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{{Short description|President of the United States from 2009 to 2017}}
{{Redirect4|Barack|Obama|other uses|[[Barack (disambiguation)]] and [[Obama (disambiguation)]]}}
{{Redirect2|Barack|Obama||Barack (disambiguation)|and|Obama (disambiguation)|and|Barack Obama (disambiguation)}}
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{{Infobox Officeholder
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|image = Official portrait of Barack Obama.jpg
{{Use American English|date=September 2020}}
|alt = A portrait shot of a serious looking middle-aged African-American male looking straight ahead. He has short black hair, and is wearing a dark navy blazer with a blue striped tie over a light blue collared shirt. In the background are two flags hanging from separate flagpoles: an American flag, and one from the Executive Office of the President.
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2023}}
|order = [[List of Presidents of the United States|44th]]
{{Infobox officeholder
|office = President of the United States
| image = President Barack Obama.jpg
|vicepresident = [[Joe Biden]]
| alt = Obama standing in the Oval Office with his arms folded and smiling
|term_start = January 20, 2009
| caption = Official portrait, 2012
|term_end =
| order = 44th
|predecessor = [[George W. Bush]]
| office = President of the United States
|successor =
|jr/sr2 vicepresident = United[[Joe States SenatorBiden]]
|state2 term_start = [[Illinois]]January 20, 2009
|term_start2 term_end = January 320, 20052017
|term_end2 predecessor = November[[George 16,W. 2008Bush]]
| successor = [[Donald Trump]]
|predecessor2 = [[Peter Fitzgerald (senator)|Peter Fitzgerald]]
| jr/sr1 = United States Senator
|successor2 = [[Roland Burris]]
|state_senate3 state1 = [[Illinois]]
|state3 term_start1 = IllinoisJanuary 3, 2005
| term_end1 = November 16, 2008
|district3 = 13th
| predecessor1 = [[Peter Fitzgerald (politician)|Peter Fitzgerald]]
|term_start3 = January 8, 1997
| successor1 = [[Roland Burris]]
|term_end3 = November 4, 2004
| state_senate2 = Illinois
|predecessor3 = [[Alice Palmer (politician)|Alice Palmer]]
| district2 = [[Illinois's 13th Senate district|13th]]
|successor3 = [[Kwame Raoul]]
| predecessor2 = [[Alice Palmer (politician)|Alice Palmer]]
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1961|8|4}}<ref name="biography">{{cite web|url=http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/president_obama/|title=President Barack Obama|publisher = [[White House|The White House]]|accessdate=December 12, 2008}}</ref>
| term_start2 = January 8, 1997
|birth_place = [[Honolulu]], United States<ref name="birth-certificate"/>
| term_end2 = November 4, 2004
|death_date =
| successor2 = [[Kwame Raoul]]
|death_place =
| birth_name = Barack Hussein Obama II
|party = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]]
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1961|8|4|mf=yes}}
|spouse = [[Michelle Obama|Michelle Robinson]] <small>(m. 1992–present)</small>
| birth_place = [[Honolulu]], Hawaii, U.S.
|children = [[Family of Barack Obama#Malia and Sasha Obama|Malia<br>Sasha]]
| party = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|residence = [[White House]] <small>(Official)</small><br>[[Chicago, Illinois]] <small>(Private)</small>
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Michelle Obama|Michelle Robinson]]|October 3, 1992}}
|alma_mater = [[Occidental College]]<br>[[Columbia University]]<br>[[Harvard Law School]]
| children = {{flatlist|
|profession = [[Community organizing|Community organizer]]<br>[[Lawyer]]<br> [[Constitutional law]] [[professor]]<br>[[Author]]
* [[Malia Obama|Malia]]
|religion = [[Christianity]]<ref name="Christian"/>
* [[Sasha Obama|Sasha]]
|signature = Barack Obama signature.svg
|signature_alt = Barack Obama
|website = [http://www.whitehouse.gov/ The White House]<br />[http://www.barackobama.com/ Barack Obama]
|footnotes = {{hide in print|1=<div style="background:#ccf;" class="center">'''This article is part of a series about'''</div><div style="font-size:120%; background:#ccf;" class="center">'''Barack Obama'''</div><div style="font-size:120%;" class="center">[[Early life and career of Barack Obama|Background]] {{·}} [[Illinois Senate career of Barack Obama|Illinois Senate]] {{·}} [[United States Senate career of Barack Obama|U.S. Senate]]{{·}} [[Political positions of Barack Obama|Political positions]]{{·}} [[Public image of Barack Obama|Public image]]{{·}} [[Family of Barack Obama|Family]]{{·}} [[Barack Obama presidential primary campaign, 2008|2008 primaries]]{{·}} [[Barack Obama presidential campaign, 2008|Obama–Biden campaign]]{{·}} [[Presidential transition of Barack Obama|Transition]]{{·}}[[Inauguration of Barack Obama|Inauguration]]{{·}}[[Electoral history of Barack Obama|Electoral history]]{{·}} [[Presidency of Barack Obama|Presidency]] ([[Timeline of the Presidency of Barack Obama (2009)|Timeline '09]] [[Timeline of the Presidency of Barack Obama (2010)|'10]], [[Barack Obama's first 100 days|First 100 days]]) {{·}} [[2009 Nobel Peace Prize]] <div style="float:right;">[[#obamaNavbox|''more...'']]</div></div>}}
}}
| parents = {{plainlist|
<!-- PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE OBAMA'S NAME -->'''Barack Hussein Obama II''' ({{IPAc-en|Barack-Hussein-Obama-en-US-pronunciation.ogg|b|ə|ˈ|r|ɑː|k|_|h|uː|ˈ|s|eɪ|n|_|oʊ|ˈ|b|ɑː|m|ə}}; born August 4, 1961) is the [[List of Presidents of the United States|44th]] and [[Presidency of Barack Obama|current]] [[President of the United States]]. He is the [[List of African-American firsts|first]] [[African American]]<!-- PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE OBAMA'S RACE FROM "AFRICAN AMERICAN", per existing consensus. See discussions and FAQ on the talk page --> to hold the office. Obama previously served as the [[Seniority in the United States Senate|junior]] [[United States Senate|United States Senator]] from [[Illinois]], from January 2005 until he resigned after [[United States presidential election, 2008|his election]] to the presidency in November 2008.
* [[Barack Obama Sr.]]
* [[Ann Dunham]]
}}
| relatives = [[Obama family]]
| education = {{plainlist|
* [[Columbia University]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])
* [[Harvard Law School|Harvard University]] ([[Juris Doctor|JD]])
}}
| occupation = {{flatlist|
* Politician
* lawyer
* author
}}
| awards = [[List of awards and honors received by Barack Obama|Full list]]
| signature = Barack Obama signature.svg
| signature_alt = Cursive signature in ink
| website = {{plainlist|
* {{Official website|https://barackobama.com}}
* {{Official website|https://www.obama.org|name=Obama Foundation}}
* {{Official website|obamawhitehouse.archives.gov|name=White House Archives}}
}}
| module = {{Listen|pos=center|embed=yes|filename=President Obama on the death of Osama bin Laden.ogg|title=Barack Obama's voice|type=speech|description=Obama on the [[Killing of Osama bin Laden|death of Osama bin Laden]]<br />Recorded May 2, 2011}}
| citizenship = <!-- use only when necessary per [[WP:INFONAT]] -->
}}
{{Barack Obama sidebar}}
'''Barack Hussein Obama II'''{{efn|Pronounced {{IPAc-en|audio=Barack Hussein Obama.wav|b|ə|ˈ|r|ɑː|k|_|h|uː|ˈ|s|eɪ|n|_|oʊ|ˈ|b|ɑː|m|ə}}, {{respell|bə|RAHK}} {{respell|hoo|SAYN}} {{respell|oh|BAH|mə}}<ref>{{YouTube|clMEg4-N7ao|"Barack Hussein Obama Takes The Oath Of Office"}}. January 20, 2009.</ref>}} (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician <!--NOTE: The lead sentence should stick to what he is primarily known for. The infobox is there to include additional occupations.-->who served as the 44th [[president of the United States]] from 2009 to 2017. As a member of the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]], he was the first [[African-American presidents of the United States in popular culture|African-American <!-- DO NOT LINK PER MOS:OVERLINK --> president]] in U.S. history. Obama previously served as a [[U.S. senator]] representing [[Illinois]] from 2005 to 2008 and as an [[Illinois state senator]] from 1997 to 2004. <!--PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE FROM "AFRICAN AMERICAN", per consensus. See discussions and FAQ (Q2) on the talk page.-->
 
Obama was born in [[Honolulu, Hawaii]]. He graduated from [[Columbia University]] in 1983 with a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree in political science and later worked as a [[community organizer]] in [[Chicago]]. In 1988, Obama would enroll in [[Harvard Law School]], where he became the first black president of the ''[[Harvard Law Review]]''. He became a civil rights attorney and an academic, teaching [[constitutional law]] at the [[University of Chicago Law School]] from 1992 to 2004. He also went into elective politics; Obama [[Illinois Senate career of Barack Obama|represented the 13th district in the Illinois Senate]] from 1997 until 2004, when he [[2004 United States Senate election in Illinois|successfully ran for the U.S. Senate]]. In the [[2008 United States presidential election|2008 presidential election]], after [[2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries|a close primary campaign]] against [[Hillary Clinton]], he was nominated by the Democratic Party for president. Obama selected [[Joe Biden]] as his running mate and they defeated [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] nominees [[John McCain]] and [[Sarah Palin]].
 
As president, Obama's first-term actions addressed the [[2007–2008 financial crisis]] and included [[American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009|a major stimulus package]] to guide the economy in recovering from the [[Great Recession]], a partial extension of [[George W. Bush]]'s [[Bush tax cuts|tax cuts]], [[Health care reforms proposed during the Obama administration|legislation to reform health care]], [[Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act|a major financial regulation reform bill]], and the end of a major U.S. [[Iraq War|military presence in Iraq]]. Obama also appointed [[Supreme Court of the United States|Supreme Court]] justices [[Sonia Sotomayor]] and [[Elena Kagan]], the former being the first [[Hispanic American]] on the Supreme Court. He ordered [[Operation Neptune Spear]], the raid that killed [[Osama bin Laden]], who was responsible for the [[September 11 attacks]]. Obama downplayed Bush's [[Counterinsurgency|counterinsurgency model]], expanding [[air strikes]] and making extensive use of special forces while encouraging greater reliance on host government militaries. He also ordered [[2011 military intervention in Libya|military involvement in Libya]] in order to implement [[United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973|UN Security Council Resolution 1973]], contributing to the overthrow of [[Muammar Gaddafi]].
A native of [[Honolulu]], [[Hawaii]], Obama is a graduate of [[Columbia University]] and [[Harvard Law School]], where he was the president of the ''[[Harvard Law Review]]''. He was a [[community organizing|community organizer]] in Chicago before earning his law degree. He worked as a [[civil and political rights|civil rights]] attorney in Chicago and taught [[constitutional law]] at the [[University of Chicago Law School]] from 1992 to 2004.
 
Obama defeated Republican opponent [[Mitt Romney]] in the [[2012 United States presidential election|2012 presidential election]]. In his second term, Obama took steps to [[combat climate change]], signing the [[Paris Agreement]], a major international climate agreement; and an [[executive order]] to limit [[carbon emission]]s. Obama also presided over the implementation of the [[Affordable Care Act]] and other legislation passed in his first term. He negotiated [[Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action|a nuclear agreement with Iran]] and [[Cuban thaw|normalized relations with Cuba]]. The number of [[War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)|American soldiers in Afghanistan]] decreased during Obama's second term, though U.S. soldiers remained in the country throughout his presidency. Obama promoted inclusion for [[LGBT people in the United States|LGBT Americans]], becoming the first sitting U.S. president to publicly support [[Same-sex marriage in the United States|same-sex marriage]].
Obama [[Illinois Senate career of Barack Obama|served]] three terms in the [[Illinois Senate]] from 1997 to 2004. Following an unsuccessful bid for a seat in the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House of Representatives]] in 2000, he ran for United States Senate in 2004. Several events brought him to national attention during the campaign, including his victory in the March 2004 [[United States Senate election in Illinois, 2004#Democratic primary|Democratic primary]] and his prime-time televised [[2004 Democratic National Convention keynote address|keynote address]] at the [[2004 Democratic National Convention|Democratic National Convention]] in July 2004. He won [[United States Senate election in Illinois, 2004|election to the U.S. Senate]] in November 2004. His presidential campaign began in February 2007, and after [[Barack Obama presidential primary campaign, 2008|a close campaign]] in the [[Democratic Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008|2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries]] against [[Hillary Rodham Clinton]], he won his party's nomination. In [[United States presidential election, 2008|the 2008 general election]], he defeated [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] nominee [[John McCain]] and was [[Inauguration of Barack Obama|inaugurated as president]] on January 20, 2009.
 
Obama left office on January 20, 2017, and continues to reside in Washington, D.C. Historians and political scientists rank him among the upper tier in [[Historical rankings of presidents of the United States#Scholar survey summary|historical rankings of American presidents]]. [[Barack Obama Presidential Center|His presidential library]] in the [[South Side of Chicago]] began construction in 2021. Since leaving office, Obama has remained politically active, campaigning for candidates in various American elections, including Biden's [[Joe Biden 2020 presidential campaign|successful presidential bid]] in [[2020 United States presidential election|2020]]. Outside of politics, [[Bibliography of Barack Obama|Obama has published three books]]: ''[[Dreams from My Father]]'' (1995)'', [[The Audacity of Hope]]'' (2006), and ''[[A Promised Land]]'' (2020).
As president, Obama signed [[stimulus (economic)|economic stimulus]] legislation in the form of the [[American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009|American Recovery and Reinvestment Act]] in February 2009. On October 8, 2009, Obama was named the [[2009 Nobel Peace Prize]] [[laureate]].<!--see [[WP:EGG]] before attempting to hide this link!--> In March 2010, he signed the [[Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act]] into law, bringing about comprehensive [[Health care reform in the United States|health care reform]].
 
==Early life and career==
{{Main|Early life and career of Barack Obama}}
[[File:Ann Dunham with father and children.jpg|thumb|left|Obama (right) with grandfather [[Stanley Armour Dunham]], mother [[Ann Dunham]], and half-sister [[Maya Soetoro-Ng|Maya Soetoro]], mid-1970s in [[Honolulu]]|alt=Photo of a young Obama sitting on grass with his grandfather, mother, and half-sister.]]
Barack Hussein Obama II<ref>{{Cite web |title=President Barack Obama {{!}} Barack Obama Presidential Library |url=https://www.obamalibrary.gov/obamas/president-barack-obama |access-date=2024-08-23 |website=www.obamalibrary.gov}}</ref> was born on August 4, 1961,<ref name="biography">{{cite web |year = 2008 |title = President Barack Obama |publisher = The White House |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/president-obama |access-date = December 12, 2008 |url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091026043047/http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/president-obama |archive-date=October 26, 2009 }}</ref> at [[Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children]] in [[Honolulu]], Hawaii.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 27, 2011 |title=President Obama's Long Form Birth Certificate |url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2011/04/27/president-obamas-long-form-birth-certificate |access-date=August 4, 2023 |website=whitehouse.gov |language=en |archive-date=July 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230731152530/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2011/04/27/president-obamas-long-form-birth-certificate |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="birth-certificate" /><ref name="maraniss">{{cite news |author = Maraniss, David |date = August 24, 2008 |title = Though Obama had to leave to find himself, it is Hawaii that made his rise possible |newspaper = The Washington Post |page = A22 |url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/23/AR2008082301620.html |access-date = October 28, 2008 |archive-date = March 28, 2019 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190328164728/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/23/AR2008082301620.html |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author = Nakaso, Dan |date = December 22, 2008 |title = Twin sisters, Obama on parallel paths for years |newspaper = [[The Honolulu Advertiser]] |page = B1 |url = http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2008/Dec/22/ln/hawaii812220320.html |access-date = January 22, 2011 |archive-date = January 29, 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110129023832/http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2008/Dec/22/ln/hawaii812220320.html |url-status = live }}</ref> He is the only president born outside the [[contiguous United States|contiguous 48 states]].<ref name="BarretoO'Bryant2013">{{cite book|last1=Barreto|first1=Amílcar Antonio|first2=Richard L.|last2=O'Bryant|title=American Identity in the Age of Obama|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5VQVAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT18|access-date=May 8, 2017|date=November 12, 2013|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-1-317-93715-9|pages=18–19|chapter=Introduction}}</ref> He was born to an 18-year-old American mother and a 27-year-old Kenyan father. His mother, [[Ann Dunham]] (1942–1995), was born in [[Wichita, Kansas]], and was of English, Welsh, German, Swiss, and Irish descent. In 2007, it was discovered her great-great-grandfather Falmouth Kearney emigrated from the village of [[Moneygall]], Ireland to the United States in 1850.<ref>{{cite web |date=May 23, 2022 |title=On This Day: US President Barack Obama arrives in Ireland for a visit |url=http://www.irishcentral.com/roots/genealogy/obama-irish-ancestor |access-date=August 2, 2022 |website=IrishCentral.com |language=en |archive-date=May 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220516195827/https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/genealogy/obama-irish-ancestor |url-status=live }}</ref> In July 2012, [[Ancestry.com]] found a strong likelihood that Dunham was descended from [[John Punch (slave)|John Punch]], an enslaved African man who lived in the [[Colony of Virginia]] during the seventeenth century.<ref name="ancestry">{{Cite web|url=http://corporate.ancestry.com/press/press-releases/2012/07/ancestry.com-discovers-president-obama-related-to-first-documented-slave-in-america/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402094350/http://corporate.ancestry.com/press/press-releases/2012/07/ancestry.com-discovers-president-obama-related-to-first-documented-slave-in-america/|url-status=dead|title="Ancestry.com Discovers Ph Suggests"|archivedate=April 2, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Stolberg |first1=Sheryl Gay |title=Obama Has Ties to Slavery Not by His Father but His Mother, Research Suggests |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/30/us/obamas-mother-had-african-forebear-study-suggests.html |access-date=July 5, 2024 |work=The New York Times |date=July 30, 2012 |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>Hennessey, Kathleen. [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2012-jul-30-la-pn-obama-related-to-legendary-virginia-slave-genealogist-says-20120730-story.html "Obama related to legendary Virginia slave, genealogists say"] , ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''. July 30, 2012.</ref> Obama's father, [[Barack Obama Sr.]] (1934–1982),<ref>Maraniss (2012), <span class="plainlinks">[https://books.google.com/books?id=Wnna9CLtblAC&pg=PT65 p. 65] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240305141814/https://books.google.com/books?id=Wnna9CLtblAC&pg=PT65#v=onepage&q&f=false |date=March 5, 2024 }}</span>: He had been born inside the euphorbia hedges of the K'obama homestead on June 18, 1934.</ref><ref>Liberties (2012), <span class="plainlinks">[https://books.google.com/books?id=8d9NAAAAQBAJ&pg=SL1-PA202 p. 202] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240305141817/https://books.google.com/books?id=8d9NAAAAQBAJ&pg=SL1-PA202#v=onepage&q&f=false |date=March 5, 2024 }}</span>: The age of his father is questionable since June 18, 1934, is on most of the documents Obama Sr. filled out for his United States student visa; however, Obama II's book ''Dreams of My Father'' states his father's birth date was June 18, 1936. Immigration and Naturalization Service records indicate the birth date to be June 18, 1934, thereby making Obama Sr. twenty-seven at the birth of Obama II instead of the annotated twenty-five on the birth certificate.</ref> was a married<ref name="autogenerated2">{{cite news |last=Jacobs |first=Sally |url=https://www.npr.org/2011/07/11/137553552/president-obamas-father-a-bold-and-reckless-life |title=President Obama's Father: A 'Bold And Reckless Life' |publisher=NPR |date=July 6, 2011 |access-date=January 16, 2020 |archive-date=December 23, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191223124234/https://www.npr.org/2011/07/11/137553552/president-obamas-father-a-bold-and-reckless-life |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Swaine |first=Jon |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/barackobama/8481779/Barack-Obamas-father-forced-out-of-US-in-1960s.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/barackobama/8481779/Barack-Obamas-father-forced-out-of-US-in-1960s.html |archive-date=January 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Barack Obama's father 'forced out of US in 1960s' |newspaper=Telegraph |date=April 29, 2011 |access-date=January 16, 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Rachel L. |last=Swarns |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/19/nyregion/letters-by-and-about-barack-obamas-father.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160618145445/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/19/nyregion/letters-by-and-about-barack-obamas-father.html |archive-date=June 18, 2016 |url-access=limited |url-status=live |title=Words of Obama's Father Still Waiting to Be Read by His Son |work=The New York Times |date=June 18, 2016 |access-date=January 16, 2020}}</ref> [[Luo people of Kenya and Tanzania|Luo Kenyan]] from [[Nyang'oma Kogelo]].<ref name="autogenerated2" /><ref>{{cite news |author=David R Arnott |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/photo/obamas-old-school-his-ancestral-village-world-reacts-us-presidential-flna1C6912948 |title=From Obama's old school to his ancestral village, world reacts to US presidential election |work=NBC News |access-date=January 16, 2020 |archive-date=October 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028204719/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/photo/obamas-old-school-his-ancestral-village-world-reacts-us-presidential-flna1C6912948 |url-status=live }}</ref> His last name, Obama, was derived from his Luo descent.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bearak |first=Max |date=June 19, 2016 |title=The fascinating tribal tradition that gave Obama his last name |newspaper=[[Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/06/19/the-fascinating-tribal-tradition-that-gave-obama-his-last-name/ |access-date=November 20, 2022 |archive-date=November 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221107203003/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/06/19/the-fascinating-tribal-tradition-that-gave-obama-his-last-name/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Obama's parents met in 1960 in a Russian language class at the [[University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa]], where his father was a foreign student on a scholarship.<ref name="Jones 2007">{{cite news |author = Jones, Tim |date = March 27, 2007 |title = Barack Obama: Mother not just a girl from Kansas; Stanley Ann Dunham shaped a future senator |newspaper = [[Chicago Tribune]] |page = 1 (Tempo) |url=http://gbppr.dyndns.org/~gbpprorg/obama/barack.mother.txt |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170207112933/http://gbppr.dyndns.org/~gbpprorg/obama/barack.mother.txt |archive-date = February 7, 2017 }}</ref><ref name="Obama 1995, 2004, pp. 9–10">Obama (1995, 2004), pp. 9–10.
* Scott (2011), pp. 80–86.
* Jacobs (2011), pp. 115–118.
* Maraniss (2012), pp. 154–160.</ref> The couple married in [[Wailuku, Hawaii]], on February 2, 1961, six months before Obama was born.<ref name="Ripley 2008">{{cite news |author = Ripley, Amanda |date = April 9, 2008 |title = The story of Barack Obama's mother |magazine = [[Time (magazine)|Time]] |url = http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1729685,00.html |access-date = April 9, 2007 |archive-date = August 28, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130828141021/http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1729685,00.html |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>Scott (2011), p. 86.
* Jacobs (2011), pp. 125–127.
* Maraniss (2012), pp. 160–163.</ref>
 
In late August 1961, a few weeks after he was born, Barack and his mother moved to the [[University of Washington]] in [[Seattle]], where they lived for a year. During that time, Barack's father completed his undergraduate degree in economics in Hawaii, graduating in June 1962. He left to attend graduate school on a scholarship at [[Harvard University]], where he earned an [[Master of Arts|M.A.]] in economics. Obama's parents divorced in March 1964.<ref>Scott (2011), pp. 87–93.
Barack Obama was born on August 4, 1961<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|accessdate=October 24, 2008}}</ref> at [[Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women & Children|Kapi'olani Maternity & Gynecological Hospital]] in [[Honolulu]], Hawaii, United States,<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|work=Washington Post|date=August 24, 2008|accessdate=October 27, 2008}}</ref> to [[Ann Dunham|Stanley Ann Dunham]],<ref>For Stanley Ann's first name, see Obama (1995, 2004), p. 19</ref> an American of mostly English, but also [[Ethnic Germans|German]],<ref>{{cite web|publisher=[[USA Today]]|url= http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-06-04-obama-roots_N.htm |title= Researchers: Obama has German roots|date=6/4/2009|accessdate=May 12, 2010}}</ref> descent from [[Wichita, Kansas]],<ref name="Kansas"/> and [[Barack Obama, Sr.]], a [[Luo (Kenya and Tanzania)|Luo]] from [[Nyang’oma Kogelo]], [[Nyanza Province]], [[Kenya Colony]]. Obama is the first President to have been born in Hawaii.<ref>{{cite web|last=Rudin |first=Ken |url=http://www.npr.org/blogs/politicaljunkie/2009/12/todays_junkie_segment_on_totn_5.html |title=NPR's ''Political Junkie'', December 23, 2009, accessed December 30, 2009 |publisher=Npr.org |date=December 23, 2009 |accessdate=April 18, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Heard on Tell Me More |url=http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=96126355 |title=Asian Writer Ponders First Asian President Too |publisher=Npr.org |date=October 29, 2008 |accessdate=April 18, 2010}}</ref> Obama's parents met in 1960 in a [[Russian language]] class at the [[University of Hawaii at Manoa|University of Hawaii at Mānoa]], where his father was a foreign student on scholarship.<ref>Obama (1995, 2004), pp. 9–10. For book excerpts, see{{cite news|title=Barack Obama: Creation of Tales|date=November 1, 2004|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=September 27, 2007|work=East African|accessdate=April 13, 2008}}</ref><ref name="Jones 2007">{{cite news|author=Jones, Tim|date=March 27, 2007|title=Barack Obama: Mother not just a girl from Kansas. Stanley Ann Dunham shaped a future senator|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|page=1 (Tempo)|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/obama/chi-0703270151mar27-archive,0,5853572,full.story|accessdate=March 27, 2007}}</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=April 9, 2008|work=Time|accessdate=April 9, 2007}}</ref> but separated when Barack Sr. went to [[Harvard University]] on scholarship, and divorced in 1964.<ref name="Jones 2007"/> Obama Sr. remarried and returned to Kenya, visiting Barack in Hawaii only once, in 1971. He died in an automobile accident in 1982.<ref>{{cite news|first=Kevin|last=Merida|title=The Ghost of a Father|date=December 14, 2007|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2007/12/13/ST2007121301893.html|work=Washington Post|accessdate=June 24, 2008}}
* Jacobs (2011), pp. 115–118, 125–127, 133–161.
* {{Cite news|first=Philip|last=Ochieng|title=From Home Squared to the US Senate: How Barack Obama Was Lost and Found|date=November 1, 2004|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=September 27, 2007|work=East African|accessdate=June 24, 2008}}</ref>
* Maraniss (2012), pp. 170–183, 188–189.</ref> Obama Sr. returned to [[Kenya]] in 1964, where he married for a third time and worked for the Kenyan government as the Senior Economic Analyst in the Ministry of Finance.<ref>Obama "Dreams from My Father a Story of Race and Inheritance"</ref> He visited his son in Hawaii only once, at Christmas 1971,<ref>Scott (2011), pp. 142–144.
* Jacobs (2011), pp. 161–177, 227–230.
* Maraniss (2012), pp. 190–194, 201–209, 227–230.</ref> before he was killed in an automobile accident in 1982, when Obama was 21 years old.<ref>{{cite news |author = Ochieng, Philip |date = November 1, 2004 |title = From home squared to the US Senate: how Barack Obama was lost and found |newspaper = [[The EastAfrican]] |location = Nairobi |url = http://www.nationmedia.com/EastAfrican/01112004/Features/PA2-11.html |archive-date = September 27, 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070927223905/http://www.nationmedia.com/EastAfrican/01112004/Features/PA2-11.html }}
* {{cite news |author = Merida, Kevin |date = December 14, 2007 |title = The ghost of a father |newspaper = The Washington Post |page = A12 |url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2007/12/13/ST2007121301893.html |access-date = June 25, 2008 |archive-date = August 29, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080829185447/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2007/12/13/ST2007121301893.html |url-status = live }}
* Jacobs (2011), pp. 251–255.
* Maraniss (2012), pp. 411–417.</ref> Recalling his early childhood, Obama said: "That my father looked nothing like the people around me—that he was black as pitch, my mother white as milk—barely registered in my mind."<ref name="Obama 1995, 2004, pp. 9–10" /> He described his struggles as a young adult to reconcile social perceptions of his multiracial heritage.<ref>{{cite news |author = Serrano, Richard A. |date = March 11, 2007 |title = Obama's peers didn't see his angst |newspaper = Los Angeles Times |page = A20 |url=https://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-obamahawaii11-2007mar11,0,199085,full.story |access-date = March 13, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081108080115/http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-obamahawaii11-2007mar11,0,199085,full.story |archive-date = November 8, 2008 }}
* Obama (1995, 2004), Chapters 4 and 5.</ref>
 
In 1963, Dunham met [[Lolo Soetoro]] at the [[University of Hawaii]]; he was an [[Native Indonesian|Indonesian]] [[East–West Center]] [[graduate student]] in [[geography]]. The couple married on [[Molokai]] on March 15, 1965.<ref>Scott (2011), pp. 97–103.
After her divorce, Dunham married [[Indonesia]]n student [[Lolo Soetoro]], who was attending college in Hawaii. When [[Suharto]], a military leader in Soetoro's home country, [[Transition to the New Order|came to power]] in 1967, all Indonesian students studying abroad were recalled, and the family moved to the [[Menteng]] neighborhood of [[Jakarta]].<ref>Obama (1995, 2004), pp. 44–45.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://thejakartaglobe.com/home/statue-of-us-president-barack-obama-to-be-unveiled-in-jakarta-park/346178 |title=Statue of a Young Obama To Watch Over Indonesian Capital |publisher=The Jakarta Globe |date=December 9, 2009 |accessdate=February 19, 2010}}</ref> From ages six to ten, Obama attended local schools in Jakarta, including [[State Elementary School Menteng 01|Besuki Public School]] and St. Francis of Assisi School.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-12/10/content_12624443.htm |title=From Chinaview.cn |publisher=News.xinhuanet.com |date=December 10, 2009 |accessdate=April 18, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/24/AR2007012400371_pf.html |title=Obama Debunks Claim About Islamic School |work=The Washington Post |date=January 24, 2007 |accessdate=April 18, 2010 | first=Nedra | last=Pickler}}</ref>
* Maraniss (2012), pp. 195–201, 225–230.</ref> After two one-year extensions of his [[J-1 visa]], Lolo returned to [[Indonesia]] in 1966. His wife and stepson followed sixteen months later in 1967. The family initially lived in the Menteng Dalam neighborhood in the [[Tebet, South Jakarta|Tebet]] district of [[South Jakarta]]. From 1970, they lived in a wealthier neighborhood in the [[Menteng]] district of [[Central Jakarta]].<ref>Maraniss (2012), pp. 195–201, 209–223, 230–244.</ref>
 
===Education===
In 1971, Obama returned to Honolulu to live with his maternal grandparents, [[Madelyn Dunham|Madelyn]] and [[Stanley Armour Dunham]], and attended [[Punahou School]], a private [[college preparatory school]], from the fifth grade until his graduation from high school in 1979.<ref>{{cite news|first=Peter|last=Serafin|title=Punahou Grad Stirs Up Illinois Politics|date=March 21, 2004|url=http://archives.starbulletin.com/2004/03/21/news/story4.html|work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin|accessdate=April 13, 2008}}
[[File:Barry Soetoro school record.jpg|thumb|Obama's Indonesian school record in St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Elementary School. Obama was enrolled as "Barry Soetoro" (no. 1), and was wrongly recorded as an Indonesian citizen (no. 3) and a Muslim (no. 4).<ref name="Suhartono 3/19/2010">{{Cite news|last=Suhartono|first=Anton|date=March 19, 2010|title=Sekolah di SD Asisi, Obama Berstatus Agama Islam|work=Okezone|url=https://nasional.okezone.com/read/2010/03/19/337/313977/sekolah-di-sd-asisi-obama-berstatus-agama-islam|language=Indonesian|access-date=January 21, 2021|archive-date=January 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128041130/https://nasional.okezone.com/read/2010/03/19/337/313977/sekolah-di-sd-asisi-obama-berstatus-agama-islam|url-status=live}}</ref>|alt=Scan of Obama's elementary school record, where he is wrongly recorded as Indonesian and Muslim.]]
* Obama (1995, 2004), Chapters 3 and 4.</ref> Obama's mother returned to Hawaii in 1972, remaining there until 1977 when she went back to Indonesia to work as an [[anthropology|anthropological]] field worker. She finally returned to Hawaii in 1994 and lived there for one year, before dying of [[ovarian cancer]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Amanda|last=Ripley|title=The Story of Barack Obama's Mother|date=April 9, 2008|url=http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1729524,00.html|work=Time|accessdate=June 24, 2008}}
At the age of six, Obama and his mother had moved to Indonesia to join his stepfather. From age six to ten, he was registered in school as "Barry"<ref name="Suhartono 3/19/2010" /> and attended local [[Indonesian Language|Indonesian-language]] schools: ''Sekolah Dasar Katolik Santo Fransiskus Asisi'' (St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Elementary School) for two years and [[State Elementary School Menteng 01|''Sekolah Dasar Negeri Menteng 01'']] (State Elementary School Menteng 01) for one and a half years, supplemented by English-language [[Calvert School]] homeschooling by his mother.<ref>Maraniss (2012), pp. 216, 221, 230, 234–244.</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.calverteducation.com/calvert/barack-obama-calvert-homeschooler |title = Barack Obama: Calvert Homeschooler?—Calvert Education Blog |publisher = calverteducation.com |access-date = November 25, 2015 |date = January 25, 2014 |archive-date = March 13, 2017 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170313134441/http://www.calverteducation.com/calvert/barack-obama-calvert-homeschooler |url-status = live }}</ref> As a result of his four years in [[Jakarta]], he was able to speak [[Indonesian language|Indonesian]] fluently as a child.<ref name="in Jakarta" /> During his time in Indonesia, Obama's stepfather taught him to be resilient and gave him "a pretty hardheaded assessment of how the world works".<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.newsweek.com/what-barack-obama-learned-his-father-88011 |title=What Barack Obama Learned from His Father |last=Meacham |first=Jon |date=August 22, 2008 |newspaper=Newsweek |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170107100237/http://www.newsweek.com/what-barack-obama-learned-his-father-88011?rx=us |archive-date=January 7, 2017 |url-status=live |access-date=January 9, 2017 }}</ref>
* {{Cite news|first=Julia|last=Suryakusuma|title=Obama for President... of Indonesia|date=November 29, 2006|work=Jakarta Post|url=http://old.thejakartapost.com/yesterdaydetail.asp?fileid=20061129.F03|accessdate=June 24, 2008}}</ref>
 
In 1971, Obama returned to Honolulu to live with his maternal grandparents, [[Madelyn Dunham|Madelyn]] and [[Stanley Armour Dunham|Stanley Dunham]]. He attended [[Punahou School]]—a private [[University-preparatory school|college preparatory school]]—with the aid of a scholarship from fifth grade until he graduated from high school in 1979.<ref>{{cite news |author = Serafin, Peter |date = March 21, 2004 |title = Punahou grad stirs up Illinois politics |newspaper = [[Honolulu Star-Bulletin]] |url = http://archives.starbulletin.com/2004/03/21/news/story4.html |access-date = March 20, 2008 |archive-date = March 28, 2019 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190328164918/http://archives.starbulletin.com/2004/03/21/news/story4.html |url-status = live }}
[[File:Ann Dunham with father and children.jpg|thumb|float|left|alt=A young boy possibly in his early teens, a younger girl (about age 5), a grown woman and an elderly man, sit on a lawn wearing contemporary circa-1970 attire. The adults wear sunglasses and the boy wears sandals.|Barack Obama and half-sister [[Maya Soetoro-Ng|Maya Soetoro]], with their mother [[Ann Dunham]] and grandfather [[Stanley Armour Dunham|Stanley Dunham]], in Hawaii (early 1970s)]]
* {{cite news |author = Scott, Janny |date = March 14, 2008 |title = A free-spirited wanderer who set Obama's path |work = The New York Times |page = A1 |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/14/us/politics/14obama.html |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080314042735/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/14/us/politics/14obama.html |archive-date = March 14, 2008 |url-access = limited |url-status = live |access-date = November 18, 2011 }}
* Obama (1995, 2004), Chapters 3 and 4.
* Scott (2012), pp. 131–134.
* Maraniss (2012), pp. 264–269.</ref> In high school, Obama continued to use the nickname "Barry" which he kept until making a visit to Kenya in 1980.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.newsweek.com/when-barry-became-barack-84255 |title = When Barry Became Barack |last = Wolffe |first = Richard |date = March 22, 2008 |access-date = March 21, 2016 |work = [[Newsweek]] |archive-date = April 18, 2010 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100418174557/http://www.newsweek.com/id/128633 |url-status = live }}</ref> Obama lived with his mother and half-sister, [[Maya Soetoro-Ng|Maya Soetoro]], in Hawaii for three years from 1972 to 1975 while his mother was a graduate student in [[anthropology]] at the University of Hawaii.<ref>Scott (2011), pp. 139–157.
* Maraniss (2012), pp. 279–281.</ref> Obama chose to stay in Hawaii when his mother and half-sister returned to Indonesia in 1975, so his mother could begin anthropology field work.<ref>Scott (2011), pp. 157–194.
* Maraniss (2012), pp. 279–281, 324–326.</ref> His mother spent most of the next two decades in Indonesia, divorcing Lolo Soetoro in 1980 and earning a PhD degree in 1992, before dying in 1995 in Hawaii following unsuccessful treatment for [[ovarian cancer|ovarian]] and [[uterine cancer]].<ref>Scott (2011), pp. 214, 294, 317–346.</ref>
 
Of his years in Honolulu, Obama wrote:
Of his early childhood, Obama recalled, "That my father looked nothing like the people around me—that he was black as pitch, my mother white as milk—barely registered in my mind."<ref>Obama (1995), pp. 9–10.</ref> He described his struggles as a young adult to reconcile social perceptions of his [[multiracial]] heritage.<ref>Obama (1995), Chapters 4 and 5.
* {{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=January 4, 2008}}</refblockquote> Reflecting later on his formative years in Honolulu, Obama wrote: "The opportunity that Hawaii offered—tooffered&nbsp;— to experience a variety of cultures in a climate of mutual respect—becamerespect&nbsp;— became an integral part of my world view, and a basis for the values that I hold most dear."<ref>{{cite news |firstauthor = Reyes, B. J. |lastdate =Reyes February 8, 2007 |title = Punahou Leftleft Lastinglasting Impressionimpression on Obama |datenewspaper =February 8,Honolulu Star-Bulletin 2007|url = http://archives.starbulletin.com/2007/02/08/news/story02.html|work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin|accessdateaccess-date =January 4February 10, 2008}}2007 |quote = "As a teenager, Obama went to parties and sometimes sought out gatherings on military bases or at the [[University of Hawaii]] that were attended mostly attended by blacks."</ref> Obama|archive-date has= alsoMarch written and talked about using alcohol28, [[Cannabis2019 (drug)|marijuana]]archive-url 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 Nhttps://web.Harchive. Students| date=November 21, 2007|work=Boston Globe |url=org/web/20190328164806/http://wwwarchives.bostonstarbulletin.com/news/nation/articles/2007/1102/2108/obama_gets_blunt_with_nh_studentsnews/|agency=Associatedstory02.html Press|accessdateurl-status =January 4,live 2008}}</ref> </blockquote>
Obama has also written and talked about using [[alcohol (drug)|alcohol]], [[marijuana]], and [[cocaine]] during his teenage years to "push questions of who I was out of my mind".<ref>{{cite news|author=Elliott, Philip |agency=Associated Press |date=November 21, 2007 |title=Obama gets blunt with N.H. students |newspaper=[[The Boston Globe]] |page=8A |url=http://articles.boston.com/2007-11-21/news/29233371_1_barack-obama-education-plan-campaign-trail |access-date=May 18, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120407214401/http://articles.boston.com/2007-11-21/news/29233371_1_barack-obama-education-plan-campaign-trail |archive-date=April 7, 2012 }}</ref> Obama was also a member of the "Choom Gang" (the slang term for smoking marijuana), a self-named group of friends who spent time together and smoked marijuana.<ref>{{cite news |last = Karl |first = Jonathan |work = ABC News |date = May 25, 2012 |title = Obama and His Pot-Smoking 'Choom Gang' |url = https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/05/obama-and-his-pot-smoking-choom-gang/ |access-date = May 25, 2012 |archive-date = May 25, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120525194225/http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/05/obama-and-his-pot-smoking-choom-gang/ |url-status = live }}
* 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.
* {{cite book |first = Barack |last = Obama |year = 2004 |orig-date = 1995 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=HRCHJp-V0QUC&pg=PA93 |title = Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance |pages = 93–94 |publisher = Crown |access-date = June 3, 2016 |isbn = 978-0-307-39412-5 }}
* 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=January 4, 2008}}
* {{cite book |first = David |last = Maraniss |year = 2012 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Wnna9CLtblAC&q=choom |title = Barack Obama: The Story |publisher = Simon and Schuster |at = pages with "choom gang" |access-date = June 3, 2016 |isbn = 978-1-4391-6753-3 |archive-date = March 5, 2024 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240305141808/https://books.google.com/books?id=Wnna9CLtblAC&q=choom#v=snippet&q=choom&f=false |url-status = live }}
* {{Cite news|first=Katharine Q|last=Seelye|title=Obama Offers More Variations From the Norm|date=October 24, 2006|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/24/us/politics/24obama.html|work=New York Times|accessdate=January 4, 2008}}</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 |location=LAKE FOREST, California|date=August 17, 2008|accessdate=January 4, 2009}}</ref>
* 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 |author = Seelye, Katharine Q. |date = October 24, 2006 |title = Obama offers more variations from the norm |newspaper = The New York Times |page = A21 |url = https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D07E2DB173FF937A15753C1A9609C8B63 |access-date = October 29, 2006 |archive-date = May 11, 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110511044339/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D07E2DB173FF937A15753C1A9609C8B63 |url-status = live }}
* {{cite news |author = Romano, Lois |date = January 3, 2007 |title = Effect of Obama's candor remains to be seen |newspaper = The Washington Post |page = A1 |url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/02/AR2007010201359.html |access-date = January 14, 2007 |archive-date = May 11, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080511210621/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/02/AR2007010201359.html |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.pbs.org/video/frontline-choice-2012-again/ |title = FRONTLINE The Choice 2012 |publisher = PBS |date = October 9, 2012 |access-date = October 29, 2012 |archive-date = October 10, 2017 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171010074023/http://www.pbs.org/video/frontline-choice-2012-again/ |url-status = live }}</ref>
 
''' College and research jobs '''
Following high school, Obama moved to Los Angeles in 1979 to attend [[Occidental College]].<ref name="Occidental"/> In February 1981, he made his first public speech, calling for Occidental's [[disinvestment from South Africa|divestment]] from South Africa.<ref name="Occidental"/> In the summer of 1981, Obama traveled to Indonesia to visit his mother and sister Maya, and visited the families of college friends in [[India]] and [[Pakistan]] for three weeks.<ref name="Occidental"/>
 
After graduating from high school in 1979, Obama moved to Los Angeles to attend [[Occidental College]] on a full scholarship. In February 1981, Obama made his first public speech, calling for Occidental to participate in the [[disinvestment from South Africa]] in response to that nation's policy of [[apartheid]].<ref name="Occidental" /> In mid-1981, Obama traveled to Indonesia to visit his mother and half-sister Maya and visited the families of college friends in [[Pakistan]] for three weeks.<ref name="Occidental" /> Later in 1981, he [[College transfer|transferred]] to [[Columbia University]] in New York City as a [[Junior (education year)|junior]], where he majored in [[political science]] with a specialty in [[international relations]]<ref>{{cite news |author = Boss-Bicak, Shira |date = January 2005 |title = Barack Obama '83 |magazine = Columbia College Today |issn = 0572-7820 |url=http://www.college.columbia.edu/cct_archive/jan05/cover.php |access-date = October 1, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080905121815/http://www.college.columbia.edu/cct_archive/jan05/cover.php |archive-date = September 5, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and in [[English literature]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2014/06/26/remarks-president-town-hall|title=Remarks by the President in Town Hall|date=June 26, 2014|via=[[NARA|National Archives]]|work=[[whitehouse.gov]]|access-date=October 15, 2016|archive-date=February 16, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170216133246/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2014/06/26/remarks-president-town-hall|url-status=live}}</ref> and lived off-campus on West 109th Street.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://nymag.com/arts/all/approvalmatrix/approval-matrix-2012-8-27/ |title = The Approval Matrix |date = August 27, 2012 |work = New York |access-date = February 18, 2020 |archive-date = May 19, 2020 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200519005536/https://nymag.com/arts/all/approvalmatrix/approval-matrix-2012-8-27/ |url-status = live }}</ref> He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1983 and a 3.7 [[Grading (education)#United States|GPA]]. After graduating, Obama worked for about a year at the [[Business International Corporation]], where he was a financial researcher and writer,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92337754 |title=Obama's Early Brush With Financial Markets |last=Horsley |first=Scott |date=July 9, 2008 |publisher=[[NPR]] |access-date=July 17, 2017 |archive-date=August 3, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170803005930/http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92337754 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author = Obama, Barack |year = 1998 |title = Curriculum vitae |publisher = The University of Chicago Law School |url=http://www.law.uchicago.edu/faculty/obama/cv.html |archive-date = May 9, 2001 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010509024017/http://www.law.uchicago.edu/faculty/obama/cv.html |access-date = October 1, 2006 }}
Later in 1981 he transferred to [[Columbia University]] in New York City, where he majored in [[political science]] with a specialty 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=June 9, 2008}}</ref> and graduated with a B.A. 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=May 9, 2001|title=Curriculum Vitae|publisher=The University of Chicago Law School|accessdate=November 3, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Sasha|last=Issenberg|title=Obama shows hints of his year in global finance: Tied markets to social aid|date=August 6, 2008 |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=April 13, 2008}}</ref> 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, New Jersey|work=Marquis Who's Who|isbn=9780837970110|accessdate=June 6, 2008|page=3468|publisher=Marquis Who's Who}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Janny|last=Scott|title=Obama's Account of New York Years Often Differs from What Others Say|date=October 30, 2007|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/30/us/politics/30obama.html|work=The New York Times |accessdate=April 13, 2008}} Obama (1995, 2004), pp. 133–140; Mendell (2007), pp. 62–63.</ref>
* {{cite news |author = Issenberg, Sasha |date = August 6, 2008 |title = Obama shows hints of his year in global finance; Tied markets to social aid |newspaper = The Boston Globe |page = 1A |url=https://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/08/06/obama_shows_hints_of_his_year_in_global_finance/ |access-date = August 6, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091107145054/http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/08/06/obama_shows_hints_of_his_year_in_global_finance?page=full |archive-date = November 7, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> then as a project coordinator for the [[New York Public Interest Research Group]] on the [[City College of New York]] campus for three months in 1985.<ref>{{cite news |author = Scott, Janny |date = July 30, 2007 |title = Obama's account of New York often differs from what others say |newspaper = The New York Times |page = B1 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/30/us/politics/30obama.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071031000738/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/30/us/politics/30obama.html |archive-date=October 31, 2007 |url-access=limited |url-status=live |access-date = July 31, 2007 }}
* Obama (1995, 2004), pp. 133–140.
* Mendell (2007), pp. 62–63.</ref><ref name="Who's Who 2008">{{cite book |editor = Chassie, Karen |year = 2007 |title = Who's Who in America, 2008 |page = 3468 |place = New Providence, NJ |publisher = Marquis Who's Who |isbn = 978-0-8379-7011-0 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.newsday.com/news/new-york/obama-stood-out-even-during-brief-1985-nypirg-job-1.885513 |title = Obama stood out, even during brief 1985 NYPIRG job |date = November 9, 2008 |newspaper = Newsday |first = Jason |last = Fink |access-date = March 13, 2014 |archive-date = May 6, 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110506062005/http://www.newsday.com/news/new-york/obama-stood-out-even-during-brief-1985-nypirg-job-1.885513 |url-status = live }}</ref>
 
===Chicago''' communityCommunity organizer and Harvard Law School=== '''
After four years in New York City, Obama was hired in Chicago as director of the Developing Communities Project (DCP), a church-based 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 as a community organizer from June 1985 to May 1988.<ref name="Who's Who 2008"/><ref>{{cite news|author=Secter, Bob; McCormick, John|date=March 30, 2007|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=February 9, 2008|work= Chicago Tribune |page=1|accessdate=June 6, 2008}}
* {{Cite news|first=Ryan|last=Lizza|title=The Agitator: Barack Obama's Unlikely Political Education|format=alternate link|date=March 19, 2007|url=http://www.pickensdemocrats.org/info/TheAgitator_070319.htm|work=New Republic|accessdate=April 13, 2008}}
* 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 {{US$|70000|1985}} to {{US$|400000|1988}}. He helped 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=February 15, 1990|title=A Law Review breakthrough|url=http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/articles/1990/02/15/a_law_review_breakthrough/|format=paid archive|work=The Boston Globe|page=29|accessdate=June 15, 2008}}
* {{Cite news|author=Corr, John|date=February 27, 1990|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=June 6, 2008}}</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=June 6, 2008}}<br />reprinted in:{{cite book|year=1990|pages=35–40|author=Knoepfle, Peg (ed.)|title=After Alinsky: community organizing in Illinois|location=Springfield, Illinois|publisher=Sangamon State University|isbn=0962087335|accessdate=June 6, 2008}}
* {{Cite news|author=Tayler, Letta; Herbert, Keith |date=March 2, 2008|title=Obama forged path as Chicago community organizer|url=http://www.newsday.com/news/nation/obama-forged-path-as-chicago-community-organizer-1.881130|work=Newsday |location=New York |page=A06|accessdate=June 6, 2008}}</ref> In mid-1988, he traveled for the first time in 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> He returned in August 2006 in a visit to his father's birthplace, a village near [[Kisumu]] in rural western Kenya.<ref>{{cite news|first=Nico|last=Gnecchi|title=Obama Receives Hero's Welcome at His Family's Ancestral Village in Kenya|date=February 27, 2006|url=http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2006-08/2006-08-27-voa17.cfm|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20080321161040/http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2006-08/2006-08-27-voa17.cfm|archivedate=March 21, 2008|work=Voice of America|accessdate=June 24, 2008}}</ref>
 
Two years after graduating from Columbia, Obama moved from New York to Chicago when he was hired as director of the [[Developing Communities Project]], a faith-based community organization originally comprising eight Catholic parishes in [[Roseland, Chicago|Roseland]], [[West Pullman, Chicago|West Pullman]], and [[Riverdale, Chicago|Riverdale]] on Chicago's [[South Side, Chicago|South Side]]. He worked there as a community organizer from June 1985 to May 1988.<ref name="Who's Who 2008" /><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Lizza |first=Ryan |date=March 19, 2007 |title=The agitator: Barack Obama's unlikely political education |magazine=The New Republic |volume=236 |issue=12 |pages=22–26, 28–29 |issn=0028-6583 |url=http://www.tnr.com/article/the-agitator-barack-obamas-unlikely-political-education |access-date=August 21, 2007 |archive-date=November 12, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101112225829/http://www.tnr.com/article/the-agitator-barack-obamas-unlikely-political-education |url-status=live }}
In late 1988, Obama entered [[Harvard Law School]]. 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=January 28, 2007|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=June 15, 2008}}
* {{cite news |last1=Secter |first1=Bob |last2=McCormick |first2=John |date=March 30, 2007 |title=Portrait of a pragmatist |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |page=1 |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0703300121mar30-archive,0,2491692,full.story |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091214172131/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0703300121mar30-archive%2C0%2C2491692%2Cfull.story |access-date=May 18, 2012 |archive-date=December 14, 2009 |url-status=dead }}
* {{Cite news|author=Kantor, Jodi|date=January 28, 2007|title=In law school, Obama found political voice|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/28/us/politics/28obama.html?pagewanted=all|work=The New York Times |page=1|accessdate=June 15, 2008}}
* Obama (1995, 2004), pp. 140–295.
* {{Cite news|author=Kodama, Marie C|date=January 19, 2007|title=Obama left mark on HLS|url=http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=516664|work=The Harvard Crimson|accessdate=June 15, 2008}}
* Mendell (2007), pp. 63–83.</ref> He helped set up a job training program, a college preparatory tutoring program, and a tenants' rights organization in [[Altgeld Gardens Homes (Chicago, Illinois)|Altgeld Gardens]].<ref name="Harvard Law 1990a">{{cite news |last = Matchan |first = Linda |date = February 15, 1990 |title = A Law Review breakthrough |newspaper = The Boston Globe |page = 29 |url = https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/articles/1990/02/15/a_law_review_breakthrough |access-date = June 15, 2008 |archive-date = January 22, 2009 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090122000920/http://boston.com/news/politics/2008/articles/1990/02/15/a_law_review_breakthrough/ |url-status = live }}
* {{Cite news|author=Mundy, Liza|title=A series of fortunate events|date=August 12, 2007|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/08/AR2007080802038_pf.html|work=The Washington Post|page=W10|accessdate=June 15, 2008}}
* {{cite news |last = Corr |first = John |date = February 27, 1990 |title = From mean streets to hallowed halls |newspaper = The Philadelphia Inquirer |page = C01 |format = paid archive |url = http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_multi=PI%7CDN%7C&p_product=PHNP&p_theme=phnp&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=Author%28John%20Corr%29%20AND%20date%2802%2F27%2F1990%20to%2002%2F27%2F1990%29%20AND%20date%28all%29&p_field_advanced-0=Author&p_text_advanced-0=%28John%20Corr%29&p_bool_advanced-1=AND&p_params_advanced-1=date%3AB%2CE&p_field_advanced-1=YMD_date&p_text_advanced-1=%2802%2F27%2F1990%20to%2002%2F27%2F1990%29%C3%8Al_numdocs%3D20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date%3AD%C3%8Al_useweights%3Dno |access-date = June 6, 2008 |archive-date = August 28, 2019 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190828224400/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_multi=PI%7CDN%7C&p_product=PHNP&p_theme=phnp&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=Author%28John%20Corr%29%20AND%20date%2802/27/1990%20to%2002/27/1990%29%20AND%20date%28all%29&p_field_advanced-0=Author&p_text_advanced-0=%28John%20Corr%29&p_bool_advanced-1=AND&p_params_advanced-1=date:B,E&p_field_advanced-1=YMD_date&p_text_advanced-1=%2802/27/1990%20to%2002/27/1990%29%C3%8Al_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D%C3%8Al_useweights=no |url-status = live }}</ref> Obama also worked as a consultant and instructor for the [[Gamaliel Foundation]], a community organizing institute.<ref>{{cite magazine |last = Obama |first = Barack |date = August–September 1988 |title = Why organize? Problems and promise in the inner city |magazine = Illinois Issues |volume = 14 |issue = 8–9 |pages = 40–42 |issn = 0738-9663 }} reprinted in:{{break}}{{cite book |editor = Knoepfle, Peg |year = 1990 |title = After Alinsky: community organizing in Illinois |place = Springfield, IL |publisher = Sangamon State University |pages = 35–40 |isbn = 978-0-9620873-3-2 |quote = He has also been a consultant and instructor for the Gamaliel Foundation, an organizing institute working throughout the Midwest. }}</ref> In mid-1988, he traveled for the first time in [[Europe]] for three weeks and then for five weeks in Kenya, where he met many of his [[Jael Obama|paternal relatives]] for the first time.<ref name="Obama 2012">{{cite book |last = Obama |first = Auma |year = 2012 |title = And then life happens: a memoir |location = New York |publisher = St. Martin's Press |isbn = 978-1-250-01005-6 |pages = 189–208, 212–216 }}</ref><ref>Obama (1995, 2004), pp. 299–437.
* {{Cite journal|author=Heilemann, John|title=When they were young|date=October 22, 2007|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=June 15, 2008}}
* Maraniss (2012), pp. 564–570.</ref>
* Mendell (2007), pp. 80–92.</ref> and president of the journal in his second year.<ref name="Harvard Law 1990">{{cite news|author=Butterfield, Fox|date=February 6, 1990|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=June 15, 2008}}
{{external media | float = right | video1 = [http://bostonlocaltv.org/catalog/V_UDAMVZGA4JEY06N Derrick Bell threatens to leave Harvard], April 24, 1990, 11:34, [[WGBH Educational Foundation|Boston TV Digital Archive]]<ref name="wgbh">{{cite news |url=http://bostonlocaltv.org/catalog/V_UDAMVZGA4JEY06N |title=Ten O'Clock News; Derrick Bell threatens to leave Harvard |date=April 24, 1990 |work=[[WGBH Educational Foundation|WGBH]], [[American Archive of Public Broadcasting]] |publisher=WGBH and the [[Library of Congress]] |location=Boston and Washington, D.C. |access-date=September 23, 2016 |archive-date=November 8, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161108075226/http://bostonlocaltv.org/catalog/V_UDAMVZGA4JEY06N |url-status=live }}</ref> Student Barack Obama introduces Professor Derrick Bell starting at 6:25. }}
* {{Cite news|author=Ybarra, Michael J|date=February 7, 1990|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=June 15, 2008}}
* {{Cite news|author=Matchan, Linda|date=February 15, 1990|title=A Law Review breakthrough|url=http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/articles/1990/02/15/a_law_review_breakthrough/|format=paid archive|work=The Boston Globe|page=29|accessdate=June 15, 2008}}
* {{Cite news|author=Corr, John|date=February 27, 1990|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=June 15, 2008}}
* {{Cite news|author=Drummond, Tammerlin|date=March 12, 1990|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=June 15, 2008}}
* {{Cite news|author=Evans, Gaynelle|date=March 15, 1990|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=November 15, 2008}}
* {{Cite news|author=Pugh, Allison J. (Associated Press)|date=April 18, 1990|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=June 15, 2008}}</ref> During his summers, he returned to Chicago, where he worked as a [[summer associate]] at the law firms of [[Sidley Austin]] in 1989 and [[Hopkins & Sutter]] in 1990.<ref>{{cite news|author=Aguilar, Louis|date=July 11, 1990|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=June 15, 2008}}</ref> After graduating with a [[Juris Doctor|Juris Doctor (J.D.)]] [[Latin honors|''magna cum laude'']]<ref name="Juris Doctor"/> 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=May 18, 2008|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=June 15, 2008}} Obama (1995, 2004), pp. xiii–xvii.</ref> which evolved into a personal memoir. The manuscript was published in mid-1995 as ''[[Dreams from My Father]]''.<ref name="Scott 2008a"/>
 
