992, resigning before his wife, Michelle, became the founding executive director of Public Allies Chicago in early 1993.<ref name="Who's Who 2008"/><ref>{{cite web |author=Public Allies |year=2008 |title=Fact Sheet on Public Allies' History with Senator Barack and Michelle Obama |url=http://www.publicallies.org/site/c.liKUL3PNLvF/b.3960231/ |publisher=[[Public Allies]] |accessdate=2008-06-06}}</ref> He served from 1994 to 2002 on the board of directors of the [[Woods Fund of Chicago]], which in 1985 had been the first foundation to fund the Developing Communities Project, and also from 1994 to 2002 on the board of directors of The [[Joyce Foundation]].<ref name="Who's Who 2008"/> Obama served on the board of directors of the [[Chicago Annenberg Challenge]] from 1995 to 2002, as founding president and chairman of the board of directors from 1995 to 1999.<ref name="Who's Who 2008"/> He also served on the board of directors of the Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the Center for Neighborhood Technology, and the Lugenia Burns Hope Center.<ref name="Who's Who 2008"/>

==State legislator, 1997–2004==
{{main|Illinois Senate career of Barack Obama}}

Obama was elected to the [[Illinois Senate]] in 1996, succeeding State Senator [[Alice Palmer (Illinois politician)|Alice Palmer]] as Senator from Illinois's 13th District, which then spanned Chicago [[South Side (Chicago)|South Side]] neighborhoods from [[Hyde Park, Chicago|Hyde Park]]-[[Kenwood, Chicago|Kenwood]] south to [[South Shore, Chicago|South Shore]] and west to [[Chicago Lawn, Chicago|Chicago Lawn]].<ref>{{cite news |first=David |last=Jackson |coauthors=Ray Long |title=Obama Knows His Way Around a Ballot |date=2007-04-03 |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-070403obama-ballot,1,57567.story |work=Chicago Tribune |accessdate=2008-01-14}}{{dead link|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-070403obama-ballot,1,57567.story|date=November 2008}}
{{cite book |author=[[Jesse White (politician)|White, Jesse]] |year=2001 |chapter=Legislative Districts of Cook County, 1991 Reapportionment |chapterurl=http://www.sos.state.il.us/publications/02bluebook/legislative_branch/legdistrictmaps.pdf |title=Illinois Blue Book 2001–2002 |location=Springfield |publisher=[[Illinois Secretary of State]] |page=65}} State Sen. District 13 = State Rep. Districts 25 & 26.</ref> Once elected, Obama gained bipartisan support for legislation reforming ethics and health care laws.<ref>{{cite news |first=Peter |last=Slevin |title=Obama Forged Political Mettle in Illinois Capitol |date=2007-02-09 |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/08/AR2007020802262.html |work=Washington Post |accessdate=2008-04-20}} {{cite news |first=Scott |last=Helman |title=In Illinois, Obama dealt with Lobbyists |date=2007-09-23 |url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/09/23/in_illinois_obama_dealt_with_lobbyists/ |work=Boston Globe |accessdate=2008-04-20}} See also: {{cite news |title=Obama Record May Be Gold Mine for Critics |date=2007-01-17 |publisher=CBS News |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/17/politics/main2369157.shtml |agency=Associated Press |accessdate=2008-04-20}} {{cite news |title=In-Depth Look at Obama's Political Career |date=2007-02-09 |publisher=Chicago Tribune |url=http://video.chicagotribune.com/global/video/popup/pop_player.asp?clipid1=1226539 |work=CLTV |format=video |accessdate=2008-04-20}}</ref> He sponsored a law increasing [[tax credit]]s for low-income workers, negotiated welfare reform, and promoted increased subsidies for childcare.<ref name=Scott20070730>{{cite news |first=Janny |last=Scott |title=In Illinois, Obama Proved Pragmatic and Shrewd |date=2007-07-30 |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/30/us/politics/30obama.html |work=The New York Times |accessdate=2008-04-20}} See also: {{cite news |first=Rick |last=Pearson |coauthors=Ray Long |title=Careful Steps, Looking Ahead |date=2007-05-03 |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-0705030101may03,1,7439904.story |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20080216014957/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-0705030101may03,1,7439904.story |archivedate=2008-02-16 |work=Chicago Tribune |accessdate=2008-04-20}}</ref> In 2001, as co-chairman of the bipartisan Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, Obama supported Republican Governor Ryan's payday loan regulations and predatory mortgage lending regulations aimed at averting home foreclosures.<ref>{{cite news |author=Allison, Melissa |date=2000-12-15 |title=State takes on predatory lending; Rules would halt single-premium life insurance financing |url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/65214450.html?dids=65214450:65214450&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |type=paid archive |work=Chicago Tribune |page=1 (Business) |accessdate=2008-06-01}} {{cite news |author=Long, Ray; Allison, Melissa |date=2001-04-18 |title=Illinois OKs predatory loan curbs; State aims to avert home foreclosures. |url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/71459393.html?dids=71459393:71459393&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |type=paid archive |work=Chicago Tribune |page=1 |accessdate=2008-06-01}}</ref>

Obama was reelected to the Illinois Senate in 1998, defeating Republican Yesse Yehudah in the General Election, and reelected again in 2002.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.senatedem.state.il.us/obama/index.html |title=13th District: Barack Obama |format=archive |accessdate=2008-04-20 |date=2000-08-24 |publisher=Illinois State Senate Democrats |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20000824102110/http://www.senatedem.state.il.us/obama/index.html |archivedate=2000-04-12}} {{cite web |url=http://www.senatedem.state.il.us/obama/index.html |title=13th District: Barack Obama |format=archive |accessdate=2008-04-20 |date=2004-10-09 |publisher=Illinois State Senate Democrats |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20040802233730/http://www.senatedem.state.il.us/obama/index.html |archivedate=2004-08-02}}</ref> In 2000, he lost a Democratic primary run for the U.S. House of Representatives to four-term incumbent [[Bobby Rush]] by a margin of two to one.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fec.gov/pubrec/fe2000/ilh.htm |title=Federal Elections 2000: U.S. House Results - Illinois |publisher=[[Federal Election Commission]] |accessdate=2008-04-24}}. See also: {{cite web|url=http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14502364|title=Obama's Loss May Have Aided White House Bid}} and {{cite news |first=Janny |last=Scott |title=A Streetwise Veteran Schooled Young Obama |date=2007-09-09 |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/09/us/politics/09obama.html |work=The New York Times |accessdate=2008-04-20}}</ref><ref name=McClelland20070212>{{cite news |first=Edward |last=McClelland |title=How Obama Learned to Be a Natural |date=2007-02-12 |url=http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2007/02/12/obama_natural/ |work=Salon |accessdate=2008-04-20}} See also: {{cite news |first=Richard |last=Wolffe |coauthors=Daren Briscoe |title=Across the Divide |date=2007-07-16 |publisher=MSNBC |url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/33156 |work=Newsweek |accessdate=2008-04-20}} {{cite news |first=Scott |last=Helman |title=Early Defeat Launched a Rapid Political Climb |date=2007-10-12 |url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/10/12/early_defeat_launched_a_rapid_political_climb/ |work=Boston Globe |accessdate=2008-04-20}} and {{cite news|url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2007-10-24-3157940059_x.htm|title=Obama learned from failed Congress run |work=USA Today |author=Wills, Christopher|date=2007-10-24 |accessdate=2008-09-20}}</ref>

In January 2003, Obama became chairman of the Illinois Senate's Health and Human Services Committee when Democrats, after a decade in the minority, regained a majority.<ref>{{cite news |first=Jackie |last=Calmes |title=Statehouse Yields Clues to Obama |date=2007-02-23 |url=http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB117219748197216894-Sn6oV_4KLQHp_xz7CjYLuyjv3Jg_20070324.html |work=Wall Street Journal |accessdate=2008-04-20}}</ref> He sponsored and led unanimous, bipartisan passage of legislation to monitor [[racial profiling]] by requiring police to record the race of drivers they detained and legislation making Illinois the first state to mandate videotaping of homicide interrogations.<ref name=Scott20070730 /><ref>{{cite news |author=Tavella, Anne Marie |date=2003-04-14 |title=Profiling, taping plans pass Senate |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=ADHB&p_theme=adhb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_text_search-0=Profiling,%20AND%20taping%20AND%20plans%20AND%20pass%20AND%20Senate&s_dispstring=Profiling,%20taping%20plans%20pass%20Senate%20AND%20date(4/4/2003%20to%204/4/2003)&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=4/4/2003%20to%204/4/2003)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no |type=paid archive |work=Daily Herald |page=17 |accessdate=2008-06-01}} {{cite news |author=Haynes, V. Dion |date=2003-06-29 |title=Fight racial profiling at local level, lawmaker says; U.S. guidelines get mixed review |url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/352884461.html?dids=352884461:352884461&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |type=paid archive |work=Chicago Tribune |page=8 |accessdate=2008-06-01}} {{cite news |author=Pearson, Rick |date=2003-07-17 |title=Taped confessions to be law; State will be 1st to pass legislation |url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/370136121.html?dids=370136121:370136121&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |type=paid archive |work=Chicago Tribune |page=1 (Metro) |accessdate=2008-06-01}}</ref> During his 2004 general election campaign for U.S. Senate, police representatives credited Obama for his active engagement with police organizations in enacting [[capital punishment in the United States|death penalty]] reforms.<ref>{{cite news |first=Sam |last=Youngman |coauthors=Aaron Blake |title=Obama's Crime Votes Are Fodder for Rivals |date=2007-03-14 |url=http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/obamas-crime-votes-are-fodder-for-rivals-2007-03-13.html |work=The Hill |accessdate=2008-04-20}} See also: {{cite news |title=US Presidential Candidate Obama Cites Work on State Death Penalty Reforms |date=2007-11-12 |publisher=International Herald Tribune |url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/11/12/america/NA-POL-US-Obama-Death-Penalty.php |agency=Associated Press |accessdate=2008-04-20}}</ref> Obama resigned from the Illinois Senate in November 2004 following his election to the US Senate.<ref>{{cite news |first=Melanie |last=Coffee |title=Attorney Chosen to Fill Obama's State Senate Seat |date=2004-11-06 |publisher=HPKCC |url=http://www.hydepark.org/hpkccnews/raoul.htm#ap |agency=Associated Press |accessdate=2008-04-20}}</ref>

==2004 U.S. Senate campaign==
{{seealso|United States Senate election in Illinois, 2004}}

