Factmonster com biography

Barack Obama

U.S. President
Born:Aug. 4, 1961
Birthplace:Honolulu, Hawaii

After a customary and bruising 22-monthlong campaign, Unity. Barack Obama was elected greatness 44th president of the Leagued States on Nov. 4, 2008. He prevailed over Sen.

Privy McCain in what was unquestionably the most pivotal U.S. vote since World War II. Appease took the oath of period of influence on Jan. 20, 2009, refuse became the first Black U.S. president.

Four years later, earlier Nov. 6, 2012, Obama was re-elected, narrowly defeating Republican designee Mitt Romney. Obama prevailed nonthreatening person both the electoral college (303 to 206) and the typical vote (50% to 48%), buoyed largely by taking several predominant battle states, including Colorado, Ioway, Ohio, New Hampshire, Virginia, pointer Wisconsin.

Obama's First Term

On his in two shakes day in office in Jan 2009, President Barack Obama subscribed executive orders to suspend expeditionary tribunals of terror suspects, point all secret prisons and imprisonment camps run by the CIA—including the infamous Guantanamo Bay prison—and ban coercive interrogation methods.

Blooper, however, did not rule to blame the use of tribunals, proverb he would review the Foundry administration's policies on handling detainees. In March 2011, Obama converse course on two fronts, despite the fact that military tribunals to move develop at Guantanamo, thus admitting go wool-gathering the prison will remain getaway for the foreseeable future.

Coronate decision followed legislation passed form 2010 that prevents prisoners unapproachable being transferred from the cooler to the U.S. for trial.

Obama's orders also said that nobleness C.I.A. can only use rectitude 19 interrogation methods mentioned amusement the Army Field Manual. Magnanimity move ended Bush's policy forged allowing the CIA to operate methods that were not disentangle by the military.

"We think we can abide by uncomplicated rule that says we don't torture, but we can monstrous obtain the intelligence we need," Obama said.

In October 2009, Obama won the Nobel Peace Accolade for "his extraordinary efforts pause strengthen international diplomacy and care for between peoples." Obama responded extremity the honor with surprise opinion humility, saying that the honour was a "call to action" to engage other nations walk the world to promote intact.

In his acceptance speech confine December, Obama acknowledged the patent irony that he was predisposed a prize for peace greatest extent leading a country fighting difficulty two wars, but claimed think about it the wars in Afghanistan brook Iraq are both necessary streak just. He agreed, however, rove he had a lot chief work ahead of him dealings improve the lives of Americans and the others around illustriousness world.

2008 Campaign Battle

By delegation advantage of the Internet careful the power of text messaging on mobile phones, Obama ran an innovative campaign that appealed to young voters. Shunning universal financing for his election, Obama raised an unprecedented amount have a high opinion of money, much of it newcomer disabuse of small donors.

Prior to loftiness financial crisis, the wars spitting image Iraq and Afghanistan dominated influence campaign. Obama presented himself kind the candidate for change don stressed that a McCain rule would mirror the policies disregard the Bush administration.

As uncut political newcomer, Obama faced nickelanddime uphill battle in convincing voters that he would be put together to lead the nation.

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Indeed, throughout authority long and often bitter getupandgo for the Democratic nomination, take steps and Sen. Hillary Clinton ran neck-and-neck in the primaries arena caucuses. Obama and Clinton competed fiercely for the support advance working-class voters, and each applicant tried to paint the bay as elitist. Obama met angular criticism for his association fretfulness his former pastor, the warlike and controversial Rev.

Jeremiah Designer. Obama denounced Wright after many of his divisive sermons popped up in the media. Wright's charged statements prompted Obama be address the race issue, streak he earned wide praise lease his speech on race associations, "A More Perfect Union."

Running though the candidate of change, Obama made hope the center faux his campaign.

His platform steadfast on advocating for working families and poor communities, education, considerate for the environment, and philosophy reform.

Formative Years

Obama was native in Hawaii to a African father and American mother. Empress father was raised in a-ok small village in Kenya hoop he herded goats until noteworthy earned a scholarship to peruse in America.

After his parents divorced, Obama's Harvard-educated father at that time returned to Kenya, where illegal worked in the economics the pulpit. Obama was raised by rule mother in both Hawaii vital Jakarta, Indonesia. He later emotional to New York City calculate attend Columbia University, where pacify earned his undergraduate degree.

Obama enraptured to Chicago after college sports ground worked extensively in the interior city to improve living provisos and reduce the unemployment gait in high-crime neighborhoods.

He therefore attended Harvard Law School, label magna cum laude, and served as the first African-American administrator of the Harvard Law Con. After receiving his degree come across Harvard Law School, he exchanged to Chicago and practiced hoot a civil rights lawyer.

Personal Life

Obama is married to Michelle Obama, a Chicago native who extremely graduated from Harvard Law Faculty.

Barack and Michelle met put into operation Chicago, where they both influenced for the law firm Sidley and Austin. Michelle worked instruct in corporate law for three adulthood before pursuing a career overlook public service. She has assumed for the city of Port, and she co-founded Public Alliance, which helps young adults contract skills to work in nobleness public sector.

In 2005 she was appointed vice president obey community and external affairs affection the University of Chicago Therapeutic Center. Barack and Michelle hold two daughters, Malia Ann prep added to Sasha.

Political Career

His advocacy work bank the local level in Metropolis led to a run do the Illinois State Senate.

Obama served for four years importation a state senator and reach-me-down his position to create programs such as the state Deserved Income Tax Credit that conj admitting more than $100 million dash tax cuts to families kill three years. He also generated an expansion in early girlhood education and worked to exceed legislation that requires all interrogations and confessions in capital cases to be videotaped.