Despite being offered a full scholarship to [[Northwestern University School of Law]], Obama enrolled at [[Harvard Law School]] in the fall of 1988, living in nearby [[Somerville, Massachusetts]].<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=Somerville Scout |issue=January/February 2014 |page=26 |title=Something in the Water |url=https://scoutsomerville.com/feature-something-in-the-water/ |author1=Joey Del Ponte |author2=Somerville Scout Staff |quote=Barack Obama lived in the big, ivy-covered brick building at 365 Broadway{{spaces}}... From 1988 to 1991, the future president resided in a basement apartment while attending Harvard Law School. |access-date=January 1, 2020 |archive-date=January 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200101163528/https://scoutsomerville.com/feature-something-in-the-water/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> 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 |first1 = Michael |last1 = Levenson |first2 = Jonathan |last2 = Saltzman |date = January 28, 2007 |title = At Harvard Law, a unifying voice |newspaper = Boston Globe |page = 1A |url = http://archive.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/01/28/at_harvard_law_a_unifying_voice/ |access-date = June 15, 2008 |archive-date = August 3, 2016 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160803042245/http://archive.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/01/28/at_harvard_law_a_unifying_voice/ |url-status = live }}
===University of Chicago Law School and civil rights attorney===
* {{cite news |author = Kantor, Jodi |date = January 28, 2007 |title = In law school, Obama found political voice |newspaper = The New York Times |page = A1 |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/28/us/politics/28obama.html |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070307091848/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/28/us/politics/28obama.html |archive-date = March 7, 2007 |url-access = limited |url-status = live |access-date = June 15, 2008 }}
In 1991, Obama accepted a two-year position as Visiting Law and Government Fellow at the [[University of Chicago Law School]] to work on his first book.<ref name="Fellow"/> He then served as a professor at the University of Chicago Law School for twelve years—as a Lecturer from 1992 to 1996, and as a Senior Lecturer from 1996 to 2004—teaching [[constitutional law]].<ref>{{cite web|author=University of Chicago Law School|date=March 27, 2008|title=Statement regarding Barack Obama|publisher=University of Chicago Law School|url=http://www.law.uchicago.edu/media/index.html|accessdate=June 10, 2008}}
* {{cite news |author = Mundy, Liza |date = August 12, 2007 |title = A series of fortunate events |newspaper = The Washington Post |page = W10 |url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/08/AR2007080802038_pf.html |access-date = June 15, 2008 |archive-date = August 14, 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070814185300/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/08/AR2007080802038_pf.html |url-status = live }}
* {{cite web|author=Miller, Joe|date=March 28, 2008|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=June 10, 2008}}
* Mendell (2007), pp. 80–92.</ref> president of the journal in his second year,<ref name="Harvard Law 1990a" /><ref name="Harvard Law 1990b">{{cite news |author = Butterfield, Fox |date = February 6, 1990 |title = First black elected to head Harvard's Law Review |newspaper = The New York Times |page = A20 |url = https://www.nytimes.com/1990/02/06/us/first-black-elected-to-head-harvard-s-law-review.html |access-date = June 15, 2008 |archive-date = April 10, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080410210514/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE2DC1631F935A35751C0A966958260 |url-status = live }}
* {{cite web|author=Holan, Angie Drobnic|date=March 7, 2008|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=June 10, 2008}}</ref>
* {{cite news |author = Ybarra, Michael J |date = February 7, 1990 |title = Activist in Chicago now heads Harvard Law Review |newspaper = Chicago Tribune |page = 3 |url = https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1990-02-07-9001110408-story.html |access-date = October 29, 2011 |archive-date = October 22, 2018 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181022232657/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1990-02-07-9001110408-story.html |url-status = live }}
* {{cite news |author = Drummond, Tammerlin |date = March 12, 1990 |title = Barack Obama's law; Harvard Law Review's first black president plans a life of public service |newspaper = Los Angeles Times |page = E1 |format = paid archive |url = https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/60017156.html?dids=60017156:60017156&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |access-date = June 15, 2008 |archive-date = June 17, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080617150504/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/60017156.html?dids=60017156:60017156&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |url-status = dead }}
* {{cite magazine |last = Evans |first = Gaynelle |date = March 15, 1990 |title = Opening another door: The saga of Harvard's Barack H. Obama |magazine = Black Issues in Higher Education |volume = 7 |issue = 1 |page = 5 |issn = 0742-0277 |url = https://diverseeducation.com/article/11791/ |access-date = May 18, 2012 |archive-date = May 20, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120520143753/http://diverseeducation.com/article/11791/ |url-status = live }}
* {{cite news |author = Pugh, Allison J. |agency = Associated Press |date = April 18, 1990 |title = Law Review's first black president aims to help poor |newspaper = The Miami Herald |page = C01 |url = https://allisonpugh.weebly.com/uploads/4/4/7/8/44787215/miami_herald__22law_review_president_22.pdf |access-date = January 1, 2020 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200101145727/https://allisonpugh.weebly.com/uploads/4/4/7/8/44787215/miami_herald__22law_review_president_22.pdf |archive-date = January 1, 2020 |url-status = live }}</ref> and research assistant to the constitutional scholar [[Laurence Tribe]] while at Harvard.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Obama Made A Strong First Impression At Harvard |language=en |work=NPR |url=https://www.npr.org/2012/05/22/153214284/obamas-harvard-days-began-with-exclamation-point |access-date=December 20, 2022 |archive-date=December 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221220014856/https://www.npr.org/2012/05/22/153214284/obamas-harvard-days-began-with-exclamation-point |url-status=live }}</ref> During his summers, he returned to Chicago, where he worked as a [[Associate attorney#Summer associates|summer associate]] at the law firms of [[Sidley Austin]] in 1989 and [[Hopkins & Sutter]] in 1990.<ref>{{cite news |author = Aguilar, Louis |date = July 11, 1990 |title = Survey: Law firms slow to add minority partners |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080929145015/https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/28774085.html?dids=28774085:28774085&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |archive-date=September 29, 2008 |newspaper = Chicago Tribune |page = 1 (Business) |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/28774085.html?dids=28774085:28774085&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |access-date = June 15, 2008 }}</ref> 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 1990a" /><ref name="Harvard Law 1990b" /> and led to a publishing contract and advance for a book about race relations,<ref name="Scott 2008a">{{cite news |author = Scott, Janny |date = May 18, 2008 |title = The story of Obama, written by Obama |newspaper = The New York Times |page = A1 |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/18/us/politics/18memoirs.html |access-date = June 15, 2008 |archive-date = April 1, 2009 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090401222500/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/18/us/politics/18memoirs.html |url-status = live }}
* Obama (1995, 2004), pp. xiii–xvii.</ref> which evolved into a personal memoir. The manuscript was published in mid-1995 as ''[[Dreams from My Father]]''.<ref name="Scott 2008a" /> Obama graduated from Harvard Law in 1991 with a [[Juris Doctor]] ''[[Latin honors|magna cum laude]]''.<ref name="Juris Doctor" /><ref name="Harvard Law 2007" />
 
''' University of Chicago Law School '''
From April to October 1992, Obama directed Illinois's [[Project Vote]], a voter registration drive with ten staffers and seven hundred volunteer registrars; 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="Forty"/> In 1993 he joined Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland, a 13-attorney law firm specializing in civil rights litigation and neighborhood economic development, where he was an [[associate attorney|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="DavisMiner"/>
 
In 1991, Obama accepted a two-year position as a Visiting Law and Government Fellow at the [[University of Chicago Law School]] to work on his first book.<ref name="Scott 2008a" /><ref name="Fellow" /> He then taught [[constitutional law]] at the University of Chicago Law School for twelve years, first as a lecturer from 1992 to 1996, and then as a senior lecturer from 1996 to 2004.<ref>{{cite web |date = March 27, 2008 |title = Statement regarding Barack Obama |publisher = University of Chicago Law School |url = http://www.law.uchicago.edu/media/index.html |access-date = June 5, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080608225931/http://www.law.uchicago.edu/media/index.html |archive-date = June 8, 2008 |url-status = dead }}
From 1994 to 2002, Obama served on the boards of directors of the [[Woods Fund of Chicago]], which in 1985 had been the first foundation to fund the Developing Communities Project, and of the [[Joyce Foundation]].<ref name="Who's Who 2008"/> He 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"/>
* {{cite web |last=Miller |first=Joe |date=March 28, 2008 |title=Was Barack Obama really a constitutional law professor? |work=FactCheck.org |url=https://www.factcheck.org/2008/03/obama-a-constitutional-law-professor/ |access-date=May 18, 2012 |archive-date=May 16, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120516200322/http://www.factcheck.org/2008/03/obama-a-constitutional-law-professor/ |url-status=live }}
* {{cite web |last=Holan |first=Angie Drobnic |date=March 7, 2008 |title=Obama's 20 years of experience |work=PolitiFact.com |url=https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2008/mar/07/obamas-20-years-experience/ |access-date=June 10, 2008 |archive-date=May 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080515194211/http://politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2008/mar/07/obamas-20-years-experience/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
From April to October 1992, Obama directed Illinois's [[Project Vote]], a [[voter registration campaign]] with ten staffers and seven hundred volunteer registrars; it achieved its goal of registering 150,000 of 400,000 unregistered African Americans in the state, leading ''[[Crain's Chicago Business]]'' to name Obama to its 1993 list of "40 under Forty" powers to be.<ref name="Forty" />
==Political career: 1996–2008==
===State Senator: 1997–2004===
{{Main|Illinois Senate career of Barack Obama}}
 
===Family and personal life===
Obama was elected to the [[Illinois Senate]] in 1996, succeeding State Senator [[Alice Palmer (politician)|Alice Palmer]] as Senator from Illinois's 13th District, which at that time spanned 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=April 3, 2007|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/obama/chi-070403obama-ballot-archive,0,5693903.story|work=Chicago Tribune|accessdate=January 14, 2008}}{{cite book|author=[[Jesse White (politician)|White, Jesse]]|year=2001|chapter=Legislative Districts of Cook County, 1991 Reapportionment|chapterurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20080226221919/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=February 9, 2007|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/08/AR2007020802262.html|work=Washington Post|accessdate=April 20, 2008}}{{cite news|first=Scott|last=Helman|title=In Illinois, Obama dealt with Lobbyists|date=September 23, 2007|url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/09/23/in_illinois_obama_dealt_with_lobbyists/|work=Boston Globe|accessdate=April 20, 2008}} See also:{{cite news|title=Obama Record May Be Gold Mine for Critics|date=January 17, 2007|work=CBS News|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/17/politics/main2369157.shtml|agency=Associated Press|accessdate=April 20, 2008}}{{cite news|title=In-Depth Look at Obama's Political Career|date=February 9, 2007|work=Chicago Tribune|url=http://video.chicagotribune.com/global/video/popup/pop_player.asp?clipid1=1226539|work=CLTV|format=video|accessdate=April 20, 2008}}</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=July 30, 2007|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/30/us/politics/30obama.html|work=The New York Times|accessdate=April 20, 2008}} See also:{{cite news|first=Rick|last=Pearson|coauthors=Ray Long|title=Careful Steps, Looking Ahead|date=May 3, 2007|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=February 16, 2008|work=Chicago Tribune|accessdate=April 20, 2008}}</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=December 15, 2000|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=June 1, 2008}}{{cite news|author=Long, Ray; Allison, Melissa|date=April 18, 2001|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=June 1, 2008}}</ref>
{{Main|Family of Barack Obama}}
 
In a 2006 interview, Obama highlighted the diversity of [[family of Barack Obama|his extended family]]: "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 = October 18, 2006 |website = The Oprah Winfrey Show |access-date = June 24, 2008 |archive-date = April 17, 2009 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090417020958/http://www.oprah.com/slideshow/oprahshow/oprahshow1_ss_20061018/10 |url-status = live }}</ref> Obama has a half-sister with whom he was raised (Maya Soetoro-Ng) and seven other half-siblings from his Kenyan father's family, six of them living.<ref>{{cite news |first=Scott |last=Fornek |title=Half Siblings: 'A Complicated Family' |date=September 9, 2007 |url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/familytree/545462,BSX-News-wotrees09.stng |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/5msGZ6sKn?url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/familytree/545462,BSX-News-wotrees09.stng |archive-date=January 18, 2010 |work=Chicago Sun-Times |access-date=June 24, 2008 |url-status=dead}} See also: {{cite news |url=http://www.suntimes.com/images/cds/special/family_tree.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080703042659/http://www.suntimes.com/images/cds/special/family_tree.html |archive-date=July 3, 2008 |title=Interactive Family Tree |date=September 9, 2007 |work=Chicago Sun-Times |access-date=June 24, 2008 }}</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=September 9, 2007 |url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/familytree/545449,BSX-News-wotreeee09.stng |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304232433/http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/familytree/545449,BSX-News-wotreeee09.article |archive-date=March 4, 2009 |work=Chicago Sun-Times |access-date=June 24, 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref> until her death on November 2, 2008,<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 |access-date = November 4, 2008 |date = November 3, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081103235343/http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/03/obama.grandma/index.html |archive-date = November 3, 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref> two days before his election to the presidency. Obama also has roots in Ireland; he met with his Irish cousins in [[Moneygall]] in May 2011.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.huffingtonpost.com/megan-smolenyak-smolenyak/tracing-barack-obamas-roo_b_859151.html |title = Tracing Barack Obama's Roots to Moneygall |date = May 9, 2011 |work = The Huffington Post |first = Megan |last = Smolenyak |access-date = February 18, 2020 |archive-date = September 15, 2018 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180915183446/https://www.huffingtonpost.com/megan-smolenyak-smolenyak/tracing-barack-obamas-roo_b_859151.html |url-status = live }}</ref> In ''[[Dreams from My Father]]'', Obama ties his mother's family history to possible Native American ancestors and distant relatives of [[Jefferson Davis]], [[President of the Confederate States of America]] during the [[American Civil War]]. He also shares distant ancestors in common with [[George W. Bush]] and [[Dick Cheney]], among others.<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]], see: {{cite news|first1=David |last1=Nitkin |first2=Harry |last2=Merritt |title=A New Twist to an Intriguing Family History |date=March 2, 2007 |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/politics/bal-te.obama02mar02,0,3453027.story |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930033339/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/politics/bal-te.obama02mar02%2C0%2C3453027.story |archive-date=September 30, 2007 |work=The Baltimore Sun |access-date=June 24, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Mary |last=Jordan |title=Tiny Irish Village Is Latest Place to Claim Obama as Its Own |date=May 13, 2007 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/12/AR2007051201551.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=June 24, 2008 |archive-date=April 5, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190405183959/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/12/AR2007051201551.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Obama's Family Tree Has a Few Surprises |date=September 8, 2007 |publisher=CBS 2 (Chicago) |url=http://cbs2chicago.com/topstories/Barack.Obama.family.2.339709.html |agency=Associated Press |access-date=June 24, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080602215833/http://cbs2chicago.com/topstories/Barack.Obama.family.2.339709.html |archive-date=June 2, 2008 }}</ref>
Obama was reelected to the Illinois Senate in 1998, defeating Republican Yesse Yehudah in the general election, and was 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=April 20, 2008|date=August 24, 2000|publisher=Illinois State Senate Democrats|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20000824102110/http://www.senatedem.state.il.us/obama/index.html|archivedate=April 12, 2000}}{{cite web|url=http://www.senatedem.state.il.us/obama/index.html|title=13th District: Barack Obama|format=archive|accessdate=April 20, 2008|date=October 9, 2004|publisher=Illinois State Senate Democrats|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20040802233730/http://www.senatedem.state.il.us/obama/index.html|archivedate=August 2, 2004}}</ref> In 2000, he lost a Democratic primary run for the [[Illinois's 1st congressional district election, 2000|U.S. House of Representatives]] to four-term incumbent [[Bobby Rush]] by a margin of two to one.<ref name="Democratic primary"/>
 
Obama lived with anthropologist [[Sheila Miyoshi Jager]] while he was a community organizer in Chicago in the 1980s.<ref name="theindependentbeforemichelle">{{cite news|last1=Hosie|first1=Rachel|title=Before Michelle: The story of Barack Obama's proposal to Sheila Miyoshi Jager|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/before-michelle-barack-obama-sheila-miyoshi-jager-engagement-chicago-us-president-david-j-garrow-a7714771.html|access-date=May 11, 2017|work=The Independent|date=May 3, 2017|archive-date=May 9, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170509133231/http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/before-michelle-barack-obama-sheila-miyoshi-jager-engagement-chicago-us-president-david-j-garrow-a7714771.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He proposed to her twice, but both Jager and her parents turned him down.<ref name="theindependentbeforemichelle" /><ref name="tobiasoberlincollegeprofessor">{{cite news|last1=Tobias|first1=Andrew J.|title=Oberlin College professor received unsuccessful marriage proposal from Barack Obama in 1980s, new biography reveals|url=http://www.cleveland.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/05/oberlin_college_professor_rece.html|access-date=May 11, 2017|work=The Plain Dealer|date=May 3, 2017|archive-date=May 3, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170503220931/http://www.cleveland.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/05/oberlin_college_professor_rece.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The relationship was not made public until May 2017, several months after his presidency had ended.<ref name="tobiasoberlincollegeprofessor" />
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=February 23, 2007|url=http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB117219748197216894-Sn6oV_4KLQHp_xz7CjYLuyjv3Jg_20070324.html|work=Wall Street Journal|accessdate=April 20, 2008}}</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=April 14, 2003|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=June 1, 2008}}{{cite news|author=Haynes, V. Dion|date=June 29, 2003|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=June 1, 2008}}{{cite news|author=Pearson, Rick|date=July 17, 2003|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=June 1, 2008}}</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=March 14, 2007|url=http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/obamas-crime-votes-are-fodder-for-rivals-2007-03-13.html|work=The Hill|accessdate=April 20, 2008}} See also:{{cite news|title=US Presidential Candidate Obama Cites Work on State Death Penalty Reforms|date=November 12, 2007|work=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=April 20, 2008}}</ref> Obama resigned from the Illinois Senate in November 2004 following his election to the U.S. Senate.<ref>{{cite news|first=Melanie|last=Coffee|title=Attorney Chosen to Fill Obama's State Senate Seat|date=November 6, 2004|publisher=HPKCC|url=http://www.hydepark.org/hpkccnews/raoul.htm#ap|agency=Associated Press|accessdate=April 20, 2008}}</ref>
 
[[File:Obama family portrait in the Green Room.jpg|thumb|Obama poses in the [[Green Room (White House)|Green Room]] of the White House with wife [[Michelle Obama|Michelle]] and daughters [[Sasha and Malia]], 2009.|alt=Picture of Obama, his wife, and their two daughters smiling at the camera. Obama wears a dress shirt and tie.]]
===2004 U.S. Senate campaign===
In June 1989, Obama met [[Michelle Obama|Michelle Robinson]] when he was employed at [[Sidley Austin]].<ref>Obama (2006), pp. 327–332. See also: {{cite news |first = Sarah |last = Brown |title = Obama '85 masters balancing act |work = The Daily Princetonian |url=http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2005/12/07/14049 |date = December 7, 2005 |access-date = February 9, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090220165725/http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2005/12/07/14049/ |archive-date = February 20, 2009 }}</ref> Robinson was assigned for three months as Obama's adviser at the firm, and she joined him at several group social functions but declined his initial requests 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 |author=Fornek, Scott |title=Michelle Obama: 'He Swept Me Off My Feet' |date=October 3, 2007 |url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/585261,CST-NWS-wedding03.stng |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091208051056/http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/585261,CST-NWS-wedding03.stng |archive-date=December 8, 2009 |work=Chicago Sun-Times |access-date=April 28, 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> After suffering a miscarriage, Michelle underwent [[in vitro fertilization]] to conceive their children.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/11/09/michelle-obama-had-miscarriage-used-ivf-conceive-girls/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/11/09/michelle-obama-had-miscarriage-used-ivf-conceive-girls/ |archive-date=January 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Michelle Obama had miscarriage, used IVF to conceive girls|first=Ben|last=Riley-Smith|date=November 9, 2018|access-date=November 15, 2018|newspaper=The Telegraph}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The couple's first daughter, Malia Ann, was born in 1998,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/0708/Born_on_the_4th_of_July.html |title = Born on the 4th of July |date = July 4, 2008 |access-date = July 10, 2008 |work = Politico |last = Martin |first = Jonathan |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080710073536/http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/0708/Born_on_the_4th_of_July.html |archive-date = July 10, 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref> followed by a second daughter, 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 |publisher = Gannett News Service |access-date = April 28, 2008 |archive-date = February 21, 2009 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090221030722/http://www.gannettnewsservice.com/?cat=153 |url-status = live }}</ref> The Obama daughters attended the [[University of Chicago Laboratory Schools]]. When they moved to Washington, D.C., in January 2009, the girls started at the [[Sidwell Friends School]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://iht.com/articles/ap/2008/11/22/america/Obama-School.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090129194323/http://iht.com/articles/ap/2008/11/22/america/Obama-School.php |title = Obamas choose private Sidwell Friends School |website = International Herald Tribune |date = November 22, 2008 |access-date = July 2, 2015 |archive-date = January 29, 2009 }}</ref> The Obamas had two [[Portuguese Water Dog]]s; the first, a male named [[Bo (dog)|Bo]], was a gift from Senator [[Ted Kennedy]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/13/us/politics/13obama.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090416023426/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/13/us/politics/13obama.html |archive-date=April 16, 2009 |url-access=limited |url-status=live |title = One Obama Search Ends With a Puppy Named Bo |work = The New York Times |date = April 13, 2009 |access-date = December 22, 2010 |first = Helene |last = Cooper }}</ref> In 2013, Bo was joined by [[Sunny (dog)|Sunny]], a female.<ref name=Feldmann>{{Cite journal |last = Feldmann |first = Linda |title = New little girl arrives at White House. Meet Sunny Obama. (+video) |url = http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/DC-Decoder/Decoder-Wire/2013/0820/New-little-girl-arrives-at-White-House.-Meet-Sunny-Obama.-video |journal = Christian Science Monitor |access-date = August 20, 2013 |date = August 20, 2013 |archive-date = December 19, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131219041430/http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/DC-Decoder/Decoder-Wire/2013/0820/New-little-girl-arrives-at-White-House.-Meet-Sunny-Obama.-video |url-status = live }}</ref> Bo died of cancer on May 8, 2021.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Wang|first=Amy|date=May 8, 2021|title=Obamas announce the death of dog Bo, 'a true friend and loyal companion'|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2021/05/08/obama-dog-bo-dies/|access-date=May 8, 2021|newspaper=The Washington Post|archive-date=May 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210509011516/https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2021/05/08/obama-dog-bo-dies/|url-status=live}}</ref>
{{See also|United States Senate election in Illinois, 2004}}
 
Obama is a supporter of the [[Chicago White Sox]], and he threw out the first pitch at the [[2005 American League Championship Series|2005 ALCS]] when he was still a senator.<ref>{{cite news |title = Barack Obama: White Sox 'serious' ball |date = August 25, 2008 |first = Mark |last = Silva |work = Chicago Tribune |url=http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/08/barack_obama_white_sox_serious.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080829134235/http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/08/barack_obama_white_sox_serious.html |archive-date = August 29, 2008 }}</ref> In 2009, he threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the [[2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Game]] while wearing a White Sox jacket.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Obama throws ceremonial first pitch at All-Star game |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/07/14/obama.pitch/index.html |access-date=December 20, 2022 |website=CNN Politics |archive-date=December 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221222030149/https://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/07/14/obama.pitch/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> He is also primarily a [[Chicago Bears]] football fan in the [[National Football League|NFL]], but in his childhood and adolescence was a [[Steeler Nation|fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers]] and rooted for them ahead of their victory in [[Super Bowl XLIII]] 12 days after he took office as president.<ref name="Steelers">{{cite news |last = Branigin |first = William |title = Steelers Win Obama's Approval |newspaper = The Washington Post |date = January 30, 2009 |url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/29/AR2009012903196.html |quote = But other than the Bears, the Steelers are probably the team that's closest to my heart. |access-date = August 21, 2017 |archive-date = August 5, 2017 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170805181455/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/29/AR2009012903196.html |url-status = live }}</ref> In 2011, Obama invited the [[1985 Chicago Bears season|1985 Chicago Bears]] to the White House; the team had not visited the White House after their [[Super Bowl XX|Super Bowl win]] in 1986 due to the [[Space Shuttle Challenger disaster]].<ref>{{cite web |last = Mayer |first = Larry |url=http://www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/85-Bears-honored-by-President-Obama-at-White-House/A3C494F7-6681-44BB-850A-61EEE18315E4 |title = 1985 Bears honored by President Obama |publisher = [[Chicago Bears]] |date = October 7, 2011 |access-date = November 4, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130507094538/http://www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/85-Bears-honored-by-President-Obama-at-White-House/A3C494F7-6681-44BB-850A-61EEE18315E4 |archive-date = May 7, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He 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 = June 1, 2007 |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/01/us/politics/01hoops.html |work = The New York Times |access-date = April 28, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090401222632/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/01/us/politics/01hoops.html |archive-date = April 1, 2009 |url-status = live }} See also: {{cite news |title = The Love of the Game |format = video |date = April 15, 2008 |work = Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel |publisher = HBO |url = http://www.hbo.com/real-sports-with-bryant-gumbel/episodes#/real-sports-with-bryant-gumbel/episodes/0/133-april-15-2008/index.html |access-date = October 12, 2011 |archive-date = October 16, 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111016014443/http://www.hbo.com/real-sports-with-bryant-gumbel/episodes#/real-sports-with-bryant-gumbel/episodes/0/133-april-15-2008/index.html |url-status = live }}</ref> and he is left-handed.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/22/us/politics/22obama.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090123145020/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/22/us/politics/22obama.html |archive-date=January 23, 2009 |url-access=limited |url-status=live |title = On First Day, Obama Quickly Sets a New Tone |last = Stolberg |first = Sheryl Gay |author2 = Kirkpatrick, David D. |author3 = Shane, Scott |date = January 22, 2009 |work = The New York Times |page = 1 |access-date = September 7, 2012 }}</ref>
In May 2002, Obama commissioned a poll to assess his prospects in a 2004 U.S. Senate race; he created a campaign committee, began raising funds and lined up political media consultant [[David Axelrod (political consultant)|David Axelrod]] by August 2002, and formally announced his candidacy in January 2003.<ref>{{cite news|first=Scott|last=Helman|title=Early Defeat Launched a Rapid Political Climb|date=October 12, 2007|url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/10/12/early_defeat_launched_a_rapid_political_climb/|work=Boston Globe |accessdate=April 13, 2008}}</ref> Decisions by Republican incumbent [[Peter Fitzgerald (senator)|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=March 7, 2004|accessdate=April 13, 2008}}</ref> In the March 2004 primary election, Obama won in an unexpected landslide—which overnight made him a rising star within the [[Democratic Party (United States)#Current structure and composition|national Democratic Party]], started speculation about a presidential future, and led to the reissue of his memoir, ''[[Dreams from My Father]]''.<ref name="future"/>
 
In 2005, the Obama family applied the proceeds of a book deal and moved from a [[Hyde Park, Chicago]] condominium to a $1.6{{spaces}}million house (equivalent to ${{Inflation|US|1.6|2005|r=1}}{{spaces}}million in {{Inflation-year|US}}) in neighboring [[Kenwood, Chicago]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Jeff |last=Zeleny |title=The first time around: Sen. Obama's freshman year |date=December 24, 2005 |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-051224obama,0,1779783,full.story |work=Chicago Tribune |access-date=April 28, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110513214525/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-051224obama%2C0%2C1779783%2Cfull.story |archive-date=May 13, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The purchase of an adjacent lot—and sale of part of it to Obama by the wife of developer, campaign donor and friend [[Tony Rezko]]—attracted media attention because of Rezko's subsequent indictment and conviction on political corruption charges that were unrelated to Obama.<ref name="corruption charges" />
In July 2004, Obama 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=April 13, 2008}}</ref> and it was seen by 9.1&nbsp;million viewers. His speech was well received and elevated his status within the Democratic Party.<ref name="status"/>
 
In December 2007, ''[[Money (magazine)|Money Magazine]]'' estimated Obama's net worth at $1.3{{spaces}}million (equivalent to ${{Inflation|US|1.3|2007|r=1}}{{spaces}}million in {{Inflation-year|US}}).<ref>{{cite news |title = Obama's Money |date = December 7, 2007 |url = https://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/moneymag/0712/gallery.candidates.moneymag/5.html |publisher = [[CNNMoney]] |access-date = April 28, 2008 |first = Marlys |last = Harris |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080424113420/https://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/moneymag/0712/gallery.candidates.moneymag/5.html |archive-date = April 24, 2008 |url-status = live }}{{break}}See also:{{cite news |first = Zachary A |last = Goldfarb |title = Measuring Wealth of the '08 Candidates |date = March 24, 2007 |url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/24/AR2007032400305.html |newspaper = The Washington Post |access-date = April 28, 2008 |archive-date = December 12, 2018 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181212171951/https://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/moneymag/0712/gallery.candidates.moneymag/5.html |url-status = live }}</ref> Their 2009 tax return showed a household income of $5.5{{spaces}}million—up from about $4.2{{spaces}}million in 2007 and $1.6{{spaces}}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=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/17/us/politics/17obama.html |date = April 17, 2008 |work = The New York Times |access-date = April 28, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090416015848/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/17/us/politics/17obama.html|archive-date=April 16, 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/15/AR2010041504485.html |title = Obamas report $5.5 million in income on 2009 tax return |newspaper = The Washington Post |date = April 16, 2010 |access-date = December 22, 2010 |first1 = Michael D. |last1 = Shear |first2 = David S. |last2 = Hilzenrath |archive-date = January 26, 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110126061654/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/15/AR2010041504485.html |url-status = live }}</ref> On his 2010 income of $1.7{{spaces}}million, he gave 14 percent to non-profit organizations, including $131,000 to [[Fisher House Foundation]], a charity assisting wounded veterans' families, allowing them to reside near where the veteran is receiving medical treatments.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/businessdesk/2011/04/how-much-did-president-obama-m.html |date = April 18, 2011 |title = How Much Did President Obama Make in 2010? |work = [[PBS NewsHour]] |first = Paul |last = Solman |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110502113725/http://www.pbs.org/newshour/businessdesk/2011/04/how-much-did-president-obama-m.html |archive-date = May 2, 2011 |access-date = January 27, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2011/04/the-obamas-gave-131000-to-the-fisher-house-foundation-last-year-what-is-it.html |date = April 27, 2011 |title = The Obamas Gave $131,000 to Fisher House Foundation in 2010; What Is It? |work = [[PBS NewsHour]] |first = Paul |last = Solman |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140129072652/http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2011/04/the-obamas-gave-131000-to-the-fisher-house-foundation-last-year-what-is-it.html |archive-date = January 29, 2014 |access-date = January 27, 2012 }}</ref> Per his 2012 financial disclosure, Obama may be worth as much as $10{{spaces}}million.<ref name="networth12">{{cite news |url = http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2012/05/obama-worth-as-much-as-10-million/1 |title = Obama worth as much as $10 million |last = Wolf |first = Richard |date = May 16, 2012 |work = [[USA Today]] |access-date = June 16, 2012 |archive-date = May 16, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120516010755/http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2012/05/obama-worth-as-much-as-10-million/1 |url-status = live }}</ref>
Obama's expected opponent in the general election, Republican primary winner [[Jack Ryan (politician)|Jack Ryan]], withdrew from the race in June 2004.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ryan Drops Out of Senate Race in Illinois|date=June 25, 2004|url=http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/06/25/il.ryan/|work=CNN|accessdate=April 13, 2008}} Mendell (2007), pp. 260–271.</ref> Six weeks later, [[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=August 9, 2004|work=Union-Tribune (San Diego)|url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/20040809-0849-illinoissenate.html|agency=Associated Press|accessdate=April 13, 2008}}{{Dead link|url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/20040809-0849-illinoissenate.html|date=December 2009}}</ref> In the November 2004 general election, Obama won with 70% of the vote.<ref name="margin"/>
 
===Religious views===
===U.S. Senator: 2005–2008===
Obama is a [[Protestant]] [[Christian]] whose religious views developed in his adult life.<ref name="Christian" /> He wrote in ''[[The Audacity of Hope]]'' that he "was not raised in a religious household." He described his mother, raised by non-religious parents, as being detached from religion, yet "in many ways the most spiritually awakened person{{nbsp}}... I have ever known", and "a lonely witness for [[secular humanism]]." He described his father as a "confirmed [[Atheism|atheist]]" by the time his parents met, and his stepfather as "a man who saw religion as not particularly useful." Obama explained how, through working with [[black church]]es as a [[Community organizing|community organizer]] while in his twenties, he came to understand "the power of the African-American religious tradition to spur social change."<ref name="social change" />
{{Main|United States Senate career of Barack Obama}}
[[File:Obama at Shiloh Baptist Church in Washington.jpg|350px|thumb|right| The Obama couple at Shiloh Baptist Church in Washington in April 2011.]]
 
In January 2008, Obama told ''[[Christianity Today]]'': "I am a Christian, and I am a devout Christian. I believe in the [[Redeemer (Christianity)|redemptive death]] and [[resurrection of Jesus Christ]]. I believe that faith gives me a path to be cleansed of sin and have eternal life."<ref>{{cite news |last1 = Pulliam |first1 = Sarah |last2 = Olsen |first2 = Ted |url = http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/januaryweb-only/104-32.0.html?start=2 |title = Q&A: Barack Obama |work = Christianity Today |date = January 23, 2008 |access-date = January 4, 2013 |archive-date = April 28, 2019 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190428085526/https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/januaryweb-only/104-32.0.html?start=2 |url-status = live }}</ref> On September 27, 2010, Obama released a statement commenting on his religious views, saying:
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=April 27, 2008|publisher=Barack Obama U.S. Senate Office}}</ref> at which time he became 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=June 25, 2008}}{{Dead link|date=May 2010}}</ref> ''[[Congressional Quarterly|CQ Weekly]]'' characterized him as a "loyal Democrat" based on analysis of all Senate votes in 2005–2007. The ''[[National Journal]]'' ranked him among the "most liberal" senators during 2005 through 2007.<ref name="ranked tenth"/> He enjoyed high popularity as senator with a 72% approval in [[Illinois]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-133418139.html|title=Update; Obama leads Senate with 72% approval.|work=Star Tribune|author=Melissa Lee|accessdate=February 26, 2009}}</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 (politics)|lame-duck]] session, to focus on his transition period for the presidency.<ref name="transition period"/>
 
{{blockquote|I'm a Christian by choice. My family didn't—frankly, they weren't folks who went to church every week. And my mother was one of the most spiritual people I knew, but she didn't raise me in the church. So I came to my Christian faith later in life, and it was because the precepts of [[Jesus Christ]] spoke to me in terms of the kind of life that I would want to lead—being my brothers' and sisters' keeper, [[Golden Rule|treating others as they would treat me]].<ref name="APbychoice">{{cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/28/obama-christian-by-choice_n_742124.html|title=Obama 'Christian By Choice': President Responds To Questioner|last1=Babington|first1=Charles|last2=Superville|first2=Darlene|agency=Associated Press|date=September 28, 2010|work=The Huffington Post|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511232554/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/28/obama-christian-by-choice_n_742124.html|archive-date=May 11, 2011}}</ref><ref name="ABCVideobychoice">{{cite news|url=http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2010/09/president-obama-i-am-a-christian-by-choicethe-precepts-of-jesus-spoke-to-me.html|title=President Obama: 'I am a Christian By Choice ... The Precepts of Jesus Spoke to Me'|work=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]]|date=September 29, 2010|access-date=December 27, 2016|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120713041729/http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2010/09/president-obama-i-am-a-christian-by-choicethe-precepts-of-jesus-spoke-to-me/|archive-date=July 13, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>}}
====Legislation====
{{See also|List of bills sponsored by Barack Obama in the United States Senate}}
 
Obama met [[Trinity United Church of Christ]] pastor [[Jeremiah Wright]] in October 1987 and became a member of Trinity in 1992.<ref name="Trinity" /> During Obama's first presidential campaign in May 2008, he resigned from Trinity after [[Jeremiah Wright controversy|some of Wright's statements were criticized]].<ref>{{cite news |agency = Associated Press |date = November 17, 2008 |title = Obama's church choice likely to be scrutinized |work = NBC News |url = https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna27775757 |access-date = January 20, 2009 |archive-date = March 21, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130321122023/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/27775757/ |url-status = live }}</ref>
[[File:Coburn and Obama discuss S. 2590.jpg|thumb|alt=A man with glasses and Obama sit and hold a sheet of paper. Obama points at the paper and talks. Both men wear dark suits and ties.|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=September 26, 2006 |url=http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2006/09/20060926.html|publisher=White House|April 27, 2008}}</ref>]]
 
[[File:Obama at Zion Baptist Church in Washington.jpg|350px|thumb|right| The Obama couple at Zion Baptist Church in Washington in January 2012.]]
Obama 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=May 12, 2005 |url=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:SN01033: |publisher=Thomas |accessdate=April 27, 2008}}</ref> He 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=January 11, 2007 |publisher=Richard Lugar U.S. Senate Office |accessdate=April 27, 2008}} See also:{{cite news |first=Richard G |last=Lugar |coauthors=Barack Obama |title=Junkyard Dogs of War |date=December 3, 2005 |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/02/AR2005120201509.html |work=Washington Post |accessdate=April 27, 2008}}</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=December 21, 2007 |url=http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/014/502njiqx.asp |work=Weekly Standard |accessdate=April 27, 2008}} See also:{{cite web |title=President Bush Signs Coburn–Obama Transparency Act |date=September 26, 2006 |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=April 27, 2008}} 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>
 
After moving to [[Washington (District of Columbia)|Washington]] in 2009, the Obama family participated in [[Church service|services]] of various [[Methodism|Methodist churches]] and [[Baptist churches]] of the capital.<ref> David Jackson, [https://www.usatoday.com/story/theoval/2014/04/20/obama-barack-michelle-easter-church-service-19th-street-baptist-church/7935079/ Obama family attends Easter service], usatoday.com, USA, April 20, 2014</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Parker |first=Ashley |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/29/us/as-the-obamas-celebrate-christmas-rituals-of-faith-stay-on-the-sidelines.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131230064130/http://www.nytimes.com//2013/12/29/us/as-the-obamas-celebrate-christmas-rituals-of-faith-stay-on-the-sidelines.html |archive-date=December 30, 2013 |url-access=limited |url-status=live |title=As the Obamas Celebrate Christmas, Rituals of Faith Become Less Visible |work=The New York Times |date=December 28, 2013 |access-date=January 15, 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Gilgoff |first=Dan |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/god-and-country/2009/06/30/time-report-white-house-reaction-raise-more-questions-about-obamas-church-hunt |title=TIME Report, White House Reaction Raise More Questions About Obama's Church Hunt |work=U.S. News & World Report |date=June 30, 2009 |access-date=January 15, 2017 |archive-date=June 25, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170625064319/https://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/god-and-country/2009/06/30/time-report-white-house-reaction-raise-more-questions-about-obamas-church-hunt |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://washington.cbslocal.com/2014/04/22/first-lady-we-use-sundays-for-naps-if-were-not-going-to-church/ |title=First Lady: We Use Sundays For Naps If We're Not Going To Church |publisher=CBS DC |agency=Associated Press |date=April 22, 2014 |access-date=January 15, 2017 |archive-date=January 16, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170116174238/http://washington.cbslocal.com/2014/04/22/first-lady-we-use-sundays-for-naps-if-were-not-going-to-church/ |url-status=live }}</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=February 3, 2008
|work=The New York Times |accessdate=April 27, 2008}}</ref> On the issue of [[tort reform]], Obama voted for the [[Class Action Fairness Act of 2005]] and the [[Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 Amendments Act of 2008|FISA Amendments Act of 2008]], which grants immunity from civil liability to telecommunications companies complicit with [[NSA warrantless surveillance controversy|NSA warrantless wiretapping]] operations.<ref name="Fisher">{{cite web|url=http://www.forbes.com/2008/08/08/obama-mccain-torts-biz-beltway-cz_df_0811torts.html|title=November Election A Lawyer's Delight|author=Daniel Fisher|work=Forbes|date=August 11, 2008|accessdate=January 11, 2009}}</ref>
[[File:Lugar-Obama.jpg|left|thumb|alt=Gray-haired man and Obama stand, wearing casual polo shirts. Obama wears sunglasses and holds something slung over his right sholder.|Obama and U.S. Sen. [[Richard Lugar]] (R-IN) visit a Russian mobile launch missile dismantling facility in August 2005.<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=April 30, 2008|format=PDF}}</ref>]]
 
In 2016, he said that he gets inspiration from a few items that remind him "of all the different people I've met along the way", adding: "I carry these around all the time. I'm not that superstitious, so it's not like I think I necessarily have to have them on me at all times." The items, "a whole bowl full", include rosary beads given to him by [[Pope Francis]], a figurine of the Hindu deity [[Hanuman]], a [[Coptic cross]] from Ethiopia, a small [[Buddha statue]] given by a monk, and a metal poker chip that used to be the lucky charm of a motorcyclist in Iowa.<ref>{{cite news |title=Revealed: Obama always carries Hanuman statuette in pocket |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/Revealed-Obama-always-carries-Hanuman-statuette-in-pocket/article14001552.ece |access-date=April 8, 2021 |work=[[The Hindu]] |date=January 16, 2016 |language=en-IN |archive-date=April 14, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414074305/https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/Revealed-Obama-always-carries-Hanuman-statuette-in-pocket/article14001552.ece |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Obama Reveals Personal Faith-Related Items, Including Rosary Beads, Buddha Statuette |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/obama-reveals-personal-faith-related-items-including-rosary-beads-buddha-n497681 |access-date=December 20, 2022 |website=NBC News |date=January 15, 2016 |language=en |archive-date=December 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221220013126/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/obama-reveals-personal-faith-related-items-including-rosary-beads-buddha-n497681 |url-status=live }}</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=April 27, 2008}}{{cite web |title=The IRC Welcomes New U.S. Law on Congo |date=January 5, 2007 |url=http://www.theirc.org/news/the-irc-welcomes-new-us-law.html |publisher=International Rescue Committee |accessdate=April 27, 2008}}</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=November 15, 2007 |url=http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/feingold-obama-go-after-corporate-jet-travel-2007-11-15.html |work=The Hill |accessdate=April 27, 2008}}{{cite news |first=Nathaniel |last=Weixel |title=Lawmakers Press FEC on Bundling Regulation |date=December 5, 2007 |url=http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/lawmakers-press-fec-on-bundling-regulation-2007-12-05.html |work=The Hill |accessdate=April 27, 2008}} 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=September 24, 2007 |publisher=Federal Election Commission |url=http://www.fec.gov/press/press2007/20070924travel.shtml |accessdate=April 27, 2008}}</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=January 31, 2007 |work=The New York Times |url=http://www.nytimes.com/cq/2007/01/31/cq_2213.html |work=CQPolitics.com |accessdate=April 27, 2008}}{{cite web |first=110th Congress, 1st Session |last=U.S. Senate |title=S. 453, Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act of 2007 |date=January 31, 2007 |url=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:SN00453: |publisher=Thomas |accessdate=April 27, 2008}} See also:{{cite news |title=Honesty in Elections |date=January 31, 2007 |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/31/opinion/31wed1.html |work=The New York Times |format=editorial |accessdate=April 27, 2008}}</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=February 7, 2007 |work=The Times (Munster, Indiana) |url=http://nwitimes.com/articles/2007/02/07/news/illiana/doc65cc98d8dc6506b28625727b0011edb5.txt |work=Medill News Service |accessdate=April 27, 2008}} "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=January 30, 2007 |url=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:SN00433: |publisher=Thomas |accessdate=April 27, 2008}}</ref> neither of which has been signed into law.
 
==Legal career==
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=October 1, 2007 |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=April 27, 2008}} See also:{{cite news |first=Philip |last=Dine |title=Bond Calls for Review of Military Discharges |date=December 23, 2007 |url=http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/special/srlinks.nsf/story/2E7CC823AD55667B862573A7007D12A2?OpenDocument |work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch |accessdate=April 27, 2008}}</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 name="nuclear terrorism"/> 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=August 2, 2007 |url=http://obama.senate.gov/press/070802-senate_passes_o_1/ |publisher=Barack Obama U.S. Senate Office |accessdate=April 27, 2008}} {{wayback|url=http://obama.senate.gov/press/070802-senate_passes_o_1/}}</ref>
===Civil rights attorney===
He joined Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland, a 13-attorney law firm specializing in civil rights litigation and neighborhood economic development, where he was an [[associate attorney|associate]] for three years from 1993 to 1996, then [[of counsel]] from 1996 to 2004. In 1994, he was listed as one of the lawyers in ''Buycks-Roberson v. Citibank Fed. Sav. Bank'', 94 C 4094 (N.D. Ill.). This [[Class-action lawsuit|class action lawsuit]] was filed in 1994 with Selma Buycks-Roberson as lead plaintiff and alleged that Citibank Federal Savings Bank had engaged in practices forbidden under the [[Equal Credit Opportunity Act]] and the [[Fair Housing Act]]. The case was settled out of court.
 
From 1994 to 2002, Obama served on the boards of directors of the [[Woods Fund of Chicago]]—which in 1985 had been the first foundation to fund the Developing Communities Project—and of the [[Joyce Foundation]].<ref name="Who's Who 2008" /> He 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" /> Obama's law license became inactive in 2007.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.factcheck.org/2012/06/the-obamas-law-licenses/ |title = The Obamas' Law Licenses |publisher = FactCheck.org |date = June 14, 2012 |access-date = July 16, 2012 |last = Gore |first = D'Angelo |archive-date = July 18, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120718221807/http://www.factcheck.org/2012/06/the-obamas-law-licenses/ |url-status = live }}</ref><ref name="DavisMiner" />
====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=December 9, 2006 |title=Committee Assignments |accessdate=April 27, 2008 |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=November 15, 2006 |publisher=Barack Obama U.S. Senate Office |url=http://obama.senate.gov/news/061115-obama_gets_new/ |agency=Associated Press |accessdate=April 27, 2008}}</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=December 21, 2007 |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article3080794.ece |work=Sunday Times (UK) |accessdate=April 27, 2008 | location=London}}</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 Abbas became [[President of the Palestinian National Authority|President]] of the [[Palestinian National Authority|Palestinian Authority]], and gave a speech at the [[University of Nairobi]] condemning corruption within the Kenyan government.<ref name="Kenyan"/>{{Clear}}
 
==Legislative career==
==2008 presidential campaign==
===Illinois Senate (1997–2004)===
{{Main|United States presidential election, 2008|Barack Obama presidential primary campaign, 2008|Barack Obama presidential campaign, 2008}}
[[File:Flickr Obama Springfield 01.jpg|thumb|alt=Obama stands on stage with his family. They wave.|Obama stands on stage with his wife and two daughters just before announcing his presidential candidacy in [[Springfield, Illinois]], Feb. 10, 2007.]]
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|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=September 20, 2008}}</ref><ref name=BBC20070210>{{cite news|title=Obama Launches Presidential Bid|date=February 10, 2007|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6349081.stm|work=BBC News|accessdate=January 14, 2008}}</ref><ref name=YouTube20070210/> The choice of the announcement site was viewed as symbolic<ref name="ChicagoTribune_Pearson_20070210" /><ref name="ChicagoTribune_Parsons20070210">{{cite news|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-159132539.html|title=Obama's launch site: Symbolic Springfield: Announcement venue evokes Lincoln legacy|last=Parsons|first=Christi|date=February 10, 2007|work= Chicago Tribune |accessdate=June 12, 2009}}</ref> because it was also where [[Abraham Lincoln]] delivered his historic [[Lincoln's House Divided Speech|"House Divided"]] speech in 1858.<ref name=YouTube20070210>{{cite news|title=Presidential Campaign Announcement|format=video|date=February 10, 2007|publisher=YouTube.com|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdJ7Ad15WCA&feature=channel_page|work=BarackObamadotcom|accessdate=January 29, 2009}}</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=April 14, 2008}} See also:
* {{Cite book|last=Thomas|first=Evan|authorlink=Evan Thomas|title=A Long Time Coming|publisher=[[PublicAffairs]]|year=2009|location=New York|page=74|isbn=9781586486075}}
* {{Cite news|first=Michael|last=Falcone|title=Obama's 'One Thing'|date=December 21, 2007|url=http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/21/obamas-one-thing/|work=The New York Times |accessdate=April 14, 2008}}</ref>
 
{{Main|Illinois Senate career of Barack Obama}}
[[File:obama08acceptance.jpg|thumb|left|upright|alt=Obama delivers a speech at a podium while several flashbulbs light the background.|Obama delivers [[Barack Obama election victory speech, 2008|his presidential election victory speech]] in Chicago's [[Grant Park (Chicago)|Grant Park]].]]
[[File:Obamamiltondavis1.jpg|thumb|State Senator Obama and others celebrate the naming of a street in Chicago after [[ShoreBank]] co-founder Milton Davis in 1998.|alt=Photo of Obama and others carrying a street sign that reads "Honorary: Milton Davis Blvd."]]
 