In mid-2002, Obama began considering a run for the U.S. Senate; he enlisted political strategist [[David Axelrod (political consultant)|David Axelrod]] that fall and formally announced his candidacy in January 2003.<ref>{{cite news |first=Scott |last=Helman |title=Early Defeat Launched a Rapid Political Climb |date=2007-10-12 |url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/10/12/early_defeat_launched_a_rapid_political_climb/ |work=Boston Globe |accessdate=2008-04-13}}</ref> Decisions by Republican incumbent [[Peter Fitzgerald]] and his Democratic predecessor [[Carol Moseley Braun]] not to contest the race launched wide-open Democratic and Republican primary contests involving fifteen candidates.<ref>{{cite news |last=Davey |first=Monica |title=Closely Watched Illinois Senate Race Attracts 7 Candidates in Millionaire Range |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/07/politics/campaign/07ILLI.html |work=The New York Times |date=2004-03-07 |accessdate=2008-04-13}}</ref> Obama's candidacy was boosted by Axelrod's advertising campaign featuring images of the late Chicago Mayor [[Harold Washington]] and an endorsement by the daughter of the late [[Paul Simon (politician)|Paul Simon]], former U.S. Senator for Illinois.<ref>{{cite news |first=Ben |last=Wallace-Wells |title=Obama's Narrator |date=2007-04-01 |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/01/magazine/01axelrod.t.html |work=[[The New York Times Magazine]] |accessdate=2008-04-13}}</ref> He received over 52% of the vote in the March 2004 primary, emerging 29% ahead of his nearest Democratic rival.<ref>{{cite news |first=Monica |last=Davey |title=From Crowded Field, Democrats Choose State Legislator to Seek Senate Seat |date=2004-03-17 |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9400E4D61431F934A25750C0A9629C8B63 |work=New York Times |accessdate=2008-04-13}} See also: {{cite news |first=John S |last=Jackson |title=The Making of a Senator: Barack Obama and the 2004 Illinois Senate Race |date=August 2006 |publisher=Southern Illinois University |url=http://www.siu.edu/~ppi/PDF/papers/Obama.pdf |work=Occasional Paper of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute |accessdate=2008-04-13|format=PDF}}</ref>

In July 2004, Obama wrote and delivered the keynote address at the [[2004 Democratic National Convention]] in Boston, Massachusetts.<ref>{{cite news |first=David |last=Bernstein|title=The Speech |date=June 2007|url=http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/June-2007/The-Speech/ |work=Chicago Magazine|accessdate=2008-04-13}}</ref> After describing his maternal grandfather's experiences as a [[World War II]] veteran and a beneficiary of the [[New Deal|New Deal's]] [[Federal Housing Administration|FHA]] and [[G.I. Bill]] programs, Obama spoke about changing the U.S. government's economic and social priorities. He questioned the Bush administration's management of the Iraq War and highlighted America's obligations to its soldiers. Drawing examples from U.S. history, he criticized heavily partisan views of the electorate and asked Americans to find unity in diversity, saying, "There is not a liberal America and a conservative America; there's the United States of America."<ref>{{cite web |first=Barack |last=Obama |title=Keynote Address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention |format=text or [http://www.barackobama.com/tv/speeches.php?bcpid=900718856&bclid=900554575&bctid=791793079 video] |date=2004-07-27 |url=http://www.barackobama.com/2004/07/27/keynote_address_at_the_2004_de.php |publisher=BarackObama.com |accessdate=2008-04-13}}</ref> Though it was not televised by the [[Big Three television networks|three major broadcast news networks]], a combined 9.1 million viewers watching on [[Public Broadcasting Service|PBS]], [[CNN]], [[MSNBC]], [[Fox News Channel|Fox News]] and [[C-SPAN]] saw Obama's speech, which was a highlight of the convention and confirmed his status as the Democratic Party's brightest new star.<!--
--><ref>{{cite news |author=. |date=2004-08-02 |title=Star Power. Showtime: Some are on the rise; others have long been fixtures in the firmament. A galaxy of bright Democratic lights |work=Newsweek |pages=48–51 |url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/54728/output/print |accessdate=2008-11-15}} {{cite news |author=Samuel, Terence |date=2004-08-02 |title=A shining star named Obama. How a most unlikely politician became a darling of the Democrats |work=U.S. News & World Report |page=25 |url=http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/040802/2obama.htm |accessdate=2008-11-15}} {{cite news |author=Lizza, Ryan |month=September |year=2004 |title=The Natural. Why is Barack Obama generating more excitement among Democrats than John Kerry? |work=The Atlantic Monthly |pages=30, 33 |url=http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200409/lizza |accessdate=2008-11-15}} {{cite news |author=Davey, Monica |date=2004-07-26 |title=A surprise Senate contender reaches his biggest stage yet |work=The New York Times |page=A1 |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/26/politics/campaign/26obama.html?pagewanted=all&ei=5090&en=a9ec67011c39350b&ex=1248494400&partner=rssuserland |accessdate=2008-11-15}} {{cite news |author=Leibovich, Mark |date=2004-07-27 |title=The other man of the hour |work=The Washington Post |page=C1 |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A16606-2004Jul26.html |accessdate=2008-11-15}} {{cite news |author=Milligan, Susan |date=2004-07-27 |title=In Obama, Democrats see their future |work=The Boston Globe |page=B8 |url=http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2004/07/27/in_obama_democrats_see_their_future |accessdate=2008-11-15}} {{cite news |author=Seelye, Katharine Q. |date=2004-07-28 |title=Senate nominee speaks of encompassing unity |work=The New York Times |page=A1 |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/28/politics/campaign/28blacks.html?ex=1248753600&en=d855f4b42b8e8b7c&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland |accessdate=2008-11-15}} {{cite news |author=Broder, David S. |date=2004-07-28 |title=Democrats focus on healing divisions; Addressing convention, newcomers set themes |work=The Washington Post |page=A1 |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17865-2004Jul27.html |accessdate=2008-11-15}} {{cite news |author=Bing, Jonathan; McClintock, Pamela |date=2004-07-29 |title=Auds resist charms of Dem stars |work=Daily Variety |page=1 |url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117908388.html?categoryid=1077&cs=1 |accessdate=2008-11-15}} Mendell (2007), pp. 272–285.</ref>

Obama's expected opponent in the general election, Republican primary winner [[Jack Ryan (2004 U.S. Senate candidate)|Jack Ryan]], withdrew from the race in June 2004.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ryan Drops Out of Senate Race in Illinois |date=2004-06-25 |url=http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/06/25/il.ryan/ |work=CNN |accessdate=2008-04-13}}</ref> Two months later and less than three months before Election Day, [[Alan Keyes]] accepted the Illinois Republican Party's nomination to replace Ryan.<ref>{{cite news |first=Maura Kelly |last=Lannan |title=Alan Keyes Enters U.S. Senate Race in Illinois Against Rising Democratic Star |date=2004-08-09 |publisher=Union-Tribune (San Diego) |url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/20040809-0849-illinoissenate.html |agency=Associated Press |accessdate=2008-04-13}}</ref> A long-time resident of Maryland, Keyes established legal residency in Illinois with the nomination.<ref>{{cite news |first=Ford |last=Liam |coauthors=David Mendell |title=Keyes Sets Up House in Cal City |date=2004-08-13 |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/chi-0408130201aug13,0,1664738.story |work=Chicago Tribune |accessdate=2008-04-13}}</ref> In the November 2004 general election, Obama received 70% of the vote to Keyes's 27%, the largest victory margin for a statewide race in Illinois history.<ref>{{cite news |title=America Votes 2004: U.S. Senate / Illinois |url=http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/states/IL/S/01/index.html |publisher=CNN |accessdate=2008-04-13}} {{cite news |first=Peter |last=Slevin |title=For Obama, a Handsome Payoff in Political Gambles |date=2007-11-13 |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/12/AR2007111201945.html |work=The Washington Post |accessdate=2008-04-13}}</ref>

==U.S. Senator, 2005–2008==
{{main|United States Senate career of Barack Obama}}

Obama was sworn in as a senator on January 4, 2005.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://obama.senate.gov/about/ |title=About Barack Obama |accessdate=2008-04-27 |publisher=Barack Obama U.S. Senate Office}}
</ref> Obama was the fifth African-American Senator in U.S. history, and the third to have been [[Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution|popularly elected]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/history/h_multi_sections_and_teasers/Photo_Exhibit_African_American_Senators.htm |title=Breaking New Ground: African American Senators |publisher=U.S. Senate Historical Office |accessdate=2008-06-25}}
</ref> He was the only Senate member of the [[Congressional Black Caucus]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Member Info |url=http://www.house.gov/kilpatrick/cbc/member_info.html |publisher=Congressional Black Caucus |accessdate=2008-06-25}} See also: {{cite news |first=Jeff |last=Zeleny |title=When It Comes to Race, Obama Makes His Point—With Subtlety |date=2005-06-26 |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-050626obama-race,1,7205709.story |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20080216014942/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-050626obama-race,1,7205709.story |archivedate=2008-02-16 |work=Chicago Tribune |accessdate=2008-06-25}}
</ref> ''[[Congressional Quarterly|CQ Weekly]],'' a nonpartisan publication, characterized him as a "loyal Democrat" based on analysis of all Senate votes in 2005–2007, and the ''[[National Journal]]'' ranked him as the "most liberal" senator based on an assessment of selected votes during 2007. In 2005 he was ranked sixteenth, and in 2006 he was ranked tenth.<ref>{{cite news |first=David |last=Nather |title=The Space Between Clinton and Obama |date=2008-01-14 |url=http://public.cq.com/docs/cqw/weeklyreport110-000002654703.html |work=CQ Weekly |accessdate=2008-06-25}} See also: {{cite news |first=Tom |last=Curry |title=What Obama's Senate Votes Reveal |date=2008-02-21 |url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23276453/ |work=MSNBC |accessdate=2008-06-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nj.nationaljournal.com/voteratings/|title=Obama: Most Liberal Senator In 2007 |work=National Journal |date=2008-01-31|accessdate=2008-06-25}}</ref> In 2008, Congress.org ranked him as the eleventh most powerful Senator.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.congress.org/congressorg/power_rankings/overall.tt |title=Power Rankings: Senate |author=KnowLegis |accessdate=2008-09-07}}</ref> Obama announced on November 13, 2008 that he would resign his senate seat on November 16, 2008, before the start of the [[lame-duck]] session{{clarify|date=January 2009}}, to focus on his transition period for the presidency.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/16/AR2008111600753.html|title=Obama resigns Senate seat, thanks Illinois|accessdate=2008-11-21|date=2008-11-16|publisher=[[The Washington Post Company]]|work=[[The Washington Post]]|author=Mason, Jeff}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1859020,00.html|title=Obama to Resign Senate Seat on Sunday|accessdate=2008-11-22|date=2008-11-13|publisher=[[Time Inc.]]|work=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|author=Sidoti, Liz}}</ref> This enabled him to avoid the conflict of dual roles as President-elect and Senator in the lame duck session of Congress, which no sitting member of Congress had faced since [[Warren Harding]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990DE4DD1E30F937A25752C1A96E9C8B63|title=ON THE WHITE HOUSE; If the Senate Reconvenes, Two Seats May Be Empty |accessdate=2008-11-21|date=2008-11-14|publisher=[[The New York Times Company]]|work=[[The New York Times]]|author=Baker, Peter}}</ref> His successor has not been officially assigned.
===Legislation===
{{seealso|List of bills sponsored by Barack Obama in the United States Senate}}
[[Image:Coburn and Obama discuss S. 2590.jpg|thumb|right|Senate bill sponsors Tom Coburn (R-OK) and Obama discussing the Coburn–Obama Transparency Act.<ref>{{cite web |title=President Bush Signs Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act. |date=2006-09-26 |url=http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/09/20060926.html|publisher=White House|2008-04-27}}</ref>]]