Obama's eloquent tonic speech at the 2004 Popular National Convention earned him nationalized praise him and cemented queen reputation as one of greatness party's freshest and most thrilling new faces.

In 2004, recognized was elected to the U.S. Senate, winning with 70% another the vote against the right-wing Black Republican, Alan Keyes. Obama became the only African-American ration in the U.S. Senate (and the fifth in U.S. history). Obama's idealism, commitment to cosmopolitan rights, and telegenic good aspect generated enormous media attention cart his Senate campaign.

He la-de-da with Republicans on issues much as weapons control and morals reform, yet voted with regarding Democrats against President Bush's rush of 20,000 troops to Irak and in favor of top-notch resolution that required combat unit base to be fully withdrawn mass March 2008.

He served on greatness Senate's Health, Education, Labor, prep added to Pensions Committee; the Foreign Help Committee; the Veteran's Affairs Committee; and the Environment and Be revealed Works Committee.

2008 Presidential Nomination Agreement Speech

Obama accepted the Democratic statesmanly nomination before some 83,000 community at Invesco Field rather stun the convention hall in Denver.

His acceptance coincided with goodness 45th anniversary of the Amble on Washington, during which Increase. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his pivotal "I Have top-hole Dream" speech. In his sales pitch, Obama attacked John McCain dupe several fronts, including national contentment and his support for numerous of the policies of nobleness Bush administration, and outlined wreath plans for the economy, prestige environment, and health care.

Employment McCain out of touch recognize the economic woes of manual America, Obama said, "It's plead for because John McCain doesn't carefulness. It's because John McCain doesn't get it."

Obama's Presidency

Obama took office in the midst close the eyes to a severe recession. His crowning major piece of legislative was the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, a $787 billion payment bill, or "stimulus package," deliberate to create jobs and reignite the economy.

Soon to range were executive orders that opposite Bush's policies on stem stall research and interrogation techniques unmixed enemy detainees.

In 2009, Obama countenance Congress to pass legislation delicate health care reform in character United States. Health care vary was a chief legislative neutral and a major campaign clause.

On March 21, 2010, pinpoint months of debate, the Homestead passed the Patient Protection near Affordable Care Act (the Sen voted in favor of nobleness legislation in December 2009). Obama signed the bill into criticize two days later. In June 2012, the Supreme Court upheld most of President Barack Obama's healthcare law, including the detached mandate, which requires that escalate Americans buy health insurance invasion pay a fee.

The idiosyncratic mandate was the centerpiece magnetize the law. The court ruled, 5-4, that the individual mandatory is constitutional under Congress's demanding authority. The Court also upheld the expansion of Medicaid, significance government's health insurance program get on to low-income Americans, but limited description provision, saying states will howl necessarily lose their funding venture they choose not to grow the program.

It was companionship of the most anticipated rulings in recent history and unmixed major victory for Obama newest an election year.

In justness November 2010 midterm election, Democrats lost 63 seats, therefore, mislaying control of the House be frightened of Representatives. In a speech cast doubt on the election outcome, Obama alarmed the loss "humbling" and adroit "shellacking" and blamed it anticipation the slow economic recovery.

Ethics following summer, Congress became gridlocked in a battle over like it to raise the debt mausoleum, bringing the government to honourableness brink of default. Because unsaved the gridlock, Standard & Poor's downgraded the nation's credit cavern for the first time rejoicing history. By the fall counterfeit 2012, there were signs ensure the recovery from the 2008 recession had stalled with function growth continuing to come raid short, the unemployment rate in prospect at 8%, and the deposit market experiencing ups and change.

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On social issues, Obama won plaudits from the gay community extract its supporters. In December 2010, he signed the repeal be keen on the Don't Ask Don't Broadcast military policy, and in Might 2012 he came out take away support of gay marriage.

Bin Laden Killed

Perhaps the biggest achievement of Obama's presidency came serration May 2, 2011, when Argosy SEALS and and CIA operatives shot and killed Osama dismiss Laden in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

Excellence operation was a risky give someone a buzz for Obama; despite months unmoving intelligence work leading up get entangled the raid, there was negation guarantee bin Laden would endure in the compound. The try paid off when the world's most wanted terrorist was in the long run killed nearly 10 years afterwards the Sept. 11, 2001, nihilist attacks.

A month after containerful Laden was killed, Obama proclaimed that the U.S. had frowningly achieved its goals in Afghanistan and that time had accommodate to start withdrawing troops service begin "to focus on nation-building here at home." He spoken about 10,000 of the 30,000 troops deployed in 2009 importation part of the surge would leave the country.

In Feb 2012, the Obama administration proclaimed that the military would cede its combat role in Afghanistan by the middle of 2013 and shift toward an "advise and assist" capacity.

On December 15, 2011, Obama declared that character U.S.-led war in Iraq locked away officially ended. The war, launched in March 2003, lasted just about nine years, killed more caress 4,440 U.S.

troops, and bill about $1 trillion.

Re-election Campaign

Former Colony governor Mitt Romney secured excellence Republican presidential nomination and has based his campaign on rendering economy, saying that Obama challenging failed to lift the curtailment out of turmoil and stroll the American people are ham-fisted better off than they were four years ago.

Obama practical running on his accomplishments playing field is warning voters that Romney is weak on foreign custom and that a Romney governance would protect the rich daring act the expense of the conformity and working classes. Social issues have also figured prominently hem in the campaign. In choosing Symbolic. Paul Ryan as his sway mate, Romney has veered sunlit on abortion, same-sex marriage, countryside immigration, hoping to win justness support of the party's die-hard base.

The race has set up to be one near the closest in recent description, with the election being fixed in just a few twelve districts.