Obama was elected to the [[Illinois Senate]] in 1996, succeeding Democratic State Senator [[Alice Palmer (politician)|Alice Palmer]] from [[Illinois's 13th Senate district|Illinois's 13th District]], which, at that time, spanned Chicago South Side neighborhoods from Hyde Park–Kenwood south to [[South Shore, Chicago|South Shore]] and west to [[Chicago Lawn, Chicago|Chicago Lawn]].<ref>{{cite news |first1=David |last1=Jackson |last2=Long |first2=Ray |title=Obama Knows His Way Around a Ballot |date=April 3, 2007 |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/obama/chi-070403obama-ballot-archive,0,5693903.story |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011054057/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/obama/chi-070403obama-ballot-archive%2C0%2C5693903.story |work=Chicago Tribune |access-date=May 18, 2012 |archive-date=October 11, 2008 |url-status=dead }}
A large number of candidates entered the [[Democratic Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008|Democratic Party presidential primaries]]. The field narrowed to a duel between Obama and Senator [[Hillary Rodham Clinton]] after early contests, with the race remaining close throughout the primary process but with Obama gaining a steady lead in [[pledged delegate]]s due to better long-range planning, superior fundraising, dominant organizing in [[caucus]] states, and better exploitation of delegate allocation rules.<ref name="allocation"/> On June 3, with all states counted, Obama was named the [[presumptive nominee]]<ref name="presumptive"/> and delivered a victory speech in St. Paul, Minnesota. Clinton ended her campaign and endorsed him on June 7, 2008.<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=June 4, 2008|accessdate=June 4, 2008}}</ref>
* {{cite book |last = White |first = Jesse |author-link = Jesse White (politician) |year = 2001 |chapter = Legislative Districts of Cook County, 1991 Reapportionment |chapter-url=http://www.sos.state.il.us/publications/02bluebook/legislative_branch/legdistrictmaps.pdf |title = Illinois Blue Book 2001–2002 |place = Springfield |publisher = [[Illinois Secretary of State]] |page = 65 |access-date = July 16, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080226221919/http://www.sos.state.il.us/publications/02bluebook/legislative_branch/legdistrictmaps.pdf |archive-date = February 26, 2008 }} State Sen. District 13 = State Rep. Districts 25 & 26.</ref> Once elected, Obama gained bipartisan support for legislation that reformed ethics and health care laws.<ref>{{cite news |first=Peter |last=Slevin |title=Obama Forged Political Mettle in Illinois Capitol |date=February 9, 2007 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/08/AR2007020802262.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=April 20, 2008 |archive-date=May 16, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516055720/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/08/AR2007020802262.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Scott |last=Helman |title=In Illinois, Obama dealt with Lobbyists |date=September 23, 2007 |url=https://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/09/23/in_illinois_obama_dealt_with_lobbyists/ |work=The Boston Globe |access-date=April 20, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080416235513/http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/09/23/in_illinois_obama_dealt_with_lobbyists/ |archive-date=April 16, 2008 |url-status=live }} See also:{{cite news|title=Obama Record May Be Gold Mine for Critics |date=January 17, 2007 |work=CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/obama-record-may-be-gold-mine-for-critics/ |agency=Associated Press |access-date=April 20, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080412223055/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/17/politics/main2369157.shtml |archive-date=April 12, 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref> He sponsored a law that increased [[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 = July 30, 2007 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/30/us/politics/30obama.html |work = The New York Times |access-date = April 20, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081210135903/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/30/us/politics/30obama.html|archive-date=December 10, 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2001, as co-chairman of the bipartisan Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, Obama supported Republican Governor [[George Ryan]]'s [[payday loan]] regulations and [[Predatory lending|predatory mortgage lending]] regulations aimed at averting home [[foreclosure]]s.<ref>{{cite news |last=Allison| first=Melissa |date=December 15, 2000 |title=State takes on predatory lending; Rules would halt single-premium life insurance financing |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/65214450.html?dids=65214450:65214450&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |format=paid archive |work=Chicago Tribune |page=1 (Business) |access-date=June 1, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080617151154/https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/65214450.html?dids=65214450%3A65214450&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS%3AFT |archive-date=June 17, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first1=Ray |last1=Long |first2=Melissa |last2=Allison |date=April 18, 2001 |title=Illinois OKs predatory loan curbs; State aims to avert home foreclosures |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/71459393.html?dids=71459393:71459393&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |format=paid archive |work=Chicago Tribune |page=1 |access-date=June 1, 2008 |archive-date=December 18, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081218011718/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/71459393.html?dids=71459393:71459393&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |url-status=dead }}</ref>
 
He was reelected to the Illinois Senate in 1998, defeating Republican Yesse Yehudah in the general election, and was re-elected again in 2002.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.senatedem.state.il.us/obama/index.html |title = 13th District: Barack Obama |access-date = April 20, 2008 |date = August 24, 2000 |publisher = Illinois State Senate Democrats |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000824102110/http://www.senatedem.state.il.us/obama/index.html |archive-date = August 24, 2000 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.senatedem.state.il.us/obama/index.html |title = 13th District: Barack Obama |access-date = April 20, 2008 |date = October 9, 2004 |publisher = Illinois State Senate Democrats |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040802233730/http://www.senatedem.state.il.us/obama/index.html |archive-date = August 2, 2004 }}</ref> In 2000, he lost a [[2000 Illinois's 1st congressional district election|Democratic primary race]] for [[Illinois's 1st congressional district]] in the [[United States House of Representatives]] to four-term incumbent [[Bobby Rush]] by a margin of two to one.<ref name="Democratic primary" />
Obama proceeded to focus on the general election campaign against Senator [[John McCain]], the presumptive [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] nominee, in the lead up to the [[2008 Democratic National Convention|Democratic National Convention]]. He announced on August 23, 2008, that he had selected [[Delaware]] Senator [[Joe Biden]] as his vice presidential running mate.<ref>{{cite news|accessdate=September 20, 2008|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=August 23, 2008|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 convention, held August 25 to August 28 in Denver, Colorado, Hillary Clinton called for her delegates and supporters to endorse Obama, and she and Bill Clinton gave convention speeches in support of Obama.<ref name="delegates"/> Obama delivered his acceptance speech to over 75,000 supporters and presented his policy goals; the speech was viewed by over 38&nbsp;million people worldwide.<ref name="acceptance"/>
[[File:President George W. Bush and Barack Obama meet in Oval Office.jpg|thumb|upright|alt=Obama meets with Bush in the Oval Office. Both sit at a distance in front of the presidential desk with their legs crossed and their backs on an angle toward the camera. They sit at right angles to each other.|President George W. Bush meets with President-Elect Obama in the [[Oval Office]] on November 10, 2008.]]
 
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=February 23, 2007 |url=https://www.wsj.com/public/article/SB117219748197216894-Sn6oV_4KLQHp_xz7CjYLuyjv3Jg_20070324.html |work=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=April 20, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080918032039/http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB117219748197216894-Sn6oV_4KLQHp_xz7CjYLuyjv3Jg_20070324.html |archive-date=September 18, 2008 }}</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=April 14, 2003 |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_text_search-0=Profiling,%20AND%20taping%20AND%20plans%20AND%20pass%20AND%20Senate |format=paid archive |work=Daily Herald |page=17 |access-date=June 1, 2008 |archive-date=January 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200101151400/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=ADHB&p_theme=adhb&p_action=search&p_text_search-0=Profiling,%20AND%20taping%20AND%20plans%20AND%20pass%20AND%20Senate |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Haynes, V. Dion |date=June 29, 2003 |title=Fight racial profiling at local level, lawmaker says; U.S. guidelines get mixed review |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/352884461.html?dids=352884461:352884461&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |format=paid archive |work=Chicago Tribune |page=8 |access-date=June 1, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080617150449/https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/352884461.html?dids=352884461%3A352884461&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS%3AFT |archive-date=June 17, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Pearson |first=Rick |date=July 17, 2003 |title=Taped confessions to be law; State will be 1st to pass legislation |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/370136121.html?dids=370136121:370136121&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |format=paid archive |work=Chicago Tribune |page=1 (Metro) |access-date=June 1, 2008 |archive-date=December 18, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081218011706/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/370136121.html?dids=370136121:370136121&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |url-status=dead }}</ref> During his 2004 general election campaign for the 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 |first1 = Sam |last1 = Youngman |last2 = Blake |first2 = Aaron |title = Obama's Crime Votes Are Fodder for Rivals |date = March 14, 2007 |url = https://thehill.com/homenews/news/8935-obamas-crime-votes-are-fodder-for-rivals/ |work = The Hill |access-date = May 18, 2012 |archive-date = November 14, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121114030716/http://thehill.com/homenews/news/11316-obamas-crime-votes-are-fodder-for-rivals |url-status = live }} See also: {{cite news |title = US Presidential Candidate Obama Cites Work on State Death Penalty Reforms |date = November 12, 2007 |work = International Herald Tribune |url = http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/11/12/america/NA-POL-US-Obama-Death-Penalty.php |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080607111231/http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/11/12/america/NA-POL-US-Obama-Death-Penalty.php |agency = Associated Press |access-date = May 18, 2012 |archive-date = June 7, 2008 }}</ref> Obama resigned from the Illinois Senate in November 2004 following his election to the U.S. Senate.<ref>{{cite news|first=Melanie |last=Coffee |title=Attorney Chosen to Fill Obama's State Senate Seat |date=November 6, 2004 |publisher=HPKCC |url=http://www.hydepark.org/hpkccnews/raoul.htm#ap |agency=Associated Press |access-date=April 20, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516174431/http://www.hydepark.org/hpkccnews/raoul.htm |archive-date=May 16, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</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="small donations"/> On June 19, 2008, 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|work=[[Bloomberg L.P.|Bloomberg]]|date=June 19, 2008|accessdate=June 19, 2008}}</ref>
 
===2004 U.S. Senate campaign in Illinois===
After McCain was nominated as the Republican candidate, three [[United States presidential election debates|presidential debates]] were held between the contenders spanning September and October 2008.<ref name="presidential debates"/> On November 4, Obama won the presidency by winning 365 [[Electoral College (United States)|electoral votes]] to 173 that McCain received,<ref name="electoral votes"/> in the process capturing 52.9% of the [[Election|popular vote]] to McCain's 45.7%,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/us/general_election_mccain_vs_obama-225.html|title=General Election: McCain vs. Obama|accessdate=February 20, 2009|publisher=Real Clear Politics}}</ref> to become the first African American<ref>{{cite news|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|work=BBC News|date=November 5, 2008|accessdate=November 5, 2008}}
{{Main|2004 United States Senate election in Illinois}}
* {{Cite news|accessdate=November 5, 2008|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/05/us/politics/05elect.html?pagewanted=all|title=Obama Elected President as Racial Barrier Falls|first=Adam|last=Nagourney|date=November 4, 2008|work=The New York Times }}
{{see also|2004 Democratic National Convention keynote address}}
* {{Cite news|accessdate=November 5, 2008|url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/04/election.president/index.html|title=Obama: 'This is your victory'|work=CNN|date=November 5, 2008}}
[[File:Chicago, November 2, 2004 (5471954323).jpg|thumb|Obama campaign yard sign in [[Chicago]], {{ca|November 2004}}]]
* {{Cite news|accessdate=|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2008/nov/05/nation/na-assess5|title=White Americans play major role in electing the first black president|first=Peter|last=Wallsten|work=Los Angeles Times|date=November 5, 2008}}
In May 2002, Obama commissioned a poll to assess his prospects in a 2004 U.S. Senate race. He created a campaign committee, began raising funds, and lined up a political media consultant [[David Axelrod (political consultant)|David Axelrod]] by August 2002. Obama formally announced his candidacy in January 2003.<ref>{{cite news |last = Helman |first = Scott |date = October 12, 2007 |title = Early defeat launched a rapid political climb |newspaper = [[The Boston Globe]] |page = 1A |url = https://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/10/12/early_defeat_launched_a_rapid_political_climb |access-date = April 13, 2008 |archive-date = October 12, 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071012215244/http://boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/10/12/early_defeat_launched_a_rapid_political_climb/ |url-status = live }}</ref>
* {{Cite news |last=Avila|first=Oscar|title=Obama's census-form choice: 'Black'|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=April 4, 2010|url=http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-obama-census4-2010apr04,0,7517288.story|accessdate=April 4, 2010}}</ref> to be elected president. Obama delivered [[Barack Obama election victory speech, 2008|his victory speech]] before hundreds of thousands of supporters in Chicago's [[Grant Park (Chicago)|Grant Park]].<ref name="independent1">{{cite news|accessdate=November 5, 2008|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=London|location=UK|date=November 5, 2008|last=Johnson|first=Wesley}}</ref>
 
Obama was an early opponent of the George W. Bush administration's [[2003 invasion of Iraq]].<ref>{{cite news |last = Strausberg |first = Chinta |date = September 26, 2002 |title = Opposition to war mounts |newspaper = Chicago Defender |page = 1 |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-220062931.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511195931/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-220062931.html |url-status=dead |archive-date = May 11, 2011 |format = paid archive |access-date = February 3, 2008 }}</ref> On October 2, 2002, the day President Bush and Congress agreed on the [[Iraq Resolution|joint resolution]] authorizing the [[Iraq War]],<ref name="Rose Garden" /> Obama addressed the first high-profile Chicago [[Protests against the Iraq War|anti-Iraq War rally]],<ref name="Federal Plaza" /> and spoke out against the war.<ref name="spoke out" /> He addressed another anti-war rally in March 2003 and told the crowd "it's not too late" to stop the war.<ref name="stop the war" />
==Presidency==
 
Decisions by Republican incumbent [[Peter Fitzgerald (politician)|Peter Fitzgerald]] and his Democratic predecessor [[Carol Moseley Braun]] not to participate in the election resulted in wide-open Democratic and Republican primary contests involving 15 candidates.<ref>{{cite news |last = Davey |first = Monica |date = March 7, 2004 |title = Closely watched Illinois Senate race attracts 7 candidates in millionaire range |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/07/politics/campaign/07ILLI.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090416015834/http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/07/politics/campaign/07ILLI.html|archive-date=April 16, 2009 |newspaper = [[The New York Times]] |page = 19 |access-date = April 13, 2008 }}</ref> In the March 2004 primary election, Obama won in an unexpected landslide—which overnight made him a rising star within the [[Democratic National Committee|national Democratic Party]], started speculation about a presidential future, and led to the reissue of his memoir, ''Dreams from My Father''.<ref name="future" /> In July 2004, Obama delivered [[2004 Democratic National Convention keynote address|the keynote address]] at the [[2004 Democratic National Convention]],<ref>{{cite news |last = Bernstein |first = David |date = June 2007 |title = The Speech |magazine = Chicago Magazine |url = http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/June-2007/The-Speech |access-date = April 13, 2008 |archive-date = June 14, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080614213455/http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/June-2007/The-Speech/ |url-status = live }}</ref> seen by nine million viewers. His speech was well received and elevated his status within the Democratic Party.<ref name="status" />
 
Obama's expected opponent in the general election, Republican primary winner [[Jack Ryan (politician)|Jack Ryan]], withdrew from the race in June 2004.<ref>{{cite news |date = June 25, 2004 |title = Ryan drops out of Senate race in Illinois |publisher = CNN |url = http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/06/25/il.ryan/ |access-date = May 18, 2012 |archive-date = January 8, 2018 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180108042942/http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/06/25/il.ryan/ |url-status = live }}
* Mendell (2007), pp. 260–271.</ref> Six weeks later, [[Alan Keyes]] accepted the Republican nomination to replace Ryan.<ref>{{cite news |last = Lannan |first = Maura Kelly |agency = Associated Press |date = August 9, 2004 |title = Alan Keyes enters U.S. Senate race in Illinois against rising Democratic star |newspaper = [[The San Diego Union-Tribune]] |url=http://legacy.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/20040809-0849-illinoissenate.html |access-date = April 13, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111214115053/http://legacy.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/20040809-0849-illinoissenate.html |archive-date = December 14, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In the [[2004 United States Senate election in Illinois|November 2004 general election]], Obama won with 70 percent of the vote, the largest margin of victory for a U.S. Senate candidate in [[Illinois]] history.<ref name="margin" /> He took 92 of the state's 102 counties, including several where Democrats traditionally do not do well.
 
===U.S. Senate (2005–2008)===
{{See also|U.S. Senate career of Barack Obama|List of bills sponsored by Barack Obama in the United States Senate}}
[[File:BarackObamaportrait.jpg|thumb|Official portrait of Obama as a member of the U.S. Senate|alt=Photo of Obama smiling with his arms crossed, with the Capitol building and the sky in the background]]
 
Obama was sworn in as a senator on January 3, 2005,<ref>{{CongBio|o000167|inline=1|date=October 12, 2011}}</ref> becoming 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 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080709114659/http://www.house.gov/kilpatrick/cbc/member_info.html |archive-date = July 9, 2008 |publisher = Congressional Black Caucus |access-date = June 25, 2008 }}</ref> He introduced two initiatives that bore his name: Lugar–Obama, which expanded the [[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 = January 11, 2007 |publisher = Richard Lugar U.S. Senate Office |access-date = April 27, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081218154746/http://obama.senate.gov/press/070111-lugar-obama_non/ |archive-date = December 18, 2008 }} See also: {{cite news |first1 = Richard G. |last1 = Lugar |last2 = Obama |first2 = Barack |title = Junkyard Dogs of War |date = December 3, 2005 |url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/02/AR2005120201509.html |newspaper = The Washington Post |access-date = April 27, 2008 |archive-date = October 14, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081014001222/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/02/AR2005120201509.html |url-status = live }}</ref> and the [[Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006]], 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 = December 21, 2007 |url=http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/014/502njiqx.asp |work = Weekly Standard |access-date = April 27, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080423235240/http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/014/502njiqx.asp |archive-date = April 23, 2008 |url-status=dead }} See also: {{cite web |title = President Bush Signs Coburn–Obama Transparency Act |date = September 26, 2006 |url=http://coburn.senate.gov/ffm/index.cfm?FuseAction=LegislativeFloorAction.Home&ContentRecord_id=eb582f19-802a-23ad-41db-7a7cb464cfdb |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080501233103/http://coburn.senate.gov/ffm/index.cfm?FuseAction=LegislativeFloorAction.Home&ContentRecord_id=eb582f19-802a-23ad-41db-7a7cb464cfdb |archive-date = May 1, 2008 |publisher = Tom Coburn U.S. Senate Office |access-date = April 27, 2008 }}</ref> On June 3, 2008, Senator Obama—along with Senators [[Tom Carper]], [[Tom Coburn]], and [[John McCain]]—introduced follow-up legislation: Strengthening Transparency and Accountability in Federal Spending Act of 2008.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/110/s3077 |title = S. 3077: Strengthening Transparency and Accountability in Federal Spending Act of 2008: 2007–2008 (110th Congress) |publisher = Govtrack.us |date = June 3, 2008 |access-date = May 18, 2012 |archive-date = May 3, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120503183255/http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/110/s3077 |url-status = live }}</ref> He also [[Sponsor (legislative)|cosponsored]] the [[Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act]].<ref>{{cite web |title = S. 1033, Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act |date = May 12, 2005 |url = https://www.congress.gov/bill/109th-congress/senate-bill/1033/cosponsors |publisher = Library of Congress |access-date = February 25, 2017 |archive-date = February 26, 2017 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170226132657/https://www.congress.gov/bill/109th-congress/senate-bill/1033/cosponsors |url-status = live }}</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 |date = April 2006 |url=http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/international/drc0406.shtml |publisher = United States Conference of Catholic Bishops |access-date = January 26, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110108193726/http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/international/drc0406.shtml |archive-date = January 8, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title = The IRC Welcomes New U.S. Law on Congo |date = January 5, 2007 |url=http://www.theirc.org/news/the-irc-welcomes-new-us-law.html |publisher = International Rescue Committee |access-date = April 27, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807061958/http://www.rescue.org/news/the-irc-welcomes-new-us-law.html |archive-date = August 7, 2011 }}</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=November 15, 2007 |url=http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/feingold-obama-go-after-corporate-jet-travel-2007-11-15.html |work=The Hill |access-date=April 27, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080515201902/http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/feingold-obama-go-after-corporate-jet-travel-2007-11-15.html |archive-date=May 15, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Nathaniel |last=Weixel |title=Lawmakers Press FEC on Bundling Regulation |date=December 5, 2007 |url=http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/lawmakers-press-fec-on-bundling-regulation-2007-12-05.html |work=The Hill |access-date=April 27, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080416162108/http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/lawmakers-press-fec-on-bundling-regulation-2007-12-05.html |archive-date=April 16, 2008 |url-status=dead }} 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=September 24, 2007 |publisher=Federal Election Commission |url=http://www.fec.gov/press/press2007/20070924travel.shtml |access-date=April 27, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080411220016/http://www.fec.gov/press/press2007/20070924travel.shtml |archive-date=April 11, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
 
Later in 2007, Obama sponsored an amendment to the Defense Authorization Act to add safeguards for personality-disorder military discharges.<ref>{{cite web |title = Obama, Bond Hail New Safeguards on Military Personality Disorder Discharges, Urge Further Action |date = October 1, 2007 |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 |access-date = April 27, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101205075008/http://bond.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressRoom.NewsReleases&ContentRecord_id=5C1EBFEB-1321-0E36-BA7D-04630AEFAD31 |archive-date = December 5, 2010 }}</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/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081218154824/http://obama.senate.gov/press/080314-obama_bond_appl/ |archive-date = December 18, 2008 |date = March 14, 2008 }}</ref> He sponsored the Iran Sanctions Enabling Act supporting divestment of state pension funds from Iran's oil and gas industry, which was never enacted but later incorporated in the [[Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010]];<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/111/s1065|title=Iran Sanctions Enabling Act of 2009 (2009—S. 1065)|website=GovTrack.us|access-date=August 27, 2018|archive-date=August 28, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828071034/https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/111/s1065|url-status=live}}</ref> and co-sponsored legislation to reduce risks of nuclear terrorism.<ref name="nuclear terrorism" /> 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 = August 2, 2007 |url=http://obama.senate.gov/press/070802-senate_passes_o_1/ |publisher = Barack Obama U.S. Senate Office |access-date = April 27, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081218154819/http://obama.senate.gov/press/070802-senate_passes_o_1/ |archive-date = December 18, 2008 }}</ref>
 
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://obama.senate.gov/committees/ |date = December 9, 2006 |title = Committee Assignments |access-date = April 27, 2008 |publisher = Barack Obama U.S. Senate Office |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061209190827/http://obama.senate.gov/committees/ |archive-date = December 9, 2006 }}</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 = November 15, 2006 |publisher = Barack Obama U.S. Senate Office |url=http://obama.senate.gov/news/061115-obama_gets_new/ |agency = Associated Press |access-date = April 27, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081218154741/http://obama.senate.gov/news/061115-obama_gets_new/ |archive-date = December 18, 2008 }}</ref> He also became Chairman of the Senate's subcommittee on [[United States Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation|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 = December 21, 2007 |url = https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/stay-at-home-barack-obama-comes-under-fire-for-a-lack-of-foreign-experience-2qjm86d9l2n |work = Sunday Times (UK) |access-date = April 27, 2008 |archive-date = April 15, 2020 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200415064755/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/stay-at-home-barack-obama-comes-under-fire-for-a-lack-of-foreign-experience-2qjm86d9l2n |url-status = live }}</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 Abbas became [[President of the Palestinian National Authority]] and gave a speech at the [[University of Nairobi]] in which he condemned corruption within the Kenyan government.<ref name="Kenyan" />
 
Obama [[resignation from the United States Senate|resigned his Senate seat]] on November 16, 2008, to focus on his transition period for the presidency.<ref name="transition period" />
 
==Presidential campaigns==
===2008===
{{Main|2008 United States presidential election|Barack Obama 2008 presidential primary campaign|Barack Obama 2008 presidential campaign}}
[[File:ElectoralCollege2008.svg|thumb|upright=1.3|alt=Electoral college map, depicting Obama winning many states in the Northeast, Midwest, and Pacific West, and Florida, and McCain winning many states in the South and Rocky Mountains.|2008 electoral vote results. Obama won 365–173.]]
[[File:Official portrait of Barack Obama.jpg|thumb|Official portrait, 2009]]
 
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 |last1=Pearson |first1=Rick |last2=Long |first2=Ray |date=February 10, 2007 |title=Obama: I'm running for president |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-070210obama-pearson1-story,0,3768114.story |access-date=September 20, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070813115846/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-070210obama-pearson1-story%2C0%2C3768114.story |archive-date=August 13, 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="BBC20070210">{{cite news |date=February 10, 2007 |title=Obama Launches Presidential Bid |publisher=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6349081.stm |url-status=live |access-date=January 14, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080202060802/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6349081.stm |archive-date=February 2, 2008}}</ref> The choice of the announcement site was viewed as symbolic, as it was also where [[Abraham Lincoln]] delivered his [[Lincoln's House Divided Speech|"House Divided"]] speech in 1858.<ref name="ChicagoTribune_Pearson_20070210" /><ref name="ChicagoTribune_Parsons20070210">{{cite news |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-159132539.html |url-status=dead |access-date=June 12, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511195905/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-159132539.html |archive-date = May 11, 2011 |title = Obama's launch site: Symbolic Springfield: Announcement venue evokes Lincoln legacy |last=Parsons |first=Christi |date=February 10, 2007 |newspaper=Chicago Tribune }}</ref> Obama emphasized issues of rapidly ending the Iraq War, increasing [[Energy policy of the United States|energy independence]], and [[Health care reform in the United States|reforming the health care system]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Barack Obama on the Issues: What Would Be Your Top Three Overall Priorities If Elected? |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=http://projects.washingtonpost.com/2008-presidential-candidates/issues/candidates/barack-obama/#top-priorities |url-status=dead |access-date=April 14, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080509140350/http://projects.washingtonpost.com/2008-presidential-candidates/issues/candidates/barack-obama/ |archive-date=May 9, 2008 }} See also:
* {{cite book |last=Thomas |first=Evan |author-link=Evan Thomas |year=2009 |title=A Long Time Coming |publisher=[[PublicAffairs]] |location=New York |url=https://archive.org/details/alongtimecominge00thom |url-access=registration |isbn=978-1-58648-607-5 |page=[https://archive.org/details/alongtimecominge00thom/page/74 74] }}
* {{cite news |last=Falcone |first=Michael |date=December 21, 2007 |title=Obama's 'One Thing' |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/21/obamas-one-thing/ |access-date=April 14, 2008 |archive-date=July 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220716212237/https://archive.nytimes.com/thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/21/obamas-one-thing/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
Numerous candidates entered the [[2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries|Democratic Party presidential primaries]]. The field narrowed to Obama and Senator [[Hillary Clinton]] after early contests, with the race remaining close throughout the primary process, but Obama gained a steady lead in pledged [[Delegate (American politics)|delegates]] due to better long-range planning, superior fundraising, dominant organizing in [[caucus]] states, and better exploitation of delegate allocation rules.<ref name="allocation" />
On June 2, 2008, Obama had received enough votes to clinch his nomination. After an initial hesitation to concede, on June 7, Clinton ended her campaign and endorsed Obama.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Nagourney |first1=Adam |first2=Jeff |last2=Zeleny |date=June 5, 2008 |title=Clinton to End Bid and Endorse Obama |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/05/us/politics/04cnd-campaign.html |url-access=limited |url-status=live |access-date=November 20, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080605014013/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/05/us/politics/04cnd-campaign.html |archive-date=June 5, 2008}}</ref> On August 23, 2008, Obama announced his [[2008 Democratic Party vice presidential candidate selection|selection]] of [[Delaware]] Senator [[Joe Biden]] as his vice presidential running mate.<ref name=nagourney>{{cite news |last1=Nagourney |first1=Adam |first2=Jeff |last2=Zeleny |date=August 23, 2008 |title=Obama Chooses Biden as Running Mate |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/24/us/politics/24biden.html |url-status=live |access-date=September 20, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090401222653/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/24/us/politics/24biden.html |archive-date=April 1, 2009}}</ref> Obama selected Biden from a field speculated to include former Indiana Governor and Senator [[Evan Bayh]] and Virginia Governor [[Tim Kaine]].<ref name=nagourney /> At the [[2008 Democratic National Convention|Democratic National Convention]] in [[Denver]], Colorado, Hillary Clinton called for her supporters to endorse Obama, and she and [[Bill Clinton]] gave convention speeches in his support.<ref>{{cite news |last=Baldwin |first=Tom |date=August 27, 2008 |title=Hillary Clinton: 'Barack is my candidate' |work=[[The Times]] |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/hillary-clinton-barack-is-my-candidate-50w3d5n7wm9 |access-date=December 15, 2021 |issn=0140-0460 |archive-date=December 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211215030155/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/hillary-clinton-barack-is-my-candidate-50w3d5n7wm9 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Nagourney |first=Adam |date=August 28, 2008 |title=Obama Wins Nomination; Biden and Bill Clinton Rally Party |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/28/us/politics/28DEMSDAY.html |url-access=limited |url-status=live |access-date=December 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080827212341/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/28/us/politics/28DEMSDAY.html |archive-date=August 27, 2008 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Obama delivered his acceptance speech at [[Invesco Field at Mile High]] stadium to a crowd of about eighty-four thousand; the speech was viewed by over thirty eight million people across ten networks.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Record 38 Million Watched Obama Speech on 10 Networks|url=http://www.tvweek.com/in-depth/2008/08/record-38-million-watched-obam/|website=TVWeek|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="npr1409">{{cite news |last1=Liasson |first1=Mara |last2=Norris |first2=Michele |date=July 7, 2008 |title=Obama To Accept Nomination at Mile High Stadium |publisher=NPR |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92301409 |access-date=December 22, 2010 |archive-date=March 16, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150316164750/http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92301409 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="acceptance" /><ref>{{cite news |last=Lloyd |first=Robert |date=August 29, 2008 |title=Barack Obama, Al Gore Raise the Roof at Invesco Field |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-na-tvcritic29-2008aug29,0,3593116.story |access-date=August 29, 2008 |archive-date=September 6, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080906195440/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-na-tvcritic29-2008aug29,0,3593116.story |url-status=live }}</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="small donations" /> On June 19, 2008, 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 |last=Salant |first=Jonathan D. |date=June 19, 2008 |title=Obama Won't Accept Public Money in Election Campaign |publisher=[[Bloomberg L.P.|Bloomberg]] |url=https://article.wn.com/view/2008/06/19/Obama_Wont_Accept_Public_Money_in_Election_Campaign/ |access-date=June 19, 2008 |archive-date=February 7, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170207114028/https://article.wn.com/view/2008/06/19/Obama_Wont_Accept_Public_Money_in_Election_Campaign/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
John McCain was nominated as the Republican candidate, and he selected [[Sarah Palin]] as his running mate. Obama and McCain engaged in three [[United States presidential election debates|presidential debates]] in September and October 2008.<ref name="presidential debates" /> On November 4, Obama won the presidency with 365 [[Electoral College (United States)|electoral votes]] to 173 received by McCain.<ref name="electoral votes" /> Obama won 52.9 percent of the [[Election|popular vote]] to McCain's 45.7 percent.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/us/general_election_mccain_vs_obama-225.html |title = General Election: McCain vs. Obama |access-date = February 20, 2009 |publisher = Real Clear Politics |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090217083055/http://www.realclearpolitics.com//epolls//2008//president//us//general_election_mccain_vs_obama-225.html |archive-date = February 17, 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> He became the first African-American to be elected president.<ref name="FirstBlackPrez">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/us_elections_2008/7709978.stm |title = Obama wins historic US election |publisher = BBC News |date = November 5, 2008 |access-date = November 5, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081218083153/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/us_elections_2008/7709978.stm |archive-date = December 18, 2008 |url-status=live }}
* {{cite news |access-date = November 5, 2008 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/05/us/politics/05elect.html |title = Obama Elected President as Racial Barrier Falls |first = Adam |last = Nagourney |date = November 4, 2008 |work = The New York Times |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081209071842/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/05/us/politics/05elect.html |archive-date = December 9, 2008 |url-status=live }}
* {{cite news |access-date = November 5, 2008 |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 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081104231227/http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/04/election.president/index.html |archive-date = November 4, 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref> Obama delivered [[Barack Obama election victory speech, 2008|his victory speech]] before hundreds of thousands of supporters in Chicago's [[Grant Park (Chicago)|Grant Park]].<ref name=achangeisgoncome>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/05/us/politics/05text-obama.html|website=[[The New York Times]]|first=Barack|last=Obama|year=2008|title=Transcript of Senator Barack Obama's speech to supporters after the Feb. 5 nominating contests, as provided by Federal News Service|quote=Change will not come if we wait for some other person or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.|access-date=June 21, 2023|archive-date=June 21, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621044712/https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/05/us/politics/05text-obama.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="independent1">{{cite news |access-date = November 5, 2008 |url=https://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 = London |date = November 5, 2008 |last = Johnson |first = Wesley |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081209055411/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/change-has-come-says-presidentelect-obama-992930.html |archive-date = December 9, 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref> He is one of the three United States senators moved directly from the U.S. Senate to the White House, the others being [[Warren G. Harding]] and [[John F. Kennedy]].<ref>{{cite web|title=U.S. Senate: Senators Who Became President|url=https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/briefing/senators_became_president.htm|access-date=August 27, 2021|website=senate.gov|archive-date=July 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210724012115/https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/briefing/senators_became_president.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>
 
===2012===
{{Main|2012 United States presidential election|Barack Obama 2012 presidential campaign}}
[[File:ElectoralCollege2012.svg|thumb|upright=1.3|alt=Electoral college map, depicting Obama winning many states in the Northeast, Midwest, and Pacific West, and Florida, and Romney winning many states in the South and Rocky Mountains.|2012 electoral vote results. Obama won 332–206.]]
 
On April 4, 2011, Obama filed election papers with the [[Federal Election Commission]] and then announced his reelection campaign for 2012 in a video titled "It Begins with Us" that he posted on his website.<ref>{{cite news |title = Obama Begins Re-Election Facing New Political Challenges |url=http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/04/obama-launches-re-election-facing-new-political-challenges/ |date = April 4, 2011 |first = Michael D. |last = Shear |work = The New York Times (blog) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110405205656/http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/04/obama-launches-re-election-facing-new-political-challenges/ |archive-date = April 5, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title = Obama announces re-election bid |url=http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2011/04/04/Obama-announces-re-election-bid/UPI-95081301905800/?dailybrief |date = April 4, 2011 |work = [[United Press International]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110510011832/http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2011/04/04/Obama-announces-re-election-bid/UPI-95081301905800/?dailybrief |archive-date = May 10, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title = Obama Opens 2012 Campaign, With Eye on Money and Independent Voters |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/05/us/politics/05obama.html |date = April 4, 2011 |first1 = Jeff |last1 = Zeleny |work = The New York Times |first2 = Jackie |last2 = Calmes |name-list-style = amp |access-date = April 5, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121115021431/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/05/us/politics/05obama.html|archive-date=November 15, 2012 }}</ref> As the incumbent president, he ran virtually unopposed in the [[Democratic Party presidential primaries, 2012|Democratic Party presidential primaries]],<ref name="CNN-clinch1">{{cite news |url = http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/04/03/leading-presidential-candidate-to-clinch-nomination-tuesday/ |title = Leading presidential candidate to clinch nomination Tuesday |publisher = CNN (blog) |last = Yoon |first = Robert |date = April 3, 2012 |access-date = May 2, 2012 |archive-date = April 26, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120426082004/http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/04/03/leading-presidential-candidate-to-clinch-nomination-tuesday/ |url-status = dead }}</ref> and on April 3, 2012, Obama secured the 2778 [[2012 Democratic National Convention|convention]] delegates needed to win the Democratic nomination.<ref name="CNN-clinch2">{{cite news |url = http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/04/03/breaking-obama-clinches-democratic-nomination/ |title = Obama clinches Democratic nomination |publisher = CNN (blog) |date = April 3, 2012 |access-date = April 3, 2012 |archive-date = April 4, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120404203415/http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/04/03/breaking-obama-clinches-democratic-nomination/ |url-status = dead }}</ref> At the [[2012 Democratic National Convention|Democratic National Convention]] in [[Charlotte, North Carolina]], Obama and Joe Biden were formally nominated by former President Bill Clinton as the Democratic Party candidates for president and vice president in the general election. Their main opponents were Republicans [[Mitt Romney]], the former governor of Massachusetts, and Representative [[Paul Ryan]] of Wisconsin.<ref>{{cite news |last = Cohen |first = Tom |title = Clinton says Obama offers a better path forward for America |url = http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/05/politics/democratic-convention-wrap/index.html |publisher = CNN |date = September 6, 2012 |access-date = July 5, 2015 |archive-date = July 6, 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150706115632/http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/05/politics/democratic-convention-wrap/index.html |url-status = live }}</ref>
 
On November 6, 2012, Obama won 332 electoral votes, exceeding the 270 required for him to be reelected as president.<ref>{{cite news|last=Lauter |first=David |title=Romney campaign gives up in Florida |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/la-pn-romney-concedes-florida-election-20121108,0,415187.story |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121109020204/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/la-pn-romney-concedes-florida-election-20121108%2C0%2C415187.story |archive-date=November 9, 2012 |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |date=November 8, 2012 |access-date=July 5, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last = Barnes |first = Robert |title = Obama wins a second term as U.S. president |url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/decision2012/after-grueling-campaign-polls-open-for-election-day-2012/2012/11/06/d1c24c98-2802-11e2-b4e0-346287b7e56c_story.html |newspaper = The Washington Post |date = November 6, 2012 |access-date = July 5, 2015 |archive-date = April 17, 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150417162701/http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/decision2012/after-grueling-campaign-polls-open-for-election-day-2012/2012/11/06/d1c24c98-2802-11e2-b4e0-346287b7e56c_story.html |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1 = Welch |first1 = William M. |last2 = Strauss |first2 = Gary |title = With win in critical battleground states, Obama wins second term |url = https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2012/11/06/election-day-obama-romney/1680933/ |newspaper = USA Today |date = November 7, 2012 |access-date = July 5, 2015 |archive-date = June 16, 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150616201528/http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2012/11/06/election-day-obama-romney/1680933/ |url-status = live }}</ref> With 51.1 percent of the popular vote,<ref name="FEC">{{cite web |url=http://www.fec.gov/pubrec/fe2012/federalelections2012.pdf |title = Election Results for the U.S. President, the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives |publisher = [[Federal Elections Commission]] |author = FEC |date = July 2013 |access-date = August 20, 2013 |page = 5 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131002094824/http://www.fec.gov/pubrec/fe2012/federalelections2012.pdf |archive-date = October 2, 2013 |url-status = dead }}</ref> Obama became the first Democratic president since [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] to win the [[List of United States presidential elections by popular vote margin|majority of the popular vote]] twice.<ref>{{cite news |last=Brownstein |first=Ronald |title=The U.S. has reached a demographic milestone—and it's not turning back |url=http://www.nationaljournal.com/thenextamerica/demographics/the-u-s-has-reached-a-demographic-milestone-and-it-s-not-turning-back-20121109 |work=[[National Journal]] |date=November 9, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111231854/http://www.nationaljournal.com/thenextamerica/demographics/the-u-s-has-reached-a-demographic-milestone-and-it-s-not-turning-back-20121109 |archive-date=November 11, 2012 |access-date=July 5, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.thenation.com/blog/171178/obama-has-great-big-mandate-and-he-must-use-it |title = Obama's 3 Million Vote, Electoral College Landslide, Majority of States Mandate |last = Nichols |first = John |date = November 9, 2012 |work = The Nation |access-date = November 18, 2012 |archive-date = November 27, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121127235843/http://www.thenation.com/blog/171178/obama-has-great-big-mandate-and-he-must-use-it |url-status = live }}</ref> Obama addressed supporters and volunteers at Chicago's [[McCormick Place]] after his reelection and said: "Tonight you voted for action, not politics as usual. You elected us to focus on your jobs, not ours. And in the coming weeks and months, I am looking forward to reaching out and working with leaders of both parties."<ref>{{cite news|last=Lee|first=Kristen A.|title=Election 2012: President Obama gives victory speech in front of thousands in Chicago, 'I have never been more hopeful about America{{'-}}|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/president-obama-victory-speech-hopeful-america-article-1.1197895|access-date=November 8, 2012|newspaper=Daily News|location=New York|date=November 7, 2012|archive-date=November 9, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121109073355/http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/president-obama-victory-speech-hopeful-america-article-1.1197895|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="NYT20130121">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/22/us/politics/obama-inauguration-draws-hundreds-of-thousands.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130121151143/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/22/us/politics/obama-inauguration-draws-hundreds-of-thousands.html |archive-date=January 21, 2013 |url-access=limited |url-status=live|title=Obama Offers Liberal Vision: 'We Must Act{{'-}}|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|first=Michael|last=Shear|date=January 21, 2013|access-date=July 10, 2013}}</ref>
 
==Presidency (2009–2017)==
{{Main|Presidency of Barack Obama}}
{{Seefor alsotimeline|ConfirmationsTimeline of the Barack Obama's Cabinet|List of presidential trips made by Barack Obamapresidency}}
 
[[File:US President Barack Obama taking his Oath of Office - 2009Jan20.jpg|thumb|Barack Obama takes the [[oath of office]] as president of the United States.]]
===First 100 days===
{{Main|First 100 days of the Barack Obama presidency}}
The [[inauguration of Barack Obama]] as the 44th President, and Joe Biden as Vice President, took place on January 20, 2009. In his first few days in office Obama issued executive orders and presidential memoranda directing the U.S. military to develop plans to withdraw troops from [[Iraq War|Iraq]],<ref>{{cite news|first=|last=|coauthors=|title=Obama asks Pentagon for responsible Iraq drawdown|date=January 23, 2009|agency=|url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2009-01/23/content_7423535.htm|work=China Daily |pages=|accessdate=September 4, 2009}}</ref> and ordered the closing of the [[Guantanamo Bay detention camp]] "as soon as practicable and no later than" January 2010.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/22/washington/22gitmo.html?hp|title=Obama Orders Halt to Prosecutions at Guantánamo|last=Glaberson|first=William|date=January 21, 2009|work=The New York Times |accessdate=February 3, 2009}}</ref> Obama also reduced the secrecy given to presidential records<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/ExecutiveOrderPresidentialRecords/|title=Executive Order—Presidential Records|accessdate=January 22, 2009}}</ref> and changed procedures to promote disclosure under the [[Freedom of Information Act (United States)|Freedom of Information Act]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Michael|last=Doyle|coauthors=|title=Obama restores some of the 'Freedom' to FOIA|date=January 23, 2009|publisher=McClatchy Newspapers|url=http://www.mcclatchydc.com/251/story/60661.html|work=|pages=|accessdate=January 24, 2009}}</ref> The president
[[File:US President Barack Obama taking his Oath of Office - 2009Jan20.jpg|thumb|Obama takes [[Oath of office of the President of the United States|the oath of office]] administered by [[Chief Justice of the United States|Chief Justice]] [[John Roberts|John G. Roberts Jr.]] at [[United States Capitol|the Capitol]], January 20, 2009.|alt=Photo of Obama raising his left hand for the oath of office]]
also reversed George W. Bush's [[Mexico City Policy|ban on federal funding to foreign establishments that allow abortions]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Josh|last=Gerstein|coauthors=|title=Obama: End Abortion 'Politicization'|date=January 24, 2009|publisher=Politico.com|url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/17898.html}}</ref>
The [[First inauguration of Barack Obama|inauguration of Barack Obama]] as the 44th president took place on January 20, 2009. In his first few days in office, Obama issued [[executive order]]s and [[Presidential memorandum|presidential memoranda]] directing the U.S. military to develop plans to withdraw troops from Iraq.<ref>{{cite news |title=Obama asks Pentagon for responsible Iraq drawdown |date=January 23, 2009 |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/news/nation/2009/01/22/Obama-asks-Pentagon-for-responsible-Iraq-drawdown/stories/200901220423 |work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] |first1=Anne |last1=Gearan |first2=Lolita C. |last2=Baldor |agency=Associated Press |access-date=February 23, 2020 |archive-date=February 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200223150302/https://www.post-gazette.com/news/nation/2009/01/22/Obama-asks-Pentagon-for-responsible-Iraq-drawdown/stories/200901220423 |url-status=live }}</ref> He ordered the closing of the [[Guantanamo Bay detention camp]],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/22/washington/22gitmo.html |title = Obama Orders Halt to Prosecutions at Guantánamo |last = Glaberson |first = William |date = January 21, 2009 |work = The New York Times |access-date = February 3, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090416015909/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/22/washington/22gitmo.html|archive-date=April 16, 2009 }}</ref> but Congress prevented the closure by refusing to appropriate the required funds<ref>{{cite news |title = Senate blocks transfer of Gitmo detainees |url = https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna30826649 |date = May 20, 2009 |work = [[NBC News]] |agency = Associated Press |mode = cs2 |access-date = March 22, 2011 |archive-date = November 4, 2014 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141104101140/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/30826649/ |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title = Obama signs Defense authorization bill |url = https://federalnewsnetwork.com/congress/2011/01/obama-signs-defense-authorization-bill/ |date = January 7, 2011 |first = Jared |last = Serbu |publisher = [[Federal News Radio]] |mode = cs2 |access-date = March 22, 2011 |archive-date = December 12, 2018 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181212174641/http://federalnewsnetwork.com/congress/2011/01/obama-signs-defense-authorization-bill/ |url-status = live }}</ref> and preventing moving any Guantanamo detainee.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.npr.org/2013/01/23/169922171/obamas-promise-to-close-guantanamo-prison-falls-short |title = Obama's Promise To Close Guantanamo Prison Falls Short |last = Northam |first = Jackie |date = January 23, 2013 |access-date = April 22, 2013 |publisher = [[NPR]] |archive-date = March 26, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130326042851/http://www.npr.org/2013/01/23/169922171/obamas-promise-to-close-guantanamo-prison-falls-short |url-status = live }}</ref> Obama reduced the secrecy given to presidential records.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Savage |first=Charlie |date=December 30, 2009 |title=Obama Curbs Secrecy of Classified Documents |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/30/us/politics/30secrets.html |access-date=December 20, 2022 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=December 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221220023908/https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/30/us/politics/30secrets.html |url-status=live }}</ref> He also revoked President George W. Bush's restoration of President [[Ronald Reagan]]'s [[Mexico City policy]] which prohibited federal aid to international [[family planning]] organizations that perform or provide counseling about abortion.<ref>{{cite news |last = Meckler |first = Laura |date = January 24, 2009 |title = Obama lifts 'gag rule' on family-planning groups |newspaper = The Wall Street Journal |page = A3 |url = https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB123272364299610287 |access-date = September 21, 2012 |archive-date = July 23, 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150723125402/http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB123272364299610287 |url-status = live }}
* {{cite news |last1 = Stein |first1 = Rob |last2 = Shear |first2 = Michael |date = January 24, 2009 |title = Funding restored to groups that perform abortions, other care |newspaper = The Washington Post |page = A3 |url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/23/AR2009012302814.html |access-date = September 21, 2012 |quote = Lifting the Mexico City Policy would not permit U.S. tax dollars to be used for abortions, but it would allow funding to resume to groups that provide other services, including counseling about abortions. |archive-date = November 11, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121111031558/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/23/AR2009012302814.html |url-status = live }}</ref>
 
===Domestic policy===
{{See also|Social policy of the Barack Obama administration}}
The first bill signed into law by Obama was the [[Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009]], relaxing the statute of limitations for equal-pay lawsuits.<ref>{{cite news|title=Obama Signs Equal-Pay Legislation|publisher=New York Times|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/30/us/politics/30ledbetter-web.html|accessdate=June 15, 2009 | date=January 30, 2009}}</ref> Five days later, he signed the reauthorization of the [[State Children's Health Insurance Program]] (SCHIP) to cover an additional 4&nbsp;million children currently uninsured.<ref>{{cite news|title=Obama signs into law expansion of SCHIP health-care program for children|work= Chicago Tribune |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-kids-health-care_thufeb05,0,30310.story|accessdate=June 15, 2009}}</ref>
 
The first bill signed into law by Obama was the [[Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009]], relaxing the [[statute of limitations]] for equal-pay lawsuits.<ref>{{cite news |title = Obama Signs Equal-Pay Legislation |work = The New York Times |first=Sheryl Gay|last=Stolberg|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/30/us/politics/30ledbetter-web.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090130125449/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/30/us/politics/30ledbetter-web.html |archive-date=January 30, 2009 |url-access=limited |url-status=live |access-date = June 15, 2009 |date = January 30, 2009 }}</ref> Five days later, he signed the reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Program to cover an additional four million uninsured children.<ref>{{cite news|title=Obama signs into law expansion of SCHIP health care program for children |work=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-kids-health-care_thufeb05,0,30310.story |access-date=June 15, 2009 |first=Noam N. |last=Levey |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090430194400/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-kids-health-care_thufeb05%2C0%2C30310.story |archive-date=April 30, 2009 |url-status=dead |date=February 5, 2009 }}</ref> In March 2009, Obama reversed a Bush-era policy that had limited funding of [[embryonic stem cell]] research and pledged to develop "strict guidelines" on the research.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/09/obama.stem.cells/index.html |title = Obama overturns Bush policy on stem cells |publisher = CNN |date = March 9, 2009 |access-date = April 18, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100330183125/http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/09/obama.stem.cells/index.html |archive-date = March 30, 2010 }}</ref>
 
[[File:Barack Obama addresses joint session of Congress 2009-02-24.jpg|thumb|left|Obama delivers a [[Barack Obama speech to joint session of Congress, February 2009|speech at a joint session of Congress]] with Vice President [[Joe Biden]] and [[Speaker of the United States House of Representatives|House Speaker]] [[Nancy Pelosi]] on February 24, 2009.|alt=Photo of Obama giving a speech to Congress, with Pelosi and Biden clapping behind him]]
 
Obama appointed two women to serve on the Supreme Court in the first two years of his presidency. He nominated [[Sonia Sotomayor]] on May 26, 2009, to replace retiring [[Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States|Associate Justice]] [[David Souter]]. She was confirmed on August 6, 2009,<ref>{{cite news |title=Senate confirms Sotomayor for Supreme Court |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/08/06/sonia.sotomayor/ |first1=Lisa |last1=Desjardins |first2=Kristi |last2=Keck |first3=Bill |last3=Mears |date=August 6, 2009 |publisher=CNN |access-date=August 6, 2009 |archive-date=September 25, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110925110216/http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/08/06/sonia.sotomayor/ |url-status=live }}</ref> becoming the first Supreme Court Justice of [[Hispanic]] descent.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/05/26/supreme.court/index.html |first1=Peter |last1=Hamby |first2=Ed |last2=Henry |first3=Suzanne |last3=Malveaux |first4=Bill |last4=Mears |title=Obama nominates Sonia Sotomayor to Supreme Court |date=May 26, 2009 |website=CNN |access-date=September 13, 2014 |archive-date=September 15, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170915214022/http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/05/26/supreme.court/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Obama nominated [[Elena Kagan]] on May 10, 2010, to replace retiring Associate Justice [[John Paul Stevens]]. She was confirmed on August 5, 2010, bringing the number of women sitting simultaneously on the Court to three for the first time in American history.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.theledger.com/article/LK/20101004/News/608110519/LL/ |title = New Era Begins on High Court: Kagan Takes Place as Third Woman |last = Sherman |first = Mark |date = October 4, 2010 |agency = Associated Press |website=The Ledger |access-date = November 13, 2010 |archive-date = October 10, 2017 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171010074850/http://www.theledger.com/article/LK/20101004/News/608110519/LL/ |url-status = dead }}</ref>
 
On March 11, 2009, Obama created the [[White House Council on Women and Girls]], which formed part of the [[White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs|Office of Intergovernmental Affairs]], having been established by {{Executive Order|13506}} with a broad mandate to advise him on issues relating to the welfare of American women and girls. The council was chaired by [[Senior Advisor to the President]] [[Valerie Jarrett]]. Obama also established the [[White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault]] through a government memorandum on January 22, 2014, with a broad mandate to advise him on issues relating to sexual assault on college and university campuses throughout the United States. The co-chairs of the Task Force were Vice President Joe Biden and Jarrett. The Task Force was a development out of the White House Council on Women and Girls and [[Office of the Vice President of the United States]], and prior to that the 1994 [[Violence Against Women Act]] first drafted by Biden.
 
In July 2009, Obama launched the [[Priority Enforcement Program]], an immigration enforcement program that had been pioneered by George W. Bush, and the [[Secure Communities]] fingerprinting and immigration status data-sharing program.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 24, 2015 |title=Obama Administration Implements Priority Enforcement Program, Limits Interior Enforcement |url=https://www.numbersusa.com/news/obama-administration-implements-priority-enforcement-program-limits-interior-enforcement |access-date=May 25, 2023 |website=NumbersUSA |language=en |archive-date=May 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230525035043/https://www.numbersusa.com/news/obama-administration-implements-priority-enforcement-program-limits-interior-enforcement |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
In a [[Space policy of the Barack Obama administration|major space policy speech]] in April 2010, Obama announced a planned change in direction at [[NASA]], the U.S. space agency. He ended plans for a return of [[human spaceflight]] to the moon and development of the [[Ares I]] rocket, [[Ares V]] rocket and [[Constellation program]], in favor of funding [[earth science]] projects, a new rocket type, research and development for an eventual crewed mission to Mars, and ongoing missions to the [[International Space Station]].<ref>{{cite news |first1=Robert |last1=Block |first2=Mark K. |last2=Matthews |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-jan-27-la-na-nasa-budget27-2010jan27-story.html |title=White House won't fund NASA moon program |quote=President Obama's budget proposal includes no money for the Ares I and Ares V rocket or Constellation program. Instead, NASA would be asked to monitor climate change and develop a new rocket |date=January 27, 2010 |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=January 30, 2011 |archive-date=October 26, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191026070433/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-jan-27-la-na-nasa-budget27-2010jan27-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
[[File: Barack Obama visiting victims of 2012 Aurora shooting.jpg|thumb|Obama visits an [[2012 Aurora, Colorado shooting|Aurora shooting]] victim at [[University of Colorado Hospital]], 2012.|alt=Photo of Obama smiling at a hospital patient while hugging her friend]]
 
On January 16, 2013, one month after the [[Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting]], Obama signed 23 executive orders and outlined a series of sweeping proposals regarding [[Gun politics in the United States|gun control]].<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-21049942 |publisher = BBC News |title = US gun debate: Obama unveils gun control proposals |first = Mark |last = Mardell |date = January 16, 2013 |access-date = January 16, 2013 |archive-date = January 16, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130116181612/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-21049942 |url-status = live }}</ref> He urged Congress to reintroduce an [[Federal Assault Weapons Ban|expired ban]] on military-style [[assault weapons]], such as those used in several recent mass shootings, impose limits on ammunition magazines to 10 rounds, introduce background checks on all gun sales, pass a ban on possession and sale of armor-piercing bullets, introduce harsher penalties for gun-traffickers, especially unlicensed dealers who buy arms for criminals and approving the appointment of the head of the federal [[Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives]] for the first time since 2006.<ref>{{cite news |title = What's in Obama's Gun Control Proposal |url = https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/01/16/us/obama-gun-control-proposal.html |work = The New York Times |date = January 16, 2013 |access-date = February 12, 2013 |archive-date = February 21, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130221133649/http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/01/16/us/obama-gun-control-proposal.html |url-status = live }}</ref> On January 5, 2016, Obama announced new executive actions extending background check requirements to more gun sellers.<ref name="edition.cnn.com">{{cite news |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2016/01/05/politics/obama-gun-control-executive-action/ |title=Obama announces gun control executive action (full transcript) |work=CNN |date=January 5, 2016 |access-date=January 7, 2016 |archive-date=February 21, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160221221129/http://edition.cnn.com/2016/01/05/politics/obama-gun-control-executive-action/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In a 2016 editorial in ''The New York Times'', Obama compared the struggle for what he termed "common-sense gun reform" to [[women's suffrage]] and other [[civil rights movements]] in American history.
 