Obama voted in favor of the [[Energy Policy Act of 2005]] and cosponsored the [[Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act]].<ref>{{cite web |first=109th Congress, 1st Session |last=U.S. Senate |title=S. 1033, Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act |date=2005-05-12 |url=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:SN01033: |publisher=Thomas |accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref> In September 2006, Obama supported a related bill, the [[Secure Fence Act of 2006|Secure Fence Act]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Latinos Upset Obama Voted for Border Fence |date=2006-11-20 |url=http://cbs2chicago.com/local/local_story_324192245.html |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070927231949/http://cbs2chicago.com/local/local_story_324192245.html |archivedate=2007-09-27 |work=CBS 2 (Chicago) |accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref> Obama introduced two initiatives bearing his name: Lugar–Obama, which expanded the [[Nunn–Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction|Nunn–Lugar cooperative threat reduction]] concept to conventional weapons,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://obama.senate.gov/press/070111-lugar-obama_non/ |title=Lugar–Obama Nonproliferation Legislation Signed into Law by the President |date=2007-01-11 |publisher=Richard Lugar U.S. Senate Office |accessdate=2008-04-27}} See also: {{cite news |first=Richard G |last=Lugar |coauthors=Barack Obama |title=Junkyard Dogs of War |date=2005-12-03 |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/02/AR2005120201509.html |work=Washington Post |accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref> and the [[Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006|Coburn–Obama Transparency Act]], which authorized the establishment of USAspending.gov, a web search engine on federal spending.<ref>{{cite news |first=John |last=McCormack |title=Google Government Gone Viral |date=2007-12-21 |url=http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/014/502njiqx.asp |work=Weekly Standard |accessdate=2008-04-27}} See also: {{cite web |title=President Bush Signs Coburn–Obama Transparency Act |date=2006-09-26 |url=http://coburn.senate.gov/ffm/index.cfm?FuseAction=LegislativeFloorAction.Home&ContentRecord_id=eb582f19-802a-23ad-41db-7a7cb464cfdb |publisher=Tom Coburn U.S. Senate Office |accessdate=2008-04-27}} and [http://www.USAspending.gov USAspending.gov]</ref> On June 3, 2008, Senator Obama, along with Senators [[Thomas R. Carper]], [[Tom Coburn]], and [[John McCain]], introduced follow-up legislation: Strengthening Transparency and Accountability in Federal Spending Act of 2008.<ref>[http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s110-3077 S. 3077: Strengthening Transparency and Accountability in Federal Spending Act of 2008] ''Govtrack.us,'' 2007-2008 (110th Congress)</ref>

Obama sponsored legislation that would have required nuclear plant owners to notify state and local authorities of radioactive leaks, but the bill failed to pass in the full Senate after being heavily modified in committee.<ref>{{cite news |last=McIntire |first=Mike |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/03/us/politics/03exelon.html |title=Nuclear Leaks and Response Tested Obama in Senate |date=2008-02-03
|work=The New York Times |accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref> In December 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Democratic Republic of the Congo |month=April |year=2006 |url=http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/international/drc0406.shtml |publisher=United States Conference of Catholic Bishops |accessdate=2008-04-27}} {{cite web |title=The IRC Welcomes New U.S. Law on Congo |date=2007-01-05 |url=http://www.theirc.org/news/the-irc-welcomes-new-us-law.html |publisher=International Rescue Committee |accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref> In January 2007, Obama and Senator Feingold introduced a corporate jet provision to the [[Honest Leadership and Open Government Act]], which was signed into law in September 2007.<ref>{{cite news |first=Nathaniel |last=Weixel |title=Feingold, Obama Go After Corporate Jet Travel |date=2007-11-15 |url=http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/feingold-obama-go-after-corporate-jet-travel-2007-11-15.html |work=The Hill |accessdate=2008-04-27}} {{cite news |first=Nathaniel |last=Weixel |title=Lawmakers Press FEC on Bundling Regulation |date=2007-12-05 |url=http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/lawmakers-press-fec-on-bundling-regulation-2007-12-05.html |work=The Hill |accessdate=2008-04-27}} See also: {{cite news |title=Federal Election Commission Announces Plans to Issue New Regulations to Implement the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 |date=2007-09-24 |publisher=Federal Election Commission |url=http://www.fec.gov/press/press2007/20070924travel.shtml |accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref> Obama also introduced [[Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act]], a bill to criminalize deceptive practices in federal elections<ref>{{cite news |first=Seth |last=Stern |title=Obama–Schumer Bill Proposal Would Criminalize Voter Intimidation |date=2007-01-31 |publisher=The New York Times |url=http://www.nytimes.com/cq/2007/01/31/cq_2213.html |work=CQPolitics.com |accessdate=2008-04-27}} {{cite web |first=110th Congress, 1st Session |last=U.S. Senate |title=S. 453, Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act of 2007 |date=2007-01-31 |url=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:SN00453: |publisher=Thomas |accessdate=2008-04-27}} See also: {{cite news |title=Honesty in Elections |date=2007-01-31 |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/31/opinion/31wed1.html |work=The New York Times |format=editorial |accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref> and the [[Iraq War De-Escalation Act of 2007]],<ref>{{cite news |first=E. Kasak |last=Krystin |title=Obama Introduces Measure to Bring Troops Home |date=2007-02-07 |publisher=The Times (Munster, Indiana) |url=http://nwitimes.com/articles/2007/02/07/news/illiana/doc65cc98d8dc6506b28625727b0011edb5.txt |work=Medill News Service |accessdate=2008-04-27}} "Latest Major Action: 1/30/2007 Referred to Senate committee." {{cite web |first=110th Congress, 1st Session |last=U.S. Senate |title=S. 433, Iraq War De-Escalation Act of 2007 |date=2007-01-30 |url=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:SN00433: |publisher=Thomas |accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref> neither of which have been signed into law.

[[Image:Lugar-Obama.jpg|left|thumb|Obama and [[Richard Lugar]] visit a Russian mobile launch missile dismantling facility.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nunn–Lugar Report |month=August |year=2005 |publisher=Richard Lugar U.S. Senate Office|url=http://lugar.senate.gov/nunnlugar/pdf/trip_report_2005.pdf|accessdate=2008-04-30|format=PDF}}</ref>]]

Later in 2007, Obama sponsored an amendment to the Defense Authorization Act adding safeguards for personality disorder military discharges.<ref>{{cite web |title=Obama, Bond Hail New Safeguards on Military Personality Disorder Discharges, Urge Further Action |date=2007-10-01 |url=http://bond.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressRoom.NewsReleases&ContentRecord_id=5C1EBFEB-1321-0E36-BA7D-04630AEFAD31 |publisher=Kit Bond U.S. Senate Office |accessdate=2008-04-27}} See also: {{cite news |first=Philip |last=Dine |title=Bond Calls for Review of Military Discharges |date=2007-12-23 |url=http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/special/srlinks.nsf/story/2E7CC823AD55667B862573A7007D12A2?OpenDocument |work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch |accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref> This amendment passed the full Senate in the spring of 2008.<ref>{{cite web |title=Obama, Bond Applaud Senate Passage of Amendment to Expedite the Review of Personality Disorder Discharge Cases |url=http://obama.senate.gov/press/080314-obama_bond_appl/}}</ref> He sponsored the Iran Sanctions Enabling Act supporting divestment of state pension funds from Iran's oil and gas industry, which has not passed committee, and co-sponsored legislation to reduce risks of nuclear terrorism.<ref>{{cite news |first=Adam |last=Graham-Silverman |title=Despite Flurry of Action in House, Congress Unlikely to Act Against Iran |date=2007-09-12 |url=http://public.cq.com/docs/cqt/news110-000002583189.html |work=CQ Today |accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref><ref name=ObamaSchiff>{{cite web |title=Obama, Schiff Provision to Create Nuclear Threat Reduction Plan Approved |date=2007-12-20 |url=http://obama.senate.gov/press/071220-obama_schiff_pr/ |publisher=Barack Obama U.S. Senate Office |accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref> Obama also sponsored a Senate amendment to the [[State Children's Health Insurance Program]] providing one year of job protection for family members caring for soldiers with combat-related injuries.<ref>{{cite web |title=Senate Passes Obama, McCaskill Legislation to Provide Safety Net for Families of Wounded Service Members |date=2007-08-02 |url=http://obama.senate.gov/press/070802-senate_passes_o_1/ |publisher=Barack Obama U.S. Senate Office |accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref>

===Committees===
Obama held assignments on the Senate Committees for [[United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations|Foreign Relations]], [[United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works|Environment and Public Works]] and [[United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs|Veterans' Affairs]] through December 2006.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://web.archive.org/web/20061209190827/obama.senate.gov/committees/ |format=archive |date=2006-12-09 |title=Committee Assignments |accessdate=2008-04-27 |publisher=Barack Obama U.S. Senate Office}}</ref> In January 2007, he left the Environment and Public Works committee and took additional assignments with [[United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions|Health, Education, Labor and Pensions]] and [[United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs|Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Obama Gets New Committee Assignments |date=2006-11-15 |publisher=Barack Obama U.S. Senate Office |url=http://obama.senate.gov/news/061115-obama_gets_new/ |agency=Associated Press |accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref> He also became Chairman of the Senate's subcommittee on [[United States Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on European Affairs|European Affairs]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Tom |last=Baldwin |title=Stay-At-Home Barack Obama Comes Under Fire for a Lack of Foreign Experience |date=2007-12-21 |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article3080794.ece |work=Sunday Times (UK) |accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref> As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Obama made official trips to Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa. He met with [[Mahmoud Abbas]] before he became President of [[Palestine]], and gave a speech at the [[University of Nairobi]] condemning corruption in the Kenyan government.<ref>{{cite news |first=Christina |last=Larson |title=Hoosier Daddy: What Rising Democratic Star Barack Obama Can Learn from an Old Lion of the GOP |date=September 2006 |url=http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2006/0609.larson.html |work=Washington Monthly |accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Chuck |last=Goudie |title=Obama Meets with Arafat's Successor |date=2006-01-12 |url=http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=3806933 |work=WLS-TV |accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Obama Slates Kenya for Fraud |date=2006-08-28 |url=http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0,,2-11-1447_1989646,00.html |work=News24.com |accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Chris |last=Wamalwa |title=Envoy Hits at Obama Over Graft Remark |date=2006-09-02 |url=http://www.eastandard.net/archives/cl/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143957666 |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20071010050740/http://www.eastandard.net/archives/cl/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143957666 |archivedate=2007-10-10 |work=The Standard (Nairobi) |accessdate=2008-04-27}} {{cite news |first=Vincent |last=Moracha |coauthors=Mangoa Mosota |title=Leaders Support Obama on Graft Claims |date=2006-09-04 |url=http://www.eastandard.net/archives/cl/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143957752 |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20071007115436/http://www.eastandard.net/archives/cl/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143957752 |archivedate=2007-10-07 |work=The Standard (Nairobi) |accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref>{{clear}}