In 2011, Obama signed a four-year renewal of the Patriot Act.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna43180202 |work=[[NBC News]] |title=Obama, in Europe, signs Patriot Act extension |date=May 27, 2011 |access-date=August 8, 2019 |archive-date=August 10, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810204645/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/43180202/ns/us_news-security/t/obama-europe-signs-patriot-act-extension/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Following the [[Global surveillance disclosures (2013–present)|2013 global surveillance disclosures]] by [[whistleblower]] [[Edward Snowden]], Obama condemned the leak as unpatriotic,<ref name="CNN-Snowden">{{cite news | work=CNN | url=http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/12/politics/obama-snowden-whistleblower | title=Fact-checking Obama's claims about Snowden | date=August 13, 2013 | access-date=August 8, 2019 | last=Wolf | first=Z. Byron | archive-date=August 8, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190808215548/https://www.cnn.com/2013/08/12/politics/obama-snowden-whistleblower | url-status=live }}</ref> but called for increased restrictions on the [[National Security Agency]] (NSA) to address violations of privacy.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-security-obama-idUSL1N0MS1QW20140403?type=companyNews | title=Obama's NSA overhaul may require phone carriers to store more data | date=April 3, 2014 | work=Reuters | access-date=August 8, 2019 | author=Hosenball, Mark | archive-date=June 2, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220602160321/https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-security-obama-idUSL1N0MS1QW20140403?type=companyNews | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Ackerman |first=Spencer |date=January 17, 2014 |title=Obama to overhaul NSA's bulk storage of Americans' telephone data |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/17/obama-end-nsa-bulk-storage-telephone-metadata |work=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=August 12, 2019 |archive-date=August 12, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190812214452/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/17/obama-end-nsa-bulk-storage-telephone-metadata |url-status=live }}</ref> Obama continued and expanded surveillance programs set up by George W. Bush, while implementing some reforms.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |last=Roth |first=Kenneth |date=January 9, 2017 |title=Barack Obama's Shaky Legacy on Human Rights |url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/01/09/barack-obamas-shaky-legacy-human-rights |access-date=June 26, 2022 |website=[[Human Rights Watch]] |language=en |archive-date=February 2, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210202082511/https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/01/09/barack-obamas-shaky-legacy-human-rights |url-status=live }}</ref> He supported legislation that would have limited the NSA's ability to collect phone records in bulk under a single program and supported bringing more transparency to the [[United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court|Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court]] (FISC).<ref name=":0" />
 
====Racial issues====
{{see also|Race and ethnicity in the United States}}
 
In his speeches as president, Obama did not make more overt references to race relations than his predecessors,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Dyson |first1=Michael Eric |title=The Black Presidency: Barack Obama and the Politics of Race in America |year=2016 |isbn=978-0-544-38766-9 |page=275|publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Gillion |first=Daniel Q. |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/governing-with-words/5D4F713A016401E3FC3922C66D371FF2 |title=Governing with Words |date=2016 |isbn=978-1-316-41229-9 |language=en |doi=10.1017/CBO9781316412299 |access-date=June 5, 2019 |archive-date=August 10, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810185603/https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/governing-with-words/5D4F713A016401E3FC3922C66D371FF2 |url-status=live }}</ref> but according to one study, he implemented stronger policy action on behalf of African-Americans than any president since the Nixon era.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Butler |first1=Bennett |last2=Mendelberg |first2=Tali |last3=Haines |first3=Pavielle E. |date=2019 |title="I'm Not the President of Black America": Rhetorical versus Policy Representation |journal=Perspectives on Politics |language=en |volume=17 |issue=4 |pages=1038–1058 |doi=10.1017/S1537592719000963 |issn=1537-5927 |doi-access=free| publisher=Cambridge University Press}}</ref>
In March 2009, Obama reversed a Bush-era policy which had limited funding of [[embryonic stem cell]] research to only a small number of lines. Obama stated that he believed "sound science and moral values...are not inconsistent" and pledged to develop "strict guidelines" on the research.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/09/obama.stem.cells/index.html |title=Obama overturns Bush policy on stem cells |publisher=CNN |date=March 9, 2009 |accessdate=April 18, 2010}}</ref>
 
Following Obama's election, many pondered the existence of a "[[Post-racial America|postracial America]]".<ref name="wrodgers">{{cite news |last1=Rodgers |first1=Walter |date=January 5, 2010 |title=A year into Obama's presidency, is America postracial? |work=The Christian Science Monitor |url=http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Walter-Rodgers/2010/0105/A-year-into-Obama-s-presidency-is-America-postracial |access-date=November 15, 2015 |archive-date=November 17, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117065412/http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Walter-Rodgers/2010/0105/A-year-into-Obama-s-presidency-is-America-postracial |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="shearalcindor1">{{cite news |last1=Shear |first1=Michael |last2=Alcindor |first2=Yamiche |date=January 14, 2017 |title=Jolted by Deaths, Obama Found His Voice on Race |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/14/us/politics/obama-presidency-race.html |access-date=January 17, 2017 |archive-date=January 16, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170116205805/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/14/us/politics/obama-presidency-race.html |url-status=live }}</ref> However, lingering racial tensions quickly became apparent,<ref name="wrodgers" /><ref name="ccil2">{{cite news |last1=Cillizza |first1=Chris |date=August 14, 2014 |title=President Obama's vision of post-racial America faces another stress test with Ferguson |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2014/08/14/president-obamas-desire-to-reshape-race-relations-runs-into-stark-realities/ |access-date=November 15, 2015 |archive-date=November 17, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117033531/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2014/08/14/president-obamas-desire-to-reshape-race-relations-runs-into-stark-realities/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and many African-Americans expressed outrage over what they saw as an intense racial animosity directed at Obama.<ref name="jblake">{{Cite web |last=Blake |first=John |date=July 1, 2016 |title=What black America won't miss about Obama |url=https://www.cnn.com/2016/06/30/politics/why-black-america-may-be-relieved-to-see-obama-go/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221003024730/https://www.cnn.com/2016/06/30/politics/why-black-america-may-be-relieved-to-see-obama-go/ |archive-date=October 3, 2022 |website=[[CNN]]}}</ref> The [[Trial of George Zimmerman|acquittal]] of [[George Zimmerman]] following the [[killing of Trayvon Martin]] sparked national outrage, leading to Obama giving a speech in which he noted that "Trayvon Martin could have been me 35 years ago."<ref name="ccilliza">{{cite news |last1=Cillizza |first1=Chris |date=July 19, 2013 |title=President Obama's remarkably personal speech on Trayvon Martin and race in America |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2013/07/19/president-obamas-remarkably-personal-speech-on-trayvon-martin-and-race-in-america/ |access-date=November 15, 2015 |archive-date=November 17, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117022902/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2013/07/19/president-obamas-remarkably-personal-speech-on-trayvon-martin-and-race-in-america/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The shooting of [[Shooting of Michael Brown|Michael Brown]] in [[Ferguson, Missouri]] [[Ferguson unrest|sparked a wave of protests]].<ref name="capeheart2">{{cite news |last1=Capeheart |first1=Jonathan |date=February 27, 2015 |title=From Trayvon Martin to 'black lives matter' |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2015/02/27/from-trayvon-martin-to-black-lives-matter/ |access-date=November 15, 2015 |archive-date=November 17, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117013956/https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2015/02/27/from-trayvon-martin-to-black-lives-matter/ |url-status=live }}</ref> These and other events led to the birth of the [[Black Lives Matter]] movement, which campaigns against violence and [[Institutional racism|systemic racism]] toward [[black people]].<ref name="capeheart2" /> Though Obama entered office reluctant to talk about race, by 2014 he began openly discussing the disadvantages faced by many members of minority groups.<ref name="pbacon">{{cite news |last1=Bacon |first1=Perry Jr. |date=January 3, 2015 |title=In Wake of Police Shootings, Obama Speaks More Bluntly About Race |publisher=NBC |url=http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/barack-obama/wake-police-shootings-obama-speaks-more-bluntly-about-race-n278616 |access-date=November 15, 2015 |archive-date=November 11, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151111003526/http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/barack-obama/wake-police-shootings-obama-speaks-more-bluntly-about-race-n278616 |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[Sonia Sotomayor]], nominated by Obama on May 26, 2009, to replace retiring [[Associate Justice]] [[David Souter]], was confirmed on August 6, 2009,<ref>{{cite news|title=Senate confirms Sotomayor for Supreme Court|url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/08/06/sonia.sotomayor/|date=August 6, 2009|publisher=CNN |accessdate=August 6, 2009}}</ref> becoming the first [[Hispanic]] to be a Supreme Court Justice.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/05/26/supreme.court/index.html Obama nominates Sotomayor to Supreme Court], CNN, accessed May 26, 2009.</ref>
 
Several incidents during Obama's presidency generated disapproval from the African-American community and with law enforcement, and Obama sought to build trust between law enforcement officials and civil rights activists, with mixed results. Some in law enforcement criticized Obama's condemnation of racial bias after incidents in which police action led to the death of African-American men, while some racial justice activists criticized Obama's expressions of empathy for the police.<ref name="bridgethedivide">{{cite news |last1=Hirschfield Davis |first1=Julie |date=July 13, 2016 |title=Obama Urges Civil Rights Activists and Police to Bridge Divide |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/14/us/politics/tensions-between-police-and-blacks-are-likely-to-worsen-obama-says.html |access-date=July 23, 2016 |archive-date=July 18, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160718174834/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/14/us/politics/tensions-between-police-and-blacks-are-likely-to-worsen-obama-says.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In a March 2016 Gallup poll, nearly one third of Americans said they worried "a great deal" about race relations, a higher figure than in any previous Gallup poll since 2001.<ref>{{cite news |date=April 11, 2016 |title=U.S. Worries About Race Relations Reach a New High |publisher=Gallup |url=http://www.gallup.com/poll/190574/worries-race-relations-reach-new-high.aspx?g_source=race%20obama&g_medium=search&g_campaign=tiles |access-date=December 5, 2016 |archive-date=December 20, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220044735/http://www.gallup.com/poll/190574/worries-race-relations-reach-new-high.aspx?g_source=race%20obama&g_medium=search&g_campaign=tiles |url-status=live }}</ref>
On September 30, 2009, the Obama administration proposed new regulations on power plants, factories and oil refineries in an attempt to limit greenhouse gas emissions and to curb [[global warming]].<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/01/science/earth/01epa.html?hp New York Times]</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=(AFP) – October 1, 2009 |url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ip53lrBGDBrm5QYg-npRkHn4ggRA |title=Google.com |publisher=Google.com |date=October 1, 2009 |accessdate=April 18, 2010}}</ref>
 
====LGBT rights====
Obama signed the [[Matthew Shepard Act|Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act]], a measure that expands the [[Hate crimes in the United States#Federal prosecution of hate crimes|1969 United States federal hate-crime law]] to include crimes motivated by a victim's actual or perceived [[gender]], [[sexual orientation]], [[gender identity]], or [[disability]], on October 8, 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/10/28/obama-signs-billion-defense-policy/ |title=Obama Signs Defense Policy Bill That Includes 'Hate Crime' Legislation |publisher=Foxnews.com |date= |accessdate=April 18, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baywindows.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=glbt&sc2=news&sc3=&id=98285 |title=New England's largest GLBT newspaper |publisher=Bay Windows |date=October 28, 2009 |accessdate=February 19, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/10/28/hate.crimes/index.html |title=Obama signs hate crimes bill into law |publisher=CNN |date=October 28, 2009 |accessdate=February 19, 2010}}</ref>
On October 8, 2009, Obama signed the [[Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act]], a measure that expanded the [[Hate crime laws in the United States#Federal|1969 United States federal hate-crime law]] to include crimes motivated by a victim's actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/10/28/hate.crimes/ |title=Obama signs hate crimes bill into law |work=CNN |date=October 28, 2009 |access-date=October 12, 2011 |archive-date=November 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112004850/http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/10/28/hate.crimes/ |url-status=live }}</ref> On October 30, 2009, Obama lifted the ban on travel to the United States by those infected with HIV. The lifting of the ban was celebrated by [[Immigration Equality]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Preston |first=Julia |date=October 30, 2009 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/31/us/politics/31travel.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100407213122/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/31/us/politics/31travel.html |archive-date=April 7, 2010 |url-access=limited |url-status=live |title=Obama Lifts a Ban on Entry Into U.S. by H.I.V.-Positive People |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=February 8, 2017 }}</ref> On December 22, 2010, Obama signed the [[Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010]], which fulfilled a promise made in the 2008 presidential campaign<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/dec/22/obama-repeals-dont-ask-dont-tell |title = 'Don't ask, don't tell' repealed as Obama signs landmark law |work = The Guardian |location = London |date = December 22, 2010 |access-date = June 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101223060037/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/22/obama-repeals-dont-ask-dont-tell |archive-date = December 23, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Sheryl Gay Stolberg|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/23/us/politics/23military.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110512170430/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/23/us/politics/23military.html |archive-date=May 12, 2011 |url-access=limited |url-status=live|title=Obama Signs Away 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'|date=December 23, 2010|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref> to end the [[don't ask, don't tell]] policy of 1993 that had prevented gay and lesbian people from serving openly in the [[United States Armed Forces]]. In 2016, the Pentagon ended the policy that barred [[Transgender personnel in the United States military|transgender people from serving openly in the military]].<ref name=TransBan1>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jun/30/us-military-ends-ban-transgender-service-members |first1=Molly |last1=Redden |first2=Amanda |last2=Holpuch |title=US military ends ban on transgender service members |work=The Guardian |date=June 30, 2016 |access-date=February 19, 2017 |archive-date=February 19, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170219181650/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jun/30/us-military-ends-ban-transgender-service-members |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
===== Same-sex marriage =====
On March 30, 2010, Obama signed the [[Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010|Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act]], a [[reconciliation bill]] which ends the process of the federal government giving subsidies to private banks to give out federally insured loans, increases the [[Pell Grant]] scholarship award, and makes changes to the [[Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act]].<ref>{{cite web|author=March 30, 2010 |url=http://worldnewsvine.com/2010/03/h-r-4872-health-care-and-education-reconciliation-act-law-of-the-land/comment-page-1/ |title=H.R. 4872 Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act &#124; Law of the Land &#124; Breaking News WorldNewsVine |publisher=Worldnewsvine.com |date=March 30, 2010 |accessdate=April 18, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Parsons |first=Christi |url=http://www.latimes.com/news/health/healthcare/la-na-obama-college31-2010mar31,0,7260807.story |title=Obama signs student loan reforms into law |work=Los Angeles Times |date=March 30, 2010 |accessdate=April 18, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2010/03/obama-signs-higher-education-m.html | work=The Washington Post | accessdate=April 12, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rttnews.com/Content/PoliticalNews.aspx?Node=B1&Id=1255618 |title=Obama Signs Health Care Reconciliation Bill |publisher=Rttnews.com |date=March 30, 2010 |accessdate=April 18, 2010}}</ref>
As a candidate for the Illinois state senate in 1996, Obama stated he favored legalizing [[Same-sex marriage in the United States|same-sex marriage]].<ref name="WCT0114">{{cite news |last = Baim |first = Tracy |title = Windy City Times exclusive: Obama's Marriage Views Changed. WCT Examines His Step Back |url = http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/Windy-City-Times-exclusive-Obamas-Marriage-Views-Changed-WCT-Examines-His-Step-Back/20524.html |access-date = May 10, 2012 |newspaper = [[Windy City Times]] |date = January 14, 2009 |archive-date = November 14, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121114030720/http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/Windy-City-Times-exclusive-Obamas-Marriage-Views-Changed-WCT-Examines-His-Step-Back/20524.html |url-status = live }}</ref> During his Senate run in 2004, he said he supported civil unions and domestic partnerships for same-sex partners but opposed same-sex marriages.<ref name="WCT0204">{{cite news |last = Baim |first = Tracy |title = Obama Seeks U.S. Senate seat |url = http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=3931 |access-date = May 10, 2012 |newspaper = [[Windy City Times]] |date = February 4, 2004 |archive-date = May 14, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120514034445/http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=3931 |url-status = live }}</ref> In 2008, he reaffirmed this position by stating "I believe marriage is between a man and a woman. I am not in favor of gay marriage."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2012/may/11/barack-obama/president-barack-obamas-shift-gay-marriage/|title=President Barack Obama's shifting stance on gay marriage|work=PolitiFact|access-date=November 28, 2018|archive-date=November 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181126060141/https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2012/may/11/barack-obama/president-barack-obamas-shift-gay-marriage/|url-status=live}}</ref> On May 9, 2012, shortly after the official launch of his campaign for re-election as president, Obama said his views had evolved, and he publicly affirmed his personal support for the legalization of same-sex marriage, becoming the first sitting U.S. president to do so.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/obama-backs-same-sex-marriage/ |first=Corbett |last=Daly |title=Obama backs same-sex marriage |work=[[CBS News]] |date=May 9, 2012 |access-date=May 9, 2012 |archive-date=December 19, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219204646/http://www.cbsnews.com/news/obama-backs-same-sex-marriage/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="The Huffington Post">{{cite news |url = https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/09/obama-gay-marriage_n_1503245.html |title = Obama Backs Gay Marriage |last = Stein |first = Sam |date = May 9, 2012 |work = The Huffington Post |access-date = July 5, 2015 |archive-date = June 29, 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150629071547/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/09/obama-gay-marriage_n_1503245.html |url-status = live }}</ref> During his second [[Second inauguration of Barack Obama|inaugural address]] on January 21, 2013,<ref name="NYT20130121" /> Obama became the first U.S. president in office to call for full equality for gay Americans, and the first to mention [[LGBT rights in the United States|gay rights]] or the word "gay" in an inaugural address.<ref>{{cite news |last = Robillard |first = Kevin |title = First inaugural use of the word 'gay' |url = https://www.politico.com/story/2013/01/first-inaugural-use-of-the-word-gay-086499 |access-date = January 21, 2013 |work = Politico |date = January 21, 2013 |archive-date = July 23, 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150723110125/http://www.politico.com/story/2013/01/first-inaugural-use-of-the-word-gay-86499.html |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title = Obama Inauguration Speech Makes History With Mention of Gay Rights Struggle, Stonewall Uprising |url = https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/21/obama-inauguration-speech-stonewall-gays_n_2520962.html |work = The Huffington Post |access-date = January 21, 2013 |first = Noah |last = Michelson |date = January 21, 2013 |archive-date = September 19, 2018 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180919184320/https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/21/obama-inauguration-speech-stonewall-gays_n_2520962.html |url-status = live }}</ref> In 2013, the Obama administration filed briefs that urged the [[Supreme Court of the United States|Supreme Court]] to rule in favor of same-sex couples in the cases of ''[[Hollingsworth v. Perry]]'' (regarding same-sex marriage)<ref name="huffpo-amicus">{{cite news |url = https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/28/obama-gay-marriage_n_2783912.html |title = Obama Administration: Gay Marriage Ban Unconstitutional In Prop. 8 Supreme Court Case |last = Reilly |first = Ryan J. |date = February 28, 2013 |work = [[The Huffington Post]] |access-date = April 21, 2013 |archive-date = April 11, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130411220023/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/28/obama-gay-marriage_n_2783912.html |url-status = live }}</ref> and ''[[United States v. Windsor]]'' (regarding the [[Defense of Marriage Act]]).<ref name="cnn-amicus">{{cite news |url = https://edition.cnn.com/2013/02/22/politics/supreme-court-marriage |title = Obama administration weighs in on defense of marriage law |last = Mears |first = Bill |date = February 27, 2013 |publisher = CNN |access-date = April 21, 2013 |archive-date = September 1, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130901110517/http://edition.cnn.com/2013/02/22/politics/supreme-court-marriage |url-status = live }}</ref>
 
====Economic policy====
{{Main|Economic policy of the Barack Obama administration}}
On February 17, 2009, Obama signed the [[American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009]] into law. This bill a $787&nbsp;billion [[stimulus (economic)|economic stimulus package]], was aimed at helping the economy recover from the [[Late 2000s recession|deepening worldwide recession]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/13/stimulus/index.html|title=Stimulus package en route to Obama's desk|accessdate=March 29, 2009|work=CNN|publisher=Turner Broadcasting System, Inc}}</ref> The act includes increased federal spending for health care, infrastructure, education, various tax breaks and [[tax incentive|incentives]], and direct assistance to individuals,<ref name="direct assistance"/> which is being distributed over the course of several years.
 
[[File:BarackOn February 17, 2009, Obama signssigned the [[American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009]], ona February$787{{spaces}}billion 17.jpg(equivalent to ${{Inflation|thumbUS|President787|2009}} Barackbillion Obamain signs{{Inflation/year|US}}) the[[stimulus ARRA(economics)|economic intostimulus]] lawpackage onaimed Februaryat 17,helping 2009the ineconomy recover from the [[DenverGreat Recession|deepening worldwide recession]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/13/stimulus/index.html |title = Stimulus package en route to Obama's desk |access-date = March 29, [[Colorado]]2009 |publisher = CNN |date = February 14, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090330094958/http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/13/stimulus/index.html [[Vice|archive-date President= ofMarch the30, United2009 States|Viceurl-status=live President]]}}</ref> The act includes increased federal spending for health care, infrastructure, education, various tax breaks and [[Joetax Bidenincentive|incentives]], standsand behinddirect himassistance to individuals.]]<ref name="direct assistance" /> In March 2009, Obama's Treasury Secretary, [[Timothy Geithner]], took further steps to manage the [[financial2007–2008 crisis of 2007–2010|financial crisis]], including introducing the [[Public-PrivatePublic–Private Investment Program for Legacy Assets]], which contains provisions for buying up to $2&nbsp;{{spaces}}trillion in depreciated real estate assets. On March 23, ''The New York Times'' noted that "[i]nvestors reacted ecstatically, with all of the major stock indexes soaring as soon as the markets opened."<ref name="markets opened" />
 
[[File:U.S. Total Deficits vs. National Debt Increases 2001-2010.png|thumb|[[United States federal budget|Deficit]] and [[National debt of the United States|debt]] increases, 2001–2016|alt=Graph showing large deficit increases in 2008 and 2009, followed by a decline]]
Obama intervened in the [[automotive industry crisis of 2008–2010|troubled automotive industry]]<ref>{{cite news|title=White House questions viability of GM, Chrysler|date=March 30, 2009|work=The Huffington Post|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/30/obama-denies-bailout-fund_n_180563.html}}</ref> in March, renewing loans for [[General Motors]] and [[Chrysler]] to continue operations while reorganizing. Over the following months the White House set terms for both firms' bankruptcies, including the [[Chrysler Chapter 11 reorganization|sale of Chrysler]] to Italian automaker [[Fiat]]<ref>{{cite news|title=Chrysler and Union Agree to Deal Before Federal Deadline|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/27/business/27chrysler.html?_r=2&bl&ex=1240977600&en=670e4df8295b2843&ei=5087%0A|work=The New York Times|first1=Nick|last1=Bunkley|first2=Bill|last2=Vlasic|date=April 27, 2009|accessdate=April 12, 2010}}</ref> and a [[General Motors Chapter 11 reorganization|reorganization of GM]] giving the U.S. government a temporary 60% equity stake in the company, with the Canadian government shouldering a 12% stake.<ref>{{cite news|title=GM Begins Bankruptcy Process With Filing for Affiliate|author=John Hughes, Caroline Salas, Jeff Green, and Bob Van Voris|url=http://bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aw4F_L7E4xYg|publisher=Bloomberg |date=June 1, 2009}}</ref> In June 2009, dissatisfied with the pace of economic stimulus, Obama called on his cabinet to accelerate the investment.<ref name='Christopher Conkey and Louise Radnofsky'>{{cite news|title=Obama Presses Cabinet to Speed Stimulus Spending|date=June 9, 2009|work=Wall Street Journal|url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124445867883193821.html}}</ref> He signed into law the successful [[Car Allowance Rebate System]], known colloquially as "Cash for Clunkers", running from July to August 2009, which not only reduced inventories but set off increased production runs at GM, Ford and Toyota, resulting in the rehiring of laid-off workers.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/20/AR2009082002699.html|title= U.S. Says 'Cash for Clunkers' Program Will End on Monday|author=Dana Hedgpeth|publisher=The Washington Post|date=August 21, 2009|accessdate=March 26, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1918692,00.html|title=Was Cash for Clunkers a Success?|author=Joseph R. Szczesny|publisher=Time|date=August 26, 2009|accessdate=March 26, 2010}}</ref>
 
Obama intervened in the [[automotive industry crisis of 2008–10|troubled automotive industry]]<ref>{{cite news|title=White House questions viability of GM, Chrysler |date=March 30, 2009 |work=The Huffington Post |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/30/obama-denies-bailout-fund_n_180563.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090407010806/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/30/obama-denies-bailout-fund_n_180563.html |archive-date=April 7, 2009 }}</ref> in March 2009, renewing loans for [[General Motors]] (GM) and [[Chrysler]] to continue operations while reorganizing. Over the following months the White House set terms for both firms' bankruptcies, including the [[Chrysler Chapter 11 reorganization|sale of Chrysler]] to Italian automaker [[Fiat]]<ref>{{cite news |title = Chrysler and Union Agree to Deal Before Federal Deadline |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/27/business/27chrysler.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090428062100/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/27/business/27chrysler.html |archive-date=April 28, 2009 |url-access=limited |url-status=live |work = The New York Times |first1 = Nick |last1 = Bunkley |first2 = Bill |last2 = Vlasic |date = April 27, 2009 |access-date = April 12, 2010 }}</ref> and a [[General Motors Chapter 11 reorganization|reorganization of GM]] giving the U.S. government a temporary 60 percent equity stake in the company.<ref>{{cite news|title=GM Begins Bankruptcy Process With Filing for Affiliate |first1=John |last1=Hughes |first2=Caroline |last2=Salas |first3=Jeff |last3=Green |first4=Bob |last4=Van Voris |url=http://bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aw4F_L7E4xYg |agency=[[Bloomberg News]] |date=June 1, 2009 |access-date=July 5, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100613163056/http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087 |archive-date=June 13, 2010 }}</ref> In June 2009, dissatisfied with the pace of economic stimulus, Obama called on his cabinet to accelerate the investment.<ref name="Christopher Conkey and Louise Radnofsky">{{cite news |title = Obama Presses Cabinet to Speed Stimulus Spending |date = June 9, 2009 |work = The Wall Street Journal |publisher = News Corp |url = https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB124445867883193821 |first1 = Christopher |last1 = Conkey |first2 = Louise |last2 = Radnofsky |access-date = July 5, 2015 |archive-date = July 26, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130726203047/http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124445867883193821.html |url-status = dead }}</ref> He signed into law the [[Car Allowance Rebate System]], known colloquially as "Cash for Clunkers", which temporarily boosted the economy.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/20/AR2009082002699.html |title = U.S. Says 'Cash for Clunkers' Program Will End on Monday |last = Hedgpeth |first = Dana |newspaper = The Washington Post |date = August 21, 2009 |access-date = March 26, 2010 |archive-date = May 16, 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110516094603/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/20/AR2009082002699.html |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1918692,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090828040214/http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1918692,00.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= August 28, 2009 |title = Was Cash for Clunkers a Success? |last = Szczesny |first = Joseph R. |magazine = Time |date = August 26, 2009 |access-date = March 26, 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1 = Mian |first1 = Atif R. |first2 = Amir |last2 = Sufi |s2cid = 219352572 |title = The Effects of Fiscal Stimulus: Evidence from the 2009 'Cash for Clunkers' Program |date = September 1, 2010 |ssrn = 1670759 |doi = 10.2139/ssrn.1670759 |journal=The Quarterly Journal of Economics|volume=127|issue=3|pages=1107–1142}}</ref>
In mid-November 2009, Obama acknowledged the concern that adding too much more debt could cause the economy to slide into a [[Double dip recession|"double dip" recession]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2009/11/obama_china_afghanistan_recess.html|title=NPR.org|publisher=NPR.org|date=November 18, 2009|accessdate=April 18, 2010}}</ref> Although total spending and loan guarantees from the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department authorized by the Bush and Obama administrations was about $11.5&nbsp;trillion, only $3&nbsp;trillion had actually been spent by the end of November 2009.<ref>{{cite journal|title=CNNMoney.com's bailout tracker|journal=Bailout tracker|page=20|volume=06|url=http://money.cnn.com/news/storysupplement/economy/bailouttracker/|accessdate=March 26, 2010|author=Goldman, David|date=April 6, 2009}}</ref>
 
The Bush and Obama administrations authorized spending and loan guarantees from the [[Federal Reserve System|Federal Reserve]] and the [[United States Department of the Treasury|Department of the Treasury]]. These guarantees totaled about $11.5{{spaces}}trillion, but only $3{{spaces}}trillion had been spent by the end of November 2009.<ref>{{cite news |title = CNNMoney.com's bailout tracker |work = CNNMoney |page = 20 |volume = 06 |url = https://money.cnn.com/news/storysupplement/economy/bailouttracker/ |access-date = March 26, 2010 |last = Goldman |first = David |date = April 6, 2009 |archive-date = April 7, 2019 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190407090433/https://money.cnn.com/news/storysupplement/economy/bailouttracker/ |url-status = live }}</ref> On August 2, 2011, after a lengthy congressional debate over whether to raise the nation's debt limit, Obama signed the bipartisan [[Budget Control Act of 2011]]. The legislation enforced limits on discretionary spending until 2021, established a procedure to increase the debt limit, created a Congressional Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction to propose further deficit reduction with a stated goal of achieving at least $1.5{{spaces}}trillion in budgetary savings over 10 years, and established automatic procedures for reducing spending by as much as $1.2{{spaces}}trillion if legislation originating with the new joint select committee did not achieve such savings.<ref>{{cite web |last = Stein |first = Sylvie |url=http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/08/02/7231805-a-breakdown-of-the-debt-limit-legislation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120114001916/http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/08/02/7231805-a-breakdown-of-the-debt-limit-legislation |archive-date = January 14, 2012 |title = First Read—A breakdown of the debt-limit legislation |publisher = MSNBC |access-date = August 3, 2011 }}</ref> By passing the legislation, Congress was able to prevent a [[Federal government of the United States|U.S. government]] [[Default (finance)|default]] on its obligations.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna43967924 |title = House passes debt ceiling bill |work = NBC News |date = March 8, 2011 |access-date = August 3, 2011 |archive-date = July 21, 2020 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200721161500/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/43967924 |url-status = live }}</ref>
Unemployment numbers rose briefly to as high as 10.1% in October 2009 (the highest since 1983),<ref>{{cite web|author=12:20 p.m. Today12:20 p.m. Feb. 19, 2010|Comments: 42|url=http://www.marketwatch.com/story/payrolls-fall-85000-as-jobless-rate-stays-at-10-2010-01-08?reflink=MW_news_stmp|title=Payrolls fall 85,000 as jobless rate stays at 10% Economic Report|publisher=MarketWatch|date=January 8, 2010|accessdate=February 19, 2010}}</ref> and the "[[underemployment]]" rate to 17.5%,<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/07/business/economy/07econ.html?_r=1&em Nytimes.com]</ref> before decreasing and holding at 9.7% in early 2010.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/05/AR2010020500396.html|title=The Washington Post|publisher=The Washington Post|date=February 6, 2010|accessdate=April 18, 2010|first1=Neil|last1=Irwin|first2=Michael A.|last2=Fletcher|first3=Kafia|last3=Hosh}}</ref> In the third quarter of 2009, the U.S. economy expanded at a 2.8% pace<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aVfai6l_4im0&pos=1|title=U.S. Economy Expanded at a 2.8% Rate in Third Quarter|publisher=Bloomberg |date=November 24, 2009|accessdate=April 18, 2010}}</ref> and in the fourth quarter it grew at its fastest rate in six years, 5.7%.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/32b99e0c-0cd6-11df-b8eb-00144feabdc0.html|title=Fourth quarter US GDP growth fastest in six years|work=Financial Times|date=January 29, 2010|accessdate=April 18, 2010}}</ref> Other possible signs of recovery included an upturn in exports and a rise in consumer spending.<ref>Fourth quarter US GDP growth fastest in six years, The Financial Times]</ref>
 
The unemployment rate rose in 2009, reaching a peak in October at 10.0 percent and averaging 10.0 percent in the fourth quarter. Following a decrease to 9.7 percent in the first quarter of 2010, the unemployment rate fell to 9.6 percent in the second quarter, where it remained for the rest of the year.<ref name="Theodossiou">{{cite journal |last1 = Theodossiou |first1 = Eleni |last2 = Hipple |first2 = Steven F. |year = 2011 |title = Unemployment Remains High in 2010 |journal = Monthly Labor Review |volume = 134 |issue = 3 |pages = 3–22 |url=http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2011/03/art1full.pdf |access-date = April 7, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110508050328/http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2011/03/art1full.pdf |archive-date = May 8, 2011 }}</ref> Between February and December 2010, employment rose by 0.8 percent, which was less than the average of 1.9 percent experienced during comparable periods in the past four employment recoveries.<ref name="Eddlemon">{{cite journal |last1 = Eddlemon |first1 = John P. |year = 2011 |title = Payroll Employment Turns the Corner in 2010 |journal = Monthly Labor Review |volume = 134 |issue = 3 |pages = 23–32 |url=http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2011/03/art2full.pdf |access-date = April 7, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110506195757/http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2011/03/art2full.pdf |archive-date = May 6, 2011 }}</ref> By November 2012, the unemployment rate fell to 7.7 percent,<ref>{{cite web |url = http://data.bls.gov/pdq/SurveyOutputServlet |title = Unemployment Rate |publisher = [[Bureau of Labor Statistics]] |access-date = December 11, 2012 |archive-date = October 13, 2022 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20221013235422/https://data.bls.gov/pdq/SurveyOutputServlet |url-status = live }}</ref> decreasing to 6.7 percent in the last month of 2013.<ref name="emp-data">{{cite web |url = http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS14000000 |title = Unemployment Rate |publisher = [[Bureau of Labor Statistics]] |access-date = January 10, 2014 |archive-date = April 28, 2019 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190428090214/https://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS14000000 |url-status = live }}</ref> During 2014, the unemployment rate continued to decline, falling to 6.3 percent in the first quarter.<ref name="emp-data" /> GDP growth returned in the third quarter of 2009, expanding at a rate of 1.6 percent, followed by a 5.0 percent increase in the fourth quarter.<ref name="BEA1">{{cite web |url=http://bea.gov/national/nipaweb/TableView.asp?SelectedTable=1&ViewSeries=NO&Java=no&Request3Place=N&3Place=N&FromView=YES&Freq=Qtr&FirstYear=2009&LastYear=2010&3Place=N&Update=Update&JavaBox=no#Mid |title = Percent Change in Real Gross Domestic Product (Quarterly) |website = National Income and Product Accounts Table |publisher = [[Bureau of Economic Analysis]] |access-date = April 7, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110512014536/http://bea.gov/national/nipaweb/TableView.asp?SelectedTable=1&ViewSeries=NO&Java=no&Request3Place=N&3Place=N&FromView=YES&Freq=Qtr&FirstYear=2009&LastYear=2010&3Place=N&Update=Update&JavaBox=no#Mid |archive-date = May 12, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Growth continued in 2010, posting an increase of 3.7 percent in the first quarter, with lesser gains throughout the rest of the year.<ref name="BEA1" /> In July 2010, the Federal Reserve noted that economic activity continued to increase, but its pace had slowed, and chairman [[Ben Bernanke]] said the economic outlook was "unusually uncertain".<ref>{{cite news |last = Harding |first = Robin |title = Beige Book survey reports signs of slowdown |url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/dac3245a-9a7b-11df-87fd-00144feab49a.html |work = [[Financial Times]] |access-date = July 29, 2010 |date = July 28, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100729184009/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/dac3245a-9a7b-11df-87fd-00144feab49a.html|archive-date=July 29, 2010 }}</ref> Overall, the economy expanded at a rate of 2.9 percent in 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://bea.gov/national/nipaweb/TableView.asp?SelectedTable=1&ViewSeries=NO&Java=no&Request3Place=N&3Place=N&FromView=YES&Freq=Year&FirstYear=2009&LastYear=2010&3Place=N&Update=Update&JavaBox=no#Mid |title = Percent Change in Real Gross Domestic Product (Annual) |website = National Income and Product Accounts Table |publisher = Bureau of Economic Analysis |access-date = April 7, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110512014513/http://bea.gov/national/nipaweb/TableView.asp?SelectedTable=1&ViewSeries=NO&Java=no&Request3Place=N&3Place=N&FromView=YES&Freq=Year&FirstYear=2009&LastYear=2010&3Place=N&Update=Update&JavaBox=no#Mid |archive-date = May 12, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
The [[Congressional Budget Office]] and a broad range of economists credit Obama's stimulus plan for the economic growth.<ref>http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/110xx/doc11044/02-23-ARRA.pdf</ref><ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/21/business/economy/21stimulus.html?_r=1&hp=&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1272322828-LGmW98we5DCntpXJYEs+Fw</ref> The CBO released a report stating that the stimulus bill increased employment by 1–2.1&nbsp;million,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/83253-cbo-stimulus-created-as-many-as-21-million-jobs|title=CBO: Stimulus created as many as 2.1&nbsp;million jobs|date=February 23, 2010|accessdate=April 25, 2010}}</ref><ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/21/business/economy/21stimulus.html?hp New Consensus Sees Stimulus Package as Worthy Step]</ref><ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/02/opinion/02krugman.html?_r=1 Too Little of a Good Thing]</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Isidore|first=Chris|url=http://money.cnn.com/2010/01/29/news/economy/gdp/index.htm|title=Best economic growth in six years|publisher=Money.cnn.com|date=January 29, 2010|accessdate=April 18, 2010}}</ref> while conceding that "It is impossible to determine how many of the reported jobs would have existed in the absence of the stimulus package."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/106xx/doc10682/Frontmatter.2.2.shtml|title=Estimated Impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on Employment and Economic Output|publisher=Cbo.gov|accessdate=2010-05-30}}</ref> Although an April 2010 survey of members of the [[National Association for Business Economics]] showed an increase in job creation (over a similar January survey) for the first time in two years, 73% of the 68 respondents believed that the stimulus bill has had no impact on employment.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nabe.com/publib/indsum.html|title=New NABE Survey Shows Business Recovery Gaining Momentum, with More Jobs Ahead|accessdate=April 26, 2010}}</ref>
 
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| image1 = US Employment Statistics.svg
| caption1 = U.S. [[unemployment rate]] and monthly changes in net employment during Obama's tenure as president<ref name="emp-data"/><ref>{{cite web |url = http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/CES0000000001?output_view=net_1mth |title = 1-month net change in employment |publisher = [[Bureau of Labor Statistics]] |access-date = September 12, 2018 |archive-date = April 28, 2019 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190428085608/https://data.bls.gov/timeseries/CES0000000001?output_view=net_1mth |url-status = live }}</ref>
| alt1 = Graph showing increased unemployment in Obama's first year, followed by consistent jobs growth
| image2 = Job Growth by U.S. President - v1.png
| caption2 = Job growth during the presidency of Obama compared to other presidents, as measured as a cumulative percentage change from month after inauguration to end of his term
| alt2 = Graph showing lower jobs growth under Obama was lower than previous presidents, except George W. Bush
}}
 
The [[Congressional Budget Office]] (CBO) and a broad range of economists credit Obama's stimulus plan for economic growth.<ref name="estimated" /><ref name="newc" /> The CBO released a report stating that the stimulus bill increased employment by 1–2.1{{spaces}}million,<ref name="newc">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/21/business/economy/21stimulus.html |title = New Consensus Sees Stimulus Package as Worthy Step |work = The New York Times |date = November 20, 2009 |access-date = December 21, 2010 |first1 = Jackie |last1 = Calmes |first2 = Michael |last2 = Cooper |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511230904/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/21/business/economy/21stimulus.html|archive-date=May 11, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url = https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/62343-cbo-stimulus-created-as-many-as-2-1-million-jobs/ |title = CBO: Stimulus created as many as 2.1 million jobs |date = February 23, 2010 |access-date = April 25, 2010 |archive-date = March 3, 2010 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100303115604/http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/83253-cbo-stimulus-created-as-many-as-21-million-jobs |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last = Isidore |first = Chris |url = https://money.cnn.com/2010/01/29/news/economy/gdp/index.htm |title = Best economic growth in six years |publisher = CNN |date = January 29, 2010 |access-date = April 18, 2010 |archive-date = April 20, 2010 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100420161722/http://money.cnn.com/2010/01/29/news/economy/gdp/index.htm |url-status = live }}</ref> while conceding that "it is impossible to determine how many of the reported jobs would have existed in the absence of the stimulus package."<ref name="estimated">{{cite web |url = http://www.cbo.gov/publication/42715 |title = Estimated Impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on Employment and Economic Output |date = November 22, 2011 |publisher = Congressional Budget Office |access-date = February 21, 2012 |archive-date = February 29, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120229112907/http://www.cbo.gov/publication/42715 |url-status = live }}</ref> Although an April 2010, survey of members of the [[National Association for Business Economics]] showed an increase in job creation (over a similar January survey) for the first time in two years, 73 percent of 68 respondents believed the stimulus bill has had no impact on employment.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nabe.com/publib/indsum.html |title=New NABE Survey Shows Business Recovery Gaining Momentum, with More Jobs Ahead |access-date=April 26, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100502053859/http://www.nabe.com/publib/indsum.html |archive-date=May 2, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The economy of the United States has grown faster than the other original [[NATO]] members by a wider margin under President Obama than it has anytime since the end of [[World War II]].<ref>{{cite web |work=Politics that Work |url=http://politicsthatwork.com/graphs/gdp-growth-vs-nato-president |title=U.S. GDP Growth Relative to Original NATO Members |date=March 9, 2015 |access-date=April 14, 2015 |archive-date=April 23, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150423174827/http://politicsthatwork.com/graphs/gdp-growth-vs-nato-president |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[OECD|Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development]] credits the much faster growth in the United States to the stimulus plan of the U.S. and the austerity measures in the European Union.<ref>{{cite news |first=Irene |last=Chapple |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/29/business/oecd-u-s-europe-economic-recovery/ |title=OECD: U.S. will recover faster, Europe faces unemployment crisis |work=CNN |date=May 29, 2013 |access-date=January 16, 2020 |archive-date=December 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191220015240/https://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/29/business/oecd-u-s-europe-economic-recovery/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
Within a month of the [[2010 United States elections|2010 midterm elections]], Obama announced a compromise deal with the Congressional Republican leadership that included a temporary, two-year extension of the [[Bush tax cuts|2001 and 2003 income tax rates]], a one-year [[Federal Insurance Contributions Act tax|payroll tax]] reduction, continuation of unemployment benefits, and a new rate and exemption amount for [[Estate tax in the United States|estate taxes]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/08/us/politics/08cong.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101209044154/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/08/us/politics/08cong.html |archive-date=December 9, 2010 |url-access=limited |url-status=live |title = Democrats Skeptical of Obama on New Tax Plan |last1 = Herszenhorn |first1 = David M. |last2 = Stolberg |first2 = Sheryl Gay |newspaper = The New York Times |date = December 7, 2010 }}</ref> The compromise overcame opposition from some in both parties, and the resulting $858{{spaces}}billion (equivalent to ${{Inflation|US|.858|2010|r=1}} trillion in {{Inflation/year|US}}) [[Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010]] passed with bipartisan majorities in both houses of Congress before Obama signed it on December 17, 2010.<ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/12/17/tax.deal/index.html |title = Obama signs tax deal into law |publisher = CNN |date = December 17, 2010 |access-date = December 17, 2010 |archive-date = December 18, 2010 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101218125507/http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/12/17/tax.deal/index.html |url-status = live }}</ref>
 
In December 2013, Obama declared that growing [[Income inequality in the United States|income inequality]] is a "defining challenge of our time" and called on Congress to bolster the safety net and raise wages. This came on the heels of the [[Fast food worker strikes|nationwide strikes of fast-food workers]] and Pope Francis' criticism of inequality and [[trickle-down economics]].<ref>{{cite news |url = https://finance.yahoo.com/news/obama-income-inequality-defining-challenge-164430631.html |title = Obama: Income Inequality a Defining Challenge |first = Jim |last = Kuhnhenn |agency = Associated Press |date = December 4, 2013 |access-date = January 9, 2014 |archive-date = December 7, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131207035721/http://finance.yahoo.com/news/obama-income-inequality-defining-challenge-164430631.html |url-status = live }}</ref> Obama urged Congress to ratify a 12-nation free trade pact called the [[Trans-Pacific Partnership]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/president-obama-makes-trade-deal-a-top-priority-in-remaining-months/ |title=President Obama uses his final months to bring congressional approval of a 12-nation free trade pact called the Trans-Pacific Partnership |date=September 5, 2016 |work=CBS News |access-date=September 5, 2016 |archive-date=September 6, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160906160240/http://www.cbsnews.com/news/president-obama-makes-trade-deal-a-top-priority-in-remaining-months/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
====Environmental policy====
{{See also|Climate change policy of the United States|Energy policy of the Barack Obama administration}}
[[File:Obama-venice-la.jpg|thumb|Obama at a 2010 briefing on the [[BP oil spill]] at the [[United States Coast Guard|Coast Guard]] Station Venice in [[Venice, Louisiana]]|alt=Photo of Obama listening to a briefing, surrounded by senior staffers]]
 
On April 20, 2010, an explosion destroyed an offshore [[drilling rig]] at the [[Macondo Prospect]] in the [[Gulf of Mexico]], causing a [[Deepwater Horizon oil spill|major sustained oil leak]]. Obama visited the Gulf, announced a federal investigation, and formed a bipartisan commission to recommend new safety standards, after a review by [[United States Secretary of the Interior|Secretary of the Interior]] [[Ken Salazar]] and concurrent Congressional hearings. He then announced a six-month moratorium on new [[deepwater drilling]] permits and leases, pending regulatory review.<ref>{{cite news |title = Obama Halts Drilling Projects, Defends Actions |publisher = NPR |date = May 27, 2010 |url = https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127205462&ps=rs |access-date = April 5, 2018 |archive-date = September 19, 2018 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180919115513/https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127205462&ps=rs |url-status = live }}</ref> As multiple efforts by BP failed, some in the media and public expressed confusion and criticism over various aspects of the incident, and stated a desire for more involvement by Obama and the federal government.<ref>{{cite news |first = Patrik |last = Jonsson |url=http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2010/0529/Gulf-oil-spill-Obama-s-big-political-test |title = Gulf oil spill: Obama's big political test |work = [[The Christian Science Monitor]] |date = May 29, 2010 |access-date = June 6, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100601094118/http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2010/0529/Gulf-oil-spill-Obama-s-big-political-test |archive-date = June 1, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> Prior to the oil spill, on March 31, 2010, Obama ended a ban on oil and gas drilling along the majority of the [[East Coast of the United States]] and along the coast of [[Arctic Alaska|northern Alaska]] in an effort to win support for an energy and climate bill and to reduce foreign imports of oil and gas.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Neuman|first=Scott|date=March 31, 2010|title=Obama Ends Ban On East Coast Offshore Drilling|language=en|work=NPR|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125378223|access-date=October 30, 2021|archive-date=November 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211103203751/https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125378223|url-status=live}}</ref>
 
In July 2013, Obama expressed reservations and said he "would reject the [[Keystone XL pipeline]] if it increased carbon pollution [or] greenhouse emissions."<ref>{{cite news |last=Goldenberg |first=Suzanne |date=July 28, 2013 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/jul/28/obama-reservations-keystone-pipeline-project |title=Barack Obama expresses reservations about Keystone XL pipeline project |work=The Guardian |location=London |access-date=November 7, 2023 |archive-date=December 29, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229153228/https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/jul/28/obama-reservations-keystone-pipeline-project |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Stein |first=Sam |date=June 25, 2013 |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/obama-keystone_n_3497292 |title=Obama: Keystone XL Should Not Be Approved If It Will Increase Greenhouse Gas Emissions |work=The Huffington Post |access-date=January 16, 2020 |archive-date=March 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200301134515/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/obama-keystone_n_3497292 |url-status=live }}</ref> On February 24, 2015, Obama vetoed a bill that would have authorized the pipeline.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/02/24/388738159/obama-to-veto-keystone-xl-pipeline-today-without-drama-or-fanfare-or-delay |title=Obama Vetoes Keystone XL Pipeline Bill |date=February 24, 2015 |access-date=February 24, 2015 |publisher=NPR |first=Krishnadev |last=Calamur |archive-date=June 9, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150609085930/http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/02/24/388738159/obama-to-veto-keystone-xl-pipeline-today-without-drama-or-fanfare-or-delay |url-status=live }}</ref> It was the third veto of Obama's presidency and his first major veto.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/234615-senate-fails-to-override-obama-keystone-veto/ |title = Keystone veto override fails |date = March 4, 2015 |first = Laura |last = Barron-Lopez |website = [[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |publisher = Capitol Hill Publishing |access-date = July 2, 2015 |archive-date = July 15, 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150715070123/http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/234615-senate-fails-to-override-obama-keystone-veto |url-status = live }}</ref>
 
In December 2016, Obama permanently banned new offshore oil and gas drilling in most United States-owned waters in the [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]] and Arctic Oceans using the 1953 Outer Continental Shelf Act.<ref>{{Cite news|date=December 21, 2016|title=Obama bans oil drilling 'permanently' in millions of acres of ocean|language=en-GB|publisher=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38387525|access-date=October 30, 2021|archive-date=October 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211030021148/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38387525|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Smith|first=David|date=December 20, 2016|title=This article is more than 4 years old Barack Obama bans oil and gas drilling in most of Arctic and Atlantic oceans|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/dec/20/barack-obama-bans-oil-gas-drilling-arctic-atlantic|access-date=October 30, 2021|archive-date=October 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211030022650/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/dec/20/barack-obama-bans-oil-gas-drilling-arctic-atlantic|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last1=Volcovici|first1=Valerie|last2=Gardner|first2=Timothy|date=December 20, 2016|title=Obama bans new oil, gas drilling off Alaska, part of Atlantic coast|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-obama-drilling-idUSKBN1492KU|access-date=October 30, 2021|archive-date=October 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211030021142/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-obama-drilling-idUSKBN1492KU|url-status=live}}</ref>
 
Obama emphasized the [[Conservation movement|conservation]] of [[federal lands]] during his term in office. He used his power under the [[Antiquities Act]] to create 25 new [[National monument (United States)|national monuments]] during his presidency and expand four others, protecting a total of {{convert|553000000|acre|ha}} of federal lands and waters, more than any other U.S. president.<ref name="Monuments">{{cite news |first1=Juliet |last1=Eilperin |first2=Brady |last2=Dennis |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/with-new-monuments-in-nevada-utah-obama-adds-to-his-environmental-legacy/2016/12/28/e9833f62-c471-11e6-8422-eac61c0ef74d_story.html |title=With new monuments in Nevada, Utah, Obama adds to his environmental legacy |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=December 28, 2016 |access-date=November 7, 2023 |archive-date=January 8, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170108190102/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/with-new-monuments-in-nevada-utah-obama-adds-to-his-environmental-legacy/2016/12/28/e9833f62-c471-11e6-8422-eac61c0ef74d_story.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/2016/12/29/507436648/obama-s-newly-designated-national-monuments-upset-some-lawmakers-and-constituent |title=Obama's Newly Designated National Monuments Upset Some Lawmakers |publisher=NPR |work=[[All Things Considered]] |date=December 29, 2016 |access-date=April 5, 2018 |archive-date=October 10, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010075711/http://www.npr.org/2016/12/29/507436648/obama-s-newly-designated-national-monuments-upset-some-lawmakers-and-constituent |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Amy R. |last=Connolly |url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2016/02/13/Obama-expands-public-lands-more-than-any-US-president/1161455298784/ |title=Obama expands public lands more than any U.S. president |work=[[United Press International]] |date=February 13, 2016 |access-date=January 16, 2020 |archive-date=May 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200519003556/https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2016/02/13/Obama-expands-public-lands-more-than-any-US-president/1161455298784/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
====Health care reform====
{{Main|Health careHealthcare reform in the United States}}
 
[[File:Obama signs health care-20100323.jpg|right|thumb|alt=Obama signs bill at desk while others look on.|Barack Obama signs the [[Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act]] at the White House, March 23, 2010.]]
Obama called for [[United States Congress|Congress]] to pass legislation reforming [[health care in the United States]], a key campaign promise and a top legislative goal.<ref name="health reform" /> He proposed an expansion of health insurance coverage to cover the uninsured, cap premium increases, and allow people to retain their coverage when they leave or change jobs. His proposal was to spend $900{{spaces}}billion over ten years and include a government insurance plan, also known as the [[public health insurance option|public option]], to compete with the corporate insurance sector as a main component to lowering costs and improving quality of health care. It would also make it illegal for insurers to drop sick people or deny them coverage for [[pre-existing condition]]s, and require every American to carry health coverage. The plan also includes medical spending cuts and taxes on insurance companies that offer expensive plans.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/10/us/politics/10obama.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090912093912/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/10/us/politics/10obama.html |archive-date=September 12, 2009 |url-access=limited |url-status=live |title = Obama, Armed With Details, Says Health Plan Is Necessary |last1 = Stolberg |first1 = Sheryl Gay |last2 = Zeleny |first2 = Jeff |date = September 9, 2009 |newspaper = The New York Times |access-date = July 5, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first = Mike |last = Allen |url = http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0909/26907.html |title = Barack Obama will hedge on public option |work = [[Politico]] |access-date = July 5, 2015 |date = September 9, 2009 |archive-date = July 26, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130726215752/http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0909/26907.html |url-status = live }}</ref>
 
[[File:PPACA Premium Chart.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|left|Maximum Out-of-Pocket Premium as Percentage of Family Income and [[federal poverty level]], under [[Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act]], starting in 2014 (Source: [[Congressional Research Service|CRS]])<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R41137.pdf |title = Health Insurance Premium Credits in the PPACA |publisher = Congressional Research Service |access-date = May 17, 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121014002318/https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R41137.pdf |archive-date = October 14, 2012 |url-status = live }}</ref>|alt=Graph of maximum out-of-pocket premiums by poverty level, showing single-digit premiums for everyone under 400% of the federal poverty level.]]
 
On July 14, 2009, House Democratic leaders introduced a 1,017-page plan for overhauling the U.S. health care system, which Obama wanted Congress to approve by the end of 2009.<ref name="health reform">{{cite news|url=http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2009/07/obama_july_22_2009_press_confe.html |title=Obama July 22, 2009 press conference. Transcript |work=[[Chicago Sun-Times]] |date=July 22, 2009 |access-date=July 5, 2015 |first=Lynn |last=Sweet |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150416063154/http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2009/07/obama_july_22_2009_press_confe.html |archive-date=April 16, 2015 }}</ref> After public debate during the Congressional summer recess of 2009, Obama delivered [[Barack Obama speech to joint session of Congress, September 2009|a speech to a joint session of Congress]] on September 9 where he addressed concerns over the proposals.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/09/obama.speech/index.html |title = Obama calls for Congress to face health care challenge |date = September 9, 2009 |access-date = September 9, 2009 |publisher = CNN |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090910083332/http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/09/obama.speech/index.html |archive-date = September 10, 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> In March 2009, Obama lifted a ban on using federal funds for stem cell research.<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/mar/10/obama-stem-cell-research |title = Stem cell |first = Daniel |last = Nasaw |newspaper = The Guardian |access-date = September 13, 2014 |date = March 10, 2009 |archive-date = July 26, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130726203242/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/10/obama-stem-cell-research |url-status = live }}</ref>
 
On November 7, 2009, a health care bill featuring the public option was passed in the House.<ref name="nyt1">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/08/health/policy/08health.html |title = Sweeping Health Care Plan Passes House |last1 = Hulse |first1 = Carl |first2 = Robert |last2 = Pear |date = November 7, 2009 |work = The New York Times |access-date = November 8, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110331033230/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/08/health/policy/08health.html|archive-date=March 31, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="nyt">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/08/health/policy/08scene.html |title = Abortion Was at Heart of Wrangling |last1 = Herszenhorn |first1 = David M. |first2 = Jackie |last2 = Calmes |date = December 7, 2009 |work = The New York Times |access-date = December 6, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110331073732/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/08/health/policy/08scene.html|archive-date=March 31, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> On December 24, 2009, the Senate passed its own bill—without a public option—on a party-line vote of 60–39.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121854289 |title = Senate Says Yes To Landmark Health Bill |author = Hensley, Scott |date = December 24, 2009 |access-date = December 24, 2009 |publisher = [[NPR]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100121191700/http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121854289 |archive-date = January 21, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> On March 21, 2010, the [[Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act]] (ACA, colloquially "Obamacare") passed by the Senate in December was passed in the House by a vote of 219 to 212. Obama signed the bill into law on March 23, 2010.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/24/health/policy/24health.html |title = Obama Signs Landmark Health Care Bill |date = March 23, 2010 |access-date = March 23, 2010 |newspaper = The New York Times |author = Stolberg, Sheryl Gay|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100325033529/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/24/health/policy/24health.html |archive-date = March 25, 2010 }}</ref>
 
The ACA includes [[Provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act|health-related provisions]], most of which took effect in 2014, including expanding [[Medicaid]] eligibility for people making up to 133 percent{{spaces}}of the [[federal poverty level]] (FPL) starting in 2014,<ref name="cnn_ref1">{{cite news |last = Rice |first = Sabriya |url = http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/03/25/health.care.law.basics/index.html |title = 5 key things to remember about health care reform |publisher = CNN |date = March 25, 2010 |access-date = January 6, 2013 |archive-date = January 2, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130102173326/http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/03/25/health.care.law.basics/index.html |url-status = live }}</ref> subsidizing insurance premiums for people making up to 400 percent{{spaces}}of the FPL ($88,000 for family of four in 2010) so their maximum "out-of-pocket" payment for annual premiums will be from 2 percent to 9.5 percent of income,<ref>{{cite news |last = Grier |first = Peter |url = http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2010/0320/Health-care-reform-bill-101-Who-gets-subsidized-insurance |date = March 20, 2010 |title = Health Care Reform Bill 101 |newspaper = [[The Christian Science Monitor]] |access-date = July 5, 2015 |archive-date = July 6, 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150706014515/http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2010/0320/Health-care-reform-bill-101-Who-gets-subsidized-insurance |url-status = live }}</ref> providing incentives for businesses to provide health care benefits, prohibiting denial of coverage and denial of claims based on pre-existing conditions, establishing [[health insurance exchange]]s, prohibiting annual coverage caps, and support for medical research. According to White House and CBO figures, the maximum share of income that enrollees would have to pay would vary depending on their income relative to the federal poverty level.<ref name="cbo_est">{{cite web |last = Elmendorf |first = Douglas W. |url=http://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/cbofiles/ftpdocs/107xx/doc10781/11-30-premiums.pdf |title = An Analysis of Health Insurance Premiums Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act |publisher = Congressional Budget Office |date = November 30, 2009 |access-date = April 9, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120227142305/http://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/cbofiles/ftpdocs/107xx/doc10781/11-30-premiums.pdf |archive-date = February 27, 2012 |url-status = live }}</ref>
Obama called for Congress to pass legislation reforming [[health care in the United States]], a key campaign promise and a top legislative goal.<ref name="health reform"/> He proposed an expansion of health insurance coverage to cover the uninsured, to cap premium increases, and to allow people to retain their coverage when they leave or change jobs. His proposal was to spend $900&nbsp;billion over 10 years and include a government insurance plan, also known as the [[public health insurance option|public option]], to compete with the corporate insurance sector as a main component to lowering costs and improving quality of [[health care]]. It would also make it illegal for insurers to drop sick people or deny them coverage for [[pre-existing conditions]], and require every American carry health coverage. The plan also includes medical spending cuts and taxes on insurance companies that offer expensive plans.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/10/us/politics/10obama.html|title=Obama, Armed With Details, Says Health Plan Is Necessary|author1=Stolberg, Sheryl Gay|author2=Zeleny, Jeff|date=September 9, 2009|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>[http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0909/26907.html "Obama will hedge on public option" – Politico.com]. Retrieved September 9, 2009.</ref>
 
[[File:Percentage of Individuals in the United States Without Health Insurance, 1963-2015.png|thumb|Percentage of Individuals in the United States without Health Insurance, 1963–2015 (Source: [[JAMA (journal)|JAMA]])<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Obama|first1=Barack|title=United States Health Care Reform|journal=JAMA|date=August 2, 2016|volume=316|issue=5|pages=525–532|doi=10.1001/jama.2016.9797|pmid=27400401|issn=0098-7484|pmc=5069435}}</ref>|alt=Graph showing significant decreases in uninsured rates after the creation of Medicare and Medicaid, and after the creation of Obamacare]]
On July 14, 2009, House Democratic leaders introduced a 1,017-page plan for overhauling the U.S. health care system, which Obama wanted Congress to approve by the end of 2009.<ref name="health reform">[[Lynn Sweet|Sweet, Lynn]], [http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2009/07/obama_july_22_2009_press_confe.html "Obama July 22, 2009 press conference. Transcript"], ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]'', July 22, 2009</ref> After much public debate during the Congressional summer recess of 2009, Obama delivered [[Barack Obama speech to joint session of Congress, September 2009|a speech to a joint session of Congress]] on September 9 where he addressed concerns over his administration's proposals.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/09/obama.speech/index.html|title=Obama calls for Congress to face health care challenge|date=September 9, 2009|accessdate=September 9, 2009|publisher=CNN}}</ref>
 
The costs of these provisions are offset by taxes, fees, and cost-saving measures, such as new Medicare taxes for those in high-income [[tax bracket|brackets]], taxes on [[indoor tanning]], cuts to the [[Medicare Advantage]] program in favor of traditional Medicare, and fees on medical devices and pharmaceutical companies;<ref>{{Cite journal |last = Grier |first = Peter |date = March 21, 2010 |url = http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2010/0321/Health-care-reform-bill-101-Who-will-pay-for-reform |title = Health care reform bill 101: Who will pay for reform? |journal = Christian Science Monitor |access-date = July 5, 2015 |archive-date = July 6, 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150706012138/http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2010/0321/Health-care-reform-bill-101-Who-will-pay-for-reform |url-status = live }}</ref> there is also a tax penalty for those who do not obtain health insurance, unless they are exempt due to low income or other reasons.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2010/0319/Health-care-reform-bill-101-Who-must-buy-insurance |title = Health care reform bill 101: Who must buy insurance? |last = Grier |first = Peter |date = March 19, 2010 |work = [[The Christian Science Monitor]] |access-date = April 7, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100405075157/http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2010/0319/Health-care-reform-bill-101-Who-must-buy-insurance |archive-date = April 5, 2010 }}</ref> In March 2010, the CBO estimated that the net effect of both laws will be a reduction in the federal deficit by $143{{spaces}}billion over the first decade.<ref>{{cite web |last = Elmendorf |first = Douglas W. |title = H.R. 4872, Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Final Health Care Legislation) |date = March 20, 2010 |url = http://www.cbo.gov/publication/21351 |publisher = Congressional Budget Office |access-date = January 6, 2013 |archive-date = January 2, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130102193615/http://www.cbo.gov/publication/21351 |url-status = live }}</ref>
On November 7, 2009, a health care bill featuring the public option was passed in the House.<ref name="nyt1">{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/08/health/policy/08health.html?partner=rss&emc=rss|title=Sweeping Health Care Plan Passes House|last=Hulse|first=Carl|coauthors=Robert Pear|date=November 7, 2009|work=The New York Times |accessdate=November 8, 2009}}</ref><ref name="nyt">{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/08/health/policy/08scene.html|title=Abortion Was at Heart of Wrangling|last=Herszenhorn|first=David M.|coauthors=Jackie Calmes|date=December 7, 2009|work=The New York Times |accessdate=December 6, 2009}}</ref> On December 24, 2009, the Senate passed its own bill—without a public option—on a party-line vote of 60–39.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121854289|title=Senate Says Yes To Landmark Health Bill|author=Hensley, Scott|date=December 24, 2009|accessdate=December 24, 2009|publisher=[[National Public Radio]]}}</ref> On March 21, 2010, the health care bill passed by the Senate in December was passed in the House by a vote of 219 to 212.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/22/opinion/22mon5.html|title=Health Care Reform, at Last|newspaper=The New York Times|date=March 21, 2010|accessdate=March 22, 2010}}</ref> Obama signed the bill into law on March 23, 2010.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/24/health/policy/24health.html|title=Obama Signs Landmark Health Care Bill|date=March 23, 2010|accessdate=March 23, 2010|newspaper=The New York Times|author=Gay Stolberg, Sheryl}}</ref>
 
The law faced several legal challenges, primarily based on the argument that an individual mandate requiring Americans to buy health insurance was unconstitutional. On June 28, 2012, the Supreme Court ruled by a 5–4 vote in ''[[National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius]]'' that the mandate was constitutional under the U.S. Congress's taxing authority.<ref name="WP-uphold">{{cite news |first = Robert |last = Barnes |url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/supreme-court-to-rule-thursday-on-health-care-law/2012/06/28/gJQAarRm8V_story.html |title = Supreme Court upholds Obama health care overhaul by 5–4 vote, approving insurance requirement |date = June 28, 2012 |newspaper = The Washington Post |agency = Associated Press |access-date = June 29, 2012 |archive-date = June 28, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120628232111/http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/supreme-court-to-rule-thursday-on-health-care-law/2012/06/28/gJQAarRm8V_story.html |url-status = live }}</ref> In ''[[Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.|Burwell v. Hobby Lobby]]'' the Court ruled that "closely-held" for-profit corporations could be exempt on religious grounds under the [[Religious Freedom Restoration Act]] from regulations adopted under the ACA that would have required them to pay for insurance that covered certain contraceptives. In June 2015, the Court ruled 6–3 in ''[[King v. Burwell]]'' that subsidies to help individuals and families purchase health insurance were authorized for those doing so on both the federal exchange and state exchanges, not only those purchasing plans "established by the State", as the statute reads.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2015/06/25/supreme-court-upholds-obamacare-subsidies-in-king-v-burwell |title=Supreme Court Upholds Obamacare Subsidies |first=Kimberly |last=Leonard |work=[[U.S. News & World Report]] |access-date=November 25, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160116072123/http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2015/06/25/supreme-court-upholds-obamacare-subsidies-in-king-v-burwell |archive-date=January 16, 2016 }}</ref>
====Gulf of Mexico oil spill====
{{main|Deepwater Horizon oil spill}}
On April 20, 2010, an explosion destroyed an offshore [[drilling rig]] at the [[Macondo Prospect]] in the [[Gulf of Mexico]], causing a major sustained oil leak. The well's operator, [[BP]], initiated a containment and cleanup plan, and began drilling two [[Relief well|relief wells]] intended to stop the flow. Obama visited the Gulf on May 2 among visits by members of his cabinet, and again on May 28 and June 4. He began<!--when?--> a federal investigation and formed a bipartisan commission to recommend new safety standards, after a review by [[United States Secretary of the Interior|Secretary of the Interior]] [[Ken Salazar]] and concurrent Congressional hearings. On May 27, he announced a 6-month moratorium on new deepwater drilling permits and leases, pending regulatory review.<ref>{{cite news|title=Obama Halts Drilling Projects, Defends Actions |work=[[National Public Radio]] |date=May 27, 2010 |url=http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127205462&ps=rs }}</ref> As multiple efforts by BP failed, some in the media and public expressed confusion and criticism over various aspects of the incident, and stated a desire for more involvement by Obama and the federal government.<ref>{{cite news|first=Patrik| last=Jonsson|url=http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2010/0529/Gulf-oil-spill-Obama-s-big-political-test |title=Gulf oil spill: Obama’s big political test |work=[[The Christian Science Monitor]] |date=May 29, 2010 |accessdate=2010-06-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Hechtkopf |first=Kevin |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20003862-503544.html |title=Obama Promises Review of Gulf Oil Spill| work=Political Hotsheet |publisher=[[CBS News]] |date=April 30, 2010 |accessdate=2010-06-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=June 1, 2010 |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2010/06/gulf-oil-spill-obama-administration-launches-criminal-probe-of-rig-explosion-.html |title=Gulf oil spill: Obama administration launches criminal probe of rig explosion| work=Greenspace'' (blog)'' |publisher=[[Los Angeles Times]] |first=James |last=Oliphant |first2=Peter |last2=Nicholas |accessdate=2010-06-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Etter |first=Lauren |first2=Jared A. |last2=Favole |url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704875604575280363277341150.html?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_PoliticsNCampaign |title=U.S. Opens Criminal Probe Into Spill |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |date=June 1, 2010 |accessdate=2010-06-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100528/ap_on_bi_ge/us_gulf_oil_spill_washington |title=Fixing oil spill my responsibility, Obama says |date=May 28, 2010 |first=Tom |last=Raum |first2=Jennifer |last2=Loven|work=[[Yahoo News]]| agency=[[Associated Press]] |accessdate=June 10, 2010}}</ref>
 
===Foreign policy===
[[File:President Barack Obama meets Prime Minister Gordon Brown.jpg|thumb|President Barack Obama meets British Prime Minister [[Gordon Brown]], in 2009.]]
{{Main|Foreign policy of the Barack Obama administration}}
[[File:P06409PS-0571 (3594694537).jpg|June 4, 2009 − after his speech ''[[A New Beginning (speech)|A New Beginning]]'' at [[Cairo University]], U.S. President Obama participates in a roundtable interview in 2009 with among others [[Jamal Khashoggi]], [[Bambang Harymurti]] and [[Nahum Barnea]].|thumb|alt=refer to caption]]
In February and March, Vice President Joe Biden and [[United States Secretary of State|Secretary of State]] Hillary Rodham Clinton made separate overseas trips to announce a "new era" in U.S. foreign relations with Russia and Europe, using the terms "break" and "reset" to signal major changes from the policies of the preceding administration.<ref name="preceding administration"/> Obama's granting of his first television interview as president to an Arabic cable network, [[Al Arabiya]], was seen as an attempt to reach out to Arab leaders.<ref>{{cite news|first=|last=|coauthors=|authorlink=|title=Obama reaches out to Muslim world on TV|work=[[MSNBC]]|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28869185/|accessdate=June 15, 2009}}</ref>
 
In February and March 2009, Vice President Joe Biden and [[United States Secretary of State|Secretary of State]] Hillary Clinton made separate overseas trips to announce a "new era" in U.S. foreign relations with Russia and Europe, using the terms "break" and "[[Russian reset|reset]]" to signal major changes from the policies of the preceding administration.<ref name="preceding administration" /> Obama attempted to reach out to Arab leaders by granting his first interview to an Arab satellite TV network, [[Al Arabiya]].<ref>{{cite news |title = Obama reaches out to Muslim world on TV |work = NBC News |url = https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna28869185 |access-date = June 15, 2009 |date = January 27, 2009 |archive-date = September 27, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130927152322/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/28869185/ |url-status = live }}</ref> On March 19, Obama continued his outreach to the Muslim world, releasing a New Year's video message to the people and government of Iran.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/mar/20/barack-obama-usa |title = Barack Obama's address to Iran: Full text of Barack Obama's videotaped message to the people and leaders of Iran as they celebrate their New Year's holiday, Nowruz |date = March 20, 2013 |access-date = July 14, 2013 |work = [[The Guardian]] |location = London |archive-date = September 6, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130906074500/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/mar/20/barack-obama-usa |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first = Karen |last = DeYoung |title = Nation U.S. to Join Talks on Iran's Nuclear Program |date = April 9, 2009 |newspaper = The Washington Post |url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/08/AR2009040802254.html |access-date = June 15, 2009 |archive-date = October 4, 2018 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181004081141/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/08/AR2009040802254.html |url-status = live }}</ref> On June 4, 2009, Obama delivered a speech at [[Cairo University]] in Egypt calling for "[[A New Beginning (speech)|A New Beginning]]" in relations between the Islamic world and the United States and promoting Middle East peace.<ref name="middleeast" /> On June 26, 2009, Obama condemned the Iranian government's actions towards protesters following [[2009 Iranian presidential election|Iran's 2009 presidential election]].<ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jun/26/obama-dismisses-ahmadinejad-apology-request/ |title = Obama dismisses Ahmadinejad apology request |work = The Washington Times |date = June 26, 2009 |access-date = July 2, 2015 |first1 = Joseph |last1 = Weber |first2 = Stephen |last2 = Dinan |archive-date = April 10, 2019 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190410020414/https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jun/26/obama-dismisses-ahmadinejad-apology-request/ |url-status = live }}</ref>
On March 19, Obama continued his outreach to the Muslim world, releasing a New Year's video message to the people and government of Iran.<ref>{{cite news|first=Karen|last=DeYoung|authorlink=|title=washingtonpost.com> Nation U.S. to Join Talks on Iran's Nuclear Program|date=April 9, 2009|work=[[The Washington Post]]|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/08/AR2009040802254.html|accessdate=June 15, 2009}}</ref> This attempt at outreach was rebuffed by the Iranian leadership.<ref>{{cite news|title=Iranian Leaders Ignore Obama's Outstretched Hand|work=Fox News Channel|url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/first100days/2009/03/20/iranian-leaders-ignore-obamas-outstretched-hand/|pages=|accessdate=June 15, 2009}}</ref> In April, Obama gave a speech in Ankara, Turkey, which was well received by many Arab governments.<ref>{{cite news|title=Obama speech draws praise in Mideast|work=The Guardian |location=London|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/8443248|accessdate=June 15, 2009|date=January 23, 2008}}</ref> On June 4, 2009, Obama delivered a speech at [[Cairo University]] in Egypt calling for "[[A New Beginning|a new beginning]]" in relations between the Islamic world and the United States and promoting Middle East peace.<ref name="Middle East peace"/>
 
In 2011, Obama ordered a drone strike in Yemen which targeted and killed [[Anwar al-Awlaki]], an American imam suspected of being a leading [[al-Qaeda]] organizer. al-Awlaki became the first [[Citizenship of the United States|U.S. citizen]] to be targeted and killed by a [[Drone strike|U.S. drone strike]]. The&nbsp;Department of Justice released a memo justifying al-Awlaki's death as a lawful act of war,<ref name="drone-memo">{{cite news|last=Lauter|first=David|date=June 23, 2014|title=Memo justifying drone killing of American Al Qaeda leader is released|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|url=https://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-drone-memo-awlaki-20140623-story.html|access-date=December 7, 2021|archive-date=April 30, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190430033031/https://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-drone-memo-awlaki-20140623-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> while civil liberties advocates described it as a violation of al-Awlaki's constitutional right to [[due process]]. The killing led to significant controversy.<ref>{{cite news | title=Long-sought memo on lethal drone strike is released | newspaper=Washington Post | date=June 23, 2014 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/legal-memo-backing-drone-strike-is-released/2014/06/23/1f48dd16-faec-11e3-8176-f2c941cf35f1_story.html | access-date=August 15, 2022 | archive-date=August 24, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220824084156/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/legal-memo-backing-drone-strike-is-released/2014/06/23/1f48dd16-faec-11e3-8176-f2c941cf35f1_story.html | url-status=live }}</ref> His [[Abdulrahman al-Awlaki|teenage son]] and [[Death of Nawar al-Awlaki|young daughter]], also Americans, were later killed in separate [[Raid on Yakla|US military actions]], although they were not targeted specifically.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Shane|first=Scott|date=August 27, 2015|title=The Lessons of Anwar al-Awlaki|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/30/magazine/the-lessons-of-anwar-al-awlaki.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150827141921/http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/30/magazine/the-lessons-of-anwar-al-awlaki.html |archive-date=August 27, 2015 |url-access=limited |url-status=live|access-date=December 7, 2021|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name="drone-memo" />
On June 26, 2009, in response to the Iranian government's actions towards protesters following [[Iranian presidential election, 2009|Iran's 2009 presidential election]], Obama said: "The violence perpetrated against them is outrageous. We see it and we condemn it."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jun/26/obama-dismisses-ahmadinejad-apology-request/|title=Obama dismisses Ahmadinejad apology request|work=[[The Washington Times]]|date=June 26, 2009}}</ref> On July 7, while in Moscow, he responded to a Vice President Biden comment on a possible Israeli military strike on Iran by saying: "We have said directly to the Israelis that it is important to try and resolve this in an international setting in a way that does not create major conflict in the Middle East."<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/07/07/obama.israel.iran/ Obama: No green light for Israel to attack Iran], CNN, July 7, 2009</ref>
[[File:Barack Obama's trip to Saudi Arabia April 2016 (9).jpg|thumb|Obama, King [[Salman of Saudi Arabia]], Saudi Crown Prince [[Mohammed bin Salman]] and other leaders at the [[Gulf Cooperation Council|GCC]] summit in Saudi Arabia, April 2016]]
 
In March 2015, Obama declared that he had authorized U.S. forces to provide logistical and intelligence support to the Saudis in their [[Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen|military intervention in Yemen]], establishing a "Joint Planning Cell" with Saudi Arabia.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/report-yemens-embattled-president-flees-stronghold-as-rebels-advance/2015/03/25/e0913ae2-d2d5-11e4-a62f-ee745911a4ff_story.html|title=Saudi Arabia launches air attacks in Yemen|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=March 25, 2015|access-date=August 21, 2017|archive-date=October 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191011041452/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/report-yemens-embattled-president-flees-stronghold-as-rebels-advance/2015/03/25/e0913ae2-d2d5-11e4-a62f-ee745911a4ff_story.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Yemen conflict: US 'could be implicated in war crimes' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-37607248 |publisher=BBC News |date=October 10, 2016 |access-date=August 27, 2018 |archive-date=August 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180827111918/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-37607248 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2016, the Obama administration proposed a series of [[Saudi Arabia–United States relations|arms deals with Saudi Arabia]] worth $115{{spaces}}billion.<ref>{{Cite news | last=Bayoumy | first=Yara | title=Obama administration arms sales offers to Saudi top $115 billion: ... | work=Reuters | date=September 7, 2016 | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-saudi-security/obama-administration-arms-sales-offers-to-saudi-top-115-billion-report-idUSKCN11D2JQ | access-date=August 27, 2018 | archive-date=May 8, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190508012617/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-saudi-security/obama-administration-arms-sales-offers-to-saudi-top-115-billion-report-idUSKCN11D2JQ | url-status=live }}</ref> Obama halted the sale of guided munition technology to [[Saudi Arabia]] after Saudi warplanes [[2016 Sana'a funeral airstrike|targeted a funeral]] in Yemen's capital Sanaa, killing more than 140 people.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-saudi-arabia-yemen-war-support-military-houthis-bombing-campaign-crisis-a7472546.html |title=America 'agrees to stop selling some arms' to Saudi Arabia |work=The Independent |date=December 13, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401180257/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-saudi-arabia-yemen-war-support-military-houthis-bombing-campaign-crisis-a7472546.html|archive-date=April 1, 2019 |first1=Phil |last1=Stewart |first2=Warren |last2=Strobel }}</ref>
On September 24, 2009, Obama became the first sitting U.S. president to [[President of the United Nations Security Council|preside]] over a meeting of the [[United Nations Security Council]].<ref>Chidanand Rajghatta, [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/world/us/Barack-No-Bomb-Obama-pushes-for-world-without-nukes/articleshow/5052325.cms "Barack 'No Bomb' Obama pushes for world without nukes"], ''[[Times of India]]'', September 24, 2009.</ref>
 
In September 2016 Obama was snubbed by [[Xi Jinping]] and the [[Chinese Communist Party]] as he descended from [[Air Force One]] to the tarmac of [[Hangzhou International Airport]] for the [[2016 G20 Hangzhou summit]] without the usual red carpet welcome.<ref name="tgu1">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/sep/04/barack-obama-deliberately-snubbed-by-chinese-in-chaotic-arrival-at-g20 |title=Barack Obama 'deliberately snubbed' by Chinese in chaotic arrival at G20 |newspaper=The Guardian |date=September 4, 2016 |last1=Phillips |first1=Tom }}</ref>
In March 2010, Obama took a public stance against plans by the government of Israeli [[Prime Minister of Israel|Prime Minister]] [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] to continue building Jewish housing projects in predominantly Arab neighborhoods of [[East Jerusalem]].<ref>Robert Berger, [http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/Netanyahus-Office-No-Change-on-East-Jerusalem-Plans-89258402.html "Israel Refuses to Halt Construction in East Jerusalem"], ''[[Voice of America]]'', March 26, 2010.</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/25/world/middleeast/25jerusalem.html|title=Israel Confirms New Building in East Jerusalem|work=The New York Times |date=March 24, 2010|first=Isabel|last=Kershner|accessdate=April 26, 2010}}</ref> During the same month, an agreement was reached with the administration of [[Russian Federation|Russian]] [[President of Russia|President]] [[Dmitri Medvedev]] to replace the [[START I|1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty]] with a new pact reducing the number of long-range nuclear weapons in the arsenals of both countries by about one-third.<ref>Peter Baker, [http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/27/world/europe/27start.html "Obama Seals Arms Control Deal With Russia"], ''The New York Times'', March 26, 2010.</ref>
 
====IraqWar warin Iraq====
{{Main|Iraq War|American-led intervention in Iraq (2014–2021)}}
During his [[Presidential transition of Barack Obama|presidential transition]], [[President-elect]] Obama announced that he would retain the incumbent [[Defense Secretary]], [[Robert Gates]], in his Cabinet.<ref>{{cite web|title=Will Gates Stay or Go?|url=http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/11/10/1667896.aspx|work=[[MSNBC]]|date=November 10, 2008}}</ref>
 
On February 27, 2009, Obama declaredannounced that combat operations in Iraq would end in Iraq within 18 months. His remarks were made to a group of [[United States Marine Corps|Marines]] preparing for deployment to Afghanistan. Obama said, "Let me say this as plainly as I can: By August 31, 2010, our combat mission in Iraq will end."<ref>{{cite news |agency = [[Associated Press]] |first = Ben |last = Feller |url = http://www.detnewsgazette.com/article/20090228/POLITICS/902280332/Obama+obama-sets+-firm+Iraq+-withdrawal-timetable-for-iraq/article/49026 |title = Obama sets firm withdrawal timetable for Iraq |work = [[The DetroitGazette News(Colorado Springs)|The Gazette]]|location=CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C.|date = February 27, 2009 |accessdateaccess-date = March 3, 2009 |archive-date = February 7, 2017 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170207113330/http://gazette.com/obama-sets-firm-withdrawal-timetable-for-iraq/article/49026 |url-status = dead }}</ref> The drawdownObama isadministration scheduled the withdrawal of combat troops to be completed by August 2010, decreasing troopstroop's levels from 142,000 while leaving a transitional force of 35,000 toabout 50,000 in Iraq until the end of 2011. TheOn planAugust is19, to transition2010, the missionlast ofU.S. thecombat remainingbrigade exited Iraq. Remaining troops transitioned from combat operations to [[counter-terrorism]] and the training, equipping, and advising of Iraqi security forces.<ref>{{cite news |last = Jones |first = Athena Johnes|date = February 27, 2009 |url = [http://firstread.msnbc.msnnbcnews.com/archive_news/2009/02/27/1814247.aspx4428005-obama-announces-iraq-plan |title = Obama announces Iraq plan] First|publisher Read= FebruaryMSNBC 27|access-date = July 2, 2015 |archive-date = November 16, 2014 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141116013112/http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2009/02/27/4428005-obama-announces-iraq-plan MSNBC|url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author = Sykes, Hugh |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11020270 |title = Last US combat brigade exits Iraq |publisher = BBC News |date = August 19, 2010 |access-date = December 25, 2012 }}</ref> On August 31, 2010, Obama announced that the United States combat mission in Iraq was over.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/sep/01/obama-formally-ends-iraq-war |place = London |work = The Guardian |title = Barack Obama ends the war in Iraq. 'Now it's time to turn the page' |first = Ewen |last = MacAskill |date = September 1, 2010 }}</ref> On October 21, 2011, President Obama announced that all U.S. troops would leave Iraq in time to be "home for the holidays."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna44990594 |title = All U.S. troops out of Iraq by end of year |work = NBC News |date = October 21, 2011 |access-date = December 25, 2012 }}</ref>
 
In June 2014, following the [[Northern Iraq offensive (June 2014)#Fall of Mosul and push into Kirkuk|capture of Mosul]] by [[Islamic State|ISIL]], Obama sent 275 troops to provide support and security for U.S. personnel and the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. ISIS continued to gain ground and to commit [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant#Human rights abuse and war crime findings|widespread massacres and ethnic cleansing]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/obama-is-sending-275-us-troops-to-iraq-2014-6 |title = Obama Is Sending 275 US Troops To Iraq |work = Business Insider |access-date = June 19, 2014 |first=Hunter |last=Walker |date=June 16, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-un-rights-idUSKBN0H30KB20140908 |title = New U.N. rights boss warns of 'house of blood' in Iraq, Syria |access-date = July 11, 2015 |last = Nebehay |first = Stephanie |work = Reuters |date = September 8, 2014 }}</ref> In August 2014, during the [[Sinjar massacre]], Obama ordered a [[American-led intervention in Iraq (2014–present)#Airstrikes|campaign of U.S. airstrikes against ISIL]].<ref name="def31-10-14">{{cite web |url=http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=123542 |title = DoD Authorizes War on Terror Award for Inherent Resolve Ops |date = October 31, 2014 |publisher = Defense.gov |access-date = November 22, 2014 }}</ref> By the end of 2014, 3,100 American ground troops were committed to the conflict<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-30388718 |title = Islamic State: Coalition 'pledges more troops' for Iraq |publisher = BBC News |access-date = August 23, 2015 |date = December 8, 2014 }}</ref> and 16,000 sorties were flown over the battlefield, primarily by U.S. Air Force and Navy pilots.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/2015/01/19/a10-strikes-isis-11-percent/21875911/ |title = A-10 Performing 11 Percent of Anti-ISIS Sorties |last = Mehta |first = Aaron |date = January 19, 2015 |work = [[Defense News]] |access-date = August 23, 2015 }}</ref> In early 2015, with the addition of the "Panther Brigade" of the [[82nd Airborne Division]] the number of U.S. ground troops in Iraq increased to 4,400,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.stripes.com/news/us/1-000-soldiers-from-the-82nd-airborne-headed-to-iraq-1.320194 |title = 1,000 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne headed to Iraq |work=[[Stars and Stripes (newspaper)|Stars and Stripes]] |access-date = August 23, 2015 |date=December 19, 2014 |first=Jon |last=Harper }}</ref> and by July American-led coalition air forces counted 44,000 sorties over the battlefield.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2015/07/21/stealthy-jet-ensures-other-war-fighting-aircraft-survive |title=Stealthy Jet Ensures Other War-Fighting Aircraft Survive |work=[[U.S. News & World Report]] |access-date=August 23, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150813053355/http://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2015/07/21/stealthy-jet-ensures-other-war-fighting-aircraft-survive |archive-date=August 13, 2015 |first=Lolita C. |last=Baldor |date=July 21, 2015 }}</ref>
====War in Afghanistan====
{{Main|War in Afghanistan (2001–present)}}
 
====Afghanistan and Pakistan====
Early in his presidency, Obama moved to bolster U.S. troop strength in Afghanistan.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|author=NewsHour with Jim Lehrer |url=http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/july-dec08/obama_07-15.html |title=Obama Calls for U.S. Military to Renew Focus on Afghanistan |publisher=Pbs.org |date=July 15, 2008 |accessdate=April 18, 2010}}</ref> He announced an increase to U.S. troop levels of 17,000 in February 2009 to "stabilize a deteriorating situation in Afghanistan", an area he said had not received the "strategic attention, direction and resources it urgently requires".<ref>{{cite news|first=Amanda|last=Hodge|title=Obama launches Afghanistan Surge|date=February 19, 2009|work=[[The Australian]]|url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25074581-2703,00.html}}</ref> He replaced the military commander in Afghanistan, General [[David D. McKiernan]], with former [[Special Forces (United States Army)|Special Forces]] commander Lt. Gen. [[Stanley A. McChrystal]] in May 2009, indicating that McChrystal's Special Forces experience would facilitate the use of counterinsurgency tactics in the war.<ref name="counterinsurgency tactics"/> On December 1, 2009, Obama announced the deployment of an additional 30,000 military personnel to Afghanistan.<ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34218604/ns/politics-white_house "Obama to announce war strategy"] Associated Press. December 1, 2009.</ref> He also proposed to begin troop withdrawals 18 months from that date.<ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34218604/?gt1=43001 "Obama details Afghan war plan, troop increases"] Associated Press. December 1, 2009.</ref><ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I65QiUhvAq8&feature=related President Obama's Afghanistan Speech] December 1, 2009. Youtube.</ref>
{{Main|War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)|AfPak}}
[[File:Barack Obama with Afghan President Karzai, Pakistan President Zardari and Joe Biden.jpg|thumb|Obama after a trilateral meeting with Afghan President [[Hamid Karzai]] (left) and Pakistani President [[Asif Ali Zardari]] (right), May 2009|alt=Photo of Obama and other heads of state walking along the Colonnade outside the White House]]
In his election campaign, Obama called the war in Iraq a "dangerous distraction" and that emphasis should instead be put on the war in Afghanistan,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/07/15/obama.iraq/index.html |title=Obama calls Iraq war a 'dangerous distraction' |work=[[CNN]] |date=July 15, 2008 |access-date=August 15, 2022}}</ref> the region he cites as being most likely where an attack against the United States could be launched again.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/16/us/politics/15cnd-obama.html | title=Obama and McCain Duel over Iraq | newspaper=The New York Times | date=July 16, 2008 | last1=Broder | first1=John M. }}</ref> Early in his presidency, Obama moved to bolster U.S. troop strength in Afghanistan. He announced an increase in U.S. troop levels to 17,000 military personnel in February 2009 to "stabilize a deteriorating situation in Afghanistan", an area he said had not received the "strategic attention, direction and resources it urgently requires."<ref>{{cite news |first = Amanda |last = Hodge |title = Obama launches Afghanistan Surge |date = February 19, 2009 |work = The Australian |location = Sydney |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/archive/news/obama-launches-afghanistan-surge/story-e6frg6t6-1111118893671 }}</ref> He replaced the military commander in Afghanistan, General [[David D. McKiernan]], with former [[Special Forces (United States Army)|Special Forces]] commander Lt. Gen. [[Stanley A. McChrystal]] in May 2009, indicating that McChrystal's Special Forces experience would facilitate the use of counterinsurgency tactics in the war.<ref name="counterinsurgency tactics" /> On December 1, 2009, Obama announced the deployment of an additional 30,000 military personnel to Afghanistan and proposed to begin troop withdrawals 18 months from that date;<ref>{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |date=December 1, 2009 |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna34218604 |title=Obama details Afghan war plan, troop increases |work=NBC News }}</ref> this took place in July 2011. [[David Petraeus]] replaced McChrystal in June 2010, after McChrystal's staff criticized White House personnel in a magazine article.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/06/24/mcchrystal.gates.support/ |title = Gates says he agrees with Obama decision on McChrystal |publisher = CNN |date = June 24, 2010 |access-date = September 18, 2010 }}</ref> In February 2013, Obama said the U.S. military would reduce the troop level in Afghanistan from 68,000 to 34,000 U.S. troops by February 2014.<ref>{{cite news |last = Chandrasekaran |first = Rajiv |title = Obama wants to cut troop level in Afghanistan in half over next year |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/official-obama-to-cut-troop-level-in-afghanistan-in-half-by-next-year/2013/02/12/63a044c8-7536-11e2-8f84-3e4b513b1a13_story.html |access-date = February 14, 2013 |newspaper = The Washington Post |date = February 12, 2013 }}</ref> In October 2015, the White House announced a plan to keep U.S. Forces in Afghanistan indefinitely in light of the deteriorating security situation.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-34536833 |title = US troops in Afghanistan: Taliban resurgence sees rethink |publisher = BBC News |date = October 15, 2015 |access-date = October 15, 2015 |last = Marcus |first = Jonathan }}</ref>
 
Regarding neighboring Pakistan, Obama called its tribal border region the "greatest threat" to the security of Afghanistan and Americans, saying that he "cannot tolerate a terrorist sanctuary." In the same speech, Obama claimed that the U.S. "cannot succeed in Afghanistan or secure our homeland unless we change our Pakistan policy."<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/15/us/politics/15text-obama.html | title=Obama's Remarks on Iraq and Afghanistan | newspaper=The New York Times | date=July 15, 2008 }}</ref>
===Cultural and political image===
 
[[File:Five Presidents Oval Office.jpg|thumb|alt=Group portrait of five presidential men in dark suits and ties|President [[George W. Bush]] invited then-President-elect Barack Obama and former Presidents [[George H. W. Bush]], [[Bill Clinton]], and [[Jimmy Carter]] to a meeting in the [[Oval Office]] on January 7, 2009.]]
=====Killing of Osama bin Laden=====
{{Main|Killing of Osama bin Laden}}
[[File:Obama and Biden await updates on bin Laden.jpg|left|thumb|Obama and members of the national security team receive an update on [[Operation Neptune's Spear]] in the [[White House Situation Room]], May 1, 2011. See also: [[Situation Room (photograph)|''Situation Room'']].|alt=Photo of Obama, Biden, and national security staffers in the Situation Room, somberly listening to updates on the bin Laden raid]]
 
Starting with information received from Central Intelligence Agency operatives in July 2010, the CIA developed intelligence over the next several months that determined what they believed to be the hideout of [[Osama bin Laden]]. He was living in seclusion in [[Osama bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad|a large compound]] in [[Abbottabad]], Pakistan, a suburban area {{convert|35|mi|km}} from [[Islamabad]].<ref name="NYT-clues">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/03/world/asia/03intel.html |title = Clues Gradually Led to the Location of Osama bin Laden |last1 = Mazzetti |first1 = Mark |first2 = Helene |last2 = Cooper |first3 = Peter |last3 = Baker |date = May 3, 2011 |work = The New York Times |access-date = May 4, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110503190900/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/03/world/asia/03intel.html |archive-date = May 3, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> CIA head [[Leon Panetta]] reported this intelligence to President Obama in March 2011.<ref name="NYT-clues" /> Meeting with his national security advisers over the course of the next six weeks, Obama rejected a plan to bomb the compound, and authorized a "surgical raid" to be conducted by [[United States Navy SEALs]].<ref name="NYT-clues" /> The operation took place on May 1, 2011, and resulted in the shooting death of bin Laden and the seizure of papers, computer drives and disks from the compound.<ref name="WP-binLaden">{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/osama-bin-laden-is-killed-by-us-forces-in-pakistan/2011/05/01/AFXMZyVF_story.html |title = Osama bin Laden is killed by U.S. forces in Pakistan |newspaper = The Washington Post |access-date = September 13, 2014 |date = May 2, 2011 |first1 = Philip |last1 = Rucker |first2 = Scott |last2 = Wilson |first3 = Anne E. |last3 = Kornblut }}</ref><ref name="ND-binLaden">{{cite web |url=http://www.newsday.com/news/breaking/official-offers-details-of-bin-laden-raid-1.2853079 |title = Official offers details of bin Laden raid |website = Newsday |access-date = September 13, 2014 |date = May 2, 2011 }}</ref> DNA testing was one of five methods used to positively identify bin Laden's corpse,<ref name="ABC-binLaden">{{cite news |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/osama-bin-laden-killed/story?id=13505703 |title = Osama bin Laden Killed by U.S. Forces in Pakistan |last1 = Schabner |first1 = Dean |first2 = Karen |last2 = Travers |date = May 1, 2011 |work = ABC News |access-date = May 3, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110504021523/http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/osama-bin-laden-killed/story?id=13505703 |archive-date = May 4, 2011 }}</ref> which was buried at sea several hours later.<ref name="NYT-ObamaAnnounce">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/02/world/asia/osama-bin-laden-is-killed.html |title=Bin Laden Is Dead, Obama Says |last1=Baker |first1=Peter |first2=Helene |last2=Cooper |first3=Mark |last3=Mazzetti |date=May 2, 2011 |work=The New York Times |access-date=May 3, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110505195308/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/02/world/asia/osama-bin-laden-is-killed.html |archive-date=May 5, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Within minutes of the President's announcement from Washington, DC, late in the evening on May 1, there were spontaneous celebrations around the country as crowds gathered outside the White House, and at New York City's [[World Trade Center site|Ground Zero]] and [[Times Square]].<ref name="WP-binLaden" /><ref name="Guard-ObamaAnnounce">{{cite news |last1 = Walsh |first1 = Declan |first2 = Richard |last2 = Adams |first3 = Ewen |last3 = MacAskill |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/may/02/osama-bin-laden-dead-obama |title = Osama bin Laden is dead, Obama announces |date = May 2, 2011 |work = The Guardian |place = London |access-date = May 3, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110503154000/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/02/osama-bin-laden-dead-obama |archive-date = May 3, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Reactions to the death of Osama bin Laden|Reaction to the announcement]] was positive across party lines, including from former presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.<ref name="Bloom-binLaden">{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-02/death-of-bin-laden-may-strengthen-obama-s-hand-in-domestic-foreign-policy.html |title = Death of Bin Laden May Strengthen Obama's Hand in Domestic, Foreign Policy |last = Dorning |first = Mike |date = May 2, 2011 |agency = [[Bloomberg News]] |access-date = May 4, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110503203539/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-02/death-of-bin-laden-may-strengthen-obama-s-hand-in-domestic-foreign-policy.html |archive-date = May 3, 2011 }}</ref>
{{clear}}
 
====Relations with Cuba====
{{Main|Cuban thaw}}
[[File:Handshake between the President and Cuban President Raúl Castro.jpg|thumb|Obama meeting with Cuban President [[Raúl Castro]] in Panama, April 2015|alt=Photo of Obama shaking hands with the Cuban president]]
 
Since the spring of 2013, secret meetings were conducted between the United States and Cuba in the neutral locations of Canada and [[Vatican City]].<ref>{{cite news |last1 = Warren |first1 = Strobel |title = Secret talks in Canada, Vatican City led to Cuba breakthrough |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cuba-usa-reconstruction-idUSKBN0JV2DM20141217 |work = Reuters |access-date = December 21, 2014 }}</ref> The Vatican first became involved in 2013 when Pope Francis advised the U.S. and Cuba to [[prisoner exchange|exchange prisoners]] as a gesture of goodwill.<ref>{{cite news |last1 = Morello |first1 = Carol |last2 = DeYoung |first2 = Karen |title = Secret U.S.-Cuba diplomacy ended in landmark deal on prisoners, future ties |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/secret-diplomacy-with-cuba-ended-in-breakthrough-deal/2014/12/17/c51b3ed8-8614-11e4-a702-fa31ff4ae98e_story.html |newspaper = The Washington Post |access-date = December 21, 2014 }}</ref> On December 10, 2013, Cuban President [[Raúl Castro]], in a significant public moment, greeted and shook hands with Obama at the [[Death of Nelson Mandela|Nelson Mandela memorial service]] in [[Johannesburg]].<ref>{{Cite news | last1=Roberts | first1=Dan | last2=Luscombe | first2=Richard | title=Obama shakes hands with Raúl Castro for first time at Mandela memorial | newspaper=The Guardian | date=December 10, 2013 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/10/obama-shakes-hands-raul-castro-mandela-memorial | access-date=February 15, 2017}}</ref>
 
In December 2014, after the secret meetings, it was announced that Obama, with Pope Francis as an intermediary, had negotiated a restoration of relations with Cuba, after nearly sixty years of détente.<ref>{{cite news |first = Barbie Latza |last = Nadeau |url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/12/17/the-pope-s-diplomatic-miracle-ending-the-u-s-cuba-cold-war.html |title = The Pope's Diplomatic Miracle: Ending the U.S.–Cuba Cold War |work = The Daily Beast |date = December 17, 2014 |access-date = December 18, 2014 }}</ref> Popularly dubbed the [[Cuban Thaw]], ''[[The New Republic]]'' deemed the Cuban Thaw to be "Obama's finest foreign policy achievement."<ref>{{cite news |magazine=[[The New Republic]] |url=https://newrepublic.com/article/121522/cuba-obamas-biggest-foreign-policy-success |title=The Cuban Thaw Is Obama's Finest Foreign Policy Achievement to Date |first=Joel |last=Gillin |date=April 13, 2015 }}</ref> On July 1, 2015, President Obama announced that formal diplomatic relations between Cuba and the United States would resume, and embassies would be opened in Washington and [[Havana]].<ref>{{cite news |title = Obama announces re-establishment of U.S.-Cuba diplomatic ties |url=http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/01/politics/obama-note-to-castro-reestablish-ties/ |publisher = CNN |access-date = July 1, 2015 }}</ref> The countries' respective "interests sections" in one another's capitals were upgraded to embassies on July 20 and August 13, 2015, respectively.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/cuba/article27862504.html |title = United States and Cuba reestablish diplomatic relations |first = Mimi |last = Whitefield |work = The Miami Herald |date = July 20, 2015 |access-date = July 19, 2015 }}</ref> Obama visited Havana, Cuba for two days in March 2016, becoming the first sitting U.S. president to arrive since [[Calvin Coolidge]] in 1928.<ref>{{cite news |author1=Julie Hirschfeld Davis |first2=Damien |last2=Cave |date = March 21, 2016 |title = Obama Arrives in Cuba, Heralding New Era After Decades of Hostility |work = The New York Times |page = A1 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/21/world/americas/obama-arrives-in-cuba.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160320203029/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/21/world/americas/obama-arrives-in-cuba.html |archive-date=March 20, 2016 |url-access=limited |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
====Israel====
[[File:Barack Obama welcomes Shimon Peres in the Oval Office.jpg|thumb|left|Obama meeting with Israeli President [[Shimon Peres]] in the [[Oval Office]], May 2009|alt=Photo of Obama shaking hands with Israeli President Shimon Peres, with Biden overlooking]]
 
During the initial years of the Obama administration, the U.S. increased military cooperation with Israel, including increased military aid, re-establishment of the [[Joint Political Military Group|U.S.-Israeli Joint Political Military Group]] and the Defense Policy Advisory Group, and an increase in visits among high-level military officials of both countries.<ref>{{cite news |last=Levinson |first=Charles |date=August 14, 2010 |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703321004575427272550050504 |title=U.S., Israel Build Military Cooperation |newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |location=New York |access-date=March 1, 2011 }}</ref> The Obama administration asked Congress to allocate money toward funding the [[Iron Dome]] program in response to the waves of [[Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Kampeas |first=Ron |date=October 26, 2012 |url=http://www.jewishjournal.com/nation/article/for_obama_campaign_trying_to_put_to_rest_persistent_questions_about_kishkes |title=For Obama campaign, trying to put to rest persistent questions about 'kishkes' |newspaper=Jewish Journal}}</ref> In March 2010, Obama took a public stance against plans by the government of Israeli Prime Minister [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] to continue building Jewish housing projects in predominantly Arab neighborhoods of [[East Jerusalem]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/Netanyahus-Office-No-Change-on-East-Jerusalem-Plans-89258402.html |title = Israel Refuses to Halt Construction in East Jerusalem |publisher = [[Voice of America]] |date = March 25, 2010 |access-date = July 2, 2015 |first = Robert |last = Berger }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/25/world/middleeast/25jerusalem.html |title = Israel Confirms New Building in East Jerusalem |work = The New York Times |date = March 24, 2010 |first = Isabel |last = Kershner |access-date = April 26, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100329231159/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/25/world/middleeast/25jerusalem.html |archive-date = March 29, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2011, the United States vetoed a Security Council resolution condemning [[Israeli settlement]]s, with the United States being the only nation to do so.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=37572&Cr=palestin&Cr1 |title = United States vetoes Security Council resolution on Israeli settlements |date = February 18, 2011 |website = UN News Service Section |access-date = September 13, 2014 }}</ref> Obama supports the [[two-state solution]] to the [[Arab–Israeli conflict]] based on the 1967 borders with land swaps.<ref>{{cite news |last=Levy |first=Elior |date=May 22, 2011 |url=https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4072210,00.html |title=PA challenges Netanyahu to accept 1967 lines |work=Ynetnews |access-date=May 22, 2011 }}</ref>
 
In 2013, [[Jeffrey Goldberg]] reported that, in Obama's view, "with each new settlement announcement, Netanyahu is moving his country down a path toward near-total isolation."<ref name="Bloomberg">{{cite news |last = Goldberg |first = Jeffrey |title = Obama: 'Israel Doesn't Know What Its Best Interests Are' |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-01-14/what-obama-thinks-israelis-don-t-understand-.html |access-date = January 23, 2013 |work = Bloomberg |date = January 14, 2013 }}</ref> In 2014, Obama likened the [[Zionist movement]] to the [[civil rights movement]] in the United States. He said both movements seek to bring justice and equal rights to historically persecuted peoples, explaining: "To me, being pro-Israel and pro-Jewish is part and parcel with the values that I've been fighting for since I was politically conscious and started getting involved in politics."<ref>{{cite news |last=Goldberg |first=Jeffrey |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2015/09/obama-netanyahu-and-the-future-of-israel/405082/ |title=After the Iran Deal: Obama, Netanyahu, and the Future of the Jewish State |work=The Atlantic |date=September 13, 2015 |access-date=September 13, 2015 }}</ref> Obama expressed support for Israel's right to defend itself during the [[2014 Gaza War|2014 Gaza war]].<ref>{{cite news |title = Obama reaffirms Israel's right to defend itself |first=Herb|last=Keinon|url=http://www.jpost.com/Operation-Protective-Edge/Netanyahu-speaks-with-UN-chief-over-phone-363479 |date = July 19, 2014 | work= [[The Times of Israel]] }}</ref> In 2015, Obama was harshly criticized by Israel for advocating and signing the [[Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action|Iran Nuclear Deal]]; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had advocated the U.S. congress to oppose it, said the deal was "dangerous" and "bad."<ref>{{Cite news | title=Netanyahu: Iran nuclear deal makes world much more dangerous, Israel not bound by it | newspaper=[[Haaretz]] | date=July 14, 2015 |url=https://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.665821 | access-date=January 3, 2018}}</ref>
 
On December 23, 2016, under the Obama Administration, the United States abstained from [[United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334]], which condemned Israeli settlement building in the occupied [[Palestinian territories]] as a violation of international law, effectively allowing it to pass.<ref>{{cite news | last1=Collinson | first1=Stephen | last2=Wright | first2=David | last3=Labott | first3=Elise | title=US Abstains as UN Demands End to Israeli Settlements |url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/23/politics/israel-official-rips-obama-un-settlements/ | date=December 24, 2016 | work=CNN | access-date=January 7, 2017}}</ref> Netanyahu strongly criticized the Obama administration's actions,<ref>{{Cite news | last1=Barak | first1=Ravid | title=Netanyahu on UN Settlement Vote: Israel Will Not Turn the Other Cheek |url=http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.761470 | date=December 26, 2016 | newspaper=[[Haaretz]] | access-date=January 7, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news | title=Israel-Palestinians: Netanyahu Condemns John Kerry Speech |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38455753 | date=December 29, 2016 | publisher=BBC News | access-date=January 7, 2017 }}</ref> and the Israeli government withdrew its annual dues from the organization, which totaled $6{{spaces}}million, on January 6, 2017.<ref>{{cite web | title=Israel Halts $6{{spaces}}million to UN to Protest UN Settlements Vote |url=http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/01/06/israel-halts-6-million-to-un-to-protest-un-settlements-vote.html | date=January 6, 2017 | publisher=[[Fox News]] (from the [[Associated Press]]) | access-date=January 7, 2017}}</ref> On January 5, 2017, the United States House of Representatives voted 342–80 to condemn the UN Resolution.<ref>{{cite news | title=House Overwhelmingly Votes to Condemn UN Resolution on Israel Settlements |url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/01/05/house-overwhelmingly-votes-to-condemn-un-resolution-on-israel-settlements.html | date=January 5, 2017 | publisher=[[Fox News]] | access-date=January 7, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last1=Cortellessa | first1=Eric | title=US House Passes Motion Repudiating UN Resolution on Israel |url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/us-house-passes-repudiation-of-un-security-council-resolution-on-israel/ | date=January 6, 2017 | work=[[The Times of Israel]] | access-date=January 17, 2017}}</ref>
 