==2008 presidential campaign==
{{main|Barack Obama presidential primary campaign, 2008|Barack Obama presidential campaign, 2008}}
{{wikinews|Barack Obama elected 44th President of the United States}}
[[Image:Flickr Obama Springfield 01.jpg|thumb|220px|left|Obama on stage with his wife and two daughters just before announcing his presidential campaign in [[Springfield, Illinois]].]]
On February 10, 2007, Obama announced his candidacy for President of the United States in front of the [[Old State Capitol State Historic Site (Illinois)|Old State Capitol]] building in [[Springfield, Illinois]].<ref name=ChicagoTribune_Pearson_20070210>{{cite news |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-070210obama-pearson1-story,0,3768114.story |title=Obama: I'm running for president |work=Chicago Tribune |author=Pearson, Rick |coauthors=Long, Ray |date=February 10, 2007|accessdate=2008-09-20}}</ref><ref name=BBC20070210>{{cite news |title=Obama Launches Presidential Bid |date=2007-02-10 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6349081.stm |work=BBC News |accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref> The choice of the announcement site was symbolic because it was also where [[Abraham Lincoln]] delivered his historic [[Lincoln's House Divided Speech|"House Divided"]] speech in 1858.<ref>{{cite news |title=Presidential Campaign Announcement |format=video |date=2007-02-10 |publisher=Brightcove.TV |url=http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=494649996&channel=353512430 |work=Obama for America |accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref> Throughout the campaign, Obama emphasized the issues of rapidly ending the [[Iraq War]], increasing [[Energy policy of the United States|energy independence]], and providing [[Universal health care#United States|universal health care]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Barack Obama on the Issues: What Would Be Your Top Three Overall Priorities If Elected? |url=http://projects.washingtonpost.com/2008-presidential-candidates/issues/candidates/barack-obama/#top-priorities |work=Washington Post |accessdate=2008-04-14}} See also: {{cite news |first=Michael |last=Falcone |title=Obama's 'One Thing' |date=2007-12-21 |url=http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/21/obamas-one-thing/ |work=The New York Times |accessdate=2008-04-14}}
</ref>

During both the primary process and the general election, Obama's campaign set numerous fundraising records, particularly in the quantity of small donations.<ref name=VOA_Malone_20070702>{{cite news |first=Jim |last=Malone |title=Obama Fundraising Suggests Close Race for Party Nomination |date=July 2, 2007|url=http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2007-07/2007-07-02-voa52.cfm?CFID=62046237&CFTOKEN=65376399 |work=Voice of America |accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref><ref name=Politico_Cummings_20070926>{{cite news |first=Jeanne |last=Cummings |title=Small Donors Rewrite Fundraising Handbook |date=September 26, 2007|url=http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=3ECB3515-3048-5C12-004D622CB6F4E214 |work=Politico |accessdate=2008-01-14}}
</ref><ref name=CQPolitics_Cadei_20080221>{{cite news |first=Emily |last=Cadei |title=Obama Outshines Other Candidates in January Fundraising |date=February 21, 2008|url=http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000002674309 |work=CQ Politics |accessdate=2008-02-24}}</ref> On June 19, Obama became the first major-party presidential candidate to turn down [[Campaign finance in the United States#Public financing of campaigns|public financing]] in the general election since the system was created in 1976.<ref name=Bloomberg_Salant_20080619>{{cite news |author=Salant, Jonathan D. |title=Obama Won't Accept Public Money in Election Campaign |url=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=aNi.G0PhWnFw&refer=home |publisher=[[Bloomberg]] |date=June 19, 2008|accessdate=2008-06-19}}</ref>

[[Image:obama08acceptance.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Obama delivering [[Barack Obama election victory speech 2008|his presidential acceptance speech]].]]
A large number of candidates initially entered the [[Democratic Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008#January|Democratic Party presidential primaries]]. After a few initial contests, the field narrowed to a contest between Obama and Senator [[Hillary Rodham Clinton|Hillary Clinton]], with each winning some states and the race remaining close throughout the primary process.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/democratic_delegate_count.html |title=2008 Democratic Delegates |work=RealClearPolitics |accessdate=2008-03-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/21/make-that-11-for-obama/ |title=Make That 11 for Obama |first=Brian |last=Knowlton |work=The New York Times
|date=2008-02-21 |accessdate=2008-03-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://edition.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/primaries/results/dates/index.html#val=20080304 |title=Results: March 4 - Multi-State Events |publisher=CNN |date=2008-03-04 |accessdate=2008-03-04}}
</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24583678/ |title=Superdelegates put Obama within reach |publisher=MSNBC.com |work=The Associated Press |date=2008-05-12 |accessdate=2008-05-13}}</ref> On May 31, the [[Democratic National Committee]] agreed to seat all of the disputed [[Michigan]] and [[Florida]] delegates at the national convention, each with a half-vote, narrowing Obama's delegate lead.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://freeinternetpress.com/story.php?sid=16916/ |title=Clinton Wins Puerto Rico Primary |publisher=Free Internet Press |work=The Associated Press |date=2008-06-01 |accessdate=2008-06-01}}</ref> On June 3, with all states counted, Obama passed the threshold to become the [[presumptive nominee]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/06/03/election.democrats/index.html |title=Obama: I will be the Democratic nominee |publisher=CNN.com |date=2008-06-04|accessdate=2008-06-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23809081-23109,00.html |title=Obama clinches nomination |work=Herald Sun |location=Australia |date=2008-06-04|accessdate=2008-06-06 |author=John Whitesides in Washington}}</ref> On that day, he gave a victory speech in St. Paul, Minnesota. Clinton suspended her campaign and endorsed him on June 7.<ref>{{cite news
|author=Nagourney, Adam and Jeff Zeleny|title=Obama Clinches Nomination
|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/05/us/politics/04cnd-campaign.html |work=New York Times |date=2008-06-04 |accessdate=2008-06-04}}</ref> From that point on, he campaigned for the general election race against Senator [[John McCain]], the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] nominee.

On August 23, 2008, Obama selected [[Delaware]] Senator [[Joe Biden]] as his vice presidential running mate.<ref>{{cite news|accessdate=2008-09-20
|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/23/MNMK12H628.DTL&hw=Obama+picks+Biden+for+veep&sn=001&sc=1000
|author=Nagourney, Adam and Jeff Zeleny |agency=New York Times
|date=2008-08-23|title=Obama picks Biden for veep|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/08/29/politics/p050941D34.DTL |work=San Francisco Chronicle}}</ref> At the [[2008 Democratic National Convention|Democratic National Convention]] in [[Denver]], [[Colorado]], Obama's former rival Hillary Clinton gave a speech in support of Obama's candidacy and later called for Obama to be nominated by [[acclamation]] as the Democratic presidential candidate.<ref>{{cite news |author=Tom Baldwin |title=Hillary Clinton: 'Barack is my candidate' |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article4616719.ece |work=TimesOnline |date=2008-08-27 |accessdate=2008-08-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/28/us/politics/28DEMSDAY.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&em |title=Obama Wins Hard-Fought Nomination as Biden and Bill Clinton Rally the Party |publisher=The New York Times |author=Nagourney, Adam |date=2008-08-27|accessdate=2008-08-27}}</ref> On August 28, Obama delivered a speech to the 84,000 supporters in Denver. During the speech, which was viewed by over 38 million people worldwide, he accepted his party's nomination and presented his policy goals.<ref>{{cite news |title=Obama accepts Democrat nomination |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7586375.stm |work=[[BBC News]] |publisher=BBC |date=2008-08-29 |accessdate=2008-08-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://features.csmonitor.com/politics/2008/08/29/soaring-speech-from-obama-plus-some-specifics/ |title=Soaring speech from Obama, plus some specifics |work=The Christian Science Monitor |author=Marks, Alexandra |date=2008-08-29 |accessdate=2008-09-20}}</ref>

After McCain was nominated as the Republican presidential candidate, there were three [[United States presidential election debates|presidential debates]] between Obama and McCain in September and October 2008.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=2008-07-06
|url=http://www.debates.org/pages/news_111907.html
|title=Commission on Presidential Debates Announces Sites, Dates, Formats and Candidate Selection Criteria for 2008 General Election
|publisher=[[Commission on Presidential Debates]] |date=2007-11-19}}</ref><ref>
{{cite news|accessdate=2008-07-06
|url=http://www.courant.com/topic/ |title=Gun Ruling Reverberates |work=[[The Hartford Courant]]
|date=2008-06-27}}</ref> In November, Obama won the presidency with 53% of the [[popular vote]] and a wide [[electoral college]] margin. His election sparked street celebrations in numerous cities in the United States<ref>{{cite news|accessdate=
|url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/scenes-of-joy-across-the-us/1352918.aspx |title=Scenes of joy across the US
|work=Canberra Times |location=Australia|date=2008-11-06}}</ref> and abroad.

=== President-elect of the United States ===
[[Image:President George W. Bush and Barack Obama meet in Oval Office.jpg|thumb|President-elect Obama meets with President George W. Bush in the [[Oval Office]], November 10, 2008.]]
{{main|Presidential transition of Barack Obama}}

On November 4, 2008, Barack Obama defeated [[John McCain]] in the general election with 365 electoral votes to McCain's 173 <ref name=CNNelectionresults>{{cite web
|url=http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/president/
|title=CNN Electoral Map Calculator - Election Center 2008|publisher=CNN.com
|date=2008 |accessdate=2008-12-14}}</ref> and became the first [[African American]] to be elected President of the United States.<ref name="bbc1">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/us_elections_2008/7709978.stm |title=BBC NEWS &#124; World &#124; Americas &#124; US Elections 2008 &#124; Obama wins historic US election |publisher=News.bbc.co.uk |date=5 November 2008 |accessdate=2008-11-05}}</ref><ref name=NYT_Nagourney_20081104>
{{cite news|accessdate=2008-11-05
|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/05/us/politics/05elect.html?hp
|title=Obama Elected President as Racial Barrier Falls
|first=Adam |last=Nagourney |date=November 4, 2008
|work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref><ref name="first1">
{{cite web|accessdate=2008-11-05
|url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/04/election.president/index.html
|title=Obama: 'This is your victory'|publisher=CNN
|date=November 5, 2008}}</ref><ref name=LAT_20081105>{{cite news|accessdate=
|url=http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-assess5-2008nov05,0,6354926.story
|title=White Americans play major role in electing the first black president
|first=Peter |last=Wallsten
|work= Los Angeles Times |date=November 5, 2008}}</ref> In his [[Barack Obama presidential acceptance speech, 2008|victory speech]], delivered before a crowd of hundreds of thousands of his supporters in Chicago's [[Grant Park (Chicago)|Grant Park]], Obama proclaimed that "change has come to America".<ref name="independent1">
{{cite news |accessdate=2008-11-05
|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/change-has-come-says-presidentelect-obama-992930.html |title=Change has come, says President-elect Obama|work=The Independent|location=UK |date= November 5, 2008 |last=Johnson |first=Wesley }}</ref>

=== Inauguration ===
{{main|Barack Obama 2009 presidential inauguration}}

President-elect Obama is scheduled to be sworn in as the 44th President of the United States at midday on January 20, 2009.<ref>Obama is considered the President-elect under the terms of the ''[http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?contentType=GSA_BASIC&contentId=24780 Presidential Transition Act of 1963]]'', and will be declared as such by Congress once the electoral votes are certified by joint session of Congress on January 6th, 2009.</ref> His assigned [[Secret Service codename]] is "Renegade".<ref>{{cite news |work=Boston Globe |title=A first trip to Oval Office |url=http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2008/11/a_first_trip_to.html |first=Foon |last=Rhee |date=November 10, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |work=Chicago Tribune |title='Renegade' joins 'Twinkle,' 'Rawhide,' 'Lancer' on list of Secret Service code names |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-secret-service-code-names-obama,0,2687400.story |first=Rex W. |last=Huppke |date=November 10, 2008}}</ref>

==Political positions==
{{Main|Political positions of Barack Obama}}
[[Image:20080603 Obama Speaks on Nomination Victory Night cropped.jpg|thumb|left|Obama on June 3, 2008, upon clinching the Democratic nomination]]
A method that some political scientists use for gauging [[ideology]] is to compare the annual ratings by the Americans for Democratic Action (ADA) with the ratings by the American Conservative Union (ACU).<ref>{{cite news |author=Mayer, William |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A28761-2004Mar27?language=printer |title=Kerry's Record Rings a Bell |work=Washington Post |date=2004-03-28 |quote=The question of how to measure a senator's or representative's ideology is one that political scientists regularly need to answer. For more than 30 years, the standard method for gauging ideology has been to use the annual ratings of lawmakers' votes by various interest groups, notably the [[Americans for Democratic Action]] (ADA) and the [[American Conservative Union]] (ACU). |accessdate=2008-06-07}}</ref> Based on his years in Congress, Obama has a lifetime average conservative rating of 7.67% from the ACU,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.acuratings.org/2005senate.htm |title=2005 U.S. Senate Votes |publisher=American Conservative Union |accessdate=2008-09-20}}; {{cite web |url=http://www.acuratings.org/2006senate.htm |title=2006 U.S. Senate Votes |publisher=American Conservative Union |accessdate=2008-09-20}}; {{cite web |url=http://www.acuratings.org/2007senate.htm |title=2007 U.S. Senate Votes |publisher=American Conservative Union |accessdate=2008-09-20}}</ref> and a lifetime average liberal rating of 90% from the ADA.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.adaction.org/media/votingrecords/2005.pdf |format=PDF|title=ADA's 2005 Congressional Voting Record |publisher=Americans for Democratic Action |accessdate=2008-09-20}}; {{cite web |url=http://www.adaction.org/media/votingrecords/2006.pdf |format=PDF|title=ADA's 2006 Congressional Voting Record |publisher=Americans for Democratic Action |accessdate=2008-09-20}}; {{cite web |url=http://www.adaction.org/media/votingrecords/2007.pdf |format=PDF|title=ADA's 2007 Congressional Voting Record |publisher=Americans for Democratic Action |accessdate=2008-09-20}}</ref>

Obama was an early opponent of the Bush administration's [[2003 invasion of Iraq|policies on Iraq]].<ref>{{cite news |author=Strausberg, Chinta |date=2002-09-26 |work=[[Chicago Defender]] |page=1 |title=Opposition to war mounts |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-220062931.html |format=paid archive |accessdate=2008-02-03}}</ref> On October 2, 2002, the day President [[George W. Bush]] and [[United States Congress|Congress]] agreed on the [[Iraq Resolution|joint resolution]] authorizing the Iraq War,<ref>{{cite web |author=[[White House Press Secretary|Office of the Press Secretary]] |date=2002-10-02 |title=President, House Leadership Agree on Iraq Resolution |publisher=[[Executive Office of the President of the United States|The White House]] |url=http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/10/20021002-7.html |accessdate=2008-02-17}} {{cite news |author=Tackett, Michael |date=2002-10-03 |work=Chicago Tribune |page=1 |title=Bush, House OK Iraq deal; Congress marches with Bush |url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/203569641.html?dids=203569641:203569641&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |format=paid archive |accessdate=2008-02-03}}</ref> Obama addressed the first high-profile Chicago [[Protests against the Iraq War|anti-Iraq War rally]] in [[Kluczynski Federal Building|Federal Plaza]],<ref>{{cite news |author=Glauber, Bill |date=2003-10-03|work=Chicago Tribune |page=1 |title=War protesters gentler, but passion still burns |url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/203569621.html?dids=203569621:203569621&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |format=paid archive |accessdate=2008-02-03}} {{cite news |author=Strausberg, Chinta |date=2002-10-03 |work=Chicago Defender |page=1 |title=War with Iraq undermines U.N. |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-220379051.html |quote=Photo caption: Left Photo: Sen. Barack Obama along with Rev. Jesse Jackson spoke to nearly 3,000 anti-war protestors (below) during a rally at Federal Plaza Wednesday. |accessdate=2008-10-28}} {{cite news |author=Bryant, Greg |date=2002-10-02 |publisher=[[Medill School of Journalism#Medill News Service - Chicago|Medill News Service]] |title=300 protesters rally to oppose war with Iraq |url=http://74.125.95.104/search?q=cache:joI6vZO9y4UJ:mesh.medill.northwestern.edu/mnschicago/archives/2002/10/300_protesters.html |accessdate=2008-02-03}} {{cite web |author=Katz, Marilyn |date=2007-10-02 |title=Five Years Since Our First Action |publisher=Chicagoans Against War & Injustice |url=http://www.noiraqwar-chicago.org/?p=127 |accessdate=2008-02-17}} {{cite news | title=300 attend rally against Iraq war |author=Bryant, Greg; Vaughn, Jane B. |work=Daily Herald (Arlington Heights) |page=8 |format=paid archive |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=ADHB&p_theme=adhb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_text_search-0=300%20AND%20attend%20AND%20rally%20AND%20against%20AND%20Iraq%20AND%20war&s_dispstring=300%20attend%20rally%20against%20Iraq%20war%20AND%20date(10/3/2002%20to%2010/3/2002)&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=10/3/2002%20to%2010/3/2002)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no |date=2002-10-03 |accessdate=2008-10-28}} Mendell (2007), pp. 172–177.</ref> speaking out against the war.<ref>{{cite news |author=Obama, Barack |date=2002-10-02 |title=Remarks of Illinois State Sen. Barack Obama Against Going to War with Iraq |url=http://www.barackobama.com/2002/10/02/remarks_of_illinois_state_sen.php |publisher=BarackObama.com |accessdate=2008-02-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=McCormick, John |date=2007-10-03 |work=Chicago Tribune |page=7 |title=Obama marks '02 war speech; Contender highlights his early opposition in effort to distinguish him from his rivals |url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/1351610621.html?dids=1351610621:1351610621&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |format=paid archive |quote=The top strategist for Sen. Barack Obama has just 14 seconds of video of what is one of the most pivotal moments of the presidential candidate's political career. The video, obtained from a Chicago TV station, is of Obama's 2002 speech in opposition to the impending Iraq invasion. |accessdate=2008-10-28}} {{cite news |author=Pallasch, Abdon M. |date=2007-10-03 |work=Chicago Sun-Times |page=26 |title=Obama touts anti-war cred; Kicks off tour 5 years after speech critical of going to Iraq |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CSTB&p_theme=cstb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=headline(Obama%20touts%20anti-war%20cred)%20AND%20date(all)&p_field_advanced-0=title&p_text_advanced-0=(Obama%20touts%20anti-war%20cred)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no |format=paid archive |accessdate=2008-10-28}}</ref> On March 16, 2003, the day Bush issued his 48-hour [[ultimatum]] to [[Saddam Hussein]] to leave Iraq before the U.S. [[2003 invasion of Iraq|invasion of Iraq]],<ref>{{cite web |author=Office of the Press Secretary |date=2003-03-16 |title=President Bush: Monday "Moment of Truth" for World on Iraq |publisher=The White House |url=http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/03/20030316-3.html |accessdate=2008-02-17}} {{cite news |author=Associated Press |date=2003-03-17 |work=Chicago Sun-Times |page=1 |title='Moment of truth for the world'; Bush, three allies set today as final day for Iraq to disarm or face massive military attack |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CSTB&p_theme=cstb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=headline(Moment%20of%20truth%20for%20the%20world)%20AND%20date(all)&p_field_advanced-0=title&p_text_advanced-0=(Moment%20of%20truth%20for%20the%20world)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no |format=paid archive |accessdate=2008-02-03}}</ref> Obama addressed the largest Chicago anti-Iraq War rally to date in [[Richard J. Daley Center|Daley Plaza]] and told the crowd that "it's not too late" to stop the war.<ref>{{cite news |author=Ritter, Jim |date=2003-03-17 |work=Chicago Sun-Times |page=3 |title=Anti-war rally here draws thousands |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CSTB&p_theme=cstb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=headline(Anti-war%20rally%20here%20draws%20thousands)%20AND%20date(all)&p_field_advanced-0=title&p_text_advanced-0=(Anti-war%20rally%20here%20draws%20thousands)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no |format=paid archive |accessdate=2008-02-03}}</ref> Although Obama had previously said he wanted all the U.S. troops out of Iraq within 16 months of becoming President, after he won the primary, he said he might "refine" that promise. <ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/uselection2008/barackobama/2243536/US-election-Barack-Obama-wobbles-on-withdrawing-Iraq-troops.html US election: Barack Obama wobbles on withdrawing Iraq troops], telegraph.co.uk, July 4, 2008</ref>

Obama stated that if elected he would enact budget cuts in the range of tens of billions of dollars, stop investing in "unproven" [[National missile defense|missile defense systems]], not "weaponize" space, "slow development of [[Future Combat Systems]]," and work towards eliminating all [[Nuclear warfare|nuclear weapons]]. Obama favors ending development of new nuclear weapons, reducing the current U.S. nuclear stockpile, enacting a global ban on production of fissile material, and seeking negotiations with Russia in order to take [[Intercontinental ballistic missile|ICBMs]] off high alert status.<ref>{{cite video |people=Barack Obama |date2=2007-10-22 |title=Obama-Caucus4Priorities |url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o84PE871BE |format=flv |publisher=Obama '08 |accessdate=2008-05-18}}</ref>

In November 2006, Obama called for a "phased redeployment of U.S. troops from Iraq" and an opening of diplomatic dialogue with [[Syria]] and [[Iran]].<ref>For audio and text, see: {{cite web |first=Barack |last=Obama |title=A Way Forward in Iraq |date=2006-11-20 |url=http://www.thechicagocouncil.org/hottopics_details.php?hottopics_id=52 |publisher=Chicago Council on Global Affairs |accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref> In a March 2007 speech to [[American Israel Public Affairs Committee|AIPAC]], a [[Israel lobby in the United States|pro-Israel lobby]], he said that the primary way to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons is through talks and diplomacy, although he did not rule out military action.<ref>{{cite web |first=Barack |last=Obama |title=AIPAC Policy Forum Remarks |date=2007-03-02 |url=http://obama.senate.gov/speech/070302-aipac_policy_fo/index.php |publisher=Barack Obama U.S. Senate Office |accessdate=2008-01-30}} For Obama's 2004 Senate campaign remarks on possible missile strikes against Iran, see: {{cite news |last=Mendell |first=David |title=Obama Would Consider Missile Strikes on Iran |format=paid archive |date=2004-09-25 |publisher=Chicago Tribune |url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/699578571.html?dids=699578571:699578571&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref> Obama has indicated that he would engage in "direct presidential diplomacy" with Iran without preconditions.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://origin.barackobama.com/issues/foreign_policy/ |title=Barack Obama and Joe Biden's Plan to Secure America and Restore Our Standing |publisher=Obama for America|accessdate=2008-09-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/02/us/politics/01cnd-obama.html?_r=2&ei=5088&en=6e53bced62b78a88&ex=1351656000&oref=slogin&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin |title=Obama Pledges 'Aggressive' Iran Diplomacy |author=Gordon, Michael R. and Zeleny, Jeff |work=The New York Times|date=2007-11-02|accessdate=2008-06-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/24/us/politics/24transcript.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all|title=Transcript of fourth Democratic debate |work=The New York Times |date=2007-07-24 |accessdate=2008-06-17}}</ref> Detailing his strategy for fighting global terrorism in August 2007, Obama said "it was a terrible mistake to fail to act" against a 2005 meeting of al-Qaeda leaders that U.S. intelligence had confirmed to be taking place in Pakistan's [[Federally Administered Tribal Areas]]. He said that as president he would not miss a similar opportunity, even without the support of the Pakistani government.<ref>{{cite news |title=Obama Warns Pakistan on Al-Qaeda |date=2007-08-01 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6926663.stm |work=BBC News |accessdate=2008-01-14}} For video and text of the speech, see: {{cite news |title=Policy Address on Terrorism by The Honorable Barack Obama, United States Senator from Illinois |date=2007-08-01 |url=http://www.wilsoncenter.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=events.event&event_id=269510 |work=Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars |accessdate=2008-01-30}} For details of the aborted 2005 military operation, see {{cite news |first=Mark |last=Mazzetti |title=Rumsfeld Called Off 2005 Plan to Capture Top Qaeda Figures |date=2007-07-08 |url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/07/08/news/qaeda.php |work=International Herald Tribune |accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref>

In a December 2005, ''Washington Post'' opinion column, and at the [[Save Darfur Coalition|Save Darfur]] rally in April 2006, Obama called for more assertive action to oppose [[genocide]] in the [[War in Darfur|Darfur region]] of [[Sudan]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Barack |last=Obama |coauthors=Sam Brownback |title=Policy Adrift on Darfur |date=2005-12-27 |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/26/AR2005122600547.html |work=The Washington Post |accessdate=2008-01-14}} {{cite news |first=Jim |last=Doyle |title=Tens of Thousands Rally for Darfur |date=2006-05-01 |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/05/01/MNGFBIIFOA1.DTL |work=San Francisco Chronicle |accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref> He has [[divestment|divested]] $180,000 in personal holdings of Sudan-related stock, and has urged divestment from companies doing business in Iran.<ref>{{cite news |first=Jim (Associated Press) |last=Kuhnhenn |title=Giuliani, Edwards Have Sudan Holdings |date=2007-05-17 |work=San Francisco Chronicle |url=http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/05/17/politics/p171906D95.DTL |accessdate=2008-01-14}}; {{cite news |first=Barack |last=Obama |title=Hit Iran Where It Hurts |date=2007-08-30 |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2007/08/30/2007-08-30_hit_iran_where_it_hurts.html |work=New York Daily News |accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref> In the July–August 2007 issue of ''[[Foreign Affairs]]'', Obama called for an outward looking post-Iraq War [[Foreign policy of the United States|foreign policy]] and the renewal of American military, diplomatic, and moral leadership in the world. Saying that "we can neither retreat from the world nor try to bully it into submission," he called on Americans to "lead the world, by deed and by example."<ref>{{cite journal |first=Barack |last=Obama |title=Renewing American Leadership |date=July–August 2007 |volume=86 |issue=4 |url=http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20070701faessay86401/barack-obama/renewing-american-leadership.html |journal=Foreign Affairs |accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref>

In economic affairs, in April 2005, he defended the New Deal social welfare policies of [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] and opposed Republican proposals to establish private accounts for [[Social Security debate (United States)|Social Security]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Ben A |last=Franklin |title=The Fifth Black Senator in U.S. History Makes F.D.R. His Icon |date=2005-06-01 |url=http://www.washingtonspectator.com/articles/20050601obama_1.cfm |work=Washington Spectator |accessdate=2008-01-14 }}</ref> In the aftermath of [[Hurricane Katrina]], Obama spoke out against government indifference to growing economic class divisions, calling on both political parties to take action to restore the [[social safety net]] for the poor.<ref>{{cite news |first=Jeff |last=Zeleny |title=Judicious Obama Turns Up Volume |date=2005-09-12 |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0509120140sep12,0,5564730.story |work=Chicago Tribune |accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref> Shortly before announcing his presidential campaign, Obama said he supports [[universal health care]] in the United States.<ref>{{cite news |first=Nedra |last=Pickler |title=Obama Calls for Universal Health Care within Six Years |date=2007-01-25 |publisher=Associated Press via ''Union-Tribune'' (San Diego) |url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/20070125-1240-democrats-healthcare.html |accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref> Obama proposes to reward teachers for performance from traditional [[merit pay]] systems, assuring unions that changes would be pursued through the [[collective bargaining]] process.<ref>{{cite news |first=Teddy |last=Davis |coauthors=Sunlen Miller |title=Obama Bucks Party Line on Education |date=2007-11-20 |url=http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Story?id=3894699 |publisher=ABC News |accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref>

[[Image:Obamarally.jpg|thumb|right|Obama speaking at a rally at the [[University of Missouri]] in [[Columbia, Missouri]]]]

In September 2007, he blamed [[interest group|special interests]] for distorting the [[taxation in the United States|U.S. tax code]].<ref>{{cite news |title=A Speech On the Economy, Opportunity and Tax Policy with Senator Barack Obama |date=2007-09-18 |url=http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/events/obama.cfm |publisher=Tax Policy Center |accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref> His plan would eliminate taxes for [[senior citizen]]s with incomes of less than $50,000 a year, repeal income tax cuts for those making over $250,000 as well as the capital gains and dividends tax cut,<ref>{{citenews |title=Study:Bush tax cuts favor wealthy |date=2004-08-13 |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/08/16/politics/main636398.shtml |publisher=CBS |accessdate=2008-04-05}}</ref> close corporate tax loopholes, lift the income cap on Social Security taxes, restrict offshore [[tax haven]]s, and simplify filing of income tax returns by pre-filling wage and bank information already collected by the [[Internal Revenue Service|IRS]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Obama Tax Plan: $80 Billion in Cuts, Five-Minute Filings |date=2007-09-18 |url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/09/18/obama.taxplan/ |publisher=CNN |accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref> Announcing his presidential campaign's energy plan in October 2007, Obama proposed a [[emissions trading|cap and trade]] auction system to restrict carbon emissions and a ten year program of investments in new energy sources to reduce [[Energy policy of the United States|U.S. dependence on imported oil]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Jeff |last=Zeleny |title=Obama Proposes Capping Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Making Polluters Pay |date=2007-10-09 |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/09/us/politics/09obama.html |work=The New York Times |accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref> Obama proposed that all pollution credits must be auctioned, with no [[grandfather clause|grandfathering]] of credits for oil and gas companies, and the spending of the revenue obtained on energy development and economic transition costs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/ObamaBlueprintForChange.pdf|title=The Blueprint for Change: Barack Obama's plan for America|author=Barack Obama|publisher=Obama for America |accessdate=2008-04-20|format=PDF}}</ref>

Obama has encouraged Democrats to reach out to [[evangelicalism|evangelicals]] and other religious groups.<ref>{{cite news |first=Michael |last=Lerner |title=U.S. Senator Barack Obama Critiques Democrats' Religiophobia |date=2006-07-03 |url=http://www.tikkun.org/rabbi_lerner/news_item.2006-07-02.3949597607 |work=Tikkun Magazine |accessdate=2008-01-14}} {{cite web|url=http://www.beliefnet.com/News/2006/07/Sen-Barack-Obama-Revisiting-His-Historic-Speech-On-Faith-And-Politics.aspx |title=Sen. Barack Obama: Call to Renewal Keynote Address |date=2006-06-28 |work=Beliefnet |accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref> In December 2006, he joined Sen. [[Sam Brownback]] ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]]-[[Kansas|KS]]) at the "Global Summit on [[AIDS]] and the Church" organized by church leaders Kay and [[Rick Warren]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Manda |last=Gibson |title=At Global AIDS Summit, Churches Challenged to Take the Lead |date=2006-06-28 |url=http://www.purposedriven.com/en-US/HIVAIDSCommunity/StartingAMinistry/churches_challenged_to_take_the_lead.htm |work=PurposeDriven.com |accessdate=2008-01-14}}{{dead link|url=http://www.purposedriven.com/en-US/HIVAIDSCommunity/StartingAMinistry/churches_challenged_to_take_the_lead.htm|date=November 2008}}</ref> Together with Warren and Brownback, Obama took an HIV test, as he had done in Kenya less than four months earlier.<ref>{{cite news |title=Screaming Crowds Welcome U.S. Senator 'Home' |date=2006-08-27 |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/africa/08/26/kenya.obama/index.html |publisher=CNN |accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref> He encouraged "others in public life to do the same" and not be ashamed of it.<ref>{{cite news |first=Barack |last=Obama |title=Race Against Time—World AIDS Day Speech |date=2006-12-01 |url=http://obama.senate.gov/speech/061201-race_against_time_-_world_aids_day_speech/index.html |work=Obama U.S. Senate Office |accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref> Addressing over 8,000 [[United Church of Christ]] members in June 2007, Obama challenged "so-called leaders of the [[Christian Right]]" for being "all too eager to exploit what divides us."<ref>{{cite news |title=Barack Obama: Faith Has Been 'Hijacked' |date=2007-06-24 |publisher=Associated Press via CBS News |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/06/24/politics/main2971556.shtml |accessdate=2008-01-14 }} See also: {{cite news |first=David |last=Brody |title=Obama to CBN News: We're No Longer Just a Christian Nation |date=2007-07-30 |url=http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/204016.aspx |work=Christian Broadcasting Network |accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref>

==Family and personal life==
{{main|Early life and career of Barack Obama|Family of Barack Obama}}
[[Image:Barack and michelle .jpg|thumb|right|Barack Obama and his wife [[Michelle Obama]]]]

Obama met his wife, [[Michelle Obama|Michelle Robinson]], in June 1989, when he was employed as a summer associate at the Chicago law firm of [[Sidley Austin]].<ref>Obama (2006), pp. 327–332. See also: {{cite news |first=Sarah |last=Brown |title=Obama '85 Masters Balancing Act |date=2005-12-07 |work=Daily Princetonian |url=http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/archives/2005/12/07/news/14049.shtml |accessdate=2008-04-28}} {{cite news |first=Eric |last=Tucker |title=Family Ties: Brown Coach, Barack Obama |date=2007-03-01 |publisher=ABC News |url=http://www.abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory?id=2916437 |agency=Associated Press |accessdate=2008-04-28}}</ref> Assigned for three months as Obama's adviser at the firm, Robinson joined him at group social functions, but declined his initial offers to date.<ref>Obama (2006), p. 329.</ref> They began dating later that summer, became engaged in 1991, and were married on October 3, 1992.<ref>{{cite news |first=Scott |last=Fornek |title=Michelle Obama: 'He Swept Me Off My Feet' |date=2007-10-03 |url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/585261,CST-NWS-wedding03.stng |work=Chicago Sun-Times |accessdate=2008-04-28}}</ref> The couple's first daughter, [[Family of Barack Obama#Malia Ann and Sasha Obama|Malia Ann]], was born in 1998,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/0708/Born_on_the_4th_of_July.html |title=Born on the 4th of July |date=2008-07-04 |accessdate=2008-07-10 |publisher=[[The Politico]] |last=Martin |first=Jonathan}}</ref> followed by a second daughter, [[Family of Barack Obama#Malia Ann and Sasha Obama|Natasha ("Sasha")]], in 2001.<ref>Obama (1995, 2004), p. 440, and Obama (2006), pp. 339–340. See also: {{cite web |title=Election 2008 Information Center: Barack Obama |url=http://www.gannettnewsservice.com/?cat=153 |work=Gannett News Service |accessdate=2008-04-28}}</ref> In Chicago, the Obamas sent their daughters to the private [[University of Chicago Laboratory Schools]]. When they start living in Washington D.C., they will be sending the girls to the private [[Sidwell Friends School]]. <ref>[http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/11/22/america/Obama-School.php "Obamas choose private Sidwell Friends School"], 'International Herald Tribune'', November 22, 2008</ref>

Obama was known as "Barry" in his youth, but asked to be addressed with his given name during his college years.<ref>{{cite news |title=When Barry Became Barack |date=2008-03-31 |work=Newsweek |url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/128633 |accessdate=2008-11-06}}</ref>

Applying the proceeds of a book deal, in 2005 the family moved from a [[Hyde Park, Chicago|Hyde Park]], Chicago condominium to their current $1.6 million house in neighboring [[Kenwood, Chicago|Kenwood]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Jeff |last=Zeleny |title=The First Time Around: Sen. Obama's Freshman Year |date=2005-12-24 |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-051224obama,0,6232648.story |work=Chicago Tribune |accessdate=2008-04-28}}</ref> The purchase of an adjacent lot and sale of part of it to Obama by the wife of developer and friend [[Tony Rezko]] attracted media attention because of Rezko's indictment and subsequent conviction on political corruption charges that were unrelated to Obama.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24973282/ |title=Rezko found guilty in corruption case |accessdate=2008-06-24 |date=2008-06-04 |work=The Associated Press |publisher=MSNBC.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/16/AR2006121600729.html |title=Obama Says He Regrets Land Deal With Fundraiser |work=The Washington Post |date=2006-12-17 |accessdate=2008-06-10|last=Slevin |first=Peter}}</ref>

In December 2007, ''[[Money (magazine)|Money]]'' magazine estimated the Obama family's net worth at $1.3 million.<ref>{{cite news |title=Obama's Money |date=2007-12-07 |url=http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/moneymag/0712/gallery.candidates.moneymag/5.html |publisher=CNNMoney.com |accessdate=2008-04-28}} See also:
{{cite news |first=Zachary A |last=Goldfarb |title=Measuring Wealth of the '08 Candidates |date=2007-03-24 |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/24/AR2007032400305.html |work=The Washington Post |accessdate=2008-04-28}}</ref> Their 2007 tax return showed a household income of $4.2 million—up from about $1 million in 2006 and $1.6 million in 2005—mostly from sales of his books.<ref>{{cite news |first=Jeff |last=Zeleny |title=Book Sales Lifted Obamas' Income in 2007 to a Total of $4.2 Million |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/17/us/politics/17obama.html |date=2008-04-17 |work=The New York Times |accessdate=2008-04-28}}</ref>

[[Image:BarackObama-Basketball.JPEG|left|thumb|upright|Obama playing basketball with U.S. military in [[Djibouti]] in 2006.<ref>{{cite news|title=Senator Barack Obama Visit to CJTF-HOA and Camp Lemonier: August 31—September 1, 2006 |format=video |date=2007-02-06 |publisher=YouTube |url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9GqdzQeCz0|work=Combined Joint Task Force—Horn of Africa|accessdate=2008-04-28}}</ref>]]

In a 2006 interview, Obama highlighted the diversity of his extended family. "Michelle will tell you that when we get together for Christmas or Thanksgiving, it's like a little mini-United Nations," he said. "I've got relatives who look like [[Bernie Mac]], and I've got relatives who look like [[Margaret Thatcher]]."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oprah.com/slideshow/oprahshow/oprahshow1_ss_20061018/10 |title=Keeping Hope Alive: Barack Obama Puts Family First |date=2006-10-18 |work=The Oprah Winfrey Show |accessdate=2008-06-24}}</ref> Obama has seven half-siblings from his Kenyan father's family, six of them living, and a half-sister with whom he was raised, [[Maya Soetoro-Ng]], the daughter of his mother and her Indonesian second husband.<ref>{{cite news |first=Scott |last=Fornek |title=Half Siblings: 'A Complicated Family' |date=2007-09-09 |url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/familytree/545462,BSX-News-wotrees09.stng |work=Chicago Sun-Times |accessdate=2008-06-24}} See also: {{cite web |url=http://www.suntimes.com/images/cds/special/family_tree.html |title=Interactive Family Tree |date=2007-09-09 |work=Chicago Sun-Times |accessdate=2008-06-24}}</ref> Obama's mother was survived by her Kansas-born mother, Madelyn Dunham<ref>{{cite news |first=Scott |last=Fornek |title=Madelyn Payne Dunham: 'A Trailblazer' |date=2007-09-09 |url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/familytree/545449,BSX-News-wotreeee09.stng |work=Chicago Sun-Times |accessdate=2008-06-24}}</ref> until her death on November 2, 2008, just before the presidential election.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/03/obama.grandma/index.html|title= Obama's grandmother dies after battle with cancer |publisher= CNN |accessdate= 2008-11-04 |date= 2008-11-03}}</ref> In ''Dreams from My Father'', Obama ties his mother's family history to possible [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] ancestors and distant relatives of [[Jefferson Davis]], president of the southern Confederacy during the American Civil War.<ref>Obama (1995, 2004), p. 13. For reports on Obama's maternal genealogy, including slave owners, Irish connections, and common ancestors with George W. Bush, [[Dick Cheney]], and [[Harry S. Truman|Harry Truman]], see: {{cite news |first=David |last=Nitkin |coauthors=Harry Merritt |title=A New Twist to an Intriguing Family History |date=2007-03-02 |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/politics/bal-te.obama02mar02,0,3453027.story |work=Baltimore Sun |accessdate=2008-06-24}} {{cite news |first=Mary |last=Jordan |title=Tiny Irish Village Is Latest Place to Claim Obama as Its Own |date=2007-05-13 |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/12/AR2007051201551.html |work=The Washington Post |accessdate=2008-06-24}} {{cite news |title=Obama's Family Tree Has a Few Surprises |date=2007-09-08 |publisher=CBS 2 (Chicago) |url=http://cbs2chicago.com/topstories/Barack.Obama.family.2.339709.html |agency=Associated Press |accessdate=2008-06-24}}</ref>

Obama plays [[basketball]], a sport he participated in as a member of his high school's varsity team.<ref>{{cite news |first=Jodi |last=Kantor |title=One Place Where Obama Goes Elbow to Elbow |date=2007-06-01 |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/01/us/politics/01hoops.html |work=The New York Times |accessdate=2008-04-28}} See also: {{cite news |title=The Love of the Game |format=video |date=2008-04-15 |publisher=YouTube (BarackObama.com) |url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1Lqm5emQl4 |work=[http://www.hbo.com/realsports/stories/2008/episode.133.s1.html HBO: Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel] |accessdate=2008-04-28}}</ref> While he has never been a heavy smoker, Obama has tried to [[Smoking cessation|quit smoking]] several times, including a well-publicized effort which he began before launching his presidential campaign.<ref>{{cite news |first=Christi |last=Parsons |title=Obama Launches an '07 Campaign—To Quit Smoking |date=2007-02-06 |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-0702060167feb06,0,373462.story |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20080216014954/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-0702060167feb06,0,373462.story |archivedate=2008-02-16 |work=Chicago Tribune |accessdate=2008-04-28}}</ref> Obama has said he will not smoke in the White House.<ref>{{cite news|accessdate=
|url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081207/pl_nm/us_usa_obama_smoking_3
|title=Obama says he won't be smoking in White House
|date=2008-12-07 |agency=Reuters |work=Yahoo!News}}</ref>

Obama is a [[Protestant]] [[Christianity|Christian]] whose religious views have evolved in his adult life. In ''[[The Audacity of Hope]]'', Obama writes that he "was not raised in a religious household." He describes his mother, raised by non-religious parents (whom Obama has specified elsewhere as "non-practicing Methodists and Baptists") to be detached from religion, yet "in many ways the most spiritually awakened person that I have ever known." He describes his father as "raised a [[Muslim]]," but a "confirmed [[atheism|atheist]]" by the time his parents met, and his stepfather as "a man who saw religion as not particularly useful." In the book, Obama explains how, through working with [[black church]]es as a community organizer while in his twenties, he came to understand "the power of the African-American religious tradition to spur social change."<ref>Obama (2006), pp. 202–208. Portions excerpted in: {{cite news |first=Barack |last=Obama |title=My Spiritual Journey |date=2006-10-23 |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1546579,00.html |work=Time |accessdate=2008-04-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://obama.senate.gov/speech/060628-call_to_renewal/ |title='Call to Renewal' Keynote Address |accessdate=2008-06-16 |last=Obama |first=Barack |date=2006-06-28 |work=Barack Obama: U.S. Senator for Illinois (website)}}</ref> He was baptized at the [[Trinity United Church of Christ]] in 1988 and was an active member there for two decades.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/04/30/america/30obama.php?page=2|title=Barack Obama's search for faith|first=Jodi |last=Kantor|date=April 30, 2007|publisher=International Herald Tribune}}
April 30, 2007</ref><ref name=Time_Obama_20061016>{{cite journal
|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1546579,00.html
|title=My Spiritual Journey|first=Barack |last=Obama
|date=2006-10-23|journal=[[Time (magazine)|TIME]]}}</ref>

==Cultural and political image==
{{main|Public image of Barack Obama}}
With his black Kenyan father and white American mother, his upbringing in [[Honolulu]] and [[Jakarta]], and his [[Ivy League]] education, Obama's early life experiences differ markedly from those of African-American politicians who launched their careers in the 1960s through participation in the [[African-American Civil Rights Movement (1955–1968)|civil rights movement]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Wallace-Wells |first=Benjamin |title=The Great Black Hope: What's Riding on Barack Obama? |date=November 2004 |work=Washington Monthly |url=http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2004/0411.wallace-wells.html |accessdate=2008-04-07}} See also: {{cite news |first=Janny |last=Scott |title=A Member of a New Generation, Obama Walks a Fine Line |date=2007-12-28 |url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/12/28/america/obama.php |work=International Herald Tribune |accessdate=2008-04-07}}</ref> Expressing puzzlement over questions about whether he is "black enough", Obama told an August 2007 meeting of the [[National Association of Black Journalists]] that the debate is not about his physical appearance or his record on issues of concern to black voters. Obama said that "we're still locked in this notion that if you appeal to white folks then there must be something wrong."<ref>{{cite news |first=Les |last=Payne |title=In One Country, a Dual Audience |format=paid archive |date=2007-08-19 |url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/newsday/access/1322008241.html?dids=1322008241:1322008241&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |work=Newsday |accessdate=2008-04-07}}</ref>

Echoing the [[inaugural address of John F. Kennedy]], Obama acknowledged his youthful image in an October 2007 campaign speech, saying: "I wouldn't be here if, time and again, the torch had not been passed to a new generation."<ref>{{cite news |first=Mike |last=Dorning |title=Obama Reaches Across Decades to JFK |format=paid archive |date=2007-10-04 |url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/1353513781.html?dids=1353513781:1353513781&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Oct+4%2C+2007&author=Mike+Dorning |work=Chicago Tribune |accessdate=2008-04-07}} See also: {{cite news |first=Toby |last=Harnden |title=Barack Obama is JFK Heir, Says Kennedy Aide |date=2007-10-15 |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1565992/Barack-Obama-is-JFK-heir%2C-says-Kennedy-aide.html |work=Daily Telegraph |accessdate=2008-04-07}}</ref> A popular [[catch phrase]] distilled the concept: "[[Rosa Parks|Rosa]] sat so [[Martin Luther King|Martin]] could walk; Martin walked so Obama could run; Obama is running so our children can fly."<ref>[http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/july-dec08/obamahistory_11-05.html "Obama's Win Earns Emotional Reactions, Turns Page in History,"] PBS NewsHour. November 5, 2008; Block, Melissa. [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96215190 "St. Louis Voters Discuss Struggles, Election Hopes,"] National Public Radio. October 28, 2008.</ref>

Obama has been praised as a master of [[oratory]] on par with other renowned speakers in the past such as Dr. [[Martin Luther King, Jr.]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/world/a-classic-orator-obama-learnt-from-the-masters-20081129-6nf1.html|title=Obama: Oratory and originality|last=Holmes|first=Stephanie|date=November 30, 2008|accessdate=2008-12-11|publisher=The Age}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/us_elections_2008/7735014.stm|title=A classic orator, Obama learnt from the masters|last=Higgans|first=Charlotte|date=November 19, 2008|accessdate=2008-12-11|publisher=BBC}}</ref> His "[[Yes We Can]]" speech, which artists independently set to music in a popular video produced by [[Will.i.am]], was viewed by 10 million people on [[Youtube]] in the first month,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article3491460.ece|title=Celebrities join YouTube revolution|last=Strange|first=Hannah|date=2008-03-05|work=The Times (UK)|accessdate=2008-12-18}}</ref> and received an [[Emmy Award]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/soundboard/2008/06/emmys-give-knuc.html|title=Emmys give knuckle bump to will.i.am; more videos on the way|last=Wappler|first=Margaret|date=2008-06-20|work=Los Angeles Times|accessdate=2008-12-18}}</ref> [[University of Virginia]] professor [[Jonathan Haidt]] researched the effectiveness of Obama's public speaking and concluded that part of his excellence is because the politician is adept at inspiring the emotion of [[Elevation (psychology)|elevation]], the desire to act morally and do good for others.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thestar.com/living/article/551538|title=New emotion dubbed 'elevation|date=December 11, 2008|publisher=[[Toronto Star]]|language=English|accessdate=2008-12-11}}</ref>

Many commentators mentioned Obama's international appeal as a defining factor for his public image.<ref>[http://www.theroot.com/id/48102 ''The Root'']; [http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-06-12-poll_N.htm ''USA Today'']</ref> Not only did several polls show strong support for him in other countries,<ref>{{cite news|accessdate=
|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/09/09/2360240.htm?section=world
|title=World wants Obama as president: poll |agency=Reuters|date=2008-09-09
|work=ABC News |location=Australia}}</ref> but Obama also established close relationships with prominent foreign politicians and elected officials even before his presidential candidacy, notably with then current [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|British Prime Minister]] [[Tony Blair]], whom he met in [[London]] in 2005,<ref>{{cite press release|accessdate=
|url=http://obama.senate.gov/press/050823-obama_to_visit/
|title=Obama to visit nuclear, biological weapons destruction facilities in former Soviet Union
|date=2005-08-24 |publisher=Obama.senate.gov}}</ref> with [[Italy]]'s [[Democratic Party (Italy)|Democratic Party]] leader and then [[Mayor]] of [[Rome]] [[Walter Veltroni]], who visited Obama's Senate office in 2005,<ref>[http://www.partitodemocratico.it/allegatidef/veltroni63375.pdf Quel giorno di tre anni fa a Washington Barack mi raccontò la sua speranza][http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601085&sid=aea6jJJwShpQ&refer=europe Rome Mayor's Leadership Bid May Lead to Early Italian Elections]; [http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/2005/aprile/30/politico_prevale_sull_amministratore_co_10_050430003.shtml VELTRONI A NEW YORK - Il politico prevale sull' amministratore]; [http://store.libreriarizzoli.it/4DLink/4DAction/MostraScheda?Codice=978881701658 Libreria Rizzoli Galleria]</ref> and
with [[President of France|French President]] [[Nicolas Sarkozy]], who also visited him in [[Washington, D.C.|Washington]] in 2006.<ref>{{cite web
|url = http://www.economist.com/blogs/certainideasofeurope/2008/02/sarkozy_obama_and_mccain.cfm
|type =
|title = Sarkozy, Obama and McCain
|work = [[The Economist]]
|last = Pedder
|first = Sophie
|date = 20 February 2008
|accessdate = 2008-11-20
}}</ref>

Obama won [[Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album|Best Spoken Word Album]] [[Grammy Award]]s for [[abridgement|abridged]] [[audiobook]] versions of both of his books; for ''[[Dreams from My Father]]'' in February 2006 and for ''[[The Audacity of Hope]]'' in February 2008.<ref>{{cite news |author=Goodman, Dean |date=2008-02-10 |title=Obama or Clinton? Grammys go for Obama |publisher=Reuters |url=http://www.reuters.com/article/musicNews/idUSN0852813420080210
|accessdate=2008-11-24}}</ref>

In December 2008, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine named Barack Obama as its [[Person of the Year]] for his historic candidacy and election, which it described as "the steady march of seemingly impossible accomplishments."<ref>{{cite web | last=Von Drehle |first=David | title=Why History Can't Wait | url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/2008/personoftheyear/article/0,31682,1861543_1865068,00.html?cnn=yes | work=Person of the Year 2008 |format=Cover article |publisher=[[Time Magazine]] | date=16 December 2008 | accessdate=December 17, 2008}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist|2|colwidth=30em}}

==References==
{{refbegin}}
*{{cite book |last=Mendell |first=David |year=2007 |title=Obama: From Promise to Power |location=New York |publisher=Amistad/[[HarperCollins]] |url=http://www.harpercollins.com/book/index.aspx?isbn=9780060858209 |isbn=0-06-085820-6}}
*{{cite book |last=Obama |first=Barack |year=1995, 2004 |title=[[Dreams from My Father|Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance]] |location=New York |publisher=[[Three Rivers Press]] |isbn=1-4000-8277-3}}
*{{cite book |last=Obama |first=Barack |year=2006 |title=[[The Audacity of Hope|The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream]] |location=New York |publisher=[[Crown Publishing Group]] |isbn=0-307-23769-9}}
{{refend}}

==Further reading==
{{BarackObamaSegmentsUnderInfoBox}}
{| style="float:right;"
|{{Spoken Wikipedia|En-Barack_Obama-article1.ogg|2008-09-03}}
|}

*Graff, Garrett. "[http://www.washingtonian.com/articles/mediapolitics/1836.html The Legend of Barack Obama]", ''Washingtonian'', November 1, 2006. Retrieved on 2008-01-14.
*Curry, Jessica. "[http://www.chicagolife.net/content/politics/Barack_Obama Barack Obama: Under the Lights]", ''Chicago Life'', Fall 2004. Retrieved on 2008-01-14.
*Lizza, Ryan. "[http://men.style.com/gq/features/landing?id=content_5841 Above the Fray]", ''GQ'', September 2007. Retrieved on 2008-01-14.
*Koltun, Dave (2005) ''"The 2004 Illinois Senate Race: Obama Wins Open Seat and Becomes National Political “Star”"'' in ''"The Road to Congress 2004"'' Editors: [[Sunil Ahuja]] ([[Youngstown State University]]) and [[Robert Dewhirst]] ([[Truman State University|Northeast Missouri State University]]), [[Nova Publishers|Nova Science Publishers]], Haupauge, New York, Binding: Hardcover Pub. Date: 2005, ISBN 1-59454-360-7
*MacFarquhar, Larissa. "[http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/05/07/070507fa_fact_macfarquhar The Conciliator: Where is Barack Obama Coming From?]", ''New Yorker'', May 7, 2007. Retrieved on 2008-01-14.
*Mundy, Liza. "[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/08/AR2007080802038.html A Series of Fortunate Events]", ''The Washington Post Magazine'', August 12, 2007. Retrieved on 2008-01-14.
*Wallace-Wells, Ben. "[http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/13390609/campaign_08_the_radical_roots_of_barack_obama Destiny's Child]", ''Rolling Stone'', February 7, 2007. Retrieved on 2008-01-14.
*Zutter, Hank De. "[http://www.chicagoreader.com/obama/951208/ What Makes Obama Run?]", ''Chicago Reader'', December 8, 1995. Retrieved on 2008-01-14.

==External links==
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===Official sites===
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===Congressional links===
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===Site directory===
* {{dmoz|Society/History/By_Region/North_America/United_States/Presidents/Obama,_Barack}}
*{{worldcat id|id=lccn-n94-112934}}

===News media===
{{wikinewscat}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/user/ChangeDotGov The ChangeDotGov YouTube Channel]
*[http://www.youtube.com/user/BarackObamadotcom The BarackObamadotcom YouTube Channel]
*{{bbcnews|2/hi/americas/us_elections_2008/7697829.stm|US election results map}}
*{{bbcnews|2/hi/in_pictures/7709830.stm|In pictures: Election result reaction}}
*{{bbcnews|2/hi/americas/us_elections_2008/7710020.stm|In quotes: US election reaction}}
*[http://www.reuters.com/article/vcCandidateFeed2/idUSTRE4A43VA20081105 FACTBOX: Barack Obama, Democratic President-elect] (''[[Reuters]]'', November 5, 2008)
*Ongoing news coverage from the [http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/index.html Chicago Sun-Times], [http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/obama/ Chicago Tribune], [http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/barackobama The Guardian], [http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/ Washington Post]

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[[Category:African American academics]]
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Revision as of 22:53, 6 January 2009

Now this is the story all about how, My life got flipped, turned upside down, And I'd like to take a minute, just sit right there, I'll tell you how I became the prince of a town called Bel Air.

In West Philadelphia I was born and raised On the playground is where I spent most of my days. Chillin' out, maxin', relaxin all cool, And all shootin' some b-ball outside of the school.

When a couple of guys who were up to no good, Started makin' trouble in my neighborhood. I got in one little fight and my mom got scared, And said "You're movin' with your auntie and uncle in bel Air."

I whistled for a cab, and when it came near, The license plate said "fresh" and it had dice in the mirror. If anything I could say that this cat was rare, But I thought "Nah forget it, Yo home to Bel Air."

I pulled up to the house about seven or eight, and I yelled to the cabby "Yo homes, smell ya later." Looked at my kingdom, I was finally there, To sit on my throne as the Prince of Bel Air.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Barack_Obama&oldid=262402631"