====Libya====
{{Main|2011 military intervention in Libya|2012 Benghazi attack}}
 
In February 2011, protests in Libya began against long-time dictator [[Muammar Gaddafi]] as part of the [[Arab Spring]]. They soon turned violent. In March, as forces loyal to Gaddafi advanced on rebels across Libya, calls for a no-fly zone came from around the world, including Europe, the [[Arab League]], and a resolution<ref>{{cite web |url = http://mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressOffice.FloorStatements&ContentRecord_id=b63b7b6f-a466-ba23-dea8-7bc024f54655 |title = Floor Statement by Senator McCain Introducing the Senate Resolution Calling for a No-Fly Zone in Libya |publisher = Senate.gov |date = March 14, 2011 |access-date = March 28, 2011 |archive-date = September 27, 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110927155925/http://mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressOffice.FloorStatements&ContentRecord_id=b63b7b6f-a466-ba23-dea8-7bc024f54655 |url-status = dead }}</ref> passed unanimously by the U.S. Senate.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nationaljournal.com/congress/senate-passes-resolution-calling-for-no-fly-zone-over-libya-20110301?page=1 |title = Senate Passes Resolution Calling for No-Fly Zone Over Libya |work = [[National Journal]] |date = March 1, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511121418/http://nationaljournal.com/congress/senate-passes-resolution-calling-for-no-fly-zone-over-libya-20110301?page=1 |archive-date = May 11, 2011 }}</ref> In response to the passage of [[United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973]] on March 17, the Foreign Minister of Libya Moussa Koussa announced a ceasefire. However Gaddafi's forces continued to attack the rebels.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Libya declares ceasefire but fighting goes on |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2011/3/18/libya-declares-ceasefire-but-fighting-goes-on |access-date=2024-05-09 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}</ref>
 
On March 19 a multinational coalition led by France and the United Kingdom with Italian and U.S. support, approved by Obama, took part in air strikes to destroy the Libyan government's air defense capabilities to protect civilians and enforce a no-fly-zone,<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Kirkpatrick |first1=David D. |last2=Erlanger |first2=Steven |last3=Bumiller |first3=Elisabeth |date=2011-03-19 |title=Allies Open Air Assault on Qaddafi's Forces in Libya |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/world/africa/20libya.html |access-date=2024-05-09 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> including the use of [[Tomahawk (missile family)|Tomahawk missiles]], [[Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit|B-2 Spirits]], and fighter jets.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/mar/23/ap-news-in-brief/ |title=Obama says US efforts in Libya have saved lives, control of operation can be turned over soon |work=[[Ventura County Star]] |agency=Associated Press |access-date=March 22, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110828104819/http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/mar/23/ap-news-in-brief/ |archive-date=August 28, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author = Pannell, Ian |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12813757 |title = Gaddafi 'not targeted' by allied strikes |publisher = BBC News |date = March 21, 2011 |access-date = July 3, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110623012338/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12813757 |archive-date = June 23, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/mar/22/f15-fighter-crash-libya |title = F-15 fighter jet crashes in Libya |work = The Guardian |location = London |date = March 22, 2011 |access-date = March 23, 2011 |first = Sam |last = Jones |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110322190309/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/22/f15-fighter-crash-libya |archive-date = March 22, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> Six days later, on March 25, by unanimous vote of all its 28 members, NATO took over leadership of the effort, dubbed [[Operation Unified Protector]].<ref name="NATOPressRelease">{{cite web |url=http://www.nato.int/nato_static/assets/pdf/pdf_2011_03/20110325_110325-unified-protector-no-fly-zone.pdf |title = NATO No-Fly Zone over Libya Operation UNIFIED PROTECTOR |publisher = NATO |date = March 25, 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110515150551/http://www.nato.int/nato_static/assets/pdf/pdf_2011_03/20110325_110325-unified-protector-no-fly-zone.pdf |archive-date = May 15, 2011 |url-status = dead }}</ref> Some members of Congress<ref name="LibyaOffensive">{{cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/is-obamas-libya-offensive-constitutional/ |title = Is Obama's Libya offensive constitutional? |work = CBS News |date = March 22, 2011 |access-date = March 22, 2011 |first = Brian |last = Montopoli }}</ref> questioned whether Obama had the constitutional authority to order military action in addition to questioning its cost, structure and aftermath.<ref>{{cite news |title = Obama's Libya Policy Makes Strange Bedfellows of Congressional Critics |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/20/obama-libya_n_838219.html |work = The Huffington Post |access-date = March 26, 2011 |date = March 21, 2011 |first = Sam |last = Stein |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110323083100/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/20/obama-libya_n_838219.html |archive-date = March 23, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title = Obama juggles Libya promises, realities |url=http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/03/25/obama.libya/index.html |publisher = CNN |access-date = March 26, 2011 |date = March 25, 2011 }}</ref> In 2016 Obama said "Our coalition could have and should have done more to fill a vacuum left behind" and that it was "a mess".<ref>{{cite news|first1=Allie|last1=Malloy|first2=Catherine|last2=Treyz|date=April 10, 2016|title=Obama admits worst mistake of his presidency&nbsp;— CNN Politics|url=https://www.cnn.com/2016/04/10/politics/obama-libya-biggest-mistake/index.html|access-date=April 24, 2021|website=CNN|language=en}}</ref> He has stated that the lack of preparation surrounding the days following the government's overthrow was the "worst mistake" of his presidency.<ref>{{Cite news|date=April 11, 2016|title=President Obama: Libya aftermath 'worst mistake' of presidency|language=en-GB|publisher=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-36013703|access-date=April 24, 2021}}</ref>
 
====Syrian civil war====
{{See also|Foreign involvement in the Syrian civil war#United States|US intervention in the Syrian civil war}}
 
On August 18, 2011, several months after the start of the [[Syrian civil war]], Obama issued a written statement that said: "The time has come for [[Bashar al-Assad|President Assad]] to step aside."<ref name="mustgo">{{cite news|title=Assad must go, Obama says|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/assad-must-go-obama-says/2011/08/18/gIQAelheOJ_story.html |access-date=November 23, 2015|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=August 18, 2011}}</ref> This stance was reaffirmed in November 2015.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/obama-says-syrian-leader-bashar-al-assad-must-go-1447925671|title=Obama Says Syrian Leader Bashar al-Assad Must Go|author=Nelson, Colleen}}</ref> In 2012, Obama authorized multiple [[Timber Sycamore|programs run by the CIA]] and the Pentagon to train anti-Assad rebels.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-syria-obama-order-idUSBRE8701OK20120802|author=Hosenball, Mark|title=Obama authorizes secret support for Syrian rebels|access-date=February 19, 2016|work=Reuters|date=August 2, 2012}}</ref> The Pentagon-run program was later found to have failed and was formally abandoned in October 2015.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/10/world/middleeast/pentagon-program-islamic-state-syria.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151009144157/http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/10/world/middleeast/pentagon-program-islamic-state-syria.html |archive-date=October 9, 2015 |url-access=limited |url-status=live|title=Obama Administration Ends Effort to Train Syrians to Combat ISIS|first1=Michael D. |last1=Shear |first2=Helene |last2=Cooper |first3=Eric |last3=Schmitt |newspaper=The New York Times |date=October 9, 2015 |access-date=February 20, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-usa-idUSKCN0S31BR20151009|title=U.S. pulls plug on Syria rebel training effort; will focus on weapons supply|first1=Phil |last1=Stewart |first2=Kate|last2=Holton|access-date=February 20, 2016|work=Reuters|date=October 9, 2015}}</ref>
 
In the wake of a [[Ghouta chemical attack|chemical weapons attack]] in Syria, [[U.S. Government Assessment of the Syrian Government's Use of Chemical Weapons on August 21, 2013|formally blamed]] by the Obama administration on the Assad government, Obama chose not to enforce the "red line" he had pledged<ref name="redline">{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/may/17/obama-red-line-erased-as-assad-chemical-weapons-us/?page=all|title=Obama 'red line' erased as Bashar Assad's chemical weapons use goes unchecked by U.S. military|work=The Washington Times |date=May 17, 2015 |access-date=November 23, 2015}}</ref> and, rather than authorize the promised military action against Assad, went along with the Russia-brokered deal that led to Assad [[Destruction of Syria's chemical weapons|giving up chemical weapons]]; however attacks with [[Chlorine|chlorine gas]] continued.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/15/world/middleeast/syria-talks.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130914154144/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/15/world/middleeast/syria-talks.html |archive-date=September 14, 2013 |url-access=limited |url-status=live|title=U.S. and Russia Reach Deal to Destroy Syria's Chemical Arms|author=Gordon, Michael|newspaper=The New York Times |date=September 14, 2013 |access-date=February 19, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/syria-got-rid-of-its-chemical-weapons-but-reports-of-attacks-continue/|title=Syria Got Rid of Its Chemical Weapons—But Reports of Attacks Continue|author=Boghani, Priyanka|access-date=February 19, 2016}}</ref> In 2014, Obama authorized an [[War against the Islamic State|air campaign aimed primarily at ISIL]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/09/obama-strike-wherever-it-exists-2014910223935601193.html|title=Obama outlines plan to target IS fighters|publisher=[[Al Jazeera English|Al Jazeera]]|date=September 11, 2014|access-date=September 24, 2014}}</ref>
 
====Iran nuclear talks====
{{Main|Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action}}
[[File:Barack Obama talks with Benjamin Netanyahu (8637772147).jpg|thumb|Obama talks with Israeli prime minister [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] in [[Jerusalem]], March 2013.|alt=refer to caption]]
 
On October 1, 2009, the Obama administration went ahead with a Bush administration program, increasing nuclear weapons production. The "Complex Modernization" initiative expanded two existing nuclear sites to produce new bomb parts. In November 2013, the Obama administration opened [[Negotiations leading to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action|negotiations]] with Iran to prevent it from acquiring [[nuclear weapon]]s, which included an [[Joint Plan of Action|interim agreement]]. Negotiations took two years with numerous delays, with a deal being announced on July 14, 2015. The deal titled the "Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action" saw sanctions removed in exchange for measures that would prevent Iran from producing nuclear weapons. While Obama hailed the agreement as being a step towards a more hopeful world, the deal drew strong criticism from Republican and conservative quarters, and from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.<ref>{{Cite news |title = Iran deal reached, Obama hails step toward 'more hopeful world' |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-nuclear-idUSKCN0PM0CE20150714 |date = July 14, 2015 |access-date = July 14, 2015 |work = Reuters }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title = Iran, World Powers Prepare to Sign Nuclear Accord |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/embargo-on-arms-clouds-iran-nuclear-deal-1436831280 |date = July 14, 2015 |access-date = July 14, 2015 |newspaper = The Wall Street Journal |last1 = Solomon |first1 = Jay |last2 = Norman |first2 = Laurence |last3 = Lee |first3 = Carol E. }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title = Landmark deal reached on Iran nuclear program |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2015/07/14/politics/iran-nuclear-deal/ |date = July 14, 2015 |access-date = July 14, 2015 |publisher = CNN }}</ref> In addition, the transfer of $1.7{{spaces}}billion in cash to Iran shortly after the deal was announced was criticized by the Republican party. The Obama administration said that the payment in cash was because of the "effectiveness of U.S. and international sanctions."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-iran-payment-cash-20160907-snap-story.html|title=$1.7-billion payment to Iran was all in cash due to effectiveness of sanctions, White House says|date=September 7, 2016|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=October 30, 2019}}</ref> In order to advance the deal, the Obama administration shielded [[Hezbollah]] from the [[Drug Enforcement Administration]]'s [[Project Cassandra]] investigation regarding drug smuggling and from the [[Central Intelligence Agency]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/1.829686 |title=Obama Administration Reportedly Shielded Hezbollah From DEA and CIA to Save Iran Nuclear Deal |work=Haaretz |date=December 18, 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/interactives/2017/obama-hezbollah-drug-trafficking-investigation/ |title=A Global Threat Emerges |work=Politico |date=December 18, 2017 |first=Josh |last=Meyer }}</ref>
On a side note, the very same year, in December 2015, Obama started a $348{{spaces}}billion worth program to back the biggest U.S. buildup of nuclear arms since Ronald Reagan left the White House.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/lorenthompson/2015/12/15/obama-backs-biggest-nuclear-arms-buildup-since-cold-war/|title=Obama Backs Biggest Nuclear Arms Buildup Since Cold War|first=Loren|last=Thompson|website=Forbes}}</ref>
 
====Russia====
{{See also|Russia–United States relations#Obama administration (2009–2017)}}
[[File:Vladimir Putin and Barack Obama (2015-09-29) 01.jpg|thumb|Obama meets Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]] in September 2015.|alt=Photo of Obama shaking hands with Vladimir Putin in front of Russian and American flags]]
 
In March 2010, an agreement was reached with the administration of Russian President [[Dmitry Medvedev]] to replace the [[START I|1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty]] with a new pact reducing the number of long-range nuclear weapons in the arsenals of both countries by about a third.<ref>{{cite news |last=Baker |first=Peter |date=March 26, 2010 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/27/world/europe/27start.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100328142730/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/27/world/europe/27start.html |archive-date=March 28, 2010 |url-access=limited |url-status=live |title=Obama Seals Arms Control Deal With Russia |work=The New York Times }}</ref> Obama and Medvedev signed the [[New START]] treaty in April 2010, and the [[United States Senate|U.S. Senate]] ratified it in December 2010.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/23/world/europe/23treaty.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101223044444/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/23/world/europe/23treaty.html |archive-date=December 23, 2010 |url-access=limited |url-status=live |work = The New York Times |first = Peter |last = Baker |title = Senate Passes Arms Control Treaty With Russia, 71–26 |date = December 22, 2010 }}</ref> In December 2011, Obama instructed agencies to consider [[LGBT rights by country or territory|LGBT rights]] when issuing financial aid to foreign countries.<ref>{{cite news |last = McVeigh |first = Karen |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/dec/07/gay-rights-us-aid-criteria |title = Gay rights must be criterion for US aid allocations, instructs Obama |newspaper = The Guardian |location = London |date = December 6, 2011 |access-date = January 4, 2013 }}</ref> In August 2013, he criticized Russia's law that discriminates against gays,<ref name="LAT80713">{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-xpm-2013-aug-07-la-na-pn-obama-leno-russia-snowden-20130807-story.html |title = Obama criticizes Russia's new anti-gay law in Leno interview |last = Parsons |first = Christi |date = August 7, 2013 |work = [[Los Angeles Times]] |access-date = August 27, 2014 }}</ref> but he stopped short of advocating a boycott of the upcoming [[2014 Winter Olympics]] in [[Sochi]], Russia.<ref name="Huffpo80913">{{cite news |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/09/obama-olympic-boycott_n_3733275.html |title = Obama Opposes Olympic Boycott, Criticizes Russian Anti-Gay Law |last = Johnson |first = Luke |date = August 9, 2013 |work = [[The Huffington Post]] |access-date = August 27, 2014 }}</ref>
 
After [[Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation|Russia's invasion of Crimea]] in 2014, [[Russian intervention in the Syrian civil war|military intervention in Syria]] in 2015, and [[Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections|the interference]] in the [[2016 United States presidential election|2016 U.S. presidential election]],<ref name="ftelect">{{cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/c596c0a8-a278-11e6-82c3-4351ce86813f | newspaper=[[Financial Times]] | title=US election: The Russia factor: Officials say Moscow's interference is unprecedented. Has the Kremlin achieved its goal? | date=November 4, 2016 |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170207141246/https://www.ft.com/content/c596c0a8-a278-11e6-82c3-4351ce86813f |archive-date=February 7, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[George Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen|George Robertson]], a former UK defense secretary and NATO secretary-general, said Obama had "allowed Putin to jump back on the world stage and test the resolve of the West", adding that the legacy of this disaster would last.<ref name="obexit">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/07/world/europe/europeans-view-obamas-exit-with-a-mix-of-admiration-and-regret.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161107030307/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/07/world/europe/europeans-view-obamas-exit-with-a-mix-of-admiration-and-regret.html |archive-date=November 7, 2016 |url-access=limited |url-status=live | newspaper=The New York Times| title=Europeans View Obama's Exit With a Mix of Admiration and Regret | date=November 6, 2016}}</ref>
 
==Cultural and political image==
{{Main|Public image of Barack Obama}}
{{See also|International media reaction to the 2008 United States presidential election}}[[File:Barack Obama and supporters 5, February 4, 2008.jpg|thumb|Obama shaking hands with supporters in 2008]]Obama's family history, upbringing, and [[Ivy League]] education differ markedly from those of African-American politicians who launched their careers in the 1960s through participation in the 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 |access-date=April 7, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080513153556/http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2004/0411.wallace-wells.html |archive-date=May 13, 2008 |url-status=dead }} See also: {{cite news|first=Janny |last=Scott |title=A Member of a New Generation, Obama Walks a Fine Line |date=December 28, 2007 |url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/12/28/america/obama.php |work=International Herald Tribune |access-date=April 7, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080117005009/http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/12/28/america/obama.php |archive-date=January 17, 2008 }}</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 "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 = August 19, 2007 |url = https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/newsday/access/1322008241.html?dids=1322008241:1322008241&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |work = Newsday |place = New York |access-date = April 7, 2008 |archive-date = September 15, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080915033412/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/newsday/access/1322008241.html?dids=1322008241:1322008241&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |url-status = dead }}</ref> 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 = October 4, 2007 |url = https://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 |access-date = April 7, 2008 |archive-date = June 17, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080617150439/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 |url-status = dead }} See also: {{cite news |first = Toby |last = Harnden |title = Barack Obama is JFK Heir, Says Kennedy Aide |date = October 15, 2007 |url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1565992/Barack-Obama-is-JFK-heir-says-Kennedy-aide.html |url-access = subscription |work = The Daily Telegraph |place = London |access-date = April 7, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080515071852/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1565992/Barack-Obama-is-JFK-heir%2C-says-Kennedy-aide.html |archive-date = May 15, 2008 |url-status = live }}</ref> Additionally, Obama has frequently been referred to as an exceptional orator.<ref name="exceptional orator" /> During his pre-inauguration transition period and continuing into his presidency, Obama delivered a series of weekly Internet video addresses.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/user/ChangeDotGov |title = ChangeDotGov's Channel |via = YouTube |access-date = April 18, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100220004338/http://www.youtube.com/user/ChangeDotGov|archive-date=February 20, 2010 }}</ref>
{{See also|International media reaction to Barack Obama's 2008 election}}
Obama's family history, early life and upbringing, and [[Ivy League]] education 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=April 7, 2008}} See also:{{cite news|first=Janny|last=Scott|title=A Member of a New Generation, Obama Walks a Fine Line|date=December 28, 2007|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/12/28/america/obama.php|work=International Herald Tribune|accessdate=April 7, 2008}}</ref> Obama is also not a descendent of American slaves.<ref>{{cite news|author=Paul Harris in New York |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/mar/04/uselections2008.barackobama |title=Obama told of family's slave-owning history in deep South &#124; World news &#124; The Observer |work=The Guardian |location=London |date= March 4, 2007|accessdate=April 18, 2010 }}</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 "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=August 19, 2007|url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/newsday/access/1322008241.html?dids=1322008241:1322008241&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT|work=Newsday |location=New York |accessdate=April 7, 2008}}</ref> 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=October 4, 2007|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=April 7, 2008}} See also:{{cite news|first=Toby|last=Harnden|title=Barack Obama is JFK Heir, Says Kennedy Aide|date=October 15, 2007|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1565992/Barack-Obama-is-JFK-heir%2C-says-Kennedy-aide.html|work=Daily Telegraph|accessdate=April 7, 2008 | location=London}}</ref>
 
===Job approval===
Obama is frequently referred to as an exceptional orator.<ref name="exceptional orator"/> During his pre-inauguration transition period and continuing into his presidency, Obama has delivered a series of weekly Internet video addresses.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.youtube.com/user/ChangeDotGov |title=YouTube – ChangeDotGov's Channel |publisher=Youtube.com |date= |accessdate=April 18, 2010}}</ref>
[[File:Gallup Poll-Approval Rating-Barack Obama.svg|thumb|275px|Graph of Obama's approval ratings (Gallup)|alt=refer to adjacent text]]
[[File:20090124 WeeklyAddress.ogv|left|thumb|Obama presents his first [[commons:Obama Administration weekly video addresses|weekly address]] as President of the United States on January 24, discussing the [[American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009]].]]
According to the [[Gallup Organization]], Obama began his presidency with a 68 percent [[approval rating]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gallup.com/poll/113962/obama-starts-job-approval.aspx |title = Obama Starts With 68% Job Approval |publisher = Gallup |first1= Lydia |last1=Saad |date = January 24, 2009 |access-date = June 19, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616021142/http://www.gallup.com/poll/113962/Obama-Starts-Job-Approval.aspx |archive-date = June 16, 2011 }}</ref> the fifth highest for a president following their swearing in.<ref>Jones, Jeffrey M. (January 22, 2009). [https://web.archive.org/web/20110617184416/http://www.gallup.com/poll/113923/History-Foretells-Obama-First-Job-Approval-Rating.aspx What History Foretells for Obama’s First Job Approval Rating]. ''Gallup, Inc.''.</ref> Obama's ratings during his first 100 days in office were among the highest for a post-World War II president, although his ratings steadily declined later in the year.<ref name="ibi34">Jones, Jeffrey A. (January 25, 2010). [https://news.gallup.com/poll/125345/Obama-Approval-Polarized-First-Year-President.aspx?CSTS=alert Obama's Approval Most Polarized for First-Year President]. ''[[Gallup inc.]]''. Retrieved September 20, 2024.</ref> By the end of 2009, Gallup noted that Obama's ratings had been the most polarized for a U.S. president among the major political parties since Gallup began polling in 1938.<ref name="ibi34" />
 
Obama's approval rating fell below the 50 percent mark in November 2009<ref>Jones, Jeffrey M. (November 20, 2009). [https://news.gallup.com/poll/122627/Obama-Job-Approval-Down-49.aspx Obama Job Approval Down to 49%]. ''Gallup Inc.''.</ref> and by August 2010 his approval stood at only 44 percent.<ref name="b4555f">{{cite news |url=https://news.gallup.com/poll/143354/obama-approval-averages-september.aspx |first1=Jeffrey A. |last1=Jones |title = Obama Approval Averages 45% in September |work = [[Gallup Inc.]] |date = October 4, 2010 |access-date = September 20, 2024 }}</ref> His sharp decline in public approval has been attributed to waning public perception of Obama's economic policy; although he originally had a 59 percent approval rating on the economy in early 2009, by January 2010 only 40 percent approved of his economic policies, which coincided with rising unemployment and poverty rates.<ref>Jones, Jeffrey A. (January 13, 2010). [https://news.gallup.com/poll/125033/Obama-Approval-Terrorism-Up-49.aspx Obama Approval on Terrorism Up to 49%]. ''[[Gallup Inc.]]''. Retrieved September 20, 2024.</ref> By September 2010, 79 percent of Democrats continued to approve of Obama, but only 40 percent of independents did, a 22-point decline since he took office.<ref name="b4555f"/><ref>{{cite web |first = Jon |last = Terbush |url=http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/12/approval-by-numbers-how-obama-compares-to-past-presidents.php |title = Approval By Numbers: How Obama Compares To Past Presidents |publisher = TPMDC |date = December 9, 2010 |access-date = June 19, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110704203654/http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/12/approval-by-numbers-how-obama-compares-to-past-presidents.php |archive-date= Jul 4, 2011 }}</ref> Amid his unpopularity, Republicans regained control of the U.S. House in the [[2010 United States elections|2010 elections]] with a super majority.<ref>Epstein, Jennifer (February 23, 2011). [https://www.politico.com/story/2011/02/gallup-obama-approval-fell-in-2010-050038 Gallup: Obama approval fell in 2010]. ''[[Politico]]''. Retrieved September 20, 2024.</ref> Thereafter, Obama's approval ratings began recovering, reaching 50 percent in January 2011.<ref>Franke-Ruta, Garance (January 3, 2011). [https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/01/gallup-obama-approval-back-at-50/68824/ Gallup: Obama Approval Back at 50%]. ''The Atlantic''. Retrieved August 24, 2024.</ref><ref name="Obamapolling">{{cite web |url=http://www.gallup.com/poll/113980/Gallup-Daily-Obama-Job-Approval.aspx |title = Gallup Daily: Obama Job Approval |date = January 22, 2015 |access-date = March 23, 2015 |website = Gallup Polling }}</ref>
According to the [[Pew Research Center]], Obama's approval ratings dropped from 64% in February, 2009 to 49% in December, a trend similar to [[Ronald Reagan]]'s and [[Bill Clinton]]'s first years.<ref name=pew_pols>{{cite web |url=http://people-press.org/report/572/mixed-views-of-obama-at-year-end |title=Mixed Views of Obama at Year End |publisher=Pew Research Center |date=December 16, 2009 |accessdate=December 30, 2009}}</ref>
 
Obama's approval rating surged to 60 percent following the May 2011 [[killing of Osama bin Laden]] by U.S. forces.<ref>{{cite news |last = Oliphant |first = James |date = May 11, 2011 |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2011-may-11-la-pn-obama-bounce-20110511-story.html |title = Bin Laden bounce? New poll shows jump in Obama approval |work = [[Los Angeles Times]] |access-date = June 7, 2011 }}</ref><ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-dispatch-ap-gfk-poll-obama-approval/155616631/ AP-GfK poll: Obama approval rating now up to 60 percent]. ''The Dispatch''. May 11, 2011. Retrieved September 19, 2024.</ref> Thereafter, his ratings on his handling of terrorism and the war in Afghanistan increased from 41 percent to 58 percent and from 33 percent to 47 percent, respectively.<ref>[https://today.yougov.com/politics/articles/428-obama-wins-majority-approval-handling-terrorism-fo Obama wins majority approval for handling of terrorism following bin Laden's death]. ''YouGov''. May 11, 2011. Retrieved September 23, 2024.</ref> Afterwards, his ratings declined for the remainder of the year.<ref>{{cite news |last1 = Balz |first1 = Dan |last2 = Cohen |first2 = John |date = June 6, 2011 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-loses-bin-laden-bounce-romney-on-the-move-among-gop-contenders/2011/06/06/AGT5wiKH_story.html |url-access=subscription |title = Obama loses bin Laden bounce; Romney on the move among GOP contenders |newspaper = The Washington Post |publisher = Nash Holdings LLC |access-date = June 7, 2011 }}</ref> His approval rating fell to 38 percent on several occasions in late 2011<ref>{{cite news |last1 = Jones |first1 = Jeffrey M. |date = October 21, 2011 |url=https://news.gallup.com/poll/150230/obama-job-approval-average-slides-new-low-11th-quarter.aspx |title = Obama Job Approval Average Slides to New Low in 11th Quarter |work = Gallup Inc. |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240115131117/https://news.gallup.com/poll/150230/Obama-Job-Approval-Average-Slides-New-Low-11th-Quarter.aspx |archive-date= Jan 15, 2024 }}</ref> before recovering in mid-2012 with polls showing an average approval of 50 percent.<ref>Saad, Lydia (September 27, 2012). [https://news.gallup.com/poll/157709/obama-approval-vote-support-reach-better.aspx Obama Approval, Vote Support Both Reach 50% or Better]. ''Gallup. Inc'''.</ref> After his reelection in November 2012, Obama's approval rating increased to 57 percent, up five points from his pre-election rating of 52 percent.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/kearney-hub-obamas-approval-rating-rise/155488035/ Obama's approval rating rises]. ''Kearney Hub''. December 7, 2012.</ref> It remained stable in the low-to-mid 50s after his second inauguration<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.gallup.com/poll/124922/Presidential-Job-Approval-Center.aspx |title = Presidential Job Approval Center |publisher = Gallup |access-date = June 23, 2015 |archive-date = July 2, 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150702081744/http://www.gallup.com/poll/124922/presidential-job-approval-center.aspx |url-status = dead }}</ref> before falling to 39 percent in December 2013.<ref name="Obamapolling" />
Obama's international appeal has been described as a defining factor for his public image.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-06-12-poll_N.htm|work=USA Today|title=World poll: Obama more likely to 'do the right thing'|date=June 12, 2008|accessdate=March 10, 2009|author=Page, Susan}}</ref> Polls show strong support for Obama 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=September 9, 2008|work=ABC News|location=Australia}}</ref> and he has met with prominent foreign figures including then-[[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|British Prime Minister]] [[Tony Blair]],<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=August 24, 2005|publisher=Obama.senate.gov}}</ref> Italy's [[Democratic Party (Italy)|Democratic Party]] leader and then [[Mayor]] of Rome [[Walter Veltroni]],<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]</ref> and [[President of France|French President]] [[Nicolas Sarkozy]].<ref>{{cite news |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=February 20, 2008 |accessdate=November 20, 2008}}</ref>
 
In polling conducted before the [[2014 United States elections|2014 midterm elections]], Obama's approval ratings continued to lag in the low 40s<ref>Topaz, Jonathan (October 15, 2014). [https://www.politico.com/story/2014/10/poll-obama-approval-rating-111902 Obama hits lowest approval]. ''Politico''.</ref><ref>Horsley, Scott (November 3, 2014). [https://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2014/11/03/361060049/obamas-low-approval-rating-casts-shadow-over-democratic-races Obama's Low Approval Rating Casts Shadow Over Democratic Races]. ''NPR''.</ref> while his disapproval rating reached a high of 57 percent in October 2014.<ref name="Obamapolling" /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2014/06/poll-obama-lowest-approval-rating-nbc-wsj-107978 |title = NBC/WSJ poll: Obama low point |date = June 18, 2014 |access-date = July 25, 2023 |last1=Topaz |first1=Jonathan |website = Politico }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/2014/10/27/politics/cnn-poll-angry-voters/index.html |title = Voters are angry |date = October 28, 2014 |access-date = July 25, 2023 |last1=Preston |first1=Mark |website = CNN }}</ref> His approval rating continued to lag throughout most of 2015 but began to reach the high 40s by the end of the year.<ref name="Obamapolling" /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.gallup.com/poll/181490/obama-approval-ratings-historically-polarized.aspx |title = Obama Approval Ratings Still Historically Polarized |date = February 6, 2015 |access-date = July 31, 2023 |last1=Jones |first1=Jeffrey M. |website = Gallup Inc. }}</ref> According to Gallup, Obama's approval rating reached 50 percent in March 2016, a level unseen since May 2013.<ref name="Obamapolling" /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.gallup.com/poll/189872/obama-job-approval-highest-level-may-2013.aspx?g_source=Obama%20Job%20Approval&g_medium=search&g_campaign=tiles |title = Obama's Job Approval at Highest Level Since May 2013 |date = March 10, 2016 |access-date = July 25, 2023 |last1=Dugan |first1=Andrew |last2=Newport |first2=Frank |website = Gallup Polling }}</ref> In polling conducted January 16–19, 2017, Obama's final approval rating was 59 percent, which placed him on par with [[George H. W. Bush]] and [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]], whose final Gallup ratings also measured in the high 50s.<ref>{{cite news |date = October 28, 2022 |url=https://www.pilotonline.com/2022/10/28/barack-obama-gets-a-midterm-do-over-to-help-boost-democrats/ |title = Barack Obama gets a midterm do-over to help boost Democrats |agency = Associated Press |publisher = [[The Virginia Pilot]] |access-date = July 24, 2023 }}</ref>
According to a May 2009 poll conducted by [[Harris Interactive]] for [[France 24]] and the [[International Herald Tribune]], Obama was rated as the most popular world leader, as well as the one figure most people would pin their hopes on for pulling the world out of this economic downturn.<ref>[http://www.france24.com/en/20090529-obama-remains-popular-symbol-hope-harris-interactive-poll-world-leaders France 24 | Obama remains a popular symbol of hope | France 24<!-- Bot generated title -->].</ref>
 
Obama has maintained relatively positive public perceptions after his presidency.<ref name="uvy44">{{cite news |date =June 19, 2017 |url=https://news.gallup.com/poll/212633/george-bush-barack-obama-popular-retirement.aspx |title = George W. Bush and Barack Obama Both Popular in Retirement |work = [[Gallup Inc.]] |last = Saad |first = Lydia |access-date = July 31, 2023 }}</ref> In Gallup's retrospective approval polls of former presidents, Obama's presidency garnered a 63 percent approval rating in 2018 and again in 2023, ranking him the fourth most popular president since World War II.<ref name="2018-popular">{{cite news |date =February 15, 2018 |url=https://news.gallup.com/poll/226994/obama-first-retrospective-job-approval-rating.aspx |title = Obama's First Retrospective Job Approval Rating Is 63% |work = [[Gallup Inc.]] |last = Jones |first = Jeffrey M.| access-date = July 31, 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date =July 17, 2023 |url=https://news.gallup.com/poll/508625/retrospective-approval-jfk-rises-trump.aspx |title = Retrospective Approval of JFK Rises to 90%; Trump at 46% |work = [[Gallup Inc.]] |last = Jones |first = Jeffrey M.| access-date = July 31, 2023 }}</ref>
Obama won [[Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album|Best Spoken Word Album]] [[Grammy Award]]s for abridged [[audiobook]] versions of ''[[Dreams from My Father]]'' in February 2006 and for ''[[The Audacity of Hope]]'' in February 2008.<ref>{{cite news|author=Goodman, Dean |date=February 10, 2008|title=Obama or Clinton? Grammys go for Obama |publisher=Reuters |url=http://www.reuters.com/article/musicNews/idUSN0852813420080210|accessdate=November 24, 2008}}</ref> His "[[Yes We Can]]" speech, which artists independently set to music, was viewed by 10&nbsp;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=March 5, 2008|work=The Times (UK)|accessdate=December 18, 2008 | location=London}}</ref> and received a [[Daytime 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=June 20, 2008 |work=Los Angeles Times|accessdate=December 18, 2008}}</ref> In December 2008, ''Time'' magazine named Barack Obama as its [[Time Person of the Year|Person of the Year]] for his historic candidacy and election, which it described as "the steady march of seemingly impossible accomplishments".<ref>{{cite news|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|work=Time Magazine|date=December 16, 2008|accessdate=December 17, 2008}}</ref>
 
===Foreign perceptions===
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Polls showed strong support for Obama in other countries both before and during his presidency.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/09/09/2360240.htm |title = World wants Obama as president: poll |agency = Reuters |date = September 9, 2008 |work = [[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Wike|first1=Richard|last2=Poushter|first2=Jacob|last3=Zainulbhai|first3=Hani|title=As Obama Years Draw to Close, President and U.S. Seen Favorably in Europe and Asia|url=http://www.pewglobal.org/2016/06/29/as-obama-years-draw-to-close-president-and-u-s-seen-favorably-in-europe-and-asia/|website=Global Attitudes & Trends|publisher=Pew Research Center|access-date=February 23, 2017|date=June 29, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Wan|first1=William|last2=Clement|first2=Scott|date=November 18, 2016|title=Most of the world doesn't actually see America the way Trump said it did|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/national/obama-legacy/global-approval-rating.html|access-date=February 8, 2021}}</ref> In a February 2009 poll conducted in Western Europe and the U.S. by [[Harris Insights & Analytics|Harris Interactive]] for [[France 24]] and the ''[[International Herald Tribune]]'', Obama was rated as the most respected world leader, as well as the most powerful.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/06/world/americas/06iht-poll.4.19983290.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090927104642/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/06/world/americas/06iht-poll.4.19983290.html |archive-date=September 27, 2009 |url-access=limited |url-status=live |title = Poll shows Obama atop list of most respected |last = Freed |first = John C. |date = February 6, 2009 |work = The New York Times |access-date = January 22, 2012 }}</ref> In a similar poll conducted by Harris in May 2009, Obama was rated as the most popular world leader, as well as the one figure most people would pin their hopes on for pulling the world out of the economic downturn.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/29/world/europe/29iht-poll.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090601104537/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/29/world/europe/29iht-poll.html |archive-date=June 1, 2009 |url-access=limited |url-status=live |title = Obama Most Popular Leader, Poll Finds |date = May 29, 2009 |work = The New York Times |access-date = January 22, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title = Obama remains a popular symbol of hope |url=http://www.france24.com/en/20090529-obama-remains-popular-symbol-hope-harris-interactive-poll-world-leaders |date = June 2, 2009 |publisher = [[France 24]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110513050036/http://www.france24.com/en/20090529-obama-remains-popular-symbol-hope-harris-interactive-poll-world-leaders |archive-date = May 13, 2011 |access-date = January 22, 2012 }}</ref>
On October 9, 2009, the [[Norwegian Nobel Committee]] announced that Obama had won the [[2009 Nobel Peace Prize]] "for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples".<!--see [[WP:EGG]] before attempting to hide this link!--><ref name="nobel peace prize">{{cite web |url=http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2009/ |title=The Nobel Peace Prize 2009|publisher=Nobel Foundation|accessdate=October 9, 2009}}</ref> Obama accepted this award in Oslo, Norway on December 10, 2009, with "deep gratitude and great humility."<ref name="CNN: Obama acceptance transcript">{{cite news | url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/12/10/obama.transcript/index.html | title=Obama: Peace requires responsibility | work=CNN }}</ref> The award drew a mixture of praise and criticism from world leaders and media figures.<ref>{{cite news |last = Philp |first = Catherine |title = Barack Obama's peace prize starts a fight |work = The Times |publisher = TimesOnLine |date = October 10, 2009 |url = http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6868905.ece |accessdate = October 10, 2009 | location=London}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=By DARREN SAMUELSOHN of Greenwire |url=http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/10/09/09greenwire-obama-wins-nobel-prize-in-part-for-confronting-55250.html |title=Obama Wins Nobel Prize in Part for Confronting 'Great Climatic Challenges' |work=The New York Times |date=October 9, 2009 |accessdate=April 18, 2010}}</ref> Obama is the fourth U.S. president to be awarded the [[Nobel Peace Prize]] and the third to become a Nobel laureate while in office.
 
On October 9, 2009—only nine months into his first term—the [[Norwegian Nobel Committee]] announced that Obama had won the [[2009 Nobel Peace Prize]] "for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples",<ref name="nobel peace prize2">{{cite web |title=The Nobel Peace Prize 2009 |url=http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2009/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091010170600/http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2009/ |archive-date=October 10, 2009 |access-date=October 9, 2009 |publisher=Nobel Foundation}}</ref> which drew a mixture of praise and criticism from world leaders and media figures.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Philp |first=Catherine |date=October 10, 2009 |title=Barack Obama's peace prize starts a fight |language=en |work=[[The Times]] |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/barack-obamas-peace-prize-starts-a-fight-nltk0qdq65d |access-date=December 15, 2021 |issn=0140-0460}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Otterman |first=Sharon |date=October 9, 2009 |title=World Reaction to a Nobel Surprise |newspaper=The New York Times |url=http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/09/world-reaction-to-a-nobel-surprise/?hp#bozoanchor |access-date=October 9, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=October 9, 2009 |title=Obama Peace Prize win has Americans asking why? |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-BarackObama/idUKTRE5983AM20091009?virtualBrandChannel=11621&sp=true |access-date=October 9, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=October 9, 2009 |title=Obama: Nobel Peace Prize 'a call to action'—Politics—White House |work=NBC News |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna33237202 |access-date=September 13, 2014}}</ref> He became the fourth U.S. president to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, and the third to become a Nobel laureate while in office.<ref>{{cite news |date=October 9, 2009 |title=Obama's win unique among presidents |publisher=CNN |url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/10/09/us.nobel.presidents/}}</ref> He himself called it a "call to action" and remarked: "I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments but rather an affirmation of American leadership on behalf of aspirations held by people in all nations".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN0950532/|title=Obama says Nobel Peace Prize is 'call to action'|publisher=Reuters|date=October 10, 2009|author1=Matt Spetalnick|author2=Wojciech Moskwa
==Political positions==
}}</ref>
{{Main|Political positions of Barack Obama}}
 
===Thanks, Obama===
During his Senate service, Obama had a lifetime average conservative rating of 7.67% from the [[American Conservative Union]]<ref>{{cite web
{{Main|Thanks, Obama}}
|url=http://www.acuratings.org/2005senate.htm
|title=2005 U.S. Senate Votes
|publisher=American Conservative Union
|accessdate=September 20, 2008
}};{{cite web
|url=http://www.acuratings.org/2006senate.htm
|title=2006 U.S. Senate Votes
|publisher=American Conservative Union
|accessdate=September 20, 2008
}};{{cite web
|url=http://www.acuratings.org/2007senate.htm
|title=2007 U.S. Senate Votes
|publisher=American Conservative Union
|accessdate=September 20, 2008
}}</ref> and a lifetime average liberal rating of 90% from the [[Americans for Democratic Action]].<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=September 20, 2008
}};{{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=September 20, 2008
}};{{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=September 20, 2008}}</ref>
 
In 2009 the saying "thanks, Obama" first appeared in a [[Twitter|Twitter hashtag]] "#thanks Obama" and was later used in a demotivational poster. It was later adopted satirically to blame Obama for any socio-economic ills. Obama himself used the phrase in video in 2015 and 2016. In 2017 the phrase was used by [[Stephen Colbert]] to express gratitude to Obama on his last day in office.
In April 2005, Obama 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=June 1, 2005|url=http://www.washingtonspectator.com/articles/20050601obama_1.cfm|work=Washington Spectator|accessdate=January 14, 2008}}</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=September 12, 2005|url=http://www.acesse.com/cache.php?id=412653&q=clinton%20global%20initiative|work= Chicago Tribune |accessdate=March 12, 2009}}</ref> Obama said in 2007 that he supported [[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=January 25, 2007|agency=Associated Press |work=Union-Tribune (San Diego)|url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/20070125-1240-democrats-healthcare.html|accessdate=January 14, 2008}}{{Dead link|date=December 2009}}</ref> He has proposed rewarding 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=November 20, 2007|url=http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Story?id=3894699|work=ABC News|accessdate=January 14, 2008}}</ref>
 
==Post-presidency (2017–present)==
Obama has supported eliminating taxes for [[senior citizen]]s with incomes of under $50,000, and raising taxes on income over $250,000, on capital gains, and on dividends.<ref>{{cite news|title=Study:Bush tax cuts favor wealthy|date=August 13, 2004|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/08/16/politics/main636398.shtml|work=CBS|accessdate=April 5, 2008}}</ref> He has also supported simplifying tax filings and removing loopholes.<ref>{{cite news|title=Obama Tax Plan: $80&nbsp;Billion in Cuts, Five-Minute Filings|date=September 18, 2007|url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/09/18/obama.taxplan/|work=CNN|accessdate=January 14, 2008}}</ref>
[[File:Obama Macri October 2017.jpg|thumb|left|Obama playing golf with Argentine president [[Mauricio Macri]] in the [[Bella Vista, Buenos Aires|Bella Vista]] district in [[San Miguel Partido|San Miguel]], [[Buenos Aires Province]], Argentina, in October 2017|alt=refer to caption]]
 
Obama's presidency ended on January 20, 2017, upon the [[Inauguration of Donald Trump|inauguration]] of his successor, [[Donald Trump]]. He has continued to be active in public life since leaving office in 2017, giving speeches, fundraising, and has spoken in prime time at every Democratic National Convention.<ref>{{Cite news|title=How Obama felt after Trump's inauguration|language=en-GB|publisher=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-us-canada-42491779|access-date=March 6, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Panetta|first=Grace|title=Michelle Obama said attending Trump's inauguration as one of few people of color was 'a lot emotionally'|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/michelle-obama-trump-inauguration-a-lot-emotionally-2019-7|access-date=March 6, 2021|website=Business Insider}}</ref>
As an environmental initiative, Obama proposed a [[emissions trading|cap and trade]] auction system with no [[grandfather clause|grandfathering]] 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=October 9, 2007|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/09/us/politics/09obama.html|work=The New York Times |accessdate=January 14, 2008}}</ref><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=April 20, 2008|format=PDF}}</ref>
 
His family moved to a house they rented in [[Sheridan-Kalorama Historic District|Kalorama, Washington, D.C.]]<ref>{{cite news|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2016/05/25/politics/obama-kalorama-washington-dc-leases-house/ |title=Peek inside Obama's post-presidential pad|last1=Kosinski|first1=Michelle |first2=Daniella |last2=Diaz |date=May 27, 2016|work=CNN|access-date=January 22, 2017}}</ref> On March 2, the [[John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum]] awarded the [[Profile in Courage Award]] to Obama "for his enduring commitment to democratic ideals and elevating the standard of political courage."<ref>{{cite web|title=Former President Barack H. Obama Announced as Recipient of 2017 John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award|url=https://www.jfklibrary.org/About-Us/News-and-Press/Press-Releases/2017-Profile-in-Courage-Award.aspx|website=John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum|access-date=April 8, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170408015950/https://www.jfklibrary.org/About-Us/News-and-Press/Press-Releases/2017-Profile-in-Courage-Award.aspx|archive-date=April 8, 2017|date=March 2, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> His first public appearance since leaving the office was a seminar at the [[University of Chicago]] on April 24, where he appealed for a new generation to participate in politics.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/24/us/politics/obama-chicago.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170424225327/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/24/us/politics/obama-chicago.html |archive-date=April 24, 2017 |url-access=limited |url-status=live|title=Obama Steps Back into Public Life, Trying to Avoid One Word: Trump|date=April 24, 2017|work=The New York Times|first=Michael D.|last=Shear}}</ref> On September 7, Obama partnered with former presidents Jimmy Carter, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush to work with [[One America Appeal]] to help the victims of [[Hurricane Harvey]] and [[Hurricane Irma]] in the [[Gulf Coast of the United States|Gulf Coast]] and [[Texas]] communities.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/349993-former-presidents-add-irma-recovery-to-fundraising-appeal/ |title=Former presidents fundraise for Irma disaster relief|last=Shelbourne|first=Mallory|date=September 10, 2017|work=The Hill|access-date=September 11, 2017}}</ref> From October 31 to November 1, Obama hosted the inaugural summit of the [[Obama Foundation]],<ref>{{Cite news|last=Hope|first=Leah|date=September 14, 2017|title=Obama Foundation holds public meeting about presidential library project|url=https://abc7chicago.com/2411976/|access-date=November 17, 2020|publisher=[[WLS-TV]]}}</ref> which he intended to be the central focus of his post-presidency and part of his ambitions for his subsequent activities following his presidency to be more consequential than his time in office.<ref>{{cite news |first=Edward-Isaac |last=Dovere |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/31/barack-obama-foundation-summit-244393|title=Obama, opening his foundation's first summit, calls for fixing civic culture|work=Politico|date=October 31, 2017}}</ref>
In foreign affairs, Obama was an early opponent of the [[George W. Bush]] administration's [[2003 invasion of Iraq|policies on Iraq]].<ref>{{cite news|author=Strausberg, Chinta|date=September 26, 2002|work=[[Chicago Defender]]|page=1|title=Opposition to war mounts|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-220062931.html|format=paid archive|accessdate=February 3, 2008}}</ref> On October 2, 2002, the day President Bush and 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=October 2, 2002|title=President, House Leadership Agree on Iraq Resolution|publisher=[[Executive Office of the President of the United States|The White House]]|url=http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2002/10/20021002-7.html|accessdate=February 17, 2008}}{{cite news|author=Tackett, Michael|date=October 3, 2002|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=February 3, 2008}}</ref> Obama addressed the first high-profile Chicago [[Protests against the Iraq War|anti-Iraq War rally]],<ref>{{cite news|author=Glauber, Bill|date=October 3, 2003|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=February 3, 2008}}{{cite news|author=Strausberg, Chinta|date=October 3, 2002|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=October 28, 2008}}{{cite news|author=Bryant, Greg|date=October 2, 2002|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=February 3, 2008}}{{cite web|author=Katz, Marilyn|date=October 2, 2007|title=Five Years Since Our First Action|publisher=Chicagoans Against War & Injustice|url=http://www.noiraqwar-chicago.org/?p=127|accessdate=February 17, 2008}}{{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=October 3, 2002|accessdate=October 28, 2008}} Mendell (2007), pp. 172–177.</ref> and spoke out against the war.<ref name="spoke out"/> He addressed another anti-war rally in March 2003 and told the crowd that "it's not too late" to stop the war.<ref name="stop the war"/>
 
Barack and Michelle Obama signed a deal on May 22, 2018, to produce docu-series, documentaries and features for [[Netflix]] under the Obamas' newly formed production company, [[Higher Ground Productions]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Obamas Sign Deal With Netflix, Form 'Higher Ground Productions' |first=Scott |last=Neuman |date=May 22, 2018 |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/05/22/613246456/obamas-sign-content-deal-with-netlfix-form-higher-ground-productions |publisher=NPR |access-date=September 17, 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Harris |first1=Hunter |title=The Obamas Will Produce Movies and Shows for Netflix |url=https://www.vulture.com/2018/05/the-obamas-will-produce-movies-and-shows-for-netflix.html |website=Vulture |access-date=September 17, 2018 |date=May 21, 2018 }}</ref> Higher Ground's first film, ''[[American Factory]]'', won the [[Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature]] in 2020.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/13/entertainment/barack-and-michelle-obama-oscars/index.html|title=Barack and Michelle Obama's production company scores first Oscar nomination|last=Gonzalez|first=Sandra|date=January 13, 2020|work=CNN|access-date=January 21, 2020}}</ref> On October 24, a pipe bomb addressed to Obama was intercepted by the Secret Service. It was one of several pipe-bombs that had been [[October 2018 United States mail bombing attempts|mailed out to Democratic lawmakers and officials]].<ref name="auto2">{{cite news|last=Pitofsky|first=Marina|title=Suspicious packages sent to Clintons, Obamas, CNN: What we know so far|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/10/24/suspicious-packages-delivered-clintons-obamas-cnn-what-we-know/1749205002/|newspaper=USA Today|date=October 24, 2018|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181024161609/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/10/24/suspicious-packages-delivered-clintons-obamas-cnn-what-we-know/1749205002/|archive-date=October 24, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2019, Barack and Michelle Obama bought a home on [[Martha's Vineyard]] from [[Wyc Grousbeck]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Lukpat |first=Alyssa |date=December 5, 2019 |title=Obamas reportedly buy Martha's Vineyard waterfront estate for $11.75 million |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2019/12/05/obamas-reportedly-buy-martha-vineyard-waterfront-estate-for-million/LeCI83nodDf735zneVfYKM/story.html |work=The Boston Globe}}</ref> On October 29, Obama criticized "[[woke]]ness" and [[Cancel culture|call-out culture]] at the Obama Foundation's annual summit.<ref>{{Cite news|date=October 30, 2019|title=Barack Obama challenges 'woke' culture|language=en-GB|publisher=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-50239261|access-date=October 4, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last1=Rueb|first1=Emily S.|last2=Taylor|first2=Derrick Bryson|date=October 31, 2019|title=Obama on Call-Out Culture: 'That's Not Activism'|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/31/us/politics/obama-woke-cancel-culture.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191031174003/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/31/us/politics/obama-woke-cancel-culture.html |archive-date=October 31, 2019 |url-access=limited |url-status=live|access-date=October 4, 2021|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
In a March 2007 speech, Obama said that the primary way to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons is through talks and diplomacy, without preconditions, but not ruling out military action.<ref>{{cite web|first=Barack|last=Obama|title=AIPAC Policy Forum Remarks|date=March 2, 2007|url=http://obama.senate.gov/speech/070302-aipac_policy_fo/index.php|publisher=Barack Obama U.S. Senate Office|accessdate=January 30, 2008}} ({{wayback|url=http://obama.senate.gov/speech/070302-aipac_policy_fo/index.php}}) 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=September 25, 2004|work= Chicago Tribune |url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/699578571.html?dids=699578571:699578571&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT|accessdate=January 14, 2008}}</ref> In August 2007, Obama remarked that "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.<ref>{{cite news|title=Obama Warns Pakistan on Al-Qaeda|date=August 1, 2007|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6926663.stm|work=BBC News|accessdate=January 14, 2008}}</ref>
 
Obama was reluctant to make an endorsement in the [[2020 Democratic presidential primaries]] because he wanted to position himself to unify the party, regardless of the nominee.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Jackson |first1=John Fritze and David |title='Voters themselves must pick': Why Barack Obama isn't endorsing Joe Biden or anyone else for president |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/02/27/why-obama-wont-endorse-biden-south-carolina-super-tuesday-nears/4890693002/ |website=USA Today |access-date=March 18, 2022}}</ref> On April 14, 2020, Obama endorsed Biden, the presumptive nominee, for president in [[2020 United States presidential election|the presidential election]], stating that he has "all the qualities we need in a president right now."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Astor |first1=Maggie |last2=Glueck |first2=Katie |title=Barack Obama Endorses Joe Biden for President |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/14/us/politics/obama-endorses-biden.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200414145003/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/14/us/politics/obama-endorses-biden.html |archive-date=April 14, 2020 |url-access=limited |url-status=live |work=The New York Times |date=April 14, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Obama endorses Joe Biden for president|language=en-GB|publisher=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-us-canada-52287456|access-date=March 6, 2021}}</ref> In May, Obama criticized President Trump for [[Trump administration communication during the COVID-19 pandemic|his handling]] of the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States|COVID-19 pandemic]], calling his response to the crisis "an absolute chaotic disaster", and stating that the consequences of the [[Trump presidency]] have been "our worst impulses unleashed, our proud reputation around the world badly diminished, and our democratic institutions threatened like never before."<ref>{{Cite news|date=August 20, 2020|title=DNC 2020: Obama blasts Trump's 'reality show' presidency|language=en-GB|publisher=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2020-53844037|access-date=March 6, 2021}}</ref> On November 17, Obama's presidential memoir, ''[[A Promised Land]]'', was released.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Harris |first1=Elizabeth A. |title=Obama's Memoir 'A Promised Land' Coming in November |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=September 17, 2020 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/17/books/obama-memoir-a-promised-land.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917101005/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/17/books/obama-memoir-a-promised-land.html |archive-date=September 17, 2020 |url-access=limited |url-status=live |issn=0362-4331 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Adichie|first=Chimamanda Ngozi|date=November 12, 2020|title=Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie on Barack Obama's 'A Promised Land'|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/12/books/review/barack-obama-a-promised-land.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112144007/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/12/books/review/barack-obama-a-promised-land.html |archive-date=November 12, 2020 |url-access=limited |url-status=live|access-date=November 17, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Carras|first=Christi|date=September 17, 2020|title=Barack Obama's new memoir will arrive right after the presidential election|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/books/story/2020-09-17/barack-obama-book-memoir-a-promised-land|access-date=November 17, 2020|work=Los Angeles Times}}</ref>
Obama stated in 2007 that 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 to reduce the pressure on both sides for [[intercontinental ballistic missile]]s to be on high-alert status.<ref>{{cite video|people=Barack Obama|date=October 22, 2007|title=Obama-Caucus4Priorities|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o84PE871BE|format=flv|publisher=Obama '08|accessdate=May 18, 2008}}</ref>
 
In February 2021, Obama and musician [[Bruce Springsteen]] started a podcast called ''[[Renegades: Born in the USA]]'' where the two talk about "their backgrounds, music and their 'enduring love of America.{{'"}}<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gabbatt |first1=Adam |title=Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen team up for new podcast |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/feb/22/barack-obama-bruce-springsteen-podcast-renegades-born-usa |website=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=March 24, 2021 |date=February 22, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Sisario |first1=Ben |title=Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen: The Latest Podcast Duo |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/22/arts/obama-springsteen-podcast-spotify.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211228/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/22/arts/obama-springsteen-podcast-spotify.html |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |url-access=limited |access-date=March 24, 2021 |work=The New York Times |date=February 22, 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Later that year, Regina Hicks had signed a deal with [[Netflix]], in a venture with his and Michelle's Higher Ground to develop comedy projects.<ref>{{cite web|last=Otterson|first=Joe|date=December 8, 2021|title='Upshaws' Co-Creator Regina Hicks Sets Netflix Overall Deal, to Develop Comedy Series With Obamas' Higher Ground|url=https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/upshaws-regina-hicks-netflix-overall-deal-obamas-higher-ground-1235129305/|access-date=December 9, 2021|website=Variety|language=en-US}}</ref>
Obama has 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=December 27, 2005|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/26/AR2005122600547.html|work=The Washington Post|accessdate=January 14, 2008}}{{cite news|first=Jim|last=Doyle|title=Tens of Thousands Rally for Darfur|date=May 1, 2006|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/05/01/MNGFBIIFOA1.DTL|work=San Francisco Chronicle|accessdate=January 14, 2008}}</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=May 17, 2007|work=San Francisco Chronicle|url=http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/05/17/politics/p171906D95.DTL|accessdate=January 14, 2008}};{{cite news|first=Barack|last=Obama|title=Hit Iran Where It Hurts|date=August 30, 2007|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2007/08/30/2007-08-30_hit_iran_where_it_hurts.html 30, 2007_hit_iran_where_it_hurts.html|work=New York Daily News|accessdate=January 14, 2008}}</ref>
 
[[File:P20220405AS-1082 (52067439422).jpg|thumb|Obama with President Joe Biden and Vice President [[Kamala Harris]] in the White House, April 5, 2022|alt=Photo of Obama standing behind a lectern, giving a speech at the White House, with Biden and Harris smiling in the background]]
==Family and personal life==
On March 4, 2022, Obama won an Audio Publishers Association (APA) Award in the best narration by the author category for the narration of his memoir ''A Promised Land''.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Perez|first=Lexy|title=Barack Obama, Lin-Manuel Miranda Among 2022 Audie Awards Winners|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/audie-awards-2022-winners-lin-manuel-miranda-1235040071/|date=March 5, 2022|access-date=March 6, 2022|magazine=Billboard}}</ref> On April 5, Obama visited the White House for the first time since leaving office, in an event celebrating the 12th annual anniversary of the signing of the Affordable Care Act.<ref>{{cite web |date=April 5, 2022 |title=Remarks by President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Former President Obama on the Affordable Care Act |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2022/04/05/remarks-by-president-biden-vice-president-harris-and-former-president-obama-on-the-affordable-care-act/ |access-date=April 6, 2022 |website=The White House |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Benson |first=Samuel |title=Obama returns to White House for first time since leaving office |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2022/04/05/obama-returns-white-house-00023148 |access-date=April 6, 2022 |website=POLITICO |date=April 5, 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=April 5, 2022 |title=Obama's back—for a day—in White House health bill push |url=https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-business-donald-trump-john-mccain-2cbb6353329fcb541b4c8399a5981cf5 |access-date=April 6, 2022 |website=AP NEWS |language=en}}</ref> In June, it was announced that the Obamas and their podcast production company, Higher Ground, signed a multi-year deal with [[Audible (service)|Audible]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Barack and Michelle Obama sign with Amazon after Spotify declines to renew audio deal |url=https://fortune.com/2022/06/21/barack-michelle-obama-amazon-audible-audio-deal-spotify/ |access-date=June 22, 2022 |website=Fortune |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Chan |first1=J. Clara |date=June 21, 2022 |title=The Obamas' Higher Ground Leaves Spotify for Audible Multiyear Deal |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/obama-higher-ground-audible-1235169084/ |access-date=June 22, 2022 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref> In September, Obama visited the White House to unveil his and Michelle's official White House portraits.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Meet the artists who painted the Obama White House portraits |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2022/09/08/obama-portraits-artists/ |access-date=November 6, 2022 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> Around the same time, he won a [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Narrator]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Montgomery |first=Daniel |date=September 3, 2022 |title=2022 Creative Arts Emmy winners list in all categories [UPDATING LIVE] |url=https://www.goldderby.com/feature/2022-creative-arts-emmy-winners-list-1205063473/ |access-date=September 4, 2022 |website=GoldDerby |language=en-US}}</ref> for his narration in the Netflix documentary series ''[[Our Great National Parks]]''.<ref>{{Cite news |title=5 lessons from Obama's national parks show on Netflix |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2022/04/13/obama-national-parks-show-netflix/ |access-date=May 26, 2022 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref>
[[File:Obamas at White House Easter Egg Roll 4-13-09 2.JPG|thumb|alt=Barack and Michelle Obama, their children, and her mother, along with a costumed Easter Bunny, on a balcony waving.|Barack Obama together with his family and a costumed [[Easter Bunny]], as they wave from the South Portico of the White House to guests attending the [[Egg rolling#United States|White House Easter Egg Roll]].]]
 
In 2022, Obama opposed expanding the Supreme Court beyond the present nine Justices.<ref>{{cite magazine
{{Main|Early life and career of Barack Obama|Family of Barack Obama}}
| magazine=[[The Nation]]
| url=https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/obama-wrong-on-supreme-court-expansion/ | title=Barack Obama is Wrong to Oppose Expanding the Supreme Court | date=October 21, 2022 | last1=Jones | first1=Mondaire }}</ref>
 
In March 2023, Obama traveled to Australia for a speaking tour of the country. During the trip, Obama met with Australian Prime Minister [[Anthony Albanese]] and visited [[Melbourne]] for the first time.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Here's why former US president Barack Obama is in Australia|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/heres-why-former-us-president-barack-obama-is-in-australia/kz2efsja8|date=March 27, 2023|access-date=March 29, 2023}}</ref> Obama was reportedly paid more than $1 million for two speeches.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Staszewska |first1=Ewa |title=Barack Obama set to reel in $1 million during Aussie speaking tour as he visits Sydney Opera House with wife Michelle|url=https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/barack-obama-set-to-reel-in-1-million-during-aussie-speaking-tour-as-he-visits-sydney-opera-house-with-wife-michelle/news-story/dddfb0902c77f8e7af0faec3fd8eb098|date=March 28, 2023|access-date=March 29, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last1=Vidler |first1=Adam |last2=Theocharous |first2=Mikala |title=Former US President Barack Obama could net $1 million for Australian speaking gigs|url=https://www.9news.com.au/national/barack-obama-michelle-obama-sydney-speaking-tour-begins/5ad10ab0-74e8-4c7f-8874-719da99fd386|date=March 28, 2023|access-date=March 29, 2023}}</ref>
In a 2006 interview, Obama highlighted the diversity of his extended family: "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=October 18, 2006|work=The Oprah Winfrey Show|accessdate=June 24, 2008}}</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=September 9, 2007|url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/familytree/545462,BSX-News-wotrees09.stng|work=Chicago Sun-Times|accessdate=June 24, 2008}} See also:{{cite web|url=http://www.suntimes.com/images/cds/special/family_tree.html|title=Interactive Family Tree|date=September 9, 2007|work=Chicago Sun-Times|accessdate=June 24, 2008}}</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=September 9, 2007|url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/familytree/545449,BSX-News-wotreeee09.stng|work=Chicago Sun-Times|accessdate=June 24, 2008}}</ref> until her death on November 2, 2008,<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|work=CNN|accessdate=November 4, 2008|date= November 3, 2008}}</ref> two days before his election to the Presidency. 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 Confederate States of America]] 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=March 2, 2007|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/politics/bal-te.obama02mar02,0,3453027.story|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070930033339/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/politics/bal-te.obama02mar02,0,3453027.story|archivedate=September 30, 2007|work=Baltimore Sun|accessdate=June 24, 2008}}{{cite news|first=Mary|last=Jordan|title=Tiny Irish Village Is Latest Place to Claim Obama as Its Own|date=May 13, 2007|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/12/AR2007051201551.html|work=The Washington Post|accessdate=June 24, 2008}}{{cite news|title=Obama's Family Tree Has a Few Surprises|date=September 8, 2007|work=CBS 2 (Chicago)|url=http://cbs2chicago.com/topstories/Barack.Obama.family.2.339709.html|agency=Associated Press|accessdate=June 24, 2008}}</ref> Obama's great-uncle served in the [[89th Division (United States)|89th Division]] that overran [[Ohrdruf concentration camp|Ohrdruf]],<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2008-07-24-1654309354_x.htm|work=USA Today |date=July 24, 2008|author=Johnson, Carla K., Associated Press Writer|title=Obama's great-uncle recalls liberating Nazi camp|accessdate=March 12, 2009}}</ref> the first of the [[Nazi concentration camps]] to be liberated by U.S. troops during World War II.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/article.php?lang=en&ModuleId=10006140|title=The 89th Infantry Division|publisher=United States Holocaust Memorial Museum|accessdate=March 12, 2009}}</ref>
 
In October 2023, during the [[Israel–Hamas war]], Obama declared that [[Israel]] must dismantle [[Hamas]] in the wake of the [[2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel|Hamas-led attack on Israel]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mueller |first=Julia |date=October 9, 2023 |title=Obama condemns 'brazen' attacks against Israel |url=https://thehill.com/policy/international/4246382-obama-condemns-brazen-attacks-against-israel/ |access-date=December 18, 2023 |website=The Hill |language=en-US}}</ref> Weeks later, Obama warned [[Israel]] that its actions could "harden Palestinian attitudes for generations" and weaken international support for Israel; any military strategy that ignored the war's human costs "could ultimately backfire."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Singh |first=Kanishka |last2= |first2= |date=October 23, 2023 |title=Obama warns some of Israel's actions in Gaza may backfire |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/obama-warns-some-israels-actions-gaza-may-backfire-2023-10-23/ }}</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=March 31, 2008|work=Newsweek |url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/128633|accessdate=November 6, 2008}}</ref> Besides his native English, Obama [[List of Presidents of the United States who knew a foreign language|speaks]] [[Indonesian language|Indonesian]] at the conversational level, which he learned during his four childhood years in Jakarta.<ref name="in Jakarta"/> He 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=June 1, 2007|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/01/us/politics/01hoops.html|work=The New York Times |accessdate=April 28, 2008}} See also:{{cite news|title=The Love of the Game|format=video|date=April 15, 2008|publisher=YouTube (BarackObama.com)|url=http://www.hbo.com/realsports/stories/2008/episode.133.s1.html|work=HBO: Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel|accessdate=April 28, 2008}}</ref>
 
In July 2024, Obama encouraged efforts that lead to Biden's [[Withdrawal of Joe Biden from the 2024 United States presidential election|withdrawal]] from the [[2024 United States presidential election|2024 presidential election]], saying that his path to winning re-election had "greatly diminished."<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Pager |first1=Tyler |last2=Scherer |first2=Michael |date=2024-07-18 |title=Obama tells allies Biden's path to winning reelection has greatly diminished |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/07/18/obama-says-biden-must-consider-viability/ |access-date=2024-07-21 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> Obama then praised Biden's work as president, saying that "Joe Biden has been one of America's most consequential presidents" and that Biden "wouldn't make this decision unless he believed it was right for America."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Obama |first1=Barack |date=July 21, 2024 |title=Bill and Hillary Clinton Endorse Kamala Harris |url=https://barackobama.medium.com/my-statement-on-president-bidens-announcement-1eb78b3ba3fc |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240721195230/https://barackobama.medium.com/my-statement-on-president-bidens-announcement-1eb78b3ba3fc |archive-date=July 21, 2024 |access-date=July 21, 2024 |website=Medium}}</ref> He later endorsed presumptive nominee and vice president [[Kamala Harris]].<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Smith |first1=David |last2=Tait |first2=Robert |date=2024-07-26 |title=Barack Obama endorses Kamala Harris for president in 2024 US election |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jul/26/obama-endorses-kamala-harris |access-date=2024-07-26 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
[[File:BarackObama-Basketball.JPEG|left|thumb|upright|alt=Obama holding a basketball above his head in midair while four other players look at him. He looks toward the camera over his right shoulder.|Obama playing basketball with U.S. military at [[Camp Lemonier]], [[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=February 6, 2007|publisher=YouTube|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9GqdzQeCz0|work=Combined Joint Task Force—Horn of Africa|accessdate=April 28, 2008}}</ref>]]
 
==Legacy and recognition==
[[File:Obama Steelers.jpg|thumb|Obama receiving a [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] jersey from Steelers owner [[Dan Rooney]], who campaigned for Obama in 2008<ref name=Steelers />]]
[[Historical rankings of presidents of the United States#1982 Murray–Blessing|Polls of historians and political scientists]] rank Obama among the upper tier of American presidents.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Baker |first=Sam |date=February 14, 2024 |title=Read: Historians rank Trump as worst president |url=https://www.axios.com/2024/02/19/presidents-survey-trump-ranks-last-biden-14th |access-date=May 21, 2024 |website=Axios}}</ref> He has been described as one of the most effective campaigners in American history (his 2008 campaign being particularly highlighted) as well as one of the most talented political orators of the 21st century.<ref name=":1">{{cite magazine |last1=Stirland |first1=Sarah Lai |title=The Obama Campaign: A Great Campaign, or the Greatest? |url=https://www.wired.com/2008/11/the-obama-campa/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231211041825/https://www.wired.com/2008/11/the-obama-campa/ |archive-date=December 11, 2023 |magazine=Wired}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{cite web |title=Barack Obama: A Master Class in Public Speaking &#91;Video&#93; |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2012/11/20/barack-obama-a-master-class-in-public-speaking/?sh=442e86c7727f |website=[[Forbes]]}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{cite web |date=September 13, 2016 |title=3 Moments Where President Obama Earned the Title of Great Communicator |url=https://www.entrepreneur.com/growing-a-business/3-moments-where-president-obama-earned-the-title-of-great/280400}}</ref> Historian [[Julian E. Zelizer|Julian Zelizer]] credits Obama with "a keen sense of how the institutions of government work and the ways that his team could design policy proposals." Zelizer notes Obama's policy successes included the economic stimulus package which ended the [[Great Recession in the United States|Great Recession]] and the [[Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act|Dodd-Frank]] financial and consumer protection reforms, as well as the [[Affordable Care Act]]. Zelizer also notes the Democratic Party lost power and numbers of elected officials during Obama's term, saying that the consensus among historians is that Obama "turned out to be a very effective policymaker but not a tremendously successful party builder." Zelizer calls this the "defining paradox of Obama's presidency".<ref name="ZelizerObamaBookChap1">{{cite book |chapter=Policy Revolution without a Political Transformation |last=Zelizer |first=Julian E. |title=The Presidency of Barack Obama: a First Historical Assessment |editor-last=Zelizer |editor-first=Julian |pages=1–10 |publisher=Princeton University Press |year=2018 |isbn=978-0-691-16028-3 |author-link=Julian E. Zelizer}}</ref>
Obama is a well known supporter of the [[Chicago White Sox]], and threw out the first pitch at the [[2005 ALCS]] when he was still a Senator.<ref>{{cite news|title=Barack Obama: White Sox 'serious' ball|date=August 25, 2008|work=The Swamp|url=http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/08/barack_obama_white_sox_serious.html|accessdate=December 6, 2009}}</ref> In 2009, he threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the [[2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|all star game]] while wearing a White Sox jacket.<ref>{{cite news|title=Barack Obama Explains White Sox Jacket, Talks Nats in All-Star Booth Visit|date=July 14, 2009|work=MLB Fanhouse|url=http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/07/14/barack-obama-explains-white-sox-jacket-talks-nats-in-all-star-b/|accessdate=December 6, 2009}}</ref> He is also primarily a [[Chicago Bears]] fan in the [[National Football League|NFL]], but is known to also [[Steeler Nation|support]] the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]],<ref name=Steelers>{{Cite news|last=Branigin|first=William|title=Steelers Win Obama's Approval|newspaper=[[Washington Post]]|date=January 30, 2009|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/29/AR2009012903196.html|quote=But other than the Bears, the Steelers are probably the team that's closest to my heart. All right?}}</ref> and openly rooted for them in their victory in [[Super Bowl XLIII]] 12 days after Obama took office as President.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kdka.com/politics/Barack.Obama.Steelers.2.908698.html|title=President-elect Obama Likely To Root For The Steelers|publisher=kdka.com|date=January 14, 2009|accessdate=February 19, 2010}}</ref>
 
The [[Brookings Institution]] noted that Obama passed "only one major legislative achievement (Obamacare)—and a fragile one at that—the legacy of Obama's presidency mainly rests on its tremendous symbolic importance and the fate of a patchwork of executive actions."<ref>{{cite web |last=Kamarck |first=Elaine |date=April 6, 2018 |title=The fragile legacy of Barack Obama |url=https://www.brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2018/04/06/the-fragile-legacy-of-barack-obama/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180406205333/https://www.brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2018/04/06/the-fragile-legacy-of-barack-obama/ |archive-date=April 6, 2018 |access-date=October 30, 2021 |website=[[Brookings Institution|Brookings]] |language=en-US}}</ref> David W. Wise noted that Obama fell short "in areas many Progressives hold dear", including the continuation of drone strikes, not going after big banks during the Great Recession, and failing to strengthen his coalition before pushing for Obamacare. Wise called Obama's legacy that of "a disappointingly conventional president".<ref>{{Cite web |last=W. Wise |first=David |date=April 30, 2019 |title=Obama's legacy is as a disappointingly conventional president |url=https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2019/04/30/obamas-legacy-is-as-a-disappointingly-conventional-president/ |access-date=November 4, 2022}}</ref>
In June 1989, Obama met [[Michelle Obama|Michelle Robinson]] 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|work=The Daily Princetonian|url=http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2005/12/07/14049|date=December 7, 2005|accessdate=February 9, 2009}}</ref> Assigned for three months as Obama's adviser at the firm, Robinson joined him at group social functions, but declined his initial requests 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|author=Fornek, Scott|title=Michelle Obama: 'He Swept Me Off My Feet'|date=October 3, 2007|url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/585261,CST-NWS-wedding03.stng|work=Chicago Sun-Times|accessdate=April 28, 2008}}</ref> The couple's first daughter, Malia Ann, was born on July 4, 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=July 4, 2008|accessdate=July 10, 2008|work=[[The Politico]]|author=Martin, Jonathan}}</ref> followed by a second daughter, Natasha ("Sasha"), on June 10, 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=April 28, 2008}}</ref> The Obama daughters attended the private [[University of Chicago Laboratory Schools]]. When they moved to Washington, D.C., in January 2009, the girls started at 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> The Obamas have a [[Portuguese Water Dog]] named [[Bo (dog)|Bo]].<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/13/us/politics/13obama.html?_r=1 One Obama Search Ends With a Puppy Named Bo]</ref>
 
Obama's most significant accomplishment is generally considered to be the Affordable Care Act (ACA), provisions of which went into effect from 2010 to 2020. Many attempts by Senate Republicans to repeal the ACA, including a "skinny repeal", have thus far failed.<ref name="legacy">{{cite news|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/video/obama-legacy-recovery-recession-affordable-care-act-44927003 |title=Obama Legacy Will Be Recovery from Recession, Affordable Care Act|date=January 20, 2017|work=ABC News|access-date=March 15, 2017}}</ref> However, in 2017, the penalty for violating the individual mandate was repealed effective 2019.<ref name="auto">{{Cite report |title=The Effect of Eliminating the Individual Mandate Penalty and the Role of Behavioral Factors|year=2018|work=[[Commonwealth Fund]]|doi=10.26099/SWQZ-5G92 |doi-access=free |last1=Eibner|first1=Christine|last2=Nowak|first2=Sarah}}</ref> Together with the [[Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act]] amendment, it represents the U.S. healthcare system's most significant regulatory overhaul and expansion of coverage since the passage of [[Medicare (United States)|Medicare]] and Medicaid in 1965.<ref name="Oberlander2010">{{cite journal|last1=Oberlander|first1=Jonathan|title=Long Time Coming: Why Health Reform Finally Passed|journal=Health Affairs|date=June 1, 2010|volume=29|issue=6|pages=1112–1116|doi=10.1377/hlthaff.2010.0447|pmid=20530339|issn=0278-2715|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name="Blumenthal2015">{{cite journal |last1=Blumenthal|first1=David|last2=Abrams|first2=Melinda|last3=Nuzum|first3=Rachel|s2cid=28486139|title=The Affordable Care Act at 5 Years |journal=New England Journal of Medicine |date=June 18, 2015 | volume=372 |issue=25 |pages=2451–2458|doi=10.1056/NEJMhpr1503614|pmid=25946142| issn=0028-4793|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name="CohenEtAl">{{cite book|last1=Cohen|first1=Alan B.|last2=Colby|first2=David C.|last3=Wailoo|first3=Keith A.|last4=Zelizer|first4=Julian E. | title=Medicare and Medicaid at 50: America's Entitlement Programs in the Age of Affordable Care|date=June 1, 2015|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-023156-9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H9DGBwAAQBAJ }}</ref><ref name="NYTsigning">{{cite news|last1=Stolberg|first1=Sheryl Gay|last2=Pear|first2=Robert | title=Obama Signs Health Care Overhaul into Law|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/24/health/policy/24health.html| work=The New York Times|date=March 23, 2010}}</ref>
Applying the proceeds of a book deal, the family moved in 2005 from a [[Hyde Park, Chicago]] condominium to a $1.6&nbsp;million house in neighboring [[Kenwood, Chicago]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Jeff|last=Zeleny|title=The first time around: Sen. Obama's freshman year|date=December 24, 2005|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-051224obama,0,1779783,full.story|work= Chicago Tribune |accessdate=April 28, 2008}}</ref> The purchase of an adjacent lot and sale of part of it to Obama by the wife of developer, campaign donor and friend [[Tony Rezko]] attracted media attention because of Rezko's subsequent indictment and conviction on political corruption charges that were unrelated to Obama.<ref name="corruption charges"/>
 
Many commentators credit Obama with averting a threatened [[Depression (economics)|depression]] and pulling the economy back from the Great Recession.<ref name="legacy" /> According to the [[U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics]], the [[Obama administration]] created 11.3&nbsp;million jobs from the month after his first inauguration to the end of his second term.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Long|first1=Heather|title=Final tally: Obama created 11.3 million jobs|url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/01/06/news/economy/obama-over-11-million-jobs/ |work=CNN|date=January 6, 2017}}</ref> In 2010, Obama signed into effect the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Passed as a response to the [[2007–2008 financial crisis]], it brought the most significant changes to [[financial regulation]] in the United States since the regulatory reform that followed the [[Great Depression]] under Democratic President Franklin D. Roosevelt.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/barack-obama-legacy/12/ |title=Barack Obama's Legacy: Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform|work=CBS News|access-date=March 15, 2017}}</ref>
In December 2007, ''[[Money (magazine)|Money]]'' magazine estimated the Obama family's net worth at $1.3&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite news|title=Obama's Money|date=December 7, 2007|url=http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/moneymag/0712/gallery.candidates.moneymag/5.html|work=CNNMoney.com|accessdate=April 28, 2008 | first=Marlys | last=Harris}}<br />See also:{{cite news|first=Zachary A|last=Goldfarb|title=Measuring Wealth of the '08 Candidates|date=March 24, 2007|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/24/AR2007032400305.html|work=The Washington Post|accessdate=April 28, 2008}}</ref> Their 2007 tax return showed a household income of $4.2&nbsp;million—up from about $1&nbsp;million in 2006 and $1.6&nbsp;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&nbsp;Million|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/17/us/politics/17obama.html|date=April 17, 2008|work=The New York Times |accessdate=April 28, 2008}}</ref>
 
In 2009, Obama signed into law the [[National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010]], which contained in it the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, the first addition to existing federal hate crime law in the United States since Democratic President Bill Clinton signed into law the Church Arson Prevention Act of 1996. The act expanded [[Hate crime laws in the United States|existing federal hate crime laws in the United States]], and made it a federal crime to assault people based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bowman |first=Quinn |date=October 28, 2009 |title=Obama Signs Measure to Widen Hate Crimes Law |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/politics-july-dec09-hatecrime_10-28 |access-date=November 8, 2022 |work=PBS NewsHour |language=en-us}}</ref>
Obama is a Christian whose religious views developed 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". Obama explained 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 name="social change"/> He was baptized at the [[Trinity United Church of Christ]] in 1988 and was an active member there for two decades.<ref name="two decades"/> Obama resigned from Trinity during the Presidential campaign after [[Jeremiah Wright controversy|controversial statements]] made by Rev. [[Jeremiah Wright]] became public.<ref>{{cite news|title=Obama's church choice likely to be scrutinized|agency=Associated Press|date=November 17, 2008|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27775757/|publisher=MSNBC|accessdate=January 20, 2009}}</ref> After a prolonged effort to find a church to attend regularly in Washington, Obama announced in June 2009 that his primary place of worship would be the Evergreen Chapel at [[Camp David]].<ref>{{cite news|title=The Obamas Find a Church Home—Away from Home|date=June 29, 2009|url=http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1907610,00.html|work=Time|accessdate=December 14, 2009}}</ref>
 
As president, Obama advanced LGBT rights.<ref>{{cite news |last=Crary |first=David |date=January 4, 2017 |url=https://apnews.com/b94c8697ab2148199ca3d1b6137a9c20/lgbt-activists-view-obama-staunch-champion-their-cause |title=LGBT activists view Obama as staunch champion of their cause |work=Associated Press }}</ref> In 2010, he signed the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act, which brought an end to "don't ask, don't tell" policy in the U.S. armed forces that banned open service from [[LGBT]] people; the law went into effect the following year.<ref>{{cite news |last=Bumiller |first=Elisabeth |date=July 22, 2011 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/23/us/23military.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723235727/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/23/us/23military.html |archive-date=July 23, 2011 |url-access=limited |url-status=live |title=Obama Ends 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Policy |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] }}</ref> In 2016, his administration brought an end to the ban on [[transgender]] people serving openly in the U.S. armed forces.<ref>{{cite news|title=Pentagon Says Transgender Troops Can Now Serve Openly|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/06/30/484192442/pentagon-says-transgender-troops-can-now-serve-openly|date=June 30, 2016|last=Kennedy|first=Kennedy|work=The Two-Way|publisher=[[NPR]]}}</ref><ref name=TransBan1 /> A [[Gallup poll]], taken in the final days of Obama's term, showed that 68 percent of Americans believed the U.S. had made progress on LGBT rights during Obama's eight years in office.<ref>{{cite news |first1=Michael |last1=Smith |first2=Frank |last2=Newport |url=https://news.gallup.com/poll/201683/americans-assess-progress-obama.aspx |title=Americans Assess Progress Under Obama |publisher=The Gallup Organization |date=January 9, 2017 }}</ref>
Obama has tried to quit smoking several times over the years and currently uses [[nicotine replacement therapy]], though he has acknowledged that he has not quit entirely.<ref name="reuters-smoking">{{cite news|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE4B61GF20081207|title=Obama says he won't be smoking in White House|date=December 7, 2008|accessdate=February 28, 2010|work=Reuters|editor=Elsner, Alan}}</ref><ref>[http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/politics&id=7302942&rss=rss-kabc-article-7302942 "Obama in good health, but still smokes"]{{Dead link|date=May 2010}}, ''[[KABC-TV]]'', February 28, 2010. Retrieved February 28, 2010.</ref><ref>Hook, Janet (March 1, 2010), [http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-obama-health1-2010mar01,0,7731069.story "Obama in excellent health, doctor says, but he should quit smoking"], ''Los Angeles Times''. Retrieved February 28, 2010.</ref>
 
Obama substantially escalated the use of [[drone strikes]] against suspected militants and terrorists associated with al-Qaeda and the [[Taliban]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Zenko|first=Micah |date=January 12, 2016 |title= Obama's Embrace of Drone Strikes Will Be a Lasting Legacy|url=https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2016/01/12/reflecting-on-obamas-presidency/obamas-embrace-of-drone-strikes-will-be-a-lasting-legacy|work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date= March 2, 2019}}</ref> In 2016, the last year of his presidency, the U.S. dropped 26,171 bombs on seven different countries.<ref>{{cite news |last=Grandin|first=Greg |date=January 15, 2017 |title= Why Did the US Drop 26,171 Bombs on the World Last Year?|url=https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/why-did-the-us-dropped-26171-bombs-on-the-world-last-year/tnamp/|work=[[The Nation]] |author-link=Greg Grandin|access-date= January 11, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Agerholm|first=Harriet |date=January 19, 2017 |title=Map shows where President Barack Obama dropped his 20,000 bombs|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-president-barack-obama-bomb-map-drone-wars-strikes-20000-pakistan-middle-east-afghanistan-a7534851.html|work=The Independent |access-date=January 11, 2018}}</ref> Obama left about 8,400 U.S. troops in [[Afghanistan]], 5,262 in Iraq, 503 in Syria, 133 in Pakistan, 106 in Somalia, seven in Yemen, and two in Libya at the end of his presidency.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Parsons|first1=Christi|last2=Hennigan|first2=W. J.|title=President Obama, who hoped to sow peace, instead led the nation in war|url=https://www.latimes.com/projects/la-na-pol-obama-at-war/ |work=Los Angeles Times|date=January 13, 2017}}</ref>
 
According to [[Pew Research Center]] and [[United States Bureau of Justice Statistics]], from December 31, 2009, to December 31, 2015, inmates sentenced in U.S. federal custody declined by five percent. This is the largest decline in sentenced inmates in U.S. federal custody since Democratic President [[Jimmy Carter]]. By contrast, the federal prison population increased significantly under presidents Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Gramlich|first1=John|title=Federal prison population fell during Obama's term, reversing recent trend|url=https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/01/05/federal-prison-population-fell-during-obamas-term-reversing-recent-trend/ |publisher=Pew Research Center|date=January 5, 2017}}</ref>
 
[[Human Rights Watch]] (HRW) called Obama's human rights record "mixed", adding that "he has often treated human rights as a secondary interest—nice to support when the cost was not too high, but nothing like a top priority he championed."<ref name=":0" />
 
Obama left office in January 2017 with a 60 percent approval rating.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2017/01/18/Obama-leaving-office-at-60-approval-rating/4481484744398/ |first=Allen |last=Cone |date=January 18, 2017 |title=Obama leaving office at 60 percent approval rating|work=United Press International|access-date=February 26, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/01/18/politics/obama-approval-rating-cnn-orc-poll/index.html|title=Obama approval hits 60 percent as end of term approaches|last=Agiesta |date=January 18, 2017 |first=Jennifer |access-date=February 26, 2017|work=CNN}}</ref> He gained 10 spots from the same survey in 2015 from the Brookings Institution that ranked him the 18th-greatest American president.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2015/02/13/measuring-obama-against-the-great-presidents/|title=Measuring Obama against the great presidents|last1= Rottinghaus|first1=Brandon|last2=Vaughn|first2=Justin S.|date=February 13, 2015|publisher=[[Brookings Institution]]}}</ref> In Gallup's 2018 job approval poll for the past 10 U.S. presidents, he received a 63 percent approval rating.<ref name="2018-popular" />
 
===Presidential library===
{{Main|Barack Obama Presidential Center}}
 
The Barack Obama Presidential Center is Obama's planned [[Presidential library system|presidential library]]. It will be hosted by the University of Chicago and located in [[Jackson Park (Chicago)|Jackson Park]] on the South Side of Chicago.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.obama.org/the-center/ |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190824184224/https://www.obama.org/the-center/ |archive-date=August 24, 2019 |title=The Obama Presidential Center |publisher=Barack Obama Foundation |access-date=October 10, 2023 }}</ref>
 
===Awards and honors===
{{Main|List of awards and honors received by Barack Obama}}
[[File:President Barack Obama with the Nobel Prize medal and diploma.jpg|thumb|Obama receiving the [[Nobel Peace Prize]] in 2009]]
Obama received the [[Norwegian Nobel Committee]]'s [[2009 Nobel Peace Prize|Nobel Peace Prize]] in 2009, [[USC Shoah Foundation|The Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education's Ambassador of Humanity Award]] in 2014, the [[John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award]] in 2017, and the [[Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights|Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights Ripple of Hope Award]] in 2018. He was named [[Time (magazine)|''TIME'' Magazine]]'s [[Time Person of the Year|''Time'' Person of the Year]] in 2008 and 2012. He also received two [[Grammy Award for Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording|Grammy Awards for Best Spoken Word Album]] for ''[[Dreams from My Father]]'' (2006), and ''[[The Audacity of Hope]]'' (2008) as well as two [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Narrator|Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Narrator]] for ''[[Our Great National Parks]]'' (2022), and ''[[Working: What We Do All Day]]'' (2023). He also won two [[Children's and Family Emmy Awards]].
 
===Eponymy===
{{Main|List of things named after Barack Obama}}
 
==Bibliography==
{{Main|Bibliography of Barack Obama}}
{{refbegin}}
 
===Books===
* {{Cite book |last=Obama |first=Barack |date=July 18, 1995 |title=[[Dreams from My Father]] |edition=1st |location=New York |publisher=[[Times Books]] |isbn=978-0-8129-2343-8}}
* {{Cite book |last=Obama |first=Barack |author-mask=7 |date=October 17, 2006 |title=[[The Audacity of Hope]] |edition=1st |location=New York |publisher=[[Crown Publishing Group]] |isbn=978-0-307-23769-9}}
* {{Cite book |last=Obama |first=Barack |author-mask=7 |date=November 16, 2010 |title=[[Of Thee I Sing (book)|Of Thee I Sing]] |edition=1st |location=New York |publisher=[[Knopf Books for Young Readers|Alfred A. Knopf]] |isbn=978-0-375-83527-8}}
* {{Cite book |last=Obama |first=Barack |author-mask=7 |date=November 17, 2020 |title=[[A Promised Land]] |edition=1st |location=New York |publisher=[[Crown Publishing Group]] |isbn=978-1-5247-6316-9}}<ref>{{cite web|title=Former President Barack Obama's third book starts shipping today|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/shopping/books/barack-obama-book-promised-land-n1246845|first=Sydney|last= Williams|date=November 17, 2020|access-date=September 22, 2021|website=NBC News|language=en}}</ref>
 
===Audiobooks===
* 2006: ''The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream'' (read by the author), [[Random House Audio]], {{ISBN|978-0-7393-6641-7}}
* 2020: ''A Promised Land'' (read by the author)
 
===Articles===
* {{Cite journal|last=Obama|first=Barack|date=1988|title=Why organize? Problems in the inner city|url=https://www.lib.niu.edu/1988/ii880840.html|journal=Illinois Issues|volume=XIV|issue=8 & 9|pages=40–42|issn=0738-9663}}
* {{Cite journal|last=Obama|first=Barack|author-mask=7|date=1990|title=Tort Law. Prenatal Injuries. Supreme Court of Illinois Refuses to Recognize Cause of Action Brought by Fetus Against Its Mother for Unintentional Infliction of Prenatal Injuries. ''Stallman v. Youngquist'', 125 Ill. 2d 267, 531 N. E.2d 355 (1988)|journal=[[Harvard Law Review]]|volume=103|issue=3|pages=823–828|jstor=1341352|doi=10.2307/1341352}} Uncredited case comment.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Ressner|first1=Jeffrey|last2=Smith|first2=Ben|date=August 22, 2008|title=Exclusive: Obama's Lost Law Review Article |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2008/08/exclusive-obamas-lost-law-review-article-012705|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210208150320/https://www.politico.com/story/2008/08/exclusive-obamas-lost-law-review-article-012705|archive-date=February 8, 2021|access-date=February 20, 2021|work=[[Politico]]}}</ref>
* {{Cite journal|last=Obama|first=Barack|author-mask=7|date=2005|title=Bound to the Word|url=https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/bound-to-the-word/|journal=[[American Libraries]]|volume=36|issue=7|pages=48–52|jstor=25649652}}
*{{Cite journal|last1=Obama|first1=Barack|author-mask=7|date=May 25, 2006|title=Making Patient Safety the Centerpiece of Medical Liability Reform|journal=[[The New England Journal of Medicine]]|volume=354|issue=21|pages=2205–2208|doi=10.1056/NEJMp068100|last2=Clinton|first2=Hillary|pmid=16723612|author-link2=Hillary Clinton}}
* {{Cite journal|last=Obama|first=Barack|author-mask=7|date=2007|title=Renewing American Leadership|url=https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/2007-07-01/renewing-american-leadership|journal=[[Foreign Affairs]]|volume=86|pages=2–16|jstor=20032411|issue=4}}
* {{Cite journal|last=Obama|first=Barack|author-mask=7|date=2008|title=A More Perfect Union|url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00064246.2008.11413431|journal=[[The Black Scholar]]|volume=38|pages=17–23|doi=10.1080/00064246.2008.11413431|jstor=41069296|issue=1|s2cid=219318643}}
* {{Cite journal|last=Obama|first=Barack|author-mask=7|date=2009|title=What Science Can Do|url=https://issues.org/obama/|journal=[[Issues in Science and Technology]]|volume=25|pages=23–30|jstor=43314908|issue=4}}
* {{Cite journal|last=Obama|first=Barack|author-mask=7|date=2009|title=A New Beginning|journal=Zeitschrift für Staats- und Europawissenschaften (ZSE)|volume=7|pages=173–186|jstor=26165626|issue=2|doi=10.5771/1610-7780-2009-2-173|doi-access=free}}
* {{Cite journal|last=Obama|first=Barack|author-mask=7|date=August 2, 2016|title=United States Health Care Reform: Progress to Date and Next Steps |journal=[[Journal of the American Medical Association]]|volume=130|issue=5|pages=811–866|doi=10.1001/jama.2016.9797 |doi-access=free |pmid=27400401|pmc=5069435}}
* {{Cite journal|last=Obama|first=Barack|author-mask=7|date=January 5, 2017|title=The President's Role in Advancing Criminal Justice Reform|url=https://harvardlawreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/811-866-Online-Rev-vf.pdf|journal=[[Harvard Law Review]]|volume=130|issue=3|pages=811–866|jstor=44865604}}
* {{Cite journal|last=Obama|first=Barack|author-mask=7|date=January 13, 2017|title=The Irreversible Momentum of Clean Energy|journal=[[Science (journal)|Science]]|volume=355|issue=6321|pages=126–129|doi=10.1126/science.aam6284|pmid=28069665|bibcode=2017Sci...355..126O|s2cid=30991274|doi-access=free}}
* {{Cite journal|last=Obama|first=Barack|author-mask=7|date=May 2017|title=Repealing the ACA Without a Replacement—the Risks to American Health Care|journal=[[Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey]]|volume=72|issue=5|pages=263–264|doi=10.1097/OGX.0000000000000447|s2cid=80088566|url=https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1493&context=publichealthresources}}
{{refend}}
 
==See also==
{{Portal|Biography|United States|Hawaii|Chicago|Illinois|Law|Politics|2000s|2010s}}
 
===Politics===
* [[DREAM Act]]
* [[Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act of 2009]]
* [[Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986]]
* [[IRS targeting controversy]]
* [[Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012]]
* [[National Broadband Plan (United States)]]
* [[Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy]]
* [[Social policy of the Barack Obama administration]]
* [[SPEECH Act]]
* [[Stay with It]]
* [[White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy]]
 
===Other===
* [[Roberts Court]]
* [[Speeches of Barack Obama]]
 
===Lists===
* [[Security incidents involving Barack Obama]]
* [[List of African-American United States senators]]
* [[List of African-American United States Senate candidates]]
* [[List of Barack Obama 2008 presidential campaign endorsements]]
* [[List of Barack Obama 2012 presidential campaign endorsements]]
* [[Political scandals during the Obama administration|List of federal political scandals, 2009–17]]
* [[List of people granted executive clemency by Barack Obama]]
 
==Notes==
{{Notelist}}
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em|refs=<ref name="birth-certificate">{{cite web|url=http://static.politifact.com.s3.amazonaws.com/graphics/birthCertObama.jpg|title=Certification of Live Birth for Barack Obama|work=Department of Health, Hawaii|worker=[[St. Petersburg Times]]|date=August 8, 1961|accessdate=December 12, 2008}}
 
</ref><ref name="Christian">{{cite web
==References==
|publisher = Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia
{{Reflist|refs=
|title = American President: Barack Obama
<ref name="birth-certificate">{{cite web |date = April 27, 2011 |title = Certificate of Live Birth: Barack Hussein Obama II, August 4, 1961, 7:24 pm, Honolulu |url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/rss_viewer/birth-certificate-long-form.pdf |access-date = March 11, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170303062746/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/rss_viewer/birth-certificate-long-form.pdf |via = [[NARA|National Archives]] |work = [[whitehouse.gov]] |archive-date = March 3, 2017 }}</ref>
|url = http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/obama
<ref name="Christian">{{cite web |year=2009 |title=American President: Barack Obama |publisher=Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia |url=http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/obama |access-date=January 23, 2009 |quote=Religion: Christian |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090123091100/http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/obama |archive-date=January 23, 2009 |url-status=dead }}
|accessdate = January 23, 2009}}
* {{cite web |title=The Truth about Barack's Faith |publisher=Obama for America |url=http://www.fightthesmears.com/file_download/2/baracksfaith.pdf |access-date=July 1, 2012 |archive-date=January 5, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110105040018/http://www.fightthesmears.com/file_download/2/baracksfaith.pdf }}
* {{Cite press release
* {{cite news |last=Miller |first=Lisa |date=July 18, 2008 |title=Finding his faith |work=Newsweek |url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/145971 |access-date=February 4, 2010 |quote=He is now a Christian, having been baptized in the early 1990s at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100206163704/http://www.newsweek.com/id/145971 |archive-date=February 6, 2010 |url-status=live }}
| title = Barack Obama, long time UCC member, inaugurated forty-fourth U.S. President
* {{cite news |last=Barakat |first=Matthew |agency=Associated Press |date=November 17, 2008 |title=Obama's church choice likely to be scrutinized; D.C. churches have started extending invitations to Obama and his family |work=NBC News |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna27775757 |access-date=January 20, 2009 |quote=The United Church of Christ, the denomination from which Obama resigned when he left Wright's church, issued a written invitation to join a UCC denomination in Washington and resume his connections to the church. }}
| publisher = United Church of Christ
* {{cite web |date=January 20, 2009 |title=Barack Obama, long time UCC member, inaugurated forty-fourth U.S. President |publisher=United Church of Christ |url=http://www.ucc.org/news/obama-inauguration.html |access-date=January 21, 2009 |quote=Barack Obama, who spent more than 20 years as a UCC member, is the forty-fourth President of the United States. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090125002304/http://www.ucc.org/news/obama-inauguration.html |archive-date=January 25, 2009 |url-status=live }}
| date = January 20, 2009
* {{cite news |last=Sullivan |first=Amy |date=June 29, 2009 |title=The Obama's find a church home—away from home |magazine=Time |url=http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1907610,00.html |access-date=February 5, 2010 |quote=instead of joining a congregation in Washington, D.C., he will follow in George W. Bush's footsteps and make his primary place of worship Evergreen Chapel, the nondenominational church at Camp David. |archive-date=April 4, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100404153523/http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1907610,00.html |url-status=dead }}
| url = http://www.ucc.org/news/obama-inauguration.html
* {{cite news |last=Kornblut |first=Anne E. |date=February 4, 2010 |title=Obama's spirituality is largely private, but it's influential, advisers say |newspaper=The Washington Post |page=A6 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/03/AR2010020303619.html |access-date=February 5, 2010 |quote=Obama prays privately{{spaces}}... And when he takes his family to Camp David on the weekends, a Navy chaplain ministers to them, with the daughters attending a form of Sunday school there. }}</ref>
| accessdate = January 21, 2009
<ref name="Occidental">{{cite news|last=Gordon |first=Larry |date=January 29, 2007 |title=Occidental recalls 'Barry' Obama |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |page=B1 |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-jan-29-me-oxy29-story.html |access-date=May 12, 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100524102944/http://articles.latimes.com/2007/jan/29/local/me-oxy29 |archive-date=May 24, 2010 }}
| quote = Barack Obama, who spent more than 20 years as a UCC member, is the forty-fourth President of the United States. }}
* {{cite news|last=Possley |first=Maurice |date=March 30, 2007 |title=Activism blossomed in college |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |page=20 |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0703291042mar30-archive,0,1533921.story |access-date=May 12, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101009204342/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0703291042mar30-archive%2C0%2C1533921.story |archive-date=October 9, 2010 |url-status=live }}
* An [[Associated Press]] wire story on Obama's resignation from [[Trinity United Church of Christ]] in the course of the [[Jeremiah Wright controversy]] stated that he had, in doing so, disaffiliated himself with the UCC. (See{{cite news|title=Obama's church choice likely to be scrutinized|agency=Associated Press|date=November 17, 2008|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27775757/|publisher=MSNBC|accessdate=January 20, 2009}})
* {{cite news|last=Kovaleski |first=Serge F. |date=February 9, 2008 |title=Old friends say drugs played bit part in Obama's young life |newspaper=The New York Times |page=A1 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/09/us/politics/09obama.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080211095352/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/09/us/politics/09obama.html |archive-date=February 11, 2008 |url-access=limited |url-status=live |access-date=May 12, 2010 }}
* Miller, Lisa and Wolffe, Richard, [http://www.newsweek.com/id/145971 "Finding His Faith"], ''Newsweek'', July 12, 2008, Retrieved February 4, 2010
* {{cite news|last=Rohter |first=Larry |date=April 10, 2008 |title=Obama says real-life experience trumps rivals' foreign policy credits |newspaper=The New York Times |page=A18 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/10/us/politics/10obama.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080411041927/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/10/us/politics/10obama.html |archive-date=April 11, 2008 |url-access=limited |url-status=live |access-date=May 12, 2010 }}
* Anne E. Kornblut Washington Post Staff Writer, [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/03/AR2010020303619.html "Obama's spirituality is largely private, but it's influential, advisers say"] ''[[Washington Post]]'', February 4, 2010, Retrieved February 4, 2010 Obama prays privately...when he takes his family to Camp David on the weekends, a Navy chaplain ministers to them.
* {{cite news|author= Goldman, Adam |first2=Robert |last2=Tanner |agency=Associated Press |date=May 15, 2008 |title=Old friends recall Obama's years in LA, NYC |work=USA Today |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2008-05-15-3144401415_x.htm |access-date=May 12, 2010 }}
* Amy Sullivan Time Magazine [http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1907610,00.html The Obamas Find a Church Home—Away from Home] Obama...will follow in George W. Bush's footsteps and make his primary place of worship Evergreen Chapel, the nondenominational church at Camp David.
* {{cite news|last=Helman |first=Scott |date=August 25, 2008 |title=Small college awakened future senator to service (subscription archive) |newspaper=The Boston Globe |page=1A |url=https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/articles/2008/08/25/small_college_awakened_future_senator_to_service/?page=full |access-date=May 12, 2010 }}
* [http://www.barackobama.com/factcheck/2007/11/12/obama_has_never_been_a_muslim_1.php "Obama Has Never Been A Muslim, And Is a Committed Christian"], ''[[Organizing for America]]'', November 12, 2007. Retrieved February 4, 2010.</ref><ref name="Kansas">{{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|accessdate=October 24, 2008}}
* {{cite news|last=Jackson |first=Brooks |date=June 5, 2009 |title=More 'birther' nonsense: Obama's 1981 Pakistan trip |publisher=FactCheck.org |url=http://www.factcheck.org/2009/06/more-birther-nonsense-obamas-1981-pakistan-trip |access-date=May 12, 2010 }}
* {{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=[[Chicago Sun-Times|The Chicago Sun-Times]]|date=May 3, 2007|accessdate=November 23, 2008}}
* {{cite book |last = Remnick |first = David |year = 2010 |title = The Bridge: The Life and Rise of Barack Obama |place = New York |publisher = Alfred A. Knopf |pages = [https://archive.org/details/bridgelifeand00remn/page/98 98–112] |isbn = 978-1-4000-4360-6 |title-link = The Bridge: The Life and Rise of Barack Obama }}
* {{Cite news|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|work=Washington Post|date=May 13, 2007|accessdate=November 8, 2008 | first=Mary | last=Jordan}}
</ref><ref name="Juris Doctor">{{cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/may/09/barackobama.uselections20081|title=Barack Obama|last=Adams|first=Richard|date=May 9, 2007|work=The Guardian |location=London|accessdate=October 26, 2008 }}
* {{cite web|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/973560/Barack-Obama|title=Barack Obama (American politician)|last=Mendell|first=David|accessdate=October 26, 2008}}
</ref><ref name="ranked tenth">{{cite news|first=David|last=Nather|title=The Space Between Clinton and Obama|date=January 14, 2008|url=http://public.cq.com/docs/cqw/weeklyreport110-000002654703.html|work=CQ Weekly|accessdate=June 25, 2008}}{{Dead link|date=May 2010}}
* {{Cite news|first=Tom|last=Curry|title=What Obama's Senate Votes Reveal|date=February 21, 2008|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23276453/|work=MSNBC|accessdate=June 25, 2008}}
* {{Cite news|url=http://nj.nationaljournal.com/voteratings/|title=Obama: Most Liberal Senator In 2007|work=National Journal|date=January 31, 2008|accessdate=June 25, 2008}}
</ref><ref name="transition period">{{cite web|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE4AF1MJ20081116|title=Obama resigns Senate seat, thanks Illinois|accessdate=March 10, 2009|date=November 16, 2008|work=[[Reuters]]|author=Mason, Jeff}}
* {{Cite news|url=http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1859020,00.html|title=Obama to Resign Senate Seat on Sunday|accessdate=November 22, 2008|date=November 13, 2008|publisher=[[Time Inc.]]|work=Time|author=Sidoti, Liz}}
</ref><ref name="Democratic primary">{{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=April 24, 2008}}
* {{cite web|url=http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14502364|title=Obama's Loss May Have Aided White House Bid}}
* {{Cite news |first=Janny |last=Scott |title=A Streetwise Veteran Schooled Young Obama |date=September 9, 2007 |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/09/us/politics/09obama.html |work=The New York Times |accessdate=April 20, 2008}}
* {{Cite news |first=Edward |last=McClelland |title=How Obama Learned to Be a Natural |date=February 12, 2007 |url=http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2007/02/12/obama_natural/ |work=Salon |accessdate=April 20, 2008}}
* {{Cite news |first=Richard |last=Wolffe |coauthors=Daren Briscoe |title=Across the Divide |date=July 16, 2007 |work=MSNBC |url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/33156 |work=Newsweek |accessdate=April 20, 2008}}
* {{Cite news |first=Scott |last=Helman |title=Early Defeat Launched a Rapid Political Climb |date=October 12, 2007 |url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/10/12/early_defeat_launched_a_rapid_political_climb/ |work=Boston Globe |accessdate=April 20, 2008}}
* {{Cite news|url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2007-10-24-3157940059_x.htm 24, 2007-3157940059_x.htm|title=Obama learned from failed Congress run |work=USA Today |author=Wills, Christopher|date=October 24, 2007 |accessdate=September 20, 2008}}
</ref><ref name="nuclear terrorism">{{cite news |first=Adam |last=Graham-Silverman |title=Despite Flurry of Action in House, Congress Unlikely to Act Against Iran |date=September 12, 2007 |url=http://public.cq.com/docs/cqt/news110-000002583189.html |work=CQ Today |accessdate=April 27, 2008}}{{Dead link|date=May 2010}}
* {{cite web |title=Obama, Schiff Provision to Create Nuclear Threat Reduction Plan Approved |date=December 20, 2007 |url=http://obama.senate.gov/press/071220-obama_schiff_pr/ |publisher=Barack Obama U.S. Senate Office |accessdate=April 27, 2008}}
</ref><ref name="Occidental">{{cite news|author=Gordon, Larry|date=January 29, 2007|title=Occidental recalls 'Barry' Obama|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|page=B1|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2007/jan/29/local/me-oxy29|accessdate=May 12, 2010}}
* {{Cite news|author=Possley, Maurice|date=March 30, 2007|title=Activism blossomed in college|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|page=20|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0703291042mar30-archive,0,1533921.story|accessdate=May 12, 2010}}
* {{Cite news|author=Kovaleski, Serge F.|date=February 9, 2008|title=Old friends say drugs played bit part in Obama's young life|newspaper=The New York Times|page=A1|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/09/us/politics/09obama.html?pagewanted=all|accessdate=May 12, 2010}}
* {{Cite news|author=Rohter, Larry|date=April 10, 2008 |title=Obama says real-life experience trumps rivals' foreign policy credits|newspaper=The New York Times|page=A18|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/10/us/politics/10obama.html|accessdate=May 12, 2010}}
* {{Cite news|author=Goldman, Adam; Tanner, Robert (Associated Press)|date=May 15, 2008|title=Old friends recall Obama's years in LA, NYC |work=USA Today |url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2008-05-15-3144401415_x.htm|accessdate=May 12, 2010}}
* {{Cite news|author=Helman, Scott|date=August 25, 2008|title=Small college awakened future senator to service |newspaper=The Boston Globe|page=1A|url=http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/articles/2008/08/25/small_college_awakened_future_senator_to_service/?page=full|accessdate=May 12, 2010}}
* {{Cite news|author=Jackson, Brooks|date=June 5, 2009|title=More 'birther' nonsense: Obama’s 1981 Pakistan trip|publisher=FactCheck.org|url=http://www.factcheck.org/2009/06/more-birther-nonsense-obamas-1981-pakistan-trip|accessdate=May 12, 2010}}
* Obama (1995, 2004), pp. 92–112.
* Mendell (2007), pp. 55–62.</ref>
<ref name="Juris Doctor">{{cite web |url=https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2008/11/obama-joins-list-of-seven-presidents-with-harvard-degrees/ |title=Obama joins list of seven presidents with Harvard degrees |date=November 6, 2008 |website=news.harvard.edu |access-date=October 23, 2017}} {{cite news |last = Adams |first = Richard |date = May 9, 2007 |title = Barack Obama |newspaper = The Guardian |place = London |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/may/09/barackobama.uselections20081 |access-date = October 26, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081013083027/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/may/09/barackobama.uselections20081 |archive-date = October 13, 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* Remnick (2010), pp. 98–112.
</ref><ref name="Fellow">{{cite newsmagazine |authorlast =Scott, JannyMerriner |first = James L. |date =May 18,June 2008 |title = The storyfriends of Obama,O written|magazine by= Chicago Obama|newspapervolume =The New57 York|issue = 6 Times|pagepages =A1 74–79, 97–99 |issn = 0362-4595 |url = http://www.nytimeschicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/June-2008/05Obamas-Chicago-Posse/18The-Friends-of-O/us/politics/18memoirsindex.htmlphp?_rcp=12&pagewantedsi=all1 |accessdateaccess-date = January 30, 2010 }}
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* {{cite news |last = Gray |first = Steven |date = September 10, 2008 |title = Taking professor Obama's class |magazine = Time |url = http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1835238-2,00.html |access-date = January 30, 2010 |archive-date = May 12, 2009 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090512195322/http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1835238-2,00.html |url-status = dead }}
* {{Cite news|author=Kantor, Jodi|date=July 30, 2008|title=Teaching law, testing ideas, Obama stood slightly apart|newspaper=The New York Times |page=A1|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/30/us/politics/30law.html?pagewanted=all|accessdate=January 30, 2010}}
* {{Citecite news |authorlast =Gray, StevenStarr |first = Alexandra |date = September 1021, 2008 |title =Taking professorCase Obama'sstudy class|workmagazine =Time The New York Times Magazine |page = 76 |url =http https://www.timenytimes.com/time2008/politics09/article21/0,8599,1835238magazine/21obama-2,00t.html |accessdateaccess-date = January 30, 2010 }}
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* {{cite news |last = Reynolds |first = Gretchen |date = January 1993 |title = Vote of confidence |work = Chicago Magazine |volume = 42 |issue = 1 |pages = 53–54 |issn = 0362-4595 |url=http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/January-1993/Vote-of-Confidence |access-date = June 6, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080514183643/http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/January-1993/Vote-of-Confidence |archive-date = May 14, 2008 |url-status=live }}
* {{Cite news|author=Jarrett, Vernon|date=August 11, 1992|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=June 6, 2008}}
* {{cite news |last = Anderson |first = Veronica |date = October 3, 1993 |title = 40 under Forty: Barack Obama, Director, Illinois Project Vote |newspaper = Crain's Chicago Business |volume = 16 |issue = 39 |page = 43 |issn = 0149-6956 }}</ref>
* {{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=June 6, 2008}}
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* {{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=June 6, 2008|page=43}}
* {{cite news |last=Pallasch |first=Abdon M. |date=December 17, 2007 |title=As lawyer, Obama was strong, silent type; He was 'smart, innovative, relentless,' and he mostly let other lawyers do the talking |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |page=4 |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CSTB&p_theme=cstb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=(Pallasch)_AND_date(12/17/2007_to_12/17/2007)&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=December_17,_2007_to_12/17/2007)&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=(Pallasch)Êl_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:DÊl_useweights=no |access-date=June 15, 2008 }}{{subscription required}}
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* {{cite news |last=Morain, |first=Dan |date=April 6, [http://articles.latimes.com/2008/apr/06/nation/na-obamalegal6 "|title=Obama's law days effective but brief"], ''|newspaper=Los Angeles Times'', April 6,|page=A14 |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008, Retrieved-apr-06-na-obamalegal6-story.html |access-date=February 14, 2010 }}
* {{cite news |date=June 27, 1993 |title=Document |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |page=9 (Business) |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/24302659.html?dids=24302659:24302659&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |access-date=June 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131204190346/https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/doc/283584889.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS%3AFT&type=current&date=&author=&pub=&edition=&startpage=&desc= |archive-date=December 4, 2013 |url-status=dead }}{{subscription required}}
* [[Amanda Ripley|Ripley, Amanda]], [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,750742,00.html "Obama's Ascent"], ''[[Time (magazine)|TIME]]'', November 3, 2004, p. 3, Retrieved February 13, 2010
* {{cite news |date=July 5, 1993 |title=Business appointments |newspaper=Chicago-Sun-Times |page=40 |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)Êl_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:DÊl_useweights=no |access-date=June 15, 2008 }}{{subscription required}}
* {{Cite news|author=Pallasch, Abdon M.|date=December 17, 2007|title=As lawyer, Obama was strong, silent type; He was 'smart, innovative, relentless,' and he mostly let other lawyers do the talking|newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times|page=4|url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/700499,CST-NWS-Obama-law17.article|accessdate=June 15, 2008}}
* {{cite news |last=Ripley |first=Amanda |date=November 3, 2004 |title=Obama's ascent |magazine=Time |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,750742,00.html |access-date=February 13, 2010 |archive-date=August 11, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100811203732/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,750742,00.html |url-status=dead }}
* {{Cite news|author=.|date=June 27, 1993|title=People|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|page=9 (Business)|format=paid archive|url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/24302659.html?dids=24302659:24302659&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT|accessdate=June 15, 2008}}
* {{cite web |year=2008 |title=About us |url=http://www.lawmbg.com/index.cfm/PageID/2711 |publisher=Miner, Barnhill & Galland—Chicago, Illinois |access-date=June 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080720182856/http://www.lawmbg.com/index.cfm/PageID/2711 |archive-date=July 20, 2008 |url-status=dead }}
* {{Cite news|author=.|date=July 5, 1993|title=Business appointments|newspaper=Chicago-Sun-Times|page=40|format=paid archive|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|accessdate=June 15, 2008}}
* {{cite news |last=Reardon |first=Patrick T. |date=June 25, 2008 |title=Obama's Chicago |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |page=1 (Tempo) |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/chi-obama-chicago-htmlstory,0,506256.htmlstory |access-date=February 13, 2010 }}
* {{cite web|author=.|year=2008|title=About us|url=http://www.lawmbg.com/index.cfm/PageID/2711|publisher=Miner, Barnhill & Galland – Chicago, Illinois|accessdate=June 15, 2008}}
* {{Cite news|author=Reardon, Patrick T.|date=June 25, 2008|title=Obama's Chicago|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|page=1 (Tempo)|format=paid archive|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/chi-obama-chicago-htmlstory,0,506256.htmlstory|accessdate=February 13, 2010 |quote=Step 9: Lawyering. The law offices of Miner Barnhill & Galland] Obama joined this tiny, liberal and politically powerful firm of about a dozen lawyers, specializing in civil rights cases and then known as Davis Miner Barnhill & Galland.}}
* Obama (1995, 2004), pp. 438–439.
* Mendell (2007), pp. 104–106.</ref>
<ref name="Democratic primary">{{cite web|url=http://www.fec.gov/pubrec/fe2000/ilh.htm |title=Federal Elections 2000: U.S. House Results—Illinois |publisher=[[Federal Election Commission]] |access-date=April 24, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080328011936/http://www.fec.gov/pubrec/fe2000/ilh.htm |archive-date=March 28, 2008 |url-status=live }}
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* {{Cite news |author=Davey, Monica |date=March 18, 2004 |title=As quickly as overnight, a Democratic star is born |work=The New York Times |page=A20 |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/18/us/as-quickly-as-overnight-a-democratic-star-is-born.html?pagewanted=all |accessdate=March 1, 2009}}
* {{cite news|first=Janny |last=Scott |title=A Streetwise Veteran Schooled Young Obama |date=September 9, 2007 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/09/us/politics/09obama.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=April 20, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080321122541/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/09/us/politics/09obama.html |archive-date=March 21, 2008 |url-status=live }}
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* {{Cite journal |author=Scheiber, Noam |date=May 31, 2004 |title=Race Against History. Barack Obama's miraculous campaign |journal=The New Republic |volume=230 |issue=20 |pages=21–22, 24–26 (cover story) |url=http://www.tnr.com/article/race-against-history-0 |accessdate=March 24, 2009}}
* {{cite news|first1=Richard |last1=Wolffe |last2=Briscoe |first2=Daren |title=Across the Divide |date=July 16, 2007 |work=Newsweek |url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/33156 |access-date=April 20, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080418014600/http://www.newsweek.com/id/33156 |archive-date=April 18, 2008 |url-status=live }}
* {{Cite journal |author=Finnegan, William |date=May 31, 2004 |title=The Candidate. How far can Barack Obama go? |journal=The New Yorker |volume=20 |issue=14 |pages=32–38 |url=http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2004/05/31/040531fa_fact1?currentPage=all |accessdate=March 24, 2009}}
* {{Citecite news |authorfirst=Dionne Jr., E. J.Scott |datelast=June 25, 2004Helman |title=InEarly Illinois,Defeat Launched a starRapid preparesPolitical Climb |workdate=TheOctober Washington12, Post |page=A292007 |url=httphttps://www.washingtonpostboston.com/wp-dynnews/nation/articles/A4062-2004Jun24.html2007/10/12/early_defeat_launched_a_rapid_political_climb/ |accessdatework=MarchThe Boston Globe 24|access-date=April 20, 20092008 }}
* {{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2007-10-24-3157940059_x.htm |title=Obama learned from failed Congress run |work=USA Today |last=Wills |first=Christopher |date=October 24, 2007 |access-date=November 15, 2010 }}</ref>
* {{Cite news |author=Scott, Janny |date=May 18, 2008 |title=The story of Obama, written by Obama |newspaper=The New York Times |page=A1 |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/18/us/politics/18memoirs.html?_r=3&pagewanted=all |accessdate=January 9, 2010}}
<ref name="Rose Garden">{{cite web |author = Office of the Press Secretary |date = October 2, 2002 |title = President, House leadership agree on Iraq resolution |url = https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2002/10/20021002-7.html |via = [[NARA|National Archives]] |work = [[whitehouse.gov]] |access-date = February 18, 2008 }}
* Mendell (2007), pp. 235–259.
* {{cite news |last = Tackett |first = Michael |date = October 3, 2002 |title = Bush, House OK Iraq deal; Congress marches with Bush |newspaper = Chicago Tribune |page = 1 |url = https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/203569641.html?dids=203569641:203569641&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |access-date = February 3, 2008 |archive-date = July 26, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130726235124/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/203569641.html?dids=203569641:203569641&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |url-status = dead }}{{subscription required}}</ref>
</ref><ref name="margin">{{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 |work=CNN |accessdate=April 13, 2008}}
<ref name="Federal Plaza">{{cite news |last = Glauber |first = Bill |date = October 3, 2003 |title = War protesters gentler, but passion still burns |newspaper = Chicago Tribune |page = 1 |url = https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/203569621.html?dids=203569621:203569621&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |access-date = February 3, 2008 |archive-date = June 17, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080617150444/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/203569621.html?dids=203569621:203569621&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |url-status = dead }}{{subscription required}}
* {{Cite news |first=Peter |last=Slevin |title=For Obama, a Handsome Payoff in Political Gambles |date=November 13, 2007 |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/12/AR2007111201945.html |work=The Washington Post |accessdate=April 13, 2008}}
* {{cite news |last = Strausberg |first = Chinta |date = October 3, 2002 |title = War with Iraq undermines U.N |newspaper = Chicago Defender |page = 1 |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. |access-date = October 28, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091014211715/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-220379051.html |archive-date = October 14, 2009 |url-status = dead }}
* {{Cite news|title=Obama scores a record landslide | author=Chase, John; Mendell, David |url=http://www.noticiasdot.com/publicaciones/2004/1104/0311/noticias031104/presidenciales-usa/images/usa/chicago_tribune/chicago_tribune_031104.pdf |work= Chicago Tribune | page=1 | date=November 3, 2004 | accessdate=April 3, 2009}}
* {{cite web |last = Katz |first = Marilyn |date = October 2, 2007 |title = Five years since our first action |publisher = Chicagoans Against War & Injustice |url = http://www.noiraqwar-chicago.org/?p=127 |access-date = February 18, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110721192331/http://www.noiraqwar-chicago.org/?p=127 |archive-date = July 21, 2011 }}
* {{Cite news | url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/1113153,cst-nws-obama110304.article |work=Chicago Sun-Times | title=Obama takes Senate seat in a landslide | author=Fornek, Scott | date=November 3, 2004 | accessdate=April 3, 2009}}
* {{cite news |last1 = Bryant |first1 = Greg |last2 = Vaughn |first2 = Jane B. |date = October 3, 2002 |title = 300 attend rally against Iraq war |newspaper = Daily Herald |page = 8 |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)Êl_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:DÊl_useweights=no |access-date = October 28, 2008 }}{{subscription required}}
</ref><ref name="status">{{cite news |author=. |date=August 2, 2004 |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=November 15, 2008}}
* Mendell (2007), pp. 172–177.</ref>
* {{Cite news |author=Samuel, Terence |date=August 2, 2004 |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=November 15, 2008}}
<ref name="spoke out">{{cite web |last = Obama |first = Barack |date = October 2, 2002 |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 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080130204029/http://www.barackobama.com/2002/10/02/remarks_of_illinois_state_sen.php |archive-date = January 30, 2008 |publisher = Barack Obama |access-date = February 3, 2008 }}
* {{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=November 15, 2008}}
* {{cite news |last = McCormick |first = John |date = October 3, 2007 |title = Obama marks '02 war speech; Contender highlights his early opposition in an effort to distinguish him from his rivals |newspaper = Chicago Tribune |page = 7 |url = https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/1351610621.html?dids=1351610621:1351610621&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |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. |access-date = October 28, 2008 |archive-date = December 18, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081218011609/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/1351610621.html?dids=1351610621:1351610621&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |url-status = dead }}{{Subscription required}}
* {{Cite news |author=Davey, Monica |date=July 26, 2004 |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 |accessdate=November 15, 2008}}
* {{cite news |last = Pallasch |first = Abdon M. |date = October 3, 2007 |title = Obama touts anti-war cred; Kicks off tour 5 years after speech critical of going to Iraq |newspaper = Chicago Sun-Times |page = 26 |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)Êl_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:DÊl_useweights=no |access-date = October 28, 2008 }}{{subscription required}}</ref>
* {{Cite news |author=Leibovich, Mark |date=July 27, 2004 |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=November 15, 2008}}
<ref name="stop the war">{{cite news |last = Ritter |first = Jim |date = March 17, 2003 |newspaper = 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)Êl_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:DÊl_useweights=no |access-date = February 3, 2008 }} {{subscription required}}
* {{Cite news |author=Milligan, Susan |date=July 27, 2004 |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=November 15, 2008}}
* {{cite press release |author = Office of the Press Secretary |date = March 16, 2003 |title = President Bush: Monday 'moment of truth' for world on Iraq |url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2003/03/20030316-3.html |via = [[NARA|National Archives]] |work = [[whitehouse.gov]] |access-date = February 18, 2008 }}</ref>
* {{Cite news |author=Seelye, Katharine Q. |date=July 28, 2004 |title=Illinois 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 |accessdate=November 15, 2008}}
*<ref name="future">{{Citecite news |authorlast =Broder, DavidMendell S.|first = David |date =July 28March 17, 2004 |title =Democrats focusObama onrouts healingDemocratic divisionsfoes; AddressingRyan conventiontops crowded GOP field; Hynes, newcomersHull setfall themesfar short across state |worknewspaper =The WashingtonChicago PostTribune |page =A1 1 |url=httphttps://www.washingtonpostchicagotribune.com/wp-dyn2004/articles03/A1786517/obama-2004Jul27.htmlrouts-democratic-foes-ryan-tops-crowded-gop-field/ |accessdateaccess-date =November 15March 1, 20082009 }}
* {{cite news |last = Davey |first = Monica |date = March 18, 2004 |title = As quickly as overnight, a Democratic star is born |newspaper = The New York Times |page = A20 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/18/us/as-quickly-as-overnight-a-democratic-star-is-born.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090506195833/http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/18/us/as-quickly-as-overnight-a-democratic-star-is-born.html |archive-date=May 6, 2009 |url-access=limited |url-status=live |access-date = March 1, 2009 }}
* {{Cite news |author=Bing, Jonathan; McClintock, Pamela |date=July 29, 2004 |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=November 15, 2008}}
* {{cite news |last = Howlett |first = Debbie |date = March 19, 2004 |title = Dems see a rising star in Illinois Senate candidate |newspaper = USA Today |page = A04 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/2004-03-18-obama-usat_x.htm |access-date = March 1, 2009 }}
* Mendell (2007), pp. 272–285.
</ref><ref* name="Kenyan">{{cite news |firstlast =Christina Scheiber |lastfirst =Larson Noam |titledate =Hoosier Daddy:May What31, Rising2004 Democratic|title Star= Race against history. Barack Obama's Canmiraculous Learncampaign from|magazine an= OldThe LionNew ofRepublic the|volume GOP= 230 |dateissue =September 200620 |pages = 21–22, 24–26 (cover story) |url=http://www.washingtonmonthlytnr.com/featuresarticle/2006/0609.larson.htmlrace-against-history-0 |work=Washingtonaccess-date Monthly |accessdate=April 27March 24, 20082009 }}
* {{cite news |last = Finnegan |first = William |date = May 31, 2004 |title = The Candidate. How far can Barack Obama go? |magazine = [[The New Yorker]] |volume = 20 |issue = 14 |pages = 32–38 |url=https://www.newyorker.com/archive/2004/05/31/040531fa_fact1?currentPage=all |access-date = March 24, 2009 }}
* {{Cite news |first=Chuck |last=Goudie |title=Obama Meets with Arafat's Successor |date=January 12, 2006 |url=http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=3806933 |work=WLS-TV |accessdate=April 27, 2008}}
* {{Citecite news |titlelast =Obama SlatesDionne Kenya|first for= FraudE.J. Jr. |date =August 28June 25, 20062004 |title = In Illinois, a star prepares |newspaper = The Washington Post |page = A29 |url=httphttps://www.news24washingtonpost.com/News24wp-dyn/Africaarticles/News/0,,2A4062-11-1447_1989646,002004Jun24.html |work=News24.comaccess-date |accessdate=April 27March 24, 20082009 }}
* {{cite news |last = Scott |first = Janny |date = May 18, 2008 |title = The story of Obama, written by Obama |newspaper = The New York Times |page = A1 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/18/us/politics/18memoirs.html |access-date = January 9, 2010 }}
* {{Cite news |first=Chris |last=Wamalwa |title=Envoy Hits at Obama Over Graft Remark |date=September 2, 2006 |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=October 10, 2007 |work=The Standard (Nairobi) |accessdate=April 27, 2008}}{{Dead link|date=December 2009}}
* Mendell (2007), pp. 235–259.</ref>
* {{Cite news |first=Vincent |last=Moracha |coauthors=Mangoa Mosota |title=Leaders Support Obama on Graft Claims |date=September 4, 2006 |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=October 7, 2007 |work=The Standard (Nairobi) |accessdate=April 27, 2008}}{{Dead link|date=December 2009}}
<ref name="status">{{cite news |date=August 2, 2004 |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 |access-date=November 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081218014146/http://www.newsweek.com/id/54728/output/print |archive-date=December 18, 2008 |url-status=live }}
</ref><ref name="allocation">{{cite news | url=http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1738331,00.html |title=The Five Mistakes Clinton Made |author=Tumulty, Karen |work=Time |date=May 8, 2008 |accessdate=November 11, 2008}}
* {{cite news |last=Samuel |first=Terence |date=August 2, 2004 |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=https://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/040802/2obama.htm |access-date=November 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081206100640/http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/040802/2obama.htm |archive-date=December 6, 2008 |url-status=dead}}
* {{Cite news | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/08/us/politics/08recon.html |title=The Long Road to a Clinton Exit |author=Baker, Peter and Rutenberg, Jim |work=The New York Times |date=June 8, 2008 |accessdate=November 29, 2008}}
* {{cite news |last=Lizza |first=Ryan |date=September 2004 |title=Why is Barack Obama generating more excitement among Democrats than John Kerry? |work=The Atlantic Monthly |pages=30, 33 |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200409/lizza |access-date=November 15, 2008 }}
</ref><ref name="presumptive">{{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 |date=June 4, 2008|accessdate=June 6, 2008}}
* {{cite news |last=Davey |first=Monica |date=July 26, 2004 |title=A surprise Senate contender reaches his biggest stage yet |newspaper=The New York Times |page=A1 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/26/us/the-speaker-a-surprise-senate-contender-reaches-his-biggest-stage-yet.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090507095649/http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/26/us/the-speaker-a-surprise-senate-contender-reaches-his-biggest-stage-yet.html |archive-date=May 7, 2009 |url-access=limited |url-status=live |access-date=November 25, 2010 }}
* {{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=June 4, 2008|accessdate=June 6, 2008|author=John Whitesides in Washington}}{{Dead link|date=December 2009}} <!-- {{dead link|date=September 2009}} -->
* {{cite news |last=Leibovich |first=Mark |date=July 27, 2004 |title=The other man of the hour |newspaper=The Washington Post |page=C1 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A16606-2004Jul26.html |access-date=November 15, 2008 }}
<!-- *{{dead link|date=September 2009}} -->
* {{cite news |last=Milligan |first=Susan |date=July 27, 2004 |title=In Obama, Democrats see their future |work=The Boston Globe |page=B8 |url=https://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2004/07/27/in_obama_democrats_see_their_future/ |access-date=November 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081218181835/http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2004/07/27/in_obama_democrats_see_their_future/ |archive-date=December 18, 2008 |url-status=live }}
</ref><ref name="delegates">{{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=August 27, 2008|accessdate=August 27, 2008 | location=London}}
* {{cite news |last=Seelye |first=Katharine Q. |date=July 28, 2004 |title=Illinois Senate nominee speaks of encompassing unity |newspaper=The New York Times |page=A1 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/28/politics/campaign/28blacks.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060624052131/http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/28/politics/campaign/28blacks.html |archive-date=June 24, 2006}}
* {{Cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/28/us/politics/28DEMSDAY.html?pagewanted=all|title=Obama Wins Nomination as Biden and Bill Clinton Rally the Party|work=The New York Times |author=Nagourney, Adam|date=August 27, 2008|accessdate=August 27, 2008}}
* {{cite news |last=Broder |first=David S. |date=July 28, 2004 |title=Democrats focus on healing divisions; Addressing convention, newcomers set themes |newspaper=The Washington Post |page=A1 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17865-2004Jul27.html |access-date=November 15, 2008}}
</ref><ref name="acceptance">{{cite news|title=Obama accepts Democrat nomination|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7586375.stm|work=BBC News|date=August 29, 2008|accessdate=August 29, 2008}}
* {{cite news |last1=Bing |first1=Jonathan |last2=McClintock |first2=Pamela |date=July 29, 2004 |title=Auds resist charms of Dem stars |work=Variety |page=1 |url=https://www.variety.com/article/VR1117908388.html |access-date=November 15, 2008}}
* {{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=August 29, 2008|accessdate=September 20, 2008}}
* Mendell (2007), pp. 272–285.</ref>
</ref><ref name="small donations">{{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 |work=Voice of America|accessdate=January 14, 2008}}{{Dead link|date=December 2009}}
<ref name="margin">{{cite news |year = 2005 |title = America Votes 2004: U.S. Senate / Illinois |publisher = CNN |url=http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/states/IL/S/01/index.html |access-date = April 13, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080416061340/http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004//pages/results/states/IL/S/01/index.html |archive-date = April 16, 2008 |url-status=live }}
* {{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=January 14, 2008}}
* {{cite news |last = Slevin |first = Peter |date = November 13, 2007 |title = For Obama, a handsome payoff in political gambles |newspaper = The Washington Post |page = A3 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/12/AR2007111201945.html |access-date = April 13, 2008 }}
* {{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=February 24, 2008}}
* {{cite news |last1 = Chase |first1 = John |last2 = Mendell |first2 = David |date = November 3, 2004 |title = Obama scores a record landslide |newspaper = Chicago Tribune |page = 1 |url=http://www.noticiasdot.com/publicaciones/2004/1104/0311/noticias031104/presidenciales-usa/images/usa/chicago_tribune/chicago_tribune_031104.pdf |access-date = April 3, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110513095857/http://www.noticiasdot.com/publicaciones/2004/1104/0311/noticias031104/presidenciales-usa/images/usa/chicago_tribune/chicago_tribune_031104.pdf |archive-date = May 13, 2011 }}
</ref><ref name="presidential debates">{{cite web|accessdate=July 6, 2008|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=November 19, 2007}}{{Dead link|date=December 2009}}
* {{cite news |last = Fornek |first = Scott |date = November 3, 2004 |title = Obama takes Senate seat in a landslide |newspaper = Chicago Sun-Times |page = 6 |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1553596.html |access-date = April 3, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510061848/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1553596.html |archive-date = May 10, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* {{Cite news|accessdate=July 6, 2008|url=http://www.courant.com/topic/|title=Gun Ruling Reverberates|work=[[The Hartford Courant]]|date=June 27, 2008}}
</ref><ref name="electoral* votes">{{cite news |workfirst =MSNBC Tom |accessdatelast =February 20,Curry |title = What Obama's Senate Votes Reveal 2009|date =November 4February 21, 2008 |url=httphttps://www.msnbc.msnnbcnews.com/id/27531033/wbna23276453 |titlework =Barack ObamaNBC electedNews 44th president|authoraccess-date =Johnson June 25, Alex2008 }}
* {{cite news|url=http://nj.nationaljournal.com/voteratings/ |title=Obama: Most Liberal Senator In 2007 |work=National Journal |date=January 31, 2008 |access-date=June 25, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080627040734/http://nj.nationaljournal.com/voteratings/ |archive-date=June 27, 2008 |url-status=dead }}
* {{Cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/president/|title=CNN Electoral Map Calculator—Election Center 2008|publisher=CNN |year=2008|accessdate=December 14, 2008}}
<ref name="transition period">{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE4AF1MJ20081116 |title = Obama resigns Senate seat, thanks Illinois |access-date = March 10, 2009 |date = November 16, 2008 |work = [[Reuters]] |last = Mason |first = Jeff }}</ref>
</ref><ref name="direct assistance">{{cite news|url=http://www.usbudgetwatch.org/stimulus|title=Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, Stimulus Watch}}{{Dead link|date=May 2010}}
* {{cite news |url=http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1859020,00.html |title=Obama to Resign Senate Seat on Sunday |access-date=November 22, 2008 |date=November 13, 2008 |magazine=Time |last=Sidoti |first=Liz |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081122143031/http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0%2C8599%2C1859020%2C00.html |archive-date=November 22, 2008 |url-status=dead}}
* {{Cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/17/obama.stimulus.remarks/|title=Obama's remarks on signing the stimulus plan|accessdate=February 17, 2009|work=CNN}}
<ref name="nuclear terrorism">{{cite press release |title = Obama, Schiff Provision to Create Nuclear Threat Reduction Plan Approved |date = December 20, 2007 |url=http://obama.senate.gov/press/071220-obama_schiff_pr/ |publisher = Barack Obama U.S. Senate Office |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081218154751/http://obama.senate.gov/press/071220-obama_schiff_pr/ |archive-date = December 18, 2008 }}</ref>
</ref><ref name="markets opened">{{cite news|title=U.S. Expands Plan to Buy Banks’ Troubled Assets|date=March 23, 2009|work=New York Times|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/24/business/economy/24bailout.html | first1=Edmund L. | last1=Andrews | first2=Eric | last2=Dash | accessdate=April 12, 2010}}
<ref name="Kenyan">{{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 |access-date=April 27, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080430232404/http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2006/0609.larson.html |archive-date=April 30, 2008 |url-status=dead }}
* {{Cite news|title=Wall Street soars 7 percent on bank plan debut|date=March 23, 2009|work=REUTERS|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idUSTRE52H2FA20090323?feedType=RSS&feedName=businessNews}}
* {{cite news |first=Chuck |last=Goudie |title=Obama Meets with Arafat's Successor |date=January 12, 2006 |url=http://a.abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=3806933 |publisher=[[WLS-TV]] |location=Chicago |access-date=April 27, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141103231711/http://a.abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news%2Flocal&id=3806933 |archive-date=November 3, 2014 |url-status=dead }}
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* {{cite news |title=Obama Slates Kenya for Fraud |date=August 28, 2006 |url=http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0,,2-11-1447_1989646,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080605213213/http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0%2C%2C2-11-1447_1989646%2C00.html |archive-date=June 5, 2008 |publisher=News24 |location=Cape Town |access-date=April 27, 2008 |url-status=dead }}
* {{Cite news|first=|last=|coauthors=|authorlink=|title= Clinton's gaffes and gains on tour|publisher=|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7931699.stm|work=|pages=|accessdate=June 15, 2009|language= | work=BBC News | date=March 8, 2009}}
* {{cite news |first=Chris |last=Wamalwa |title=Envoy Hits at Obama Over Graft Remark |date=September 2, 2006 |url=http://www.eastandard.net/archives/cl/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143957666 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071010050740/http://www.eastandard.net/archives/cl/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143957666 |archive-date=October 10, 2007 |work=The Standard (Nairobi) |access-date=April 27, 2008}}
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* {{cite news |first1=Vincent |last1=Moracha |first2=Mangoa |last2=Mosota |title=Leaders Support Obama on Graft Claims |date=September 4, 2006 |url=http://www.eastandard.net/archives/cl/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143957752 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071007115436/http://www.eastandard.net/archives/cl/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143957752 |archive-date=October 7, 2007 |work=The Standard |location=Nairobi }}</ref>
[http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/06/04/egypt.obama.speech/index.html Obama in Egypt reaches out to Muslim world], CNN, June 4, 2009
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* Jeff Zeleny and Alan Cowell, [http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/05/world/middleeast/05prexy.html?_r=2&hp Addressing Muslims, Obama Pushes Mideast Peace], The New York Times, June 4, 2009.
* {{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/08/us/politics/08recon.html |title=The Long Road to a Clinton Exit |first1=Peter |last1=Baker |first2=Jim |last2=Rutenberg |work=The New York Times |date=June 8, 2008 |access-date=November 29, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081209030041/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/08/us/politics/08recon.html |archive-date=December 9, 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* {{cite web|url=http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/The-President-in-the-Middle-East/|title=The President in the Middle East|date=June 3, 2009|author=Jesse Lee|publisher=White House|accessdate=June 4, 2009}}
<ref name="acceptance">{{cite news |title = Obama accepts Democrat nomination |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7586375.stm |publisher= BBC News |date = August 29, 2008 |access-date = August 29, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828234350/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7586375.stm |archive-date = August 28, 2008 |url-status=live }}
</ref><ref name="counterinsurgency tactics">{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/11/AR2009051101864.html|title=Top U.S. Commander in Afghanistan Is Fired|date=May 12, 2009|work=[[The Washington Post]]}}
* {{cite news |url=http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2008/0829/soaring-speech-from-obama-plus-some-specifics |title = Soaring speech from Obama, plus some specifics |work = The Christian Science Monitor |author = Marks, Alexandra |date = August 29, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100314121702/http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2008/0829/soaring-speech-from-obama-plus-some-specifics |archive-date = March 14, 2010 }}</ref>
* {{cite web|url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/05/12/new-commander-brings-counterinsurgency-experience-afghanistan|title=New U.S. Commander Brings Counterinsurgency Experience to Afghanistan|date=May 13, 2009|work=Fox News Channel}}
<ref name="small donations">{{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 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070914032004/http://voanews.com/english/archive/2007-07/2007-07-02-voa52.cfm |archive-date=September 14, 2007 |publisher=Voice of America }}
</ref><ref name="spoke out">{{cite news|author=Obama, Barack|date=October 2, 2002|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=February 3, 2008}}
* {{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 |access-date=January 14, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080201140941/http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=3ECB3515-3048-5C12-004D622CB6F4E214 |archive-date=February 1, 2008 |url-status=dead }}
* {{Cite news|author=McCormick, John|date=October 3, 2007|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=October 28, 2008}}
* {{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 |publisher=CQ Politics |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080613213513/http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000002674309 |archive-date=June 13, 2008 }}</ref>
* {{Cite news|author=Pallasch, Abdon M.|date=October 3, 2007|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=October 28, 2008}}
<ref name="presidential debates">{{cite press release |url=http://www.debates.org/pages/news_111907.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080706070658/http://www.debates.org/pages/news_111907.html |archive-date = July 6, 2008 |title = Commission on Presidential Debates Announces Sites, Dates, Formats and Candidate Selection Criteria for 2008 General Election |publisher = [[Commission on Presidential Debates]] |date = November 19, 2007 }}
</ref><ref name="stop the war">{{cite news|author=Ritter, Jim|date=March 17, 2003|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=February 3, 2008}}
* {{cite news |access-date = July 6, 2008 |url=http://www.courant.com/topic/ |title = Gun Ruling Reverberates |work = [[Hartford Courant]] |date = June 27, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705225819/http://www.courant.com/topic/ |archive-date = July 5, 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* {{Cite news|author=Office of the Press Secretary|date=March 16, 2003|title=President Bush: Monday "Moment of Truth" for World on Iraq|publisher=The White House|url=http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/03/16/sprj.irq.main/index.html|accessdate=February 17, 2008}}
<ref name="electoral votes">{{cite news |work = NBC News |access-date = February 20, 2009 |date = November 4, 2008 |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna27531033 |title = Barack Obama elected 44th president |author = Johnson, Alex }}
* {{Cite news|agency=Associated Press|date=March 17, 2003|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=February 3, 2008}}
* {{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/president/ |title = CNN Electoral Map Calculator—Election Center 2008 |publisher = CNN |year = 2008 |access-date = December 14, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081212014309/http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/president/ |archive-date = December 12, 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref>
</ref>
<ref name="direct assistance">{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/17/obama.stimulus.remarks/ |title = Obama's remarks on signing the stimulus plan |access-date = February 17, 2009 |publisher = CNN |date = February 17, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090220074825/http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/17/obama.stimulus.remarks/ |archive-date = February 20, 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref>
<!--<ref name="without preconditions">{{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=September 22, 2008}}
<ref name="markets opened">{{cite news |title = U.S. Expands Plan to Buy Banks' Troubled Assets |date = March 23, 2009 |work = The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/24/business/economy/24bailout.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090325043723/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/24/business/economy/24bailout.html |archive-date=March 25, 2009 |url-access=limited |url-status=live |first1 = Edmund L. |last1 = Andrews |first2 = Eric |last2 = Dash |access-date = April 12, 2010 }}
* {{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/02/us/politics/01cnd-obama.html?pagewanted=all |title=Obama Pledges 'Aggressive' Iran Diplomacy|author=Gordon, Michael R. and Zeleny, Jeff|work=The New York Times |date=November 2, 2007|accessdate=June 17, 2008}}
* {{cite news |title = Wall Street soars 7% on bank plan debut |date = March 23, 2009 |work = Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idUSTRE52H2FA20090323 }}</ref>
* {{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/24/us/politics/24transcript.html?pagewanted=all|title=Transcript of fourth Democratic debate|work=The New York Times |date=July 24, 2007|accessdate=June 17, 2008}}
<ref name="preceding administration">{{cite news|title=Biden vows break with Bush era foreign policy |url=http://www.canada.com/news/unveils+changes+foreign+policy/1265065/story.html |access-date=January 31, 2013 |first1=Ross |last1=Colvin |first2=Noah |last2=Barkin |publisher=Canada.com |location=Toronto |date=February 7, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106164443/http://www.canada.com/news/unveils%2Bchanges%2Bforeign%2Bpolicy/1265065/story.html |archive-date=November 6, 2012 |url-status=dead }}
</ref>
--><ref* name="in Jakarta">{{cite webnews|first=Kim |last=Ghattas |title=ObamaClinton's Indonesiangaffes and gains on tour Redux|url=http://languagelognews.ldcbbc.upennco.eduuk/nll2/?p=1025hi/americas/7931699.stm |authoraccess-date=ZimmerJune 15, Benjamin2009 |yearwork=2009BBC News |accessdatedate=March 128, 2009|publisher=Language Log}}</ref>
<ref name="middleeast">{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/06/04/egypt.obama.speech |title = Obama in Egypt reaches out to Muslim world |date = June 4, 2009 |publisher = CNN |access-date = January 30, 2011 }}</ref>
* {{cite web|title=Obama: Saya Kangen Nasi Goreng, Bakso, dan Rambutan|url=http://cetak.kompas.com/read/xml/2008/11/26/00223862/obama.saya.kangen.nasi.goreng.bakso.dan.rambutan}}
* {{cite news |first1 = Jeff |last1 = Zeleny |first2 = Alan |last2 = Cowell |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/05/world/middleeast/05prexy.html |title = Addressing Muslims, Obama Pushes Mideast Peace |work = The New York Times |date = June 4, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110331161401/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/05/world/middleeast/05prexy.html|archive-date=March 31, 2011 }}
</ref><ref name="corruption charges">{{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=December 17, 2006|accessdate=June 10, 2008|last=Slevin|first=Peter}}
<ref name="counterinsurgency tactics">{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/11/AR2009051101864.html |title = Top U.S. Commander in Afghanistan Is Fired |date = May 12, 2009 |newspaper = The Washington Post }}
* {{Cite news|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24973282/|title=Rezko found guilty in corruption case|accessdate=June 24, 2008|date=June 4, 2008|agency=Associated Press|publisher=MSNBC|last=Robinson|first=Mike}}
* {{cite news |url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/05/13/new-commander-brings-counterinsurgency-experience-afghanistan/ |title = New U.S. Commander Brings Counterinsurgency Experience to Afghanistan |date = May 13, 2009 |publisher = Fox News |access-date = May 30, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216024227/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/05/13/new-commander-brings-counterinsurgency-experience-afghanistan/ |archive-date = February 16, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
</ref><ref name="social change">
<ref name="exceptional orator">{{cite news |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 |access-date = December 11, 2008 |work = The Age |location = Melbourne |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081218154747/http://www.theage.com.au/world/a-classic-orator-obama-learnt-from-the-masters-20081129-6nf1.html |archive-date = December 18, 2008 |url-status=live }}
Obama (2006), pp. 202–208. Portions excerpted in:{{cite news|first=Barack|last=Obama|title=My Spiritual Journey|date=October 23, 2006|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1546579,00.html|work=Time|accessdate=April 28, 2008}}
* {{cite news |url=http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/mar2008/sb2008033_156351.htm |title = How to Inspire People Like Obama Does |last = Gallo |first = Carmine |date = March 3, 2008 |access-date = February 21, 2009 |work = Bloomberg BusinessWeek |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090226003326/http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/mar2008/sb2008033_156351.htm |archive-date = February 26, 2009 |url-status=dead }}
* {{cite web|url=http://obama.senate.gov/speech/060628-call_to_renewal/|title='Call to Renewal' Keynote Address|accessdate=June 16, 2008|last=Obama|first=Barack|date=June 28, 2006|work=Barack Obama: U.S. Senator for Illinois (website)}}
* {{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/living/article/551538 |title = New emotion dubbed 'elevation' |date = December 11, 2008 |work = Toronto Star |access-date = December 11, 2008 |first = Diana |last = Zlomislic |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081212193736/http://www.thestar.com/living/article/551538 |archive-date = December 12, 2008 |url-status=live }}
</ref><ref name="two decades">{{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|work=International Herald Tribune}} April 30, 2007
* {{cite news |title = Obama Is America's Third Greatest Presidential Orator in Modern Era |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/richard-greene/obama-is-americas-3rd-gre_b_813868.html |date = January 25, 2011 |first = Richard |last = Greene |work = [[The Huffington Post]] |access-date = July 2, 2011 }}</ref>
* {{Cite journal|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1546579,00.html|title=My Spiritual Journey|first=Barack|last=Obama|date=October 23, 2006|journal=Time}}
<ref name="in Jakarta">{{cite web |title = Obama's Indonesian Redux |url=http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=1025 |author = Zimmer, Benjamin |year = 2009 |access-date = March 12, 2009 |publisher = Language Log |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090303094040/http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=1025 |archive-date = March 3, 2009 |url-status=live }}
</ref><ref name="exceptional orator">{{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=December 11, 2008|work=The Age}}
* {{cite news |url=http://cetak.kompas.com/read/xml/2008/11/26/00223862/obama.saya.kangen.nasi.goreng.bakso.dan.rambutan |title = Obama: Saya Kangen Nasi Goreng, Bakso, dan Rambutan |work = [[Kompas]] |date = November 26, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081203010718/http://cetak.kompas.com/read/xml/2008/11/26/00223862/obama.saya.kangen.nasi.goreng.bakso.dan.rambutan |archive-date = December 3, 2008 |language = id }}</ref>
* {{Cite news|url=http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/mar2008/sb2008033_156351.htm|title=How to Inspire People Like Obama Does|last=Gallo|first=Carmine|date=March 3, 2008|accessdate=February 21, 2009|work=BusinessWeek }}
*<ref name="corruption charges">{{Citecite news |url=httphttps://www.thestarwashingtonpost.com/livingwp-dyn/content/article/5515382006/12/16/AR2006121600729.html |title =New emotionObama says he regrets land deal with fundraiser |newspaper = The Washington dubbedPost 'elevation|date = December 1117, 2008|work=[[Toronto2006 Star]]|accessdateaccess-date =December 11June 10, 2008 |last first=Diana Slevin |first last=Zlomislic Peter }}
* {{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna24973282 |title = Rezko found guilty in corruption case |access-date = June 24, 2008 |date = June 4, 2008 |agency = Associated Press |publisher = NBC News |last = Robinson |first = Mike }}</ref>
</ref>
<ref name="social change">Obama (2006), pp. 202–208. Portions excerpted in: {{cite news|first=Barack |last=Obama |title=My Spiritual Journey |date=October 16, 2006 |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1546579,00.html |magazine=Time |access-date=April 28, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080430051154/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0%2C9171%2C1546579%2C00.html |archive-date=April 30, 2008 |url-status=dead }}
* {{cite web|url=http://obama.senate.gov/speech/060628-call_to_renewal/ |title='Call to Renewal' Keynote Address |access-date=June 16, 2008 |last=Obama |first=Barack |date=June 28, 2006 |publisher=Barack Obama: U.S. Senator for Illinois |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090104231501/http://obama.senate.gov/speech/060628-call_to_renewal/ |archive-date=January 4, 2009 }}</ref>
<ref name="Trinity">{{cite news |last1 = Garrett |first1 = Major |last2 = Obama |first2 = Barack |date = March 14, 2008 |title = Obama talks to Major Garrett on 'Hannity & Colmes' |publisher = RealClearPolitics |url=http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/03/obama_talks_to_major_garrett_o.html |access-date = November 10, 2012 |quote = Major Garrett, Fox News correspondent: So the first question, how long have you been a member in good standing of that church? Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL), presidential candidate: You know, I've been a member since 1991 or '92. And—but I have known Trinity even before then when I was a community organizer on the South Side, helping steel workers find jobs{{spaces}}... Garrett: As a member in good standing, were you a regular attendee of Sunday services? Obama: You know, I won't say that I was a perfect attendee. I was regular in spurts, because there was times when, for example, our child had just been born, our first child. And so we didn't go as regularly then. }}
* {{cite news |agency = Associated Press |date = April 29, 2008 |title = Obama strongly denounces former pastor |publisher = NBC News |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna24371827 |access-date = November 10, 2012 |quote = I have been a member of Trinity United Church of Christ since 1992, and have known Reverend Wright for 20 years. The person I saw yesterday was not the person [whom] I met 20 years ago. }}
* {{cite news |last = Miller |first = Lisa |date = July 11, 2008 |title = Finding his faith |work = Newsweek |url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2008/07/11/finding-his-faith.html |access-date = November 10, 2012 |quote = He is now a Christian, having been baptized in the early 1990s at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130720055213/http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2008/07/11/finding-his-faith.html |archive-date = July 20, 2013 |url-status=dead }}
* {{cite book |last = Remnick |first = David |year = 2010 |title = The Bridge: The Life and Rise of Barack Obama |location = New York |publisher = Alfred A. Knopf |page = [https://archive.org/details/bridgelifeand00remn/page/177 177] |isbn = 978-1-4000-4360-6 |quote = In late October 1987, his third year as an organizer, Obama went with Kellman to a conference on the black church and social justice at the Harvard Divinity School. |title-link = The Bridge: The Life and Rise of Barack Obama }}
* Maraniss (2012), <span class="plainlinks">[https://books.google.com/books?id=Wnna9CLtblAC&pg=PT887 p. 557]</span>: It would take time for Obama to join and become fully engaged in Wright's church, a place where he would be baptized and married; that would not happen until later, during his second time around in Chicago, but the process started then, in October 1987{{spaces}}... Jerry Kellman: "He wasn't a member of the church during those first three years, but he was drawn to Jeremiah."
* {{Cite book |first=Baker |last=Peter |author-link=Peter Baker (author) |year=2017 |title=Obama: The Call of History |location=New York |publisher=[[The New York Times Company]]/Callaway |isbn=978-0-935112-90-0 |oclc=1002264033}}</ref>
}}
 
==References=Bibliography===
{{Refbegin|30em}}
* {{Cite book |last=Mendell |first=David |authorlink=David Mendell |year=2007 |title=[[Obama: From Promise to Power]] |location=New York |publisher=Amistad/[[HarperCollins]] |isbn=0-06-085820-6}}
* {{Citecite book |last =Obama Jacobs |first =Barack Sally H. |year =1995, 20042011 |title =[[Dreams fromThe MyOther Barack: The Bold and Reckless Life of President Obama's Father |Dreamstitle-link from= MyThe FatherOther Barack: AThe StoryBold and Reckless Life of RacePresident andObama's Inheritance]]Father |location = New York |publisher = [[Three Rivers PressPublicAffairs]] |isbn = 978-1-400058648-8277793-35}}
* {{Citecite book |lastauthor =Obama Maraniss, David |firstauthor-link =Barack David Maraniss |year =2006 2012 |title =[[The AudacityBarack ofObama: Hope|The AudacityStory of|title-link Hope:= ThoughtsBarack onObama: ReclaimingThe the American Dream]]Story |location = New York |publisher = [[CrownSimon Publishing& GroupSchuster]] |isbn =0 978-3071-237694391-96040-4 }}
* {{Citecite book |lastauthor =Remnick |first=David|authorlink=Mendell, David Remnick|year =2010 2007 |title =The BridgeObama: TheFrom LifePromise andto RisePower of Barack Obama|location = New York |publisher = Amistad/[[Alfred A. KnopfHarperCollins]] |isbn = 978-10-400006-4360085820-69 |title-link = Obama: From Promise to Power |author-link = David Mendell }}
* {{cite book |last = Obama |first = Barack |orig-date = 1st pub. 1995 |year = 2004 |title = Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance |title-link = Dreams from My Father |location = New York |publisher = [[Three Rivers Press]] |isbn = 978-1-4000-8277-3 }}
* {{cite book |last = Obama |first = Barack |year = 2006 |title = The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream |title-link = The Audacity of Hope |location = New York |publisher = [[Crown Publishing Group]] |isbn = 978-0-307-23769-9 }}
* {{cite book |last = Scott |first = Janny |year = 2011 |title = A Singular Woman: The Untold Story of Barack Obama's Mother |title-link = A Singular Woman: The Untold Story of Barack Obama's Mother |location = New York |publisher = [[Riverhead Books]] |isbn = 978-1-59448-797-2 }}
{{Refend}}
 
==Further reading==
{{Refbegin|30em|indent=yes}}
* Curry, Jessica. "[http://www.chicagolife.net/content/politics/Barack_Obama Barack Obama: Under the Lights]", ''Chicago Life'', Fall 2004. Retrieved on January 14, 2008.
* {{cite news |last = De Zutter |first = Hank |date = December 8, 1995 |title = What Makes Obama Run? |url = http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/what-makes-obama-run/Content?oid=889221 |newspaper = Chicago Reader |access-date = April 25, 2015 }}
* Graff, Garrett. "[http://www.washingtonian.com/articles/mediapolitics/1836.html The Legend of Barack Obama]", ''Washingtonian'', November 1, 2006. Retrieved on January 14, 2008.
* {{cite book | last=Dyson | first=Michael Eric | title=The Black Presidency | publisher=Mariner Books | publication-place=Boston (Mass.) | date=2016 | isbn=978-0-544-38766-9}}
* 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]]), [[Nova Publishers|Nova Science Publishers]], Hauppauge, New York, Binding: Hardcover Pub. Date: 2005, ISBN 1-59454-360-7
* {{cite magazine |last=Graff |first=Garrett M. |date=November 1, 2006 |title=The Legend of Barack Obama |url=http://www.washingtonian.com/articles/mediapolitics/1836.html |magazine=[[Washingtonian (magazine)|Washingtonian]] |access-date=January 14, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080214141924/http://www.washingtonian.com/articles/mediapolitics/1836.html |archive-date=February 14, 2008 }}
* Lizza, Ryan. "[http://men.style.com/gq/features/landing?id=content_5841 Above the Fray]", ''GQ'', September 2007. Retrieved on January 14, 2008.
* {{cite book |last = Koltun |first = Dave |editor-last1 = Ahuja |editor-first1 = Sunil |editor-last2 = Dewhirst |editor-first2 = Robert |year = 2005 |title = The Road to Congress 2004 |chapter = The 2004 Illinois Senate Race: Obama Wins Open Seat and Becomes National Political 'Star' |location = Hauppauge, New York |publisher = Nova Science Publishers |isbn = 978-1-59454-360-9 }}
* 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 January 14, 2008.
* {{cite magazine |last = Lizza |first = Ryan |date = September 2007 |title = Above the Fray |url = https://www.gq.com/news-politics/newsmakers/200708/obama-barack-election-president |magazine = GQ |access-date = October 27, 2010 |archive-date = May 14, 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110514072641/http://www.gq.com/news-politics/newsmakers/200708/obama-barack-election-president |url-status = dead }}
* 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 January 14, 2008.
* {{cite magazine |first = Larissa |last = MacFarquhar |date = May 7, 2007 |title = The Conciliator: Where is Barack Obama Coming From? |url = https://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/05/07/070507fa_fact_macfarquhar |magazine = The New Yorker |access-date = January 14, 2008 |author-link = Larissa MacFarquhar }}
* Wallace-Wells, Ben. "[http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/13390609/campaign_08_the_radical_roots_of_barack_obama Destiny's Child]{{Dead link|date=May 2010}}", ''Rolling Stone'', February 7, 2007. Retrieved on January 14, 2008.
* {{cite book |last = McClelland |first = Edward |year = 2010 |title = Young Mr. Obama: Chicago and the Making of a Black President |location = New York |publisher = Bloomsbury Press |isbn = 978-1-60819-060-7 |url-access = registration |url = https://archive.org/details/youngmrobamachic0000mccl }}
* Zutter, Hank De. "[http://www.chicagoreader.com/obama/951208/ What Makes Obama Run?]", ''Chicago Reader'', December 8, 1995. Retrieved on January 14, 2008.
* Parmar, Inderjeet, and Mark Ledwidge. [https://openaccess.city.ac.uk/id/eprint/12563/1/ "...'a foundation-hatched black': Obama, the US establishment, and foreign policy"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230627230342/https://openaccess.city.ac.uk/id/eprint/12563/1/ |date=June 27, 2023 }}. ''International Politics'' 54.3 (2017): 373–388.
{{Refend}}
 
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* {{Cite news|title=US election results map|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/us_elections_2008/7697829.stm|work=BBC News|date=October 29, 2008|accessdate=January 1, 2010}}
* {{Cite news|title=In quotes: US election reaction|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/us_elections_2008/7710020.stm|work=BBC News|date=November 5, 2008|accessdate=January 1, 2010}}
* {{Cite news|title=In pictures: Election result reaction|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/7709830.stm|work=BBC News|date=November 5, 2008|accessdate=January 1, 2010}}
* [http://www.reuters.com/article/vcCandidateFeed2/idUSTRE4A43VA20081105 FACTBOX: Barack Obama, Democratic President-elect] (''[[Reuters]]'', November 5, 2008)
 
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[[lv:Baraks Obama]]
[[lb:Barack Obama]]
[[lt:Barack Obama]]
[[li:Barack Obama]]
[[ln:Barack Obama]]
[[jbo:byRAK.obamas]]
[[lmo:Barack Obama]]
[[hu:Barack Obama]]
[[mk:Барак Обама]]
[[mg:Barack Obama]]
[[ml:ബറാക്ക് ഒബാമ]]
[[mt:Barack Obama]]
[[mr:बराक ओबामा]]
[[arz:باراك اوباما]]
[[mzn:باراک اوباما]]
[[ms:Barack Obama]]
[[mn:Барак Обама]]
[[my:ဘာရတ်အိုဗားမား]]
[[nah:Barack Obama]]
[[nl:Barack Obama]]
[[nds-nl:Barack Obama]]
[[ne:बराक ओबामा]]
[[ja:バラク・オバマ]]
[[nap:Barack Obama]]
[[no:Barack Obama]]
[[nn:Barack Obama]]
[[nrm:Barack Obama]]
[[nov:Barack Obama]]
[[oc:Barack Obama]]
[[mhr:Обама, Барак]]
[[uz:Barack Obama]]
[[pnb:بارک اوبامہ]]
[[pap:Barack Obama]]
[[ps:باراک حسين اوباما]]
[[km:បារ៉ាក់ អូបាម៉ា]]
[[pms:Barack Obama]]
[[tpi:Barack Obama]]
[[nds:Barack Obama]]
[[pl:Barack Obama]]
[[pt:Barack Obama]]
[[crh:Barak Obama]]
[[ksh:Barack Obama]]
[[ro:Barack Obama]]
[[rm:Barack Obama]]
[[qu:Barack Obama]]
[[ru:Обама, Барак]]
[[sah:Барак Обама]]
[[se:Barack Obama]]
[[sc:Barack Obama]]
[[sco:Barack Obama]]
[[sq:Barack Obama]]
[[scn:Barack Obama]]
[[si:බැරැක් ඔබාමා]]
[[simple:Barack Obama]]
[[sk:Barack Obama]]
[[sl:Barack Obama]]
[[szl:Barack Obama]]
[[so:Barack Obama]]
[[sr:Барак Обама]]
[[sh:Barack Obama]]
[[su:Barack Obama]]
[[fi:Barack Obama]]
[[sv:Barack Obama]]
[[tl:Barack Obama]]
[[ta:பராக் ஒபாமா]]
[[roa-tara:Barack Obama]]
[[tt:Barack Hussein Obama II]]
[[te:బరాక్ ఒబామా]]
[[th:บารัก โอบามา]]
[[tg:Барак Ҳусейн Обама]]
[[tr:Barack Obama]]
[[uk:Барак Обама]]
[[ur:بارک اوبامہ]]
[[ug:باراك ئوباما]]
[[vec:Barack Obama]]
[[vi:Barack Obama]]
[[wa:Barack Obama]]
[[vls:Barack Obama]]
[[war:Barack Obama]]
[[wo:Barack Obama]]
[[wuu:巴拉克·奥巴马]]
[[yi:באראק אבאמא]]
[[yo:Barack Obama]]
[[zh-yue:奧巴馬]]
[[diq:Barack Obama]]
[[zea:Barack Obama]]
[[bat-smg:Barack Obama]]
[[zh:贝拉克·奥巴马]]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama"