Hurricane Sandy helped to sustain the welfare state and the people of United States proved that the market is not that omnipotent as free market economics claims it to be.Market forces, corporate America and Zionism, altogether have been defeated in Obama`s victory!The world is saved! The revival of the cold war and yet another oil war have been aborted !

Hurricane Sandy helped to sustain the welfare state and the people of United States proved that the market is not that omnipotent as free market economics claims it to be.Market forces, corporate America and Zionism, altogether have been defeated in Obama`s victory!The world is saved! The revival of the cold war and yet another oil war have been aborted !

Indian Holocaust My Father`s Life and Time, Chapter: Nine Hundred Twenty One

Palash Biswas

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The world is saved! The revival of the cold war and yet another oil war have been aborted by the people of America!Fresh from a decisive re-election win, President Barack Obama returns from the campaign trail with little time to savour victory, facing urgent economic and fiscal challenges and a still-divided Congress capable of blocking his every move.He won, and the word "phew" trended worldwide on Twitter. Despite a hard-fought campaign in the United States, there was never any contest overseas.Gone are the days when President Barack Obama was seen as a youthful, messianic figure capable of magically curing the world's woes. But he remains widely popular, and his triumph reassured many who feared an abrupt change in U.S. policy could spell trouble.If he hasn't brought peace to the world's fire zones, or done much to slow climate change, or sparked global economic growth, he is credited at least with having started no new wars, and having tried to heal relations with the Muslim world even while aggressively pursuing al-Qaida and its affiliates.

Simply, post modern ideologues pleading to make the market supreme and teir latest icon, zionist Roney busted!Hurricane sandy helped to sustain the welfare state and the people of United States proved taht the market is not that omnipotent as free market economics claims it to be.Market forces, corporate America and Zionism, altogther have been defeated in Obama`s victory!President Barack Obama rolled to re-election and a second term in the White House on Tuesday with a clear victory over Republican challenger Mitt Romney as the Democrat overcame deep doubts about his handling of the US economy.It sounds amusing,time to introspect. Wall Street firms gambled on Mitt Romney and lost. Now, faced with the prospect of even tougher regulations in President Barack Obama's second term, they have to build better ties with the new financial regulators he will appoint. On the other hand, though India incs and hindutva forces had put their stakes for Romney`s win, as the apple cart is well upset, India averted a most imminent disaster because the US mandate endorsed Obama`s foreign policies which is against military action agains Iran. Israel want yet another war and Obama is all set not to oblige Israel. Which means that Indian oil economy may not face the fire, Romney intend to lit on.Obama declared to create jobs in public sector whereas Romney planned to stimulate the market. Obama supported woman`s right to decide to give birth to a child, while Romney and his running mate quoted religious ethics, Obama ensured health for all and tried to get out of war zones. US women ispecifically and generally the peace loving america rejected the corporate aggressive zionist imperialims supporting Obama. A balck untouchable Obama with a muslim middile name won the second term to lead United states of America, this is the best thing to happen to strengthen democratic and secular values worldwide. The ruling hegemony in India is trying to replicate Americanism to sustain Manusmriti system. Whereas the free market economy is rejected in America. The government of India has handed over the constitution and parliammentary system to crporate India and MNCs and is doing  everything to kill the welfare state! It could not happen in America! could it happen in India?

Chanting "Yes We Can", Barack Hussein Obama made history four years ago as he became America's first African-American president. On Tuesday, he did it again to retain the world's most powerful office. But the path to victory over his Republican challenger Mitt Romney for the son of a Kenyan father and a white American mother from Kansas with a "funny name", as Obama himself once put it, wasn't as easy this time around.


Even Tom McGrath, president of Republicans Abroad France, conceded: "It's clear that if they could vote, Europe would vote 80 percent for Obama."

A BBC survey during the run-up to the election found remarkable support for an Obama second term. More than 21,000 people in 21 countries were questioned in July, August and September, with residents in all but one country backing Obama. Only Pakistan, where Obama's heavy reliance on drone strikes has been unpopular, preferred Romney.

Yes, Obama Won a Mandate! Rather it may be said that the Global Free Market Economic order lost the mandate. Romney and the Republicans had turned the election into a referendum on liberalism—not just the liberalism of Obama, but also the liberalism of Johnson and Kennedy, of Truman and Roosevelt. It is not just that it is a mandate for the welfare state against corporate raj. The people of India have to learn a lesson!Despite the curveballs – Benghazi, a hurricane – this election had  pivot on the economy, the debt, and the deficit. Looming in the background is the issue of entitlement spending, which must be reformed if entitlements are to continue to exist at all. President Barack Obama won four more years in office on Tuesday, describing his victory over Republican nominee Mitt Romney as a call to action that would help move the U.S. past the difficult times endured during the past four years and promising "the best is yet to come." Stocks were choppy this morning, as investors digested what President Obama's reelection would mean for portfolios and Wall Street. Wall Street has given the majority of its contributions to the Republican party during this election cycle.In fact, Republican candidate Mitt Romney has received more than three times what Obama has generated from Wall Street professionals, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. That's a sharp turnaround from 2008, when Obama generated nearly double the Wall Street contributions of his then rival John McCain. Business leaders and investors on Wall Street reacted cautiously to President Obama's re-election early Wednesday, warning that the focus would quickly shift from electoral politics to the looming fiscal uncertainty in Washington.While many executives on Wall Street and in other industries favored Mitt Romney, most had already factored in the likelihood of Mr. Obama winning a second term. Known as the fiscal cliff, this simultaneous combination of dramatic reductions in government spending and tax increases could push the economy into recession in 2013, economists fear.  Tobias Levkovich, chief United States equity strategist with Citi  predicted that the market would remain volatile between now and mid-January. If Congress and the president cannot come up with a plan to cut the deficit, hundreds of billions in Bush-era tax cuts are set to expire at the beginning of 2013 while automatic spending cuts will sharply cut the defense budget and other programs.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday congratulated U.S. President Barack Obama on his re-election, saying he looks forward to continuing their "friendship" and "rewarding association" as much more can be done together to further strengthen the bilateral partnership.

Leaders of India Inc on Wednesday welcomed the re-election of Barack Obama as the U.S. President saying that continuity will be good for bilateral relations, but some of them expressed concerns over the outsourcing issue.what a turnaround!Business leaders today said that re-election of Barack Obama as the US President will be good for global economic recovery and expressed the hope that issues on outsourcing to India will be resolved.

Industry body Ficci said it "expects the new administration to set the US economy firmly on the path of revival and robust growth. This would be of great significance for the world economy and Indian exporters should be looking at a sustained rise in demand in the US".

Nasscom, the industry body of software services companies which earn up to 85 per cent of revenue from the US and European markets, said opposition to outsourcing in the US is actually targetted at the manufacturing sector and not IT services.

"Every time there is anti-outsourcing topic, we always take it as it's for our industry " Nasscom President Som Mittal said, adding that "many of the jobs (in the manufacturing sector in the US) have moved (to China)".

"We are solution to many of the problems that US faces. There is a realisation (in the US) that we are part of the solution," he added.

Software major iGATE's CEO Phaneesh Murthy, however, cautioned by saying that it is not the best news for IT outsourcing industry. "Not the best news for India or the IT outsourcing industry. However, we need to understand how much of the election rhetoric continues into 2013 and that will determine the full implications to us," Murthy said.

"This is a good development for India. Between two large economies there will be issues and concerns. Outsourcing is also a concern and I hope it will be addressed soon," Godrej Group chairman Adi Godrej told reporters on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum on India in Gurgaon.

Expressing similar views, Bharti Group chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal said: "It is on expected lines but there was some heat reported in the last few days. I think it will be good for India. There will be continuity."

When asked about concerns over outsourcing he said: "I have heard this in the previous election. We saw Mr. Clinton go very heavy on outsourcing and we did not see anyone of these impacting our outsourcing business or relationships."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces an even more awkward time with Washington and re-energized critics at home who accused him on Wednesday of backing the loser in the US presidential election. On the other hand, Russia on Wednesday expressed relief as it congratulated Barack Obama on his victory over a US presidential election rival who once notoriously branded Moscow as Washington's main foe. The Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin reacted "positively" to Obama's victory over Mitt Romney. Others expressed satisfaction at having narrowly avoided dealing with a Republican who sometimes spoke in tones from the Cold War. China on Wednesday cautiously welcomed Barack Obama's re-election, hoping the US President would follow a "positive China policy" to build "new type of relations" and to manage differences and achieve win-win cooperation.

Just remember!

"Under Obama's plan (for welfare), you wouldn't have to work and wouldn't have to train for a job. They just send you your welfare check."

Mitt Romney on Monday, August 6th, 2012 in a campaign ad

Mitt Romney says Barack Obama's plan for welfare reform: "They just send you your check."

Barack Obama overcame a sluggish economy, high unemployment and a strong challenge from Mitt Romney to win a second term in the White House



Romney called Obama to concede after the president's victories in the crucial state of Ohio and heavily contested swing states of Virginia, Nevada, Iowa and Colorado carried the Democrat past the 270 electoral votes needed for victory.

This is a time of great challenge for our nation, Romney told disappointed supporters gathered at a Boston convention center. I pray that the president will be successful in guiding our nation.He warned against partisan bickering and urged politicians on both sides to put the people before the politics.

US President Barack Obama swept to an emphatic re-election win over Mitt Romney on Tuesday, making history by transcending a dragging economy and the stifling unemployment that haunted his first term. The 44th US president and the first African American to claim the Oval Office wasrelated stories returned to power after a joyless election which appears to have deepened, rather than healed, his nation's political divides.

Propelled by wins in Ohio, Wisconsin and Iowa – states long touted as Obama's "firewall" insulating him from his GOP challenger – the president won a long-fought election in which the economy, its slow pace of recovery and Obama's management of it, became the central issue.

Emerging early in the hours on Wednesday in Chicago to the tune of Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours" the president struck an upbeat note about the challenges that lie ahead during a second term, with which he'll have to reckon almost immediately in the next few weeks.

"A decade of war is ending. A long campaign is now over. And whether I earned your vote or not, I have listened to you, I have learned from you, and you have made me a better president," Obama said. "With your stories and your struggles, I return to the White House more determined and more inspired than ever about the work there is to do and the future that lies ahead."

"In this election, you, the American people, reminded us that while our road has been hard, while our journey has been long, we have picked ourselves up, we have fought our way back," Obama, 51, said at a victory party in Chicago.

"I have never been more hopeful about America. And I ask you to sustain that hope," Obama said, striving for inspiration rarely shown in a campaign where the prophet of hope of 2008 became a conventional, brawling politician.

"I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us so long as we have the courage to keep reaching, to keep working, to keep fighting.

US President Barack Obama walks on stage with first lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia to deliver his victory speech on election night in Chicago, Illinois. Scott Olson/Getty Images/AFP

"We want to pass on a country that is safe and respected…a nation that is defended by the strongest military on earth and the best troops that the world has ever known. "We believe in a generous America, a compassionate America," said the Nobel laureate, who won the Peace Prize in 2009.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday congratulated U.S. President Barack Obama on his re-election, saying he looks forward to continuing their "friendship" and "rewarding association" as much more can be done together to further strengthen the bilateral partnership.

In his congratulatory message to Mr. Obama, Dr. Singh referred to the association between the two leaders over the past four years and recalled that cooperation between the two countries has not only been advanced across the full spectrum of ties but engagement has been deepened.

"Dear Mr. President, it gives me great pleasure to convey to you my warmest congratulations on your re-election as the President of the United States," said the letter.

The Prime Minister said the renewed confidence that people of the USA have reposed in Obama was a tribute to his "qualities of head and heart" and is an indication of the faith that the American people have in his leadership.

Referring to their association during Mr. Obama's first tenure, Dr. Singh wrote, "over the last four years, consistent with our vision of a global strategic partnership between India and the United States, the ties between our two democracies have seen sustained growth.

"We have not only advanced cooperation across the full spectrum of our bilateral relationship, but also deepened our engagement in the pursuit of global peace, stability and prosperity."

Noting that he "personally valued our friendship", Dr. Singh said, "I look forward to continuing our rewarding association in order to build further on the enduring foundations of our shared values and the accomplishments of the past four years."

Dr. Singh wrote to Mr. Obama that he has "no doubt that there is much more we can do together to further strengthen the India-U.S. partnership and thereby advance peace and stability, expand mutual economic opportunities, harness the potential of science and technology, innovation and higher education and empower our people to address global challenges."

Noting the "difficult juncture" at which the US as also the world at large is, the Prime Minister said, "Your (Obama's) mandate gives you a historic opportunity to continue to work for the welfare of the American people as also for global peace and progress."

Dr. Singh said his wife Gursharan Kaur joined him in wishing Mr. Obama and his wife Michelle, as well as daughters Malia and Sasha, good health, success and happiness as he prepares for a new term in office.

The External Affairs Ministry said the Government and people of India send their congratulations to Mr. Obama on his winning a second mandate.

"India and the U.S. have developed extensive bilateral cooperation and partnership based on shared values based on belief in democracy, the rule of law and pluralism. We look forward to continuing to deepen and widen the engagement between India and the U.S. in the years ahead," it said in a statement.

Here are some of the keys to Obama's win over Republican Mitt Romney.

The economy was just good enough

The economy, despite tepid growth rates and high unemployment, was not bad enough to doom Obama, and he appears to have finally received belated credit for halting the slide into a second Great Depression.

When he took office in January 2009, the economy was losing 700,000 jobs a month, and while Americans are still dissatisfied with the economy, exit polls suggest they still blame ex-president George W Bush as much as Obama.

Obama endured months of grisly monthly unemployment numbers, which told a tale of an economy struggling to gain steam.

He got a break over the last few months, as the unemployment rate dipped below the psychological barrier of 8%.

Consumer confidence and optimism began to rise along with the stock market, and Americans began to feel a bit more optimistic as house prices finally began a slow rise, despite a lingering foreclosure crisis.

Often criticized as aloof and professorial, Obama, in the final days of his campaign, his voice hoarse, finally seemed to strike a chord with blue collar workers who enrich the Democratic coalition in the rustbelt.

In a twist of political history, Obama was helped by the embrace of his former Democratic antagonist, ex-president Bill Clinton, who buried the hatchet after Obama's defeat of his wife Hillary in the 2008 Democratic primary.

Clinton, remembered for leading an era of economic prosperity, often made the case for Obama better than the president himself.

The two Democratic giants will now stand together in history as the only two Democrats to win a second term since World War II.

You're so Bain

The Obama campaign made a gamble soon after Romney captured the Republican primary -- to go negative.

Searing Obama ads and rhetoric branded the former investment manager a corporate vulture, who bought and sold firms for his own profit and heartlessly put good Americans out of work or shipped their jobs overseas.

The plan was to define Romney in a harsh light before he had the chance to introduce himself to Americans with a multi-million dollar blitz of television advertising in the swing states, like Ohio, which would decide the election.

Romney's limp defense of his record as head of Bain Capital, and his missteps -- including a refusal to divulge his complicated offshore tax arrangements and a video in which he was seen decrying 47% of Americans as freeloaders who paid no income taxes -- played into the stereotype.

By the time of Romney's stellar performance in the first presidential debate in October, the damage had been done.

The Bin Laden bounce

The killing of al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in a daring Navy SEAL raid in 2011 did not win Obama re-election.

But it bolstered the image of the president as a steely commander-in-chief who kept Americans safe and defused the classic Republican attack that Democrats are weak and cannot be trusted on national security.

Kudos Obama won with the bin Laden raid, not to mention a ruthless drone war against terror suspects abroad, may have also insulated the president against a late-election furor over the killing of the US ambassador to Libya in Benghazi.

The Obama Machine

For the second election running, Obama's campaign team has reinvented the way presidential elections are won.

In 2008, Obama's political braintrust, led by the intense David Plouffe, outwitted the political machine of Bill and Hillary Clinton with a delegate collection strategy that redefined the way primary campaigns are won.

This time around, they defied the strong headwinds of a slowly growing economy and re-elected their president in the face of ferocious Republican opposition.

The path to victory lay in the most sophisticated voter targeting and turnout machine in history, which reached all the way down to neighborhoods and was constructed over several years.

Way back in October 2011, Obama's political high command insisted to skeptical journalists that the president, smarting from a drubbing in mid-term congressional elections, could and would win re-election.

The strategy: position Obama as a populist warrior for the middle class, and brand his opponent as a rich plutocrat oblivious to the suffering of regular Americans.

Obama's team insisted all along that his coalition of young voters, Hispanics and African Americans, as well as the educated white middle class, would show up for him in 2012, just as they did in 2008.

Republicans scoffed, but they were proven wrong.

According to exit polls, 93% of African Americans backed Obama, along with 69% of Latinos and 70% of Jewish voters, and he was able to limit his losses among white voters.

Obama also won an important victory among unmarried women voters, 68% of whom backed him.

Obama lost the support of many bankers in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis and the passage of the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform law, which sought to shore up the financial system but also cost banks billions of dollars in annual profit.The Democratic president has openly stated his distaste for fat cat bankers who don't get it, and bankers fears more losses ahead if they cannot influence how the Dodd-Frank rules are implemented.He will continue to increase regulation, demonize and vilify businesses, and spend a lot of money, and tax people, and so forth, said Dick Kovacevich, a former Wells Fargo CEO and supporter of Republican challenger Romney.

But there were strong indications that the first two years of Obama's second term would resemble the final two years of his first term – that is with a Republican-held House and nominally Democratic Senate stalemated over major tax and spending issues, as the balance of power in Congress remained unchanged after Election Day.

The specter of gridlock appeared quickly as Obama prepared to confront the immediate task in addressing the series of automatic tax hikes and spending cuts – the so-called "fiscal cliff" – set to spring into place at the end of this year.

On the other hand, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces an even more awkward time with Washington and re-energized critics at home who accused him on Wednesday of backing the loser in the US presidential election.

With Iran topping his conservative agenda, Netanyahu will have to contend with a strengthened second-term Democratic president after four years of frosty dealings with Barack Obama and a rift over how to curb Tehran's nuclear program.

Facing his own re-election battle in January, polls give Netanyahu little chance of losing but perceptions that he has mishandled Israel's main ally have been seized on by opponents.

"I will continue to work with President Obama to ensure the interests that are vital for the security of Israel's citizens," Netanyahu said in a short, congratulatory statement hailing what he called strong strategic relations with Washington.

But in remarks underscoring a rift with the United States over possible Israeli military action against Iran, Netanyahu said in an interview broadcast on Israel's Channel 2 this week: "If there is no other way to stop Iran, Israel is ready to act."

Relations between Netanyahu and Obama hit a new low two months ago after the Israeli leader said nations which failed to set "red lines" for Iran - which denies seeking atomic arms - did not have the "moral right" to stop Israel from attacking.

Such comments, along with financial backing for Republican candidate Mitt Romney from a US casino magnate who is also one of Netanyahu's biggest supporters, were seized upon by critics as evidence the Israeli leader was trying to undermine Obama.

Netanyahu denied he was interfering in US politics.

But former Israeli ambassador to Washington, Sallai Meridor, suggested that Obama would not easily forget that Netanyahu had created a perception that Israel wanted Romney to defeat him.

Obama is "very strategic, very disciplined", Meridor said during a panel discussion on the US election at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv.

"But I don't think we can just assume that what happened between them over past four years will have just evaporated," he said. "When people fight for their political life and have the perception that their partner is trying to undermine their chances, it's not going to disappear."

One of the Israeli prime minister's own leading coalition allies, Eli Yishai of the religious Shas party, said simply: "It's not a very good morning for Netanyahu."

PEACE TALKS

For the Palestinians, Obama's win over Romney - who offended them by suggesting during a visit to Israel in July that cultural differences accounted for the weakness of their economy compared with Israel's - stirred little emotion.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said in a statement he hopes Obama "continues his efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East". US-backed peace talks with Israel collapsed in 2010 over Israeli settlement building.

At the forum in Tel Aviv, Dan Shapiro, the US ambassador to Israel, said it would be unrealistic to think Obama would choose to ignore the Palestinian issue in his second term.

"It always finds its way back onto the agenda. You can't expect this to go away or remain on the back-burner," he said, without offering a prediction of what Obama might do.

In the West Bank city of Ramallah, unemployed Narmeen Taha, 37, voiced hope that freedom from re-election pressure might make Obama readier to take the Palestinians' side: "Maybe Obama, now that he doesn't have to worry about re-election, will exert more pressure on Israel than during his first term.

"But I also don't think we'll see a sudden turnaround."

Obama's victory could complicate Netanyahu's run in Israel's January 22 national ballot, which opinion polls show he will win.

Former premier Ehud Olmert, who accuses Netanyahu of harming Israel's "most vital interests", was more likely to announce his candidacy now that Obama was returned to office, analysts said.

Olmert unsuccessfully pursued peace with the Palestinians before resigning in 2008 over corruption allegations. Should he run, Olmert is widely expected to seek to unite centrist and left-wing parties into a new bloc trumpeting slogans warning of four more years of acrimony between Netanyahu and Obama.

"Netanyahu bet on the wrong president and got us into hot water with Obama," the opposition Kadima party said on Facebook.

In his message to Obama, however, Netanyahu adopted a phrase used lately by the president's own supporters to describe strategic relations with Washington as "stronger than ever".


Just minutes after the networks declared President Obama the winner, and while Karl Rove was still ranting to Fox colleagues about Mitt Romney's Ohio numbers, pundits were already starting a debate over whether the election gave Obama a mandate—and, if so, what that mandate entailed.Jonathan Cohn wrote in The New Republic!

It's a reasonable and important question. But before we get to it, let's not forget that the significance of this election is as much about the past as the future. And that shouldn't diminish it.

Romney and the Republicans had turned the election into a referendum on liberalism—not just the liberalism of Obama, but also the liberalism of Johnson and Kennedy, of Truman and Roosevelt. They proposed massive, fundamental changes to the welfare state and wholesale rollbacks of women's rights, and challenged the philosophy behind such policies—the whole idea that governments should act to protect vulnerable groups and to guarantee economic security.

It was a huge gambit. And it failed. But conservatives aren't going to drop their agenda. Come January, Paul Ryan will be back in the House of Representatives, running the budget committee, and he'll find plenty of allies on and off Capitol Hill. But proposals to make Medicare a voucher program, to decimate Medicaid and food stamps, to reduce federal spending by unprecedented increments—those proposals have almost no chance of becoming law, at least in the forseeable future.

And the most recent addition to the welfare state, the signature accomplishment of Obama's term, isn't going anywhere, either. I've waited more than two years to write this sentence: The Affordable Care Act is here to stay. It survived the Supreme Court and now it has survived the threat of a unified Republican government determined to repeal it. Implementation of the law will present huge challenges, but, for the first time in a long while, the administration and its allies can focus on those challenges rather than on rearguard political fights to keep the program alive.

The political focus on these programs over the last few months led many observers to say the campaign was "small." I think these observers have forgotten how much these programs have meant—and will mean—to most Americans. For those who get sick, or lose their jobs, or use public schools, or have disabilities, or need college loans—for all of them, Obama's victory means peace of mind.

The election also sent a big, powerful message about what it means to be an American. The election of an African-American to the nation's highest office is old news by now, but it remains remarkable, particularly given the feverish, relentless efforts by conservatives to paint Obama as un-American. And the same goes for Obama's political coalition. Lazy pundits have fallen into the habit of dismissing Obama's constituency because it cedes white voters, particularly white men, to Republicans. But Obama's disproportionately female, disproportionately minority coalition happens to be majority. And it's getting better. They are no longer the "other." They are the authentic face of America.

But what about the next four years? Doesn't Obama still need a governing plan? Sure. And if Obama has been relatively silent lately on some urgent issues—chief among them, climate change—he's been quite clear when it comes to economic policy. He's produced plans for strengthening the recovery. He's laid out principles for reducing the deficit: Relatively modest reductions in spending coupled with higher taxes on the wealthy. And with the coming debate over the spending sequester and expiration of the Bush tax cuts, both set for January 2013, Obama will get a chance to apply those principles.

The stakes in this fight are large: Depending on the terms, they will define the scope of the federal government for at least a generation to come. And, unlike in recent fiscal debates, Obama should have leverage—more, perhaps, than at any time since the earliest days of his presidency. He can hold out in the debate over the sequester and Bush tax cuts, because the default action—doing nothing—is far worse for Republicans than it is for him. And with the newly elected Tammy Baldwin and Elizabeth Warren joining the reelected Sherrod Brown and Sheldon Whitehouse in the Senate, Obama should have a more unified and incrementally more liberal congressional party behind him. (Hopefully they will push Obama, even as they get his back.)

How this plays out depends a great deal on the Republicans, of course. At least since early 2010, after the bruising fight over health care, Obama has been predicting that the Republicans would not become a responsible governing party until they experienced the consequences of extremism. Now that has happened. Republicans effectively ceded winnable Senate seats by nominating far-right candidates. And they lost a potentially winnable presidential election by nominating a candidate who ran on the Paul Ryan budget and even named Ryan as his running mate.

Maybe some moderates will react to Tuesday's GOP debacle by breaking with the Tea Party, and reaching out to Obama. Or maybe they will be too scared of reprisals from the right wing, as they have ever since Obama took office. I have no idea. But, whatever happens over the next four years, Obama's reelection guarantees that the laws passed during his first term stay on the books. That instantly makes him one of the most accomplished presidents of modern times. Already Obama and his allies have shaped this country in ways that will last for generations—making life more secure, and creating new opportunities, for tens of millions of Americans.

Wall Street firms are also worried about Elizabeth Warren, whose victory in the Massachusetts Senate race may galvanize her to push for more regulations on bank lending to protect consumers. Warren was instrumental in creating the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which critics say could weigh down the economy with new regulations.

I think the Obama win, along with Elizabeth Warren, will lead to more accountability and tighter regulation on Wall Street, said Chris Tobe, who advises pension plans as a principal at Stable Value Consultants and is a trustee of the Kentucky state pension fund. Especially after a big shift to Romney from Wall Street, Obama I believe will be less likely to hold back on regulation this term.

People working in the U.S. securities and investment industry gave $20 million to Romney's campaign, versus $6 million to Obama, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Four years ago, Obama received $16 million and Republican nominee John McCain only attracted $9 million.

I voted for Obama in 2008 but obviously believed that Romney would be better able to handle the problems that we're confronting, said Scott Sperling, co-president of private equity firm Thomas H Lee Partners. It is incumbent on us to work with the administration in a productive way to deal with these issues.

RELATIONS WITH REGULATORS

Some banking industry lobbyists say their focus will be on the key regulators Obama is expected to name in his second term.

Among the financial industry's top complaints are the Volcker rule, which prevents banks from making big bets in financial markets with their own money, and the Durbin amendment, which limits the fees they can charge merchants for processing debit-card transactions.

Banks also want to scale back capital requirements, which cut into the returns banks can earn on their equity capital.

As key details of Dodd-Frank have yet to be ironed out, the banks need good relations with regulators to influence their interpretation of the rules.

Chairmen often determine agendas at agencies such as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), so Obama's choices to fill any open spots could affect how quickly new rules are rolled out.

If there was a different chair who had a different agenda, you could slow things down, said Bart Chilton, a Democratic commissioner at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

CHANGING CAST OF CHARACTERS

Major power players under Obama, including Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, are expected to step down, offering Wall Street a chance to reset relations.

One possible replacement for Geithner, who has said he will not stay for a second Obama term, is White House Chief of Staff Jack Lew, a former Citigroup Inc banker.

I hope Obama puts someone in who understands fiscal issues and who will have stature to work on the Hill to negotiate some type of package on fiscal reform, said Sheila Bair, former Federal Deposit Insurance Corp chairman.

SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro's term does not expire until June 2014, but speculation about her departure has been swirling for well over a year. Last month, she attempted to shoot down the rumors, saying she had not thought about her post-SEC plans.

SEC watchers speculate the job could go to SEC Commissioner Elisse Walter, a close friend of Schapiro's and a former executive at the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, an industry-funded watchdog.

CFTC Chairman Gary Gensler's term technically expired in April. He is allowed to stay on as chairman until the end of 2013 and his renomination is an open question.

Gensler has been assailed by Republicans over his implementation of Dodd-Frank and criticized by lawmakers on both sides of the aisle following the collapse of futures brokerages MF Global and Peregrine Financial Group.

Some Democratic politicians have also criticized Gensler for not doing enough to crack down on oil market speculators, with a few going so far as to suggest he should not be renominated.

FISCAL CLIFF

Much of Wall Street's regulatory agenda, however, is set to take a back-seat in the short term due to the looming fiscal cliff -- a package of tax increases and federal spending cuts that will begin in January unless lawmakers act.

Bankers are worried an impasse in solving the issue could spark an economic downturn that would hit the value of assets and make banks more reluctant to lend.

In the longer term, banking lobbyists and other opponents to Dodd-Frank will try to beat back some rules with technicalities.

Paul Atkins, a Republican and former SEC commissioner, said he expects Dodd-Frank reform critics may have some success making narrow legal challenges and seeking to throttle reforms through congressional oversight.

Dodd-Frank assigned a lot of powers to the regulatory agencies, so there is not much that Congress can do, he said.

I expect that the Republican House would keep the pressure on through hearings, like they are doing now. People will also certainly take the fight to the courts.

Obama, America's first black president, won by convincing voters to stick with him as he tries to reignite strong economic growth and recover from the worst recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s. An uneven recovery has been showing some signs of strength but the country's 7.9 percent jobless rate remains stubbornly high.

Obama's victory in the hotly contested swing state of Ohio – as projected by TV networks – was a major step in the fight for the 270 electoral votes needed to clinch the White House and ended Romney's hopes of pulling off a string of swing-state upsets.

Obama scored narrow wins in Ohio, Wisconsin, Iowa, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire - all states that Romney had contested - while the only swing state captured by Romney was North Carolina, according to television network projections.

The nationwide popular vote remained extremely close.

Romney delayed his concession as some Republicans questioned whether Obama had in fact won Ohio despite the decisions by election experts at all the major TV networks to declare it for the president.

The later addition of Colorado and Virginia to Obama's tally - according to network projections - meant that even if the final result from Ohio were to be reversed, Romney still could not reach the needed number of electoral votes in America's state-by-state system of choosing a president.

While Obama supporters in Chicago were ecstatic, Romney's Boston event was grim as the news was announced on television screens there. A steady stream of people left the ballroom at the Boston convention center.

At least 120 million American voters had been expected to cast votes in the race between the Democratic incumbent and Romney after a campaign that was focused on how to repair the ailing U.S. economy.

The same problems that dogged Obama in his first term are still there to confront him again.

He faces a difficult task of tackling $1 trillion annual deficits, reducing a $16 trillion national debt, overhauling expensive social programs and dealing with a gridlocked US Congress that kept the same partisan makeup.

Obama's Democrats held their Senate majority, while Romney's Republicans retained House of Representatives control.

Democrat Claire McCaskill retained her US Senate seat from Missouri, beating Republican congressman Todd Akin, who stirred controversy with his comment in August that women's bodies could ward off pregnancy in cases of legitimate rape.

Democrats gained a Senate seat in Indiana that had been in Republican hands for decades after Republican candidate Richard Mourdock called pregnancy from rape something that God intended. Democratic congressman Joe Donnelly won the race.

In another high-profile Senate race, Democrat Elizabeth Warren, a law professor who headed the watchdog panel that oversaw the government's financial sector bailout, defeated incumbent Massachusetts Republican Senator Scott Brown.

Former Maine Governor Angus King won a three-way contest for the Senate seat of retiring Republican Olympia Snowe. King ran as an independent, but he is expected to caucus with Democrats in what would amount to a Democratic pick-up.

Florida Democratic Senator Bill Nelson easily beat back a challenge from Republican congressman Connie Mack to win a third term, while Democratic congressman Chris Murphy beat Republican Linda McMahon, a businesswoman who had served as chief executive of a professional wrestling company.

George Soros says Obama victory means 'more sensible politics'

Billionaire investor George Soros said late Tuesday that the re-election of President Barack Obama will open the door for a more sensible politics.

Soros, who has contributed mightily to Democratic causes, said: I'm delighted that President Obama has won. The American electorate has rejected extremist positions, opening the door for a more sensible politics.

Hopefully the Republicans in office will make better partners in the coming years, most urgently in avoiding the so-called fiscal cliff.

Asia Sees Stability in Obama Re-Election

By BOB DAVIS in Beijing, YUKA HAYASHI in Tokyo And JAMES HOOKWAY in Bangkok

U.S. President Barack Obama's re-election gives Asian leaders greater certainty that Washington will press ahead with its drive to step up a military and diplomatic pivot toward the region—a move that requires careful management of its relationship with rising regional power China.

But the administration may need to work to bolster ties with Beijing after a bruising political campaign that made China a central issue. Both sides will also contend with new faces at the other side of the table following the expected retirement of senior U.S. and Chinese officials.

Another four years of Obama is not a bad thing to China. J.P. Morgan's China CEO of investment banking tells Deborah Kan why China likes the status quo.

China was a highly politicized issue during the presidential campaign, but what happens after the election? Paul Krake, the founder of View from the Peak, a macro strategist consultancy, talks about key economic issues between the two countries.

The Obama administration has invested much of its diplomatic capital in rebuilding its ties to the region over the last couple of years after a decade focused on the Middle East and Afghanistan. It has angered China by supporting calls among many Southeast Asian nations for a multilateral solution to competing territorial claims to the South China Sea, a potentially research-rich area that is claimed in its entirety by China.

It has also pledged to extend its missile defense systems to guard against potential actions from North Korea, has pressed forward with improved relations with Myanmar and has said it will put 2,500 Marines on Australia's north coast—all moves that have prompted concern from Beijing.

Chinese officials on Wednesday joined other regional leaders in congratulating Mr. Obama's victory over Republican challenger Mitt Romney. Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao congratulated Mr. Obama, according China Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei, while Vice President Xi Jinping congratulated U.S. Vice President Joe Biden. Mr. Xi is widely expected to succeed Mr. Hu as chief of the Chinese Communist Party at the end of a weeklong party gathering that begins Thursday, then succeed him as president next year.

"China is willing to work together with the U.S. to focus on the future, to continue its efforts to promote the Sino-U.S. partnership to achieve new and greater development, and to better benefit the two peoples and the people of the world," Mr. Hong said.

Officials in Japan, South Korea, India, Thailand and other nations also offered their congratulations, with an aide to Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono saying he hoped it would lead to stronger ties between the two countries. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said he viewed Mr. Obama's re-election as an opportunity to improve the U.S.'s relations with the Muslim world. "My hope is that President Obama will continue in his efforts to foster understanding and respect between the United States and Muslims around the world," he said.

Mr. Obama's victory was also greeted warmly by investors, who sent most Asian stock markets modestly higher.

Mr. Obama took a tough rhetorical line with China during the campaign to blunt criticism from Mr. Romney, who vowed to formally accuse China of manipulating its currency to benefit its exporters at the expense of U.S. manufacturers. During a debate last month with Mr. Romney, Mr. Obama said for the first time that his administration's increasing military focus on Asia was a response to China's growing might, contradicting the administration's assurances to Beijing. The administration also has pressed China in trade disputes before the World Trade Organization.

Still, China experts said Mr. Obama's victory will likely be positive for the relationship. "Mr. Obama is the lesser of two evils," said Shi Yinhong, an expert on U.S.-China relations at Renmin University in Beijing.

"The rivalry will remain between the U.S. and China, but Obama offers a much more moderate approach to China," Mr. Shi added.

Negotiations between the two will increasingly be handled by different players. On the U.S. side, U.S. TreasuryTimothy Geithner, who has long experience in China, plans to step down, while U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is also widely expected to resign. "The Chinese like to feel they have special access," said Orville Schell, director of the Arthur Ross Center on China-U.S. Relations at the Asia Society in New York. "That's the danger for Obama with Hillary going."

The resignations have sparked concerns among some U.S. allies as well. "Mrs. Clinton has taken a hard-line stance against China in some ways and maintained a decisive attitude," said Akihisa Nagashima, Japan's deputy defense minister, who has served as a bridge between Washington and the ruling Democratic Party of Japan. "If the next state secretary is someone who prefers a softer approach to China, Japan could face a rough time, despite our bilateral security agreement."

On the China side, Wang Qishan—China's point person on a number of strategic and economic issues—is widely expected to get a promotion to the Politburo Standing Committee, China's top ruling body, during China's leadership change. Dai Bingguo, China's state councilor and a top foreign policy figure, is expected to retire.

Still, Barclays Capital analyst Huang Yiping said deepened economic ties will give the new personnel on both sides little reason to rock the boat. "If you have new leaders in charge of economic affairs, they'll have to spend time getting to know each other," Mr. Huang said. But "we are in for a period of mutual accommodation; no one wants to damage the economic relationship."

Mr. Obama's victory was greeted with relief by some in South Korea, who worried that Mr. Romney could inflame the situation with North Korea by taking a tougher rhetorical stance than South Korean officials.

"How to deal with North Korea has always been a crucial part of the South Korean-U.S. relationship, and Mr. Obama should be easier than Mr. Romney for Seoul's new government to get along with," said Kim Hyun-wook, a professor at Seoul's state-run Korea National Diplomatic Academy.

On another front, the Obama administration is sure to continue to push for the creation of Trans-Pacific Partnership, a U.S.-Pacific nation trade pact that pointedly excludes China. Talks could slow while the U.S. looks for a replacement for U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, who plans to step down. But Japanese officials hope Obama administration can discuss the treaty with less worry about reaction from Congress and Mr. Obama's union supporters.

"The TPP piece of the puzzle is critical for us," said Sheila Smith, Washington-based senior fellow for Japan studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. "We can't just talk about the micro issues of our military relationship. We have to have a vibrant economic relationship."

The administration has another potential area for improvement in India, say some businesspeople there who worry it could be hostile toward outsourcing of technology jobs given concerns over U.S. job growth. Mr. Obama's victory is "not the best news for India or the IT outsourcing industry," said Phaneesh Murthy, the chief executive of iGate Corp., a U.S.-listed IT company that has most of its offices in India. He added that the local technology industry will be closely watching if the "election rhetoric" continues into 2013.

The U.S. in the past few years has tightened its visa policies and increased the fees on visas used by software companies to send their employees to the U.S. to work on projects.

Meanwhile, Mr. Obama's win was welcomed with undisguised enthusiasm in a country where Washington was, until recently, viewed as an enemy: Myanmar. Zaw Htay, an official in the office of Myanmar's President Thein Sein, used his Facebook FB -1.90% page to offer his support. "Congratulations !!!" Mr. Zaw Htay wrote. "Now, he can move forward."
—Olivia Geng and Josh Chin in Beijing, Dhanya Ann Thoppil in Bangalore and Kwanwoo Jun in Seoul contributed to this article.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323894704578104141204920404.html


Catapulted to power on the slogan of 'hope' and 'change' with a landslide victory over Vietnam War veteran Republican John McCain then, he had lost some of that aura as he sought to capture the magic of 2008 with the new slogan of "Forward".

After winning the presidency for the second time, Obama said: "Tonight, more than 200 years after a former colony won the right to determine its own destiny, the task of perfecting our union moves forward."

"... It moves forward because you reaffirmed the spirit that has triumphed over war and depression, the spirit that has lifted this country from the depths of despair to the great heights of hope, the belief that while each of us will pursue our own individual dreams, we are an American family, and we rise or fall together as one nation and as one people.

"... while our road has been hard, while our journey has been long, we have picked ourselves up, we have fought our way back, and we know in our hearts that for the United States of America, the best is yet to come," he declared to deafening cheers of thousands of supporters at the Obama campaign headquarters in Chicago.

Obama entered the fray with a no mean record - end of Iraq war, death of 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden to a signature healthcare law and bringing the US out of the throes of a recession, yet a still slowly recovering economy and loss of tens of thousands of jobs threatened to bar his return and take the shine off some of his lofty campaign promises.

Many began derisively referring to him as a "fallen angel".

But some encouraging economic news in recent days - good jobs numbers, growing consumer confidence, improving housing market, a rising stock market and a display of cool leadership during superstorm Sandy helped him pull it off.

Born in Hawaii Aug 4, 1961, Obama was raised with help from his grandfather, who served in Patton's army, and his grandmother, who worked her way up from the secretarial pool to middle management at a bank. He lived in Indonesia from 1967 to 1971 with his mother and her second husband.

After working his way through school with the help of scholarship money and student loans, Obama moved to Chicago to work as a community organizer before going on to Harvard Law School, where he was elected as the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review.

He worked as a civil rights attorney in Chicago and taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School from 1992 to 2004, served three terms in the Illinois Senate from 1997 to 2004, running unsuccessfully for the US House of Representatives in 2000.

Coming into limelight with a keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in July 2004, he won the Senate election in November 2004 before throwing his hat into the ring for the presidential race in February 2007 where after a bitter fight with former first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, he won his party's nomination. The rest is history.

Just nine months into his presidency, catching the imagination of the world as he overcame challenges about his place of birth, his religion and his race, Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize "for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples".

Initially opposed to the landmark India-US civil nuclear deal as a senator, Obama after election quickly warmed up to India and called the US-India relationship as one of the "defining and indispensable partnerships of the 21st century", which has become a catchphrase of his administration.

In Obama's second term, his Democratic party has vowed to "continue to invest in a long-term strategic partnership with India to support its ability to serve as a regional economic anchor and provider of security in the broader Indian Ocean region".

The only beef that India had with Obama is his election cycle rant against outsourcing. But now that the dust of election has settled, one can expect India-US relationship to continue its upward trajectory with the two-way trade between them set to cross $100 billion this year.

India's outsourcing chiefs crossed their fingers that Barack Obama would take a less hawkish stance on the industry during his second term, as they cheered his re-election as a possible boost to the U.S. economy.

Obama sharpened his rhetoric against industries that move jobs out of America during his re-election campaign, and his administration has been criticised by outsourcing industry bodies in India for tightening visa rules.

"Not the best news for India or the IT outsourcing industry," Phaneesh Murthy, chief executive officer of iGate Corp (IGTE.O), said in response to Obama's victory.

"We need to understand how much of the election rhetoric continues into 2013 and that will determine the full implications to us," Murthy said in a statement.

India's trade minister had criticised Obama's administration for a hike in visa charges for companies that have the majority of their employees overseas as "highly discriminatory" and detrimental to the profitability of Indian IT companies.

"I am hopeful ... there will be more pragmatic approaches to some of the problems," Kris Gopalakrishnan, executive co-chairman of Infosys Ltd (INFY.NS) said on Wednesday at the World Economic Forum on the outskirts of Delhi.

"I am hopeful that the U.S. government will do the right thing."

India's $100 billion IT services sector has seen a sharp slowdown in growth in recent quarters as Western clients hold back on spending. Europe and the United States account for around three-quarters of the industry's revenues.

"I think that there will be a lot of economic activity," N. Chandrasekaran, chief executive officer of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS.NS), the industry leader, said in response to Obama's re-election. "That translates into significant opportunities for the technology sector."

HCL Technologies (HCLT.NS), India's fourth-largest software services provider, said in a statement that it hoped Obama's second term would "uplift the business sentiment and lead economic resurgence in America".

With unemployment a crunch issue in the election, President Obama stepped up his criticism of U.S. firms 'exporting' jobs early on in his campaign, seeking to tax them more and use that money to help those companies that keep jobs at home.

Adi Godrej, president of trade lobby group the Confederation of Indian Industry, described that stance as "election rhetoric".

"Every time there's a U.S. election, these issues are raised," he told Reuters.

But some Indian business leaders said Obama's stance on outsourcing was a worrying trade issue.

"I would prefer Romney and the Republicans to Obama and the Democrats on trade policies, outsourcing and economic matters," said Rahul Bajaj, chairman of the Bajaj Group industrial conglomerate. "Democrats and Obama ... think you should not outsource more. That is bad. There Romney would have been better."

Obama's Welfare State: More Beneficiaries Now Above Poverty Line than Below
               
               
By Eliana Johnson
                            
October 29, 2012 1:39 P.M.
           
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Despite the curveballs – Benghazi, a hurricane – this election will pivot on the economy, the debt, and the deficit. Looming in the background is the issue of entitlement spending, which must be reformed if entitlements are to continue to exist at all.
In the Fall 2012 issue of National Affairs, George Mason University Professor David Armor and post-doctoral fellow Sonia Sousa present astonishing but little-known data on the expansion of the welfare state under President Obama. A glance at the data as they present it goes a long way in explaining our entitlement problem and how we might go about fixing it. Armor and Sousa trace the growth of entitlements to the expansion of eligibility for them: More Americans above the poverty line than below it are now receiving the benefits of our largest and most expensive welfare programs.
Take the case of food stamps. Newt Gingrich dubbed Obama the "food stamp president," and he may be deserving of the title. Participation in the largest food-stamp program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) doubled from 20 million in the 1980s to 40 million in 2010, but not because there were more poor Americans. Between 2008 and 2010 alone, the percentage of non-poor Americans receiving food stamps increased by 10 percent and a whopping 51 percent of food-stamp recipients are now above the poverty line.  
The same is true for the major health-care programs, Medicaid, where benefits per recipient increased to $4,700 in 2010 from $3,800 in 2005, and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The chart below shows that most beneficiaries are over the poverty line, including 79 percent of those over the age of 65 — you know, all the people Paul Ryan wants to wheel over the cliff.
Armor and Sousa parse the data in far more detail than I've done here. They go on to analyze similar data for the recipients of federal income assistance and housing assistance, with much the same outcome. Their piece is also prescriptive, but concludes, in part:  
   
The key to controlling our swiftly growing welfare programs is to think in terms of the purpose and not just the size of government. The idea that anti-poverty programs should help those who are poor is so obvious as to be a tautology. And yet — as the data above illustrate clearly — this is not at all how our federal anti-poverty programs work today.
Read the whole thing.
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/331950/obamas-welfare-state-more-beneficiaries-now-above-poverty-line-below-eliana-johnson

                                                                                Obama Victory, Sandy Give Environmental Groups Hopes For Climate Change Action                                    

                                                        
                                                                                                                                        
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With President Barack Obama's reelection victory unfolding against the backdrop of an East Coast brought to its knees by last week's historically violent storm, Hurricane Sandy -- an event that in many minds is linked, directly or indirectly, to a rapidly warming planet -- environmental groups expressed guarded hope late Tuesday that a new opportunity was at hand to address climate change and a diverse menu of other green issues that they say the president proved either unwilling, or unable, to fully shoulder during his first four years.
"With his reelection, President Obama has the opportunity to fulfill the promise of his campaign and tackle the greatest challenges of our generation," said Andrew Steer, the president of the World Resources Institute, in an emailed statement late Tuesday night. "At the top of the list should be climate change -- which is already taking a serious toll on people, property, resources and the economy."
Just what the president might do on this and other environmental fronts is unclear. Congressional races across the country appear to have left Capitol Hill as divided as ever, and with a fiscal crisis looming, the president could conceivably face even stiffer winds as he enters his second term. That is unlikely, however, to stop the nation's environmental advocates -- newly energized by a storm that has put climate change at the forefront of many people's minds -- from pressing the president for bold action.
"The administration has been too fearful of taking on vested interests," said Wenona Hautner, the executive director of the group Food & Water Watch, who ticked off a list of agenda items that, in addition to climate change, she said she'd like to see Obama take up in a second term. These included clear labeling rules for genetically modified foods, improved water infrastructure, reform of confined livestock feeding operations and an end to horizontal hydraulic fracturing -- the controversial method for extracting oil and gas from deep underground layers of shale.
"My takeaway," Hautner said, "is that if we're going to get anything done, we're going to have to make him do it."
To be sure, over the last four years the president has received high marks from environmental campaigners for a variety of measures -- particularly a handful that would directly impact U.S. emissions of greenhouse gases. These include historic investments in clean energy, establishing pollution restrictions on new power plants and issuing tough new standards for fuel efficiency in cars and trucks -- all measures that would help to curb planet warming pollutants.
But the Obama administration has also endured withering criticism from some environmentalists for failing to develop or push aggressively for a comprehensive plan to address global warming, and for avoiding frank discussion of the issue with the American people -- particularly over the course of his 2012 reelection campaign. The president has also assiduously pursued an "all of the above" energy strategy that includes not just investments in renewable sources like solar and wind power, but a fulsome embrace of domestic oil and gas drilling, and continued support of so-called clean coal technology, which remains an oxymoron to most environmental groups.
   
"'All of the above' is guaranteed climate change," said Jacqueline Savitz, deputy vice president for U.S. campaigns with the group Oceana. "So if you're comfortable with that, then you'll have to just accept the fact that we're going to have more severe storms, more frequent storms, and weird weather, as well as shifts in agricultural production, shifts in species, complete turmoil in ecosystems. 'All of the above' means more climate change, and there's no way out of that."
Savitz added that the nation was in danger of "missing the boat" in addressing the global warming problem before it's too late. "The number one item on the agenda now has to be developing and initiating a plan for weaning us off of fossil fuels," she said.
Brad Johnson, campaign director for the group Forecast the Facts, which co-sponsored a website documenting the candidates' silence on climate change, also criticized Obama's "rhetoric supporting increased oil and gas and coal production." The president, Johnson said, "needs to follow through with his 2007 promise to 'phase out a carbon-based economy' and his 2009 pledge to 'confront climate change by ending the world's dependence on fossil fuels.'"
Phil Radford, the executive director of Greenpeace USA, agreed -- though he added that an even more fundamental requirement for Obama in a second term would be seeking out Supreme Court candidates who favor ending corporate personhood, the legal concept that bestows businesses with a variety of person-like rights, including the right to influence elections by spending large amounts of money. Short of this, Radford argued, any environmental and climate policies implemented by Obama will prove very short-lived. "That needs to be number one," Radford said. "Otherwise he'll just watch everything he cares about erode over time."
Given the inability to move legislation through a gridlocked Congress, much of what the president has cared about environmentally over the last four years has been pursued, as a matter of necessity, through regulation -- typically through the Environmental Protection Agency. The odds are this trend will continue, said David Goldston, senior adviser for the Natural Resources Defense Council Action Fund. "If things work out as they appear, the chances for things moving legislatively over the next two years are quite limited," Goldston said, adding that under existing statutes, the administration still retains a good deal of authority.
The EPA has, after all, established historic new standards for cars and trucks that will effectively double fuel efficiency by 2024, and introduced measures that would curb greenhouse gas emissions from new power plants. But the regulatory route, some critics say, is too piecemeal and uncertain to tackle some of the nation's most pressing environmental issues -- including climate change.
In August, for example, a federal court struck down an EPA rule that would have governed pollution drifting across state lines -- known as the cross-state air pollution rule. In what was seen as a concession to major polluters, the Obama administration also abruptly dropped plans last year to vastly curb smog-generating emissions, angering environmentalists. And the EPA's proposed rule for curbing emissions by new power plants is seen by many critics as an empty gesture, given that new coal-burning plants -- the only facilities that would likely be affected by the rule -- are unlikely to be built anyway, given the cost advantage of natural gas.
"The cross-state rule was overturned, so that needs to be redone," Radford said. "The smog rule he punted on, and the carbon rules he did only for new power plants -- but there really won't be new coal plants, so it's really just a symbolic move that won't really have an effect on pollution."
Obama can use last week's superstorm -- which some scientists suggest could have been made more powerful by a climate already in flux due to humanity's burning of fossil fuels, and in any case is the sort of storm that many experts believe will become more common as the planet warms -- as a moment to press for a "more ambitious and more visionary about shift away from dirty energy," Radford said.
How such visionary leadership might stack up against infamously obstructive Republicans in Congress, who have spent the last four years diligently promoting the interests of the fossil-fuel industries, is unclear. But Fred Krupp, the president of the Environmental Defense Fund, suggested that one way around the Congressional gridlock would be to encourage better management of the prodigious amounts of methane that experts say leaks out into the atmosphere during natural gas production and transmission.
Unlike carbon dioxide, methane is not just a potent greenhouse gas. It's also a valuable commodity. Krupp believes that bipartisan support for capturing more of it could be an important first step in partisan detente on the climate issue -- and one that the president could help to foster. "Some people would support it because we don't want to waste precious American fuel," he said. "Others would support it because it's good for the climate."
Whatever the efficacy of that strategy, there was an overriding sense among many advocates ahead of Obama's victory last night that Hurricane Sandy and the volatile storm she ultimately became could prove galvanizing all on its own -- even for a divided Congress.
"I think one big unknown is whether Sandy proves to be a game changer," said Elliot Diringer, the executive vice president of the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions and a former senior policy advisor at the White House Council on Environmental Quality under President Bill Clinton. "We've seen many times how a high profile event can catalyze public concern and strong environmental action," Diringer said -- pointing by way of example to the 1978 toxic waste scandal at Love Canal, which led to the formation of the Superfund, and the Cuyahoga River catching fire, which led to the Clean Water Act.
"There's a pattern of Congress enacting strong environmental legislation in the wake of high-profile events," Diringer said. "And with the full impact of Sandy still mounting -- and if governors and mayors start pushing on Washington to do something, particularly if that's bipartisan -- then there may be a real opening here to deliver stronger action."
In his victory address early Wednesday morning, Obama said "We want our children to live in an America ... that isn't threatened by the destructive power of a warming planet."
A true test of that conviction, suggested Bill McKibben, the environmentalist and founder of the climate-action group 350.org, will be one other decision that Obama must soon make, and which activists will be closely watching: Whether to approve the contentious Keystone XL oil pipeline, which would deliver Canadian heavy crude oil to the Texas Gulf Coast.
"A year ago, he said they needed a year to study it," McKibben said of Obama. "That year turned out to be the warmest in American history, with a melted Arctic and a flooded Manhattan.
"We'll see if Obama has it in him," he added, "to actually keep some carbon in the ground."

            http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/07/obama-sandy-climate-change_n_2086942.html

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Foreign policy of the Barack Obama administration

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It has been suggested that Barack Obama foreign policy be merged into this article or section. (Discuss) Proposed since February 2011.

The Foreign policy of the Barack Obama administration is the foreign policy of the United States from January 20, 2009 onward under the administration of President Barack Obama. Some of Obama's major foreign policy advisors include Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, National Security Advisor Tom Donilon, and United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice. Obama's overall foreign policy philosophy has been postulated as "The Obama Doctrine" by Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne as "a form of realism unafraid to deploy American power but mindful that its use must be tempered by practical limits and a dose of self-awareness."^[1]

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton

Contents 1 History 1.1 Background 1.2 Initial themes 1.3 Appointments 2 Africa 2.1 Somalia 2.2 Zimbabwe 3 Asia 3.1 East Asia 3.2 South Asia 4 Europe 5 Middle East 6 Americas 6.1 Brazil 6.2 Canada 6.3 Cuba 6.4 Honduras 6.5 Jamaica 6.6 Venezuela 7 Other issues 7.1 Climate change 7.2 Increased Exports 7.3 Muslim Relations 8 See also 9 References 10 Further reading 11 External links

History

See also: Barack Obama foreign policy, Barack Obama presidential campaign, 2008, and Presidential transition of Barack Obama

Background

During his campaign for the presidency, Barack Obama advocated a phased redeployment of troops out of Iraq within 16 months of being sworn in as president.^[2] In order to accomplish this Obama stated that he would, based on the conditions on the ground, redeploy between one and two battalions a month.^[3] Some of the forces would return to the U.S., while others would be redeployed as part of a focus on the broader region including Afghanistan and Pakistan to confront terrorism.^[4] Obama gave his first major foreign policy speech of his campaign on April 23, 2007 to the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, in which he outlined his foreign policy objectives, stressing five key points:

1. "bringing a responsible end to this war in Iraq and refocusing on the critical challenges in the broader region,"
2. "by building the first truly 21st century military and showing wisdom in how we deploy it,"
3. "by marshalling a global effort to meet a threat that rises above all others in urgency – securing, destroying, and stopping the spread of weapons of mass destruction,"
4. "rebuild and construct the alliances and partnerships necessary to meet common challenges and confront common threats", and
5. "while America can help others build more secure societies, we must never forget that only the citizens of these nations can sustain them."

During his campaign, Obama emphasized the importance of diplomacy and development as tools to aid the U.S. in building new and even stronger alliances, re-building broken relationships and repairing the United States image abroad.^{[citation needed]} In addition, he stated that one of his foreign policy objectives was to combat global poverty, generate wealth and build educated and healthy communities as a means to combat extremism.^{[citation needed]}

President-elect Obama nominated former rival, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton to serve as his Secretary of State on December 1, 2008, and chose to keep Secretary of Defense Robert Gates as his Secretary of Defense. He would appoint General James L. Jones to serve as his National Security Advisor and nominate Governor of Arizona Janet Napolitano as Secretary of Homeland Security.

Clinton stated during her confirmation hearings that she believed that "the best way to advance America's interests in reducing global threats and seizing global opportunities is to design and implement global solutions." She stated, "We must use what has been called "smart power", the full range of tools at our disposal — diplomatic, economic, military, political, legal and cultural — picking the right tool or combination of tools for each situation. With smart power, diplomacy will be the vanguard of our foreign policy."^[5]

During the last weeks before his inauguration, in addition to the several major conflicts in the world, fighting related to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict erupted anew, specifically in Gaza, between Israel and the Hamas-led government. The 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict ended in an uneasy cease-fire on January 18, 2009, two days prior to Obama's inauguration.

Initial themes

Further information: Obama inauguration

Wikisource has original text related to this article: Barack Obama's Inaugural Address

In his inaugural address, Obama, elaborating on his foreign policy, suggested that he hoped to begin the process of withdrawing from Iraq and continuing to focus on the conflict in Afghanistan. He also mentioned lessening the nuclear threat through "working tirelessly with old friends and former foes." He spoke about America's determination to combat terrorism by proclaiming that America's spirit is "stronger and cannot be broken — you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you." To the Muslim world, Obama extended an invite to "a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect." He also said we would be willing to "extend a hand" to those "who cling to power through corruption and deceit" if they "are willing to unclench" their fists.^[6]

Obama added that, "we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils that we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man — a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience sake."^[6] Vice President Joe Biden reaffirmed this while the first major foreign policy speech of the administration, on February 7, 2009, when he proclaimed that there "is no conflict between our security and our ideals. They are mutually reinforcing. The force of arms won our independence, and throughout our history, the force of arms has protected our freedom. That will not change. But the very moment we declared our independence, we laid before the world the values behind our revolution and the conviction that our policies must be informed by a "decent respect for the opinions of mankind."

On his first full day as president, January 21, 2009, Obama called President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian National Authority, Prime Minister Olmert of Israel, King Abdullah of Jordan and President Mubarak of Egypt.^[7] At the same time, Obama called on Israel to open the borders of Gaza, detailing early plans on his administration's peace plans for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.^[8] Obama and Secretary of State Clinton named George Mitchell as Special Envoy for Middle East peace and Richard Holbrooke as special representative to Pakistan and Afghanistan on January 23, 2009.^[9] The Mitchell appointment signaled that Clinton might stay away from the direct Secretary-level negotiating that her predecessor, Condoleezza Rice, had spent much effort on during the previous two years.^[10]

Within less than a week in her new position, Secretary of State Clinton already called almost 40 foreign leaders or foreign ministers.^[11] She said the world was eager to see a new American foreign policy and that, "There is a great exhalation of breath going on around the world. We've got a lot of damage to repair."^[11] She did indicate that not every past policy would be repudiated, and specifically said it was essential that the six-party talks over the North Korean nuclear weapons program continue.^[12]

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton arrives at the State Department on her first day greeted by a standing room only crowd of Department employees.

Clinton re-emphasized her views during her first speech to State Department employees when she said, "There are three legs to the stool of American foreign policy: defense, diplomacy, and development. And we are responsible for two of the three legs. And we will make clear, as we go forward, that diplomacy and development are essential tools in achieving the long-term objectives of the United States. And I will do all that I can, working with you, to make it abundantly clear that robust diplomacy and effective development are the best long-term tools for securing America's future."^[13] Clinton also soon visited the United States Agency for International Development, where she met employees and said they would be getting extra funds and attention during the new administration.^[12]

Obama visited the State Department two days after his inauguration, where he said he wanted to "make sure that everybody understands that the State Department is going to be absolutely critical to our success in the years to come."^[14] He mingled with the career foreign service officers and spoke to one in the Indonesian language he learned growing up.^[15] Clinton said the visit indicated that Obama was "through word and deed, sending a loud and clear signal that diplomacy is a top priority."^[15]

On January 26, Obama gave his first formal interview as president to the Arabic-language television news channel Al Arabiya.^[16][17] Obama said that, "My job to the Muslim world is to communicate that the Americans are not your enemy."^[16] Obama mentioned that he had spent several years growing up in the world's most populous Muslim nation, Indonesia, and called for resumed negotiations between Israel and Palestinians.^[16] Obama's gesture in reaching out to the Muslim world was unprecedented for a U.S. president.^[17]

President Obama visited more countries during his first year in office than any other president. His trip to Denmark, that failed to convince the International Olympic Committee to award the 2016 Summer Olympic games to Chicago, made Denmark the sixteenth country Obama visited since becoming President on January 20, 2009.^[18]

Appointments

Further information: Confirmations of Barack Obama's Cabinet

The administration appointed, or allowed to remain in office, 2,465 ambassadors. Most were career diplomats. 805 were political appointees. 110 of 150 ambassadorships were political in the Caribbean; 259 out of 358 appointees in Western Europe were political. Career diplomats dominated all other areas including: North and Central America, South America, Africa, Eastern Europe, Middle East, East Asia, South Asia and Oceania. In Central Asia, all appointees were career.^[19]

Although he regards Obama's foreign policy stance as pragmatic and dovish, Robert Dreyfuss is concerned that several of Obama's top advisers have hawkish stances or connections. These include Tony Lake, United Nations ambassador-designate Susan Rice, Tom Daschle and Dennis Ross, along with leading Democratic hawks like Richard Holbrooke, close to vice president-elect Joe Biden or secretary of state-designate Hillary Clinton^[20] Dreyfuss claims that Dennis Ross is the "inside man for the neoconservatives" in the Obama administration.^[21]

Africa

While Africa is a continent the countries of Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, and Western Sahara are not considered to be part of sub-Sahara Africa and therefore are not associated with Africa for the foreign policy purposes of the United States but are instead considered to be part of the Near East (commonly referred to as the Middle East) when talking about United States foreign policy. Depending on the source these countries may or may not be included when talking about African foreign policy.

During the 2008 campaign, Obama outlined his priorities for developing an Africa policy including taking action to stop "what U.S. officials have termed genocide in Darfur, fighting poverty, and expanding prosperity."^[22] Some analysts believed that Obama's appointment of Susan Rice who is a former assistant secretary of state for African affairs, as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations was a sign that his administration would prioritize the continent.^[22]

Then Secretary of State-designate Hillary Clinton, in a January 13 hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, described the "foreign policy objectives of the Obama administration in Africa" as being "rooted in security, political, economic and humanitarian interests."^[23] She went on to say that the administration priorities would include "combating al-Qaida's efforts to seek safe havens in failed states in the Horn of Africa; helping African nations to conserve their natural resources and reap fair benefits from them; stopping war in Congo; [and] ending autocracy in Zimbabwe and human devastation in Darfur."^[23]

Darfur, Eastern Congo, Ghana and Zimbabwe have all played a significant role in the United States Africa policy. Some foreign policy analysts believed that conflicts in "Sudan, Somalia, and eastern Congo" would "eclipse any other policy plans."^[22]

President Obama visited Cairo, Egypt, where he addressed the "Muslim world" on June 4^[24] and followed this trip with his first visit to sub-Saharan Africa, as President, on July 11, 2009 where he addressed Ghana's Parliament.^[25]

He was followed by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who took a seven nation trip to Africa in August including stops in Angola, Cape Verde, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria and South Africa. Some foreign policy analysts have made the claim that this is "the earliest in any U.S. administration that both the president and the secretary of state have visited Africa."^[26]

Somalia

Further information: Somalia – United States relations

See also: Piracy in Somalia

One of the first actions of the Obama administration was to sign a memorandum of understanding with Kenya that would allow pirates captured off of Kenya's coast to be tried in Kenyan courts.^[27][28]

A group of 4 armed Somali pirates took Richard Phillips, a captain of an American cargo ship, hostage on April 8, 2009 during a failed attempt to take over the Maersk Alabama.^[29] President Obama ordered the U.S. military to conduct a rescue mission to free Phillips who was held hostage by the pirates for five days. He was rescued on April 12, 2009 by United States Navy SEALs who killed three pirates and obtained the surrender of a fourth, Abdul Wali Muse.^{[30][31][32][33][34]}

The Obama administration's reaction and response to the kidnapping of Phillips has been commended as well as criticized, while others downplay his role in the rescue of Richard Phillips.^[35][36][37]

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with the Somali President, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, on August 6 during her African trip.^[38]

The New York Times reports in a September 17, 2009 article that "Much of the world is counting on Sheik Sharif to tackle piracy and beat back the spread of militant Islam, two Somali problems that have flared into major geopolitical ones" and that "Just this week, American commandos killed a Qaeda agent in southern Somalia in a daylight helicopter raid." This occurs at the same time as a drought which has caused many Somalis to face starvation.

Opposition forces include al-Shabab which controls the Somalia capital of Mogadishu with the exception of a few blocks within the center of Mogadishu which is controlled by the Transitional Government of Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed.

There are also reports that the United States may increase its arms shipment to Somalia from 40 tones to 80 tons.^{[citation needed]} While other reports indicate that some of these weapons may have fallen into the hands of al-Shabab.

There have also been claims by Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that neighboring Eritrea may be providing support and arms to al Shabab during her August trip to Kenya where they held a meeting and joint press conference. Eritrea has denied these claims.

Zimbabwe

Further information: Zimbabwe–United States relations

Obama is a strong critic of the government of Zimbabwe led by President Robert Mugabe. Although Obama congratulated longtime opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai on becoming Prime Minister of Zimbabwe under a power-sharing agreement, U.S. State Department spokesman Robert Wood warned, "We need to see evidence of good governance and particularly real, true power sharing on the part of Robert Mugabe before we are going to make any kind of commitment" to lifting economic sanctions on the impoverished Southern African country, which has been ruled by Mugabe since independence in 1980.^[39]

After the death of Susan Tsvangirai, the prime minister's wife, in an automobile collision in central Zimbabwe on March 6, 2009, the U.S. State Department expressed condolences to Tsvangirai, who also received minor injuries in the wreck.^[40]

Asia

East Asia

Further information: East Asian Foreign Policy of the Barack Obama administration

President Barack Obama addresses the opening session of the first U.S.–China Strategic and Economic Dialogue. Listening at left are Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan, center, and Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo, left.

For purposes of U.S. State Department policy, East Asia consists of Australia, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, China (including Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Macau Special Administrative Region), East Timor, Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, Kiribati, Laos, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Mongolia, Nauru, New Zealand, North Korea, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Vietnam.^[41] Since mid-2009, Kurt M. Campbell has held the position of Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton left on her first foreign policy tour (to Asia) on February 15, 2009 including scheduled stops in Japan, China, South Korea, Philippines, and Indonesia.^[42] The Secretary has travelled to the region extensively, including at least three trips to various countries in the region in 2009, 2010 and 2011 ^[43] In July 2012, Secretary Clinton traveled to parts of the region, visiting Mongolia, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.^[44] The visit to Laos was the first by a United States Secretary of State in 57 years, the last was by John Foster Dulles during the Cold War.^[45]

In a speech given February 13, 2009, Clinton said that "some believe that China on the rise is, by definition, an adversary", but "[t]o the contrary, we believe that the United States and China can benefit from and contribute to each other's successes. It is in our interests to work harder to build on areas of common concern and shared opportunities."^[42] Later that month, while on her inaugural East Asian tour, Clinton remarked, "We see the Chinese economic relationship as essential to our own country, so we're going to consult and work in a way that will be mutually beneficial."^[46] Shortly thereafter, on April 1, 2009, Obama and Hu Jintao announced the establishment of the high-level U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue co-chaired by Hillary Clinton and Timothy Geithner on the U.S. side and Dai Bingguo and Wang Qishan on the Chinese side and on May 16, 2009 Obama personally announced the nomination of Jon Huntsman, Jr., the Republican Governor of Utah to fill the position of Ambassador to China. Huntsman was the only ambassador in the Administration to be personally announced by the President^[47] and both he and President Barack Obama believed that the United States' relationship with China was the most important in the world.^{[48][dead link]} Later that year, President Obama and Secretary Clinton made a high-profile trip to China on November 15–18, 2009 marking Obama's first visit to China. It was Obama's first presidential Asia trip since he was inducted. He also went to Japan, Singapore for the APEC summit and South Korea for the first U.S.-ASEAN summit. The United States Pacific Command have also been at the forefront of efforts to strengthen military relationships in the region.^[49]

United States President Barack Obama and Lee walking after a meeting at the Blue House in Seoul in November 2010.

North Korea is another major area of engagement^[50] for the foreign policy of the Obama Administration in the East Asian region. Not long after Obama took office as President of the United States on January 20, 2009, North Korea elbowed its way back onto the international stage after a period of relative quiet during the waning months of the Bush administration,^[51] drawing accusations of planning a new long-range intercontinental ballistic missile test weeks after Obama was sworn in^[52][53] and performing an unannounced nuclear warhead and missile testing in late May 2009 to the disapproval of Obama's State Department^[54] Relations were further strained with the imprisonment of American journalists Euna Lee and Laura Ling for their alleged illegal entry into North Korean territory on assignment for a media organization.^[55] although both women were later released on August 5, 2009.^[56] Later that year, Pyongyang announced its intention to terminate the 1953 armistice ending hostilities in the Korean War on May 28, 2009 effectively restarting the nearly 60-year-old conflict, and prompting the South Korea-United States Combined Forces Command to Watchcon II, the second-highest alert level possible.^[57] In 2010, two more major incidents with North Korea would occur under the Obama Administration: the sinking of a South Korean Navy Ship that actuated new rounds of military exercises with South Korea as a direct military response to sinking^[58] and the Bombardment of Yeonpyeong prompting the US aircraft carrier USS George Washington to depart for joint exercises in the Yellow Sea with the Republic of Korea Navy, to deter further North Korean military action.^[59][60] In light of the geopolitical developments with North Korea, the Obama Administration has called the U.S.-South Korean alliance as a "cornerstone of US security in the Pacific Region."^[57]

Finally, Japan is a major area of engagement for the East Asian foreign policy of the Obama Administration. In her inaugural tour of East Asia, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reassured Japanese officials of Japan's centrality in the network of American alliances.^[46] In response to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, the United States initiated Operation Tomodachi to support Japan in disaster relief following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami^[61] earning gratitude from Japan's minister of defense, Toshimi Kitazawa who, while visiting the Ronald Reagan, thanked its crew for its assistance as part of Operation Tomodachi saying, "I have never been more encouraged by and proud of the fact that the United States is our ally."^[62]

South Asia

Further information: South Asian Foreign Policy of the Barack Obama administration

Asif Ali Zardari, Barack Obama and Hamid Karzai during a US-Afghan-Pakistan trilateral meeting

For purposes of U.S. foreign policy, South Asia consists of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. The Obama administrations's South Asian foreign policy was outlined in "The Obama Administration's Policy on South Asia" by Robert O. Blake, Jr., Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, who wrote "[o]ur goal was and remains to support the development of sovereign, stable, democratic nations, integrated into the world economy and cooperating with one another, the United States, and our partners to advance regional security and stability."^[63]

At the start of the Obama administration there were several regional hot spots within South Asia including Afghanistan, India and Pakistan. Several conflicts exist within the region including an ongoing war in Afghanistan and an ongoing conflict in North-West Pakistan.

President Obama with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during the first state dinner hosted by the Obama administration.

Blake described Obama's views of the "international effort in Afghanistan and Pakistan as a single theater of immense strategic importance to security – not only of the United States – but of the world." He goes on to say "Afghanistan and Pakistan are two distinct countries, but we cannot succeed in either Afghanistan or Pakistan without stability in both."^[63] The Obama administration believes that "Afghanistan and Pakistan can be a bridge that links South and Central Asia, rather than a barrier that divides them" and that "much work remains to be done to turn that vision into a reality.^[63] On February 18, 2009, Obama announced that the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan would be bolstered by 17,000 new troops by the summer.^[64] Obama also ordered the expansion of airstrikes to include the organization of Baitullah Mehsud, the militant chief reportedly behind the 2007 assassination of Benazir Bhutto,^[65] as priority targets.^[66] Some foreign policy analysts consider this to be a continuation and/or an expansion of the Bush administration's foreign policy in Pakistan.^[66]

There is also tension between India and Pakistan who both possess nuclear weapons.^[67][68] This conflict has been ongoing since August 1947 when India and Pakistan were created from British India.^[69] Recent developments in this conflict involve the Kashmir region with Pakistan controlling the northwest portion, India controlling the central and southern portion and the People's Republic of China controlling the northeastern portion of Kashmir. Criticism has been leveled at the Obama administration for its apparent lack of an early response to U.S. foreign policy with India. The former director for South Asia in the National Security Council in the Bush administration, Xenia Dormandy claims that India is America's indispensable ally in the region and that the Obama administration should take steps to improve relations with India.^{[70][71][72][73][74]}

Europe

Main article: European foreign policy of the Barack Obama administration

Fabbrini in 2011 identified a cycle in anti-Americanism in Europe: modest in the 1990s, it grew explosively between 2003-2008, then declined after 2008. He sees the current version as related to images of American foreign policy-making as unrestrained by international institutions or world opinion. Thus it is the unilateral policy process and the arrogance of policy makers, not the specific policy decisions, that are decisive.^[75]

Middle East

Main articles: Middle East and Peace process in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict

Further information: Middle Eastern foreign policy of the Barack Obama administration

For purposes of U.S. foreign policy, the Middle East consists of Iran, Iraq, Israel, Syria, and Libya.

After his inauguration the Obama administration was confronted with addressing on-going conflicts in Iraq, Israel-Gaza, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Other foreign policy issues related to the Middle East included combating terrorism, and promoting development and democracy. Obama appointed several Special Envoys including a Special Envoy for Middle East peace (George Mitchell) and a Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan (Richard C. Holbrooke).

Following the example of the United States several other European nations appointed special envoys to Afghanistan and Pakistan including Germany who appointed Bernd Mützelburg and the United Kingdom who selected Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles as its special envoy to the two countries.^[76][77]

President Obama changed the timeline of withdrawing troops from Iraq within 16 months of his taking office as outlined in the election to 19 months after taking office.

The US-Israeli relations came under serious strain under the Barack Obama administration, as Israel announced it was pushing ahead with building 1,600 new homes in a Jewish area in East Jerusalem in March 2010, as Vice-President Joe Biden was visiting. It was described as "one of the most serious rows between the two allies in recent decades".^[78] Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Israel's move was "deeply negative" for US-Israeli relations.^[79] However Obama was the first United States president to supply Israel with modern bunker buster bombs.^[80] And under Obama, Foreign Military Financing for Israel reached $3 billion for the first time in history.^[81]

After initial skepticism of international involvement to prevent Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi from using violence to suppress popular demonstrations in his country,^[82] the Obama administration crucially backed United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 to create a Libyan no-fly zone, with United States Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice successfully pushing to include language allowing the UN mandate free rein to launch air attacks on Libyan ground targets threatening civilians.^[83]

In March 2011, Obama authorized the firing of 110 Tomahawk cruise missiles against targets in Libya, in response to regime actions against rebel forces, to enforce the UN no-fly zone.^[84] Controversy arose over whether Obama's use of military force without prior congressional approval was constitutional, with comments by Yale law professor Jack M. Balkin^{[85][not in citation given]}, Salon.com columnist Glenn Greenwald.^[86] and current Legal Adviser of the Department of State Harold Hongju Koh.^[87]

Americas

Brazil

Further information: Brazil–United States relations

On November 7, 2008, three days after the election of Barack Obama, Al Jazeera English ran a feature story on the excitement and inspiration the election of the United States' first African American president was generating in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, which has never elected a black president despite having a sizable black and mulatto population. "For the black community here, it represents advancement for us as well – and makes us think seriously of the possibility in Brazil of having a black president", the article quoted an Afro-Brazilian woman as saying.^[88]

After the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which contained a "Buy American" clause, was made U.S. law with strong backing from Obama, Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim warned that his country could mount a legal challenge to U.S. economic protectionism, which has become an issue due to the late 2000s recession and which Brazil ardently opposes, at the World Trade Organization.^[89]

President of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was the first Latin American leader to meet with Obama, participating in a joint press conference in the Oval Office and discussing energy policy with the American chief executive.^[90]

Canada

See also: Canada – United States relations

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper (right) and US President Barack Obama (left) meet in Ottawa in February 2009

After Obama's presidential election victory in 2008, Prime Minister Harper called and congratulated Obama on his victory over John McCain, and he assured the President-elect that the two countries would remain the closest of allies. After he was inaugurated on January 20, 2009, as President of the United States, it was announced that Mr. Obama's first international trip would be to Canada, which took place on February 19, 2009.^[91]

Aside from Canadian lobbying against "Buy American" provisions in the US stimulus package, relations between the two administrations had been smooth up to 2011. On February 4, 2011, Harper and Obama issued a "Declaration on a Shared Vision for Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness".^[92][93]

Cuba

See also: United States embargo against Cuba

Further information: Cuba–United States relations

During his presidential campaign in 2008, Obama asserted that his policy toward Cuba would be based on "libertad", promising that as President of the United States, he would push the Cuban government to embrace democratic reforms and free political prisoners.^[94] After his election, former Cuban President Fidel Castro said he was "open" to the idea of meeting with the president-elect.^[95] However most of his policies towards Cuba are unchanged from the Bush policies.^[96]

After Obama announced the closure of the Guantánamo Bay detention camp shortly after his inauguration, Cuban President Raúl Castro said Havana would continue to push for the U.S. to "liquidate" the entire Guantanamo Bay Naval Base and return the land to Cuba.^[97] He was joined by his vehement brother Fidel, who abandoned his magnanimity toward the new U.S. president and demanded that the base be retroceded to Cuba.^[98]

While the United States House of Representatives passed legislation, backed by Obama, to ease certain travel and cash transactions imposed against Cuba by the U.S., on February 25, 2009, sanctions which were further eased by Obama unilaterally in April 2009,^[99] the president continues to oppose lifting the embargo against Cuba.^[100] Obama professes to view the embargo as a useful tool for leverage on pushing for reform in Cuba.^[101] This is in contrast to what Obama stated in 2004 when he said that it was time "to end the embargo with Cuba" because it had "utterly failed in the effort to overthrow Castro."^[102] Obama's stance has met criticism from both Fidel Castro^[103] and members of the U.S. government, including ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Richard Lugar.^[104] A panel with the Washington-based Brookings Institute released a report in late February 2009 urging Obama to normalize relations with Cuba.^[105]

On June 2, leading a delegation to Honduras for the Organization of American States General Assembly, Clinton affirmed that Cuba needs to reach a certain political and democratic standard to rejoin the organization.^[106]

Honduras

Further information: 2009 Honduran coup d'état

On June 28, 2009, President Manuel Zelaya was arrested and exiled from the country. Obama condemned the action and described the event as a coup.^[107] On July 7, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with Zelaya and agreed upon a U.S.-backed proposal for negotiations with the Micheletti government, mediated by President Óscar Arias of Costa Rica.^[108] At the conclusion of the meeting, Clinton announced the suspension of economic and military aid to the Honduran government.^[109] However, the U.S. led a group of Western Hempishere countries supporting the outcome of November 2009 presidential election of Porfirio Lobo as a way forward to resolve the situation.^[110]

Jamaica

Further information: Jamaica-United States relations

The United States of America pressured Prime Minister Bruce Golding to turn against a former ally, Christopher Coke.^[111] Golding initially resisted pressure to arrest Coke, who was wanted in the United States on arms trafficking charges, and accused the United States of employing warrentless wiretapping to gather evidence against Coke. Golding ultimately gave in, however, and issued an arrest warrant for Coke.^[112] The subsequent attempt to arrest Coke sparked the 2010 Kingston unrest.

Venezuela

Further information: United States–Venezuela relations

While Barack Obama set a conciliatory tone for his relations with Venezuela during his candidacy, saying he would be willing to meet with Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez without preconditions at a July 23, 2007, presidential debate,^[113] the Venezuelan leader has been fickle in his opinion of Obama. Even during the election he varied from liking Obama to saying that nothing would change with the US.

On February 15, 2009, Chávez said, "Any day is propitious for talking with President Barack Obama,"^[114] but said later that month that he "couldn't care less" about meeting the new U.S. president^[115] ahead of an impending confrontation between the two leaders at the Summit of the Americas in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, in mid-April.^[116]

Chávez derided Obama as "a continuation of the Bush era" after a U.S. report on narcotics trafficking was released in late February 2009. "Don't mess with me, Mr. Obama", warned Chávez, who has been president of Venezuela since 1999.^[117]

However as recently as the first week of March, Chávez called upon Obama to follow the path to socialism, which he termed as the "only" way out of the global recession. "Come with us, align yourself, come with us on the road to socialism. This is the only path. Imagine a socialist revolution in the United States", Chávez told a group of workers in the southern Venezuelan state of Bolívar. He said that people were calling Obama a "socialist" for the measures of state intervention he is taking to counter the crisis, so it would not be too far-fetched to suggest that he might join the project of "21st century socialism" that the Venezuelan leader is heading.^[118]

Later in March he referred to Obama as a "poor ignoramus" for not knowing the situation in Latin America and even implied that Brazil's President Lula was not completely happy with his meeting with Obama. However the Brazilian Foreign Ministry denied that this was the case.^[119]

In Tokyo in early April, where he attended meetings to discuss trade deals with the Japanese, Chávez said he was not biased against the Obama administration and he fully supported the idea of a 21st century free from conflict.^[120]

In Trinidad on April 17, 2009, Obama and Chávez met for the first time, with the former asking in Spanish, "Come Estas?" Later, Chávez walked over to Obama during the summit, and handed him a copy of The Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent by Uruguayan author Eduardo Galeano, an essay about U.S. and European economic and political interference in the region. During the summit, Obama is reported to have said, to much applause, "We have at times been disengaged, and at times we sought to dictate our terms, but I pledge to you that we seek an equal partnership. There is no senior partner and junior partner in our relations."

Other issues

Climate change

Main article: Climate change policy of the United States#Obama administration

On January 27, 2009, Secretary of State Clinton appointed Todd Stern as the department's Special Envoy for Climate Change.^[121] Clinton said that, "With the appointment today of a special envoy we are sending an unequivocal message that the United States will be energetic, focused, strategic and serious about addressing global climate change and the corollary issue of clean energy."^[122] Stern, who had coordinated global warming policy in the late 1990s under the Bill Clinton administration, said that "The time for denial, delay and dispute is over.... We can only meet the climate challenge with a response that is genuinely global. We will need to engage in vigorous, dramatic diplomacy."^[122]

In February 2009, Stern said that the U.S. would take a lead role in the formulation of a new climate change treaty in Copenhagen in December 2009. He made no indication that the U.S. would ratify the Kyoto Protocol in the meantime.^[123] US Embassy dispatches subsequently released by whistleblowing site WikiLeaks showed how the US 'used spying, threats and promises of aid' to gain support for the Copenhagen Accord, under which its emissions pledge is the lowest by any leading nation.^[124][125]

Increased Exports

Obama's National Export Initiative intends to double U.S. exports over the next five years. Because traditional manufacturing industries and services offer little room for growth this will require the United States to increase its 68% share of the global arms market.^[126] This has included expanding the size and scope of arms deals that Bush had left uncompleted such as advanced aircraft for Saudi Arabia and Taiwan.^{[127][128][129]} In FY 2009 this resulted in an increase in $700 million in Foreign Military Sales.^[130] The State Department has announced a change from the formal Foreign Military Sales to a more commercial basis for the export of military equipment to Taiwan and Obama is expected to sign an executive order to streamline the review of arms exports.^[131][132]

The reform of export control laws is an area of focus for the President's Export Council.^{[clarification needed][133][134][135]} Baker Spring of the Heritage Foundation has called the new export policy "ambitious" and urged the ratification of treaties that would grant blanket exemptions on export controls to selected allies.^[136]

By 2011, Obama had increased America's share of the global arms market from 68% to 78%.^[137]

The loosing of export rules on items such as tanks and other military vehicles is expected to be complete before the end of 2012.^[138] In anticipation of increased demand for American arms exports, in 2012 $100 million was allocated to restart the Special Defense Acquisition Fund to stockpile items commonly needed by American partners.^[139]

Muslim Relations

See also: A New Beginning

President Obama's first trip to a Muslim majority country occurred on April 6–7, 2009 when he visited Turkey and spoke to the Grand National Assembly.^[140]

President Obama addressed the Muslim world in a speech in Cairo, Egypt on June 4, 2009.^[24] In that speech President Obama issued a call for "a new beginning" in the relationship between the United States and Muslims around the world. He outlined his ideas about "engaging the Muslim world" and how to create "a new beginning."

"	"There is no one bullet that's going to fix everything, there is not one program that's going to be the magic program to engage with Muslims."	"
—Farah Pandith[141]

Farah Pandith was appointed as the State Department's "first ever Special Representative to Muslim Communities" and was sworn in on September 15, 2009.^[142]

She describes her responsibilities as including actively listening and responding to "the concerns of Muslims in Europe, Africa, and Asia."^[142]

On February 13, 2010, President Obama appointed Rashad Hussain, an Indian-American Muslim,^[143] as the United States special envoy to the Organisation of the Islamic Conference.^[144] After the appointment, President Obama stated, "Rashad has played a key role in developing the partnerships I called for in Cairo. And as a Hafiz of the Qur'an, he is a respected member of the American Muslim community, and I thank him for carrying forward this important work."^[143][145]

See also

• Hillary Rodham Clinton's tenure as Secretary of State
• List of presidential trips made by Barack Obama

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Further reading

• Davis, John, ed. Foreign Policy Speeches of Obama (2011)
• Indurthy, Rathnam. "The Obama Administration's Strategy In Afghanistan," International Journal on World Peace (Sept 2011) 28#3 pp 7–52.
• Indyk, Martin S., Kenneth G. Lieberthal and Michael E. O'Hanlon. Bending History: Barack Obama's Foreign Policy (Brookings FOCUS Book) (2012) excerpt and text search
• Mann, James. The Obamians: The Struggle Inside the White House to Redefine American Power (2012)
• Sanger, David E. Confront and Conceal: Obama's Secret Wars and Surprising Use of American Power (2012)
• Singh, Robert, Barack Obama's Post-American Foreign Policy: The Limits of Engagement (2012) excerpt and text search
• Watson, Robert P., ed. The Obama Presidency: A Preliminary Assessment (State University of New York Press; 2012) 443 pages; essays by scholars

External links

• The Obama Moment: European and American Perspectives European Union Institute for Security Studies
• Travels of the Obama Presidency – slideshow by ABC News
• How the World Sees Barack Obama – slideshow by Life magazine

Barack Obama

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"Barack" and "Obama" redirect here. For other uses, see Barak (disambiguation) and Obama (disambiguation).

For President Obama's father, the Kenyan economist, see Barack Obama, Sr.

This article is about a person involved in a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses. (November 2012)

Barack Obama
44th President of the United States
Incumbent
Assumed office January 20, 2009
Vice President	Joe Biden
Preceded by	George W. Bush
United States Senator from Illinois
In office January 3, 2005 – November 16, 2008
Preceded by	Peter Fitzgerald
Succeeded by	Roland Burris
Member of the Illinois Senate from the 13th District
In office January 8, 1997 – November 4, 2004
Preceded by	Alice Palmer
Succeeded by	Kwame Raoul
Personal details
Born	Barack Hussein Obama II August 4, 1961 (age 51)[1] Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.[2]
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Michelle Robinson (October 3, 1992–present)
Children	Malia (born 1998) Sasha (born 2001)
Residence	White House (Official) Chicago, Illinois (Private)
Alma mater	Occidental College Columbia College (B.A.) Harvard Law School (J.D.)
Profession	Community organizer Lawyer Constitutional law professor Author
Religion	Christianity[3]
Awards	Nobel Peace Prize
Signature
Website	barackobama.com

	This article is part of a series on Barack Obama
Background Illinois Senate US Senate Political positions Public image Family 2008 primaries Obama–Biden campaign Transition Inauguration Electoral history Presidency Timeline '09 '10 '11 '12 First 100 days Nobel Peace Prize Re-election campaign

Barack Hussein Obama II (ⁱ/bəˈrɑːk huːˈseɪn oʊˈbɑːmə/; born August 4, 1961) is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Obama is a graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, where he was president of the Harvard Law Review. He was a community organizer in Chicago before earning his law degree. He worked as a civil rights attorney in Chicago and taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School from 1992 to 2004. He served three terms representing the 13th District in the Illinois Senate from 1997 to 2004, running unsuccessfully for the United States House of Representatives in 2000.

Several events earned Obama national attention during his campaign to represent the State of Illinois in the United States Senate in 2004, including his victory in the March 2004 Illinois Democratic primary and his keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in July 2004. He won the Senate election in November 2004, serving until his resignation following his 2008 presidential election victory. His presidential campaign began in February 2007, and after a close race in the 2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries against Hillary Rodham Clinton, he won his party's nomination. In the 2008 presidential election, he defeated Republican nominee John McCain, and was inaugurated as president on January 20, 2009. Nine months later, Obama was named the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. In April 2011, he announced that he would be running for re-election in 2012, and on November 6, 2012, he defeated Republican nominee Mitt Romney to win a second term.^[4]

As president, Obama signed economic stimulus legislation in the form of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 in response to the 2007–2009 recession in the United States. Other major domestic policy initiatives include the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010, and the Budget Control Act of 2011. In foreign policy, Obama ended US military involvement in the Iraq War, increased troop levels in Afghanistan, signed the New START arms control treaty with Russia, ordered U.S. military involvement in Libya, and ordered the military operation that resulted in the death of Osama bin Laden. In May 2012, he became the first sitting U.S. president to publicly support legalizing same-sex marriage.

Contents 1 Early life and career 1.1 Chicago community organizer and Harvard Law School 1.2 University of Chicago Law School and civil rights attorney 2 Legislative career: 1997–2008 2.1 State Senator: 1997–2004 2.2 U.S. Senate campaign 2.3 U.S. Senator: 2005–2008 2.3.1 Legislation 2.3.2 Committees 3 Presidential campaigns 3.1 2008 presidential campaign 3.2 2012 presidential campaign 4 Presidency 4.1 First days 4.2 Domestic policy 4.2.1 Economic policy 4.2.2 Health care reform 4.2.3 Gulf of Mexico oil spill 4.3 2010 midterm election 4.4 Foreign policy 4.4.1 Iraq War 4.4.2 War in Afghanistan 4.4.3 Israel 4.4.4 War in Libya 4.4.5 Osama bin Laden 5 Cultural and political image 6 Family and personal life 6.1 Religious views 7 Notes 8 References 9 Further reading 10 External links

Early life and career

Main article: Early life and career of Barack Obama

Obama was born on August 4, 1961, at Kapiʻolani Maternity & Gynecological Hospital (now Kapiʻolani Medical Center for Women and Children) in Honolulu, Hawaii,^[2][5][6] and is the first President to have been born in Hawaii.^[7] His mother, Ann Dunham, was born in Wichita, Kansas, and was of mostly English ancestry.^[8] His father, Barack Obama, Sr., was a Luo from Nyang'oma Kogelo, Kenya. Obama's parents met in 1960 in a Russian class at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, where his father was a foreign student on scholarship.^[9][10] The couple married in Wailuku on Maui on February 2, 1961,^[11][12] and separated when Obama's mother moved with her newborn son to Seattle, Washington, in late August 1961, to attend the University of Washington for one year. In the meantime, Obama, Sr. completed his undergraduate economics degree in Hawaii in June 1962, then left to attend graduate school at Harvard University on a scholarship. His parents divorced in March 1964.^[13] Obama Sr. returned to Kenya in 1964 where he remarried; he visited Barack in Hawaii only once, in 1971.^[14] He died in an automobile accident in 1982.^[15]

In 1963, Dunham met Lolo Soetoro, an Indonesian East–West Center graduate student in geography at the University of Hawaii, and the couple were married on Molokai on March 15, 1965.^[16] After two one-year extensions of his J-1 visa, Lolo returned to Indonesia in 1966, followed sixteen months later by his wife and stepson in 1967, with the family initially living in a Menteng Dalam neighborhood in the Tebet subdistrict of south Jakarta, then from 1970 in a wealthier neighborhood in the Menteng subdistrict of central Jakarta.^[17] From ages six to ten, Obama attended local Indonesian-language schools: St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School for two years and Besuki Public School from one and half years, supplemented by English-language Calvert School home schooling by his mother.^[18]

Obama with his half-sister Maya Soetoro-Ng, mother Ann Dunham and grandfather Stanley Dunham, in Honolulu, Hawaii

In 1971, Obama returned to Honolulu to live with his maternal grandparents, Madelyn and Stanley Dunham, and with the aid of a scholarship attended Punahou School, a private college preparatory school, from fifth grade until his graduation from high school in 1979.^[19] Obama lived with his mother and sister in Hawaii for three years from 1972 to 1975 while his mother was a graduate student in anthropology at the University of Hawaii.^[20] Obama chose to stay in Hawaii with his grandparents for high school at Punahou when his mother and sister returned to Indonesia in 1975 to begin anthropology field work.^[21] His mother spent most of the next two decades in Indonesia, divorcing Lolo in 1980 and earning a Ph.D. in 1992, before dying in 1995 in Hawaii following treatment for ovarian cancer and uterine cancer.^[22]

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."^[10] He described his struggles as a young adult to reconcile social perceptions of his multiracial heritage.^[23] Reflecting later on his years in Honolulu, Obama wrote: "The opportunity that Hawaii offered—to experience a variety of cultures in a climate of mutual respect—became an integral part of my world view, and a basis for the values that I hold most dear."^[24] Obama has also written and talked about using alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine during his teenage years to "push questions of who I was out of my mind".^[25] Obama was also member of the "choom gang", a self-named group of friends that spent time together and occasionally smoked marijuana.^[26][27] At the 2008 Civil Forum on the Presidency, Obama expressed regret for his high-school drug use.^[28]

Following high school, Obama moved to Los Angeles in 1979 to attend Occidental College. In February 1981, he made his first public speech, calling for Occidental to divest from South Africa in response to its policy of apartheid.^[29] In mid-1981, Obama traveled to Indonesia to visit his mother and sister Maya, and visited the families of college friends in Pakistan and India for three weeks.^[29] Later in 1981, he transferred to Columbia University in New York City, where he majored in political science with a specialty in international relations^[30] and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1983. He worked for a year at the Business International Corporation,^[31] then at the New York Public Interest Research Group.^[32][33]

Chicago community organizer and Harvard Law School

Two years after graduating, Obama was hired in Chicago as director of the Developing Communities Project (DCP), a church-based community organization originally comprising eight Catholic parishes in Roseland, West Pullman, and Riverdale on Chicago's South Side. He worked there as a community organizer from June 1985 to May 1988.^[33][34] He helped set up a job training program, a college preparatory tutoring program, and a tenants' rights organization in Altgeld Gardens.^[35] Obama also worked as a consultant and instructor for the Gamaliel Foundation, a community organizing institute.^[36] 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 paternal relatives for the first time.^[37][38] He returned to Kenya in 1992 with his fiancée Michelle and his sister Auma.^[37][39] He returned to Kenya in August 2006 for a visit to his father's birthplace, a village near Kisumu in rural western Kenya.^[40]

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,^[41] and president of the journal in his second year.^[35][42] During his summers, he returned to Chicago, where he worked as an associate at the law firms of Sidley Austin in 1989 and Hopkins & Sutter in 1990.^[43] After graduating with a J.D. magna cum laude^[44] from Harvard in 1991, he returned to Chicago.^[41] Obama's election as the first black president of the Harvard Law Review gained national media attention^[35][42] and led to a publishing contract and advance for a book about race relations,^[45] which evolved into a personal memoir. The manuscript was published in mid-1995 as Dreams from My Father.^[45]

University of Chicago Law School and civil rights attorney

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.^[45][46] He then taught 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.^[47]

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.^[48]

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 for three years from 1993 to 1996, then of counsel from 1996 to 2004. His law license became inactive in 2007.^[49][50]

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.^[33] 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.^[33]

Legislative career: 1997–2008

State Senator: 1997–2004

Main article: Illinois Senate career of Barack Obama

Obama was elected to the Illinois Senate in 1996, succeeding State Senator Alice Palmer as Senator from Illinois's 13th District, which at that time spanned Chicago South Side neighborhoods from Hyde Park – Kenwood south to South Shore and west to Chicago Lawn.^[51] Once elected, Obama gained bipartisan support for legislation that reformed ethics and health care laws.^[52] He sponsored a law that increased tax credits for low-income workers, negotiated welfare reform, and promoted increased subsidies for childcare.^[53] 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.^[54]

Obama was reelected to the Illinois Senate in 1998, defeating Republican Yesse Yehudah in the general election, and was reelected again in 2002.^[55] In 2000, he lost a 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.^[56]

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.^[57] 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.^[53][58] During his 2004 general election campaign for U.S. Senate, police representatives credited Obama for his active engagement with police organizations in enacting death penalty reforms.^[59] Obama resigned from the Illinois Senate in November 2004 following his election to the U.S. Senate.^[60]

U.S. Senate campaign

Main article: United States Senate election in Illinois, 2004

County results of the 2004 U.S. Senate race in Illinois. Counties in blue were won by Obama.

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 by August 2002. Obama formally announced his candidacy in January 2003.^[61]

Obama was an early opponent of the George W. Bush administration's 2003 invasion of Iraq.^[62] On October 2, 2002, the day President Bush and Congress agreed on the joint resolution authorizing the Iraq War,^[63] Obama addressed the first high-profile Chicago anti-Iraq War rally,^[64] and spoke out against the war.^[65] He addressed another anti-war rally in March 2003 and told the crowd that "it's not too late" to stop the war.^[66]

Decisions by Republican incumbent Peter Fitzgerald and his Democratic predecessor Carol Moseley Braun to not participate in the election resulted in wide-open Democratic and Republican primary contests involving fifteen candidates.^[67] In the March 2004 primary election, Obama won in an unexpected landslide—which overnight made him a rising star within the national Democratic Party, started speculation about a presidential future, and led to the reissue of his memoir, Dreams from My Father.^[68] In July 2004, Obama delivered the keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention,^[69] seen by 9.1 million viewers. His speech was well received and elevated his status within the Democratic Party.^[70]

Obama's expected opponent in the general election, Republican primary winner Jack Ryan, withdrew from the race in June 2004.^[71] Six weeks later, Alan Keyes accepted the Republican nomination to replace Ryan.^[72] In the November 2004 general election, Obama won with 70 percent of the vote.^[73]

U.S. Senator: 2005–2008

Main article: United States Senate career of Barack Obama

Obama was sworn in as a senator on January 3, 2005,^[74] becoming the only Senate member of the Congressional Black Caucus.^[75] CQ Weekly characterized him as a "loyal Democrat" based on analysis of all Senate votes in 2005–2007. Obama announced on November 13, 2008, that he would resign his Senate seat on November 16, 2008, before the start of the lame-duck session, to focus on his transition period for the presidency.^[76]

Legislation

See also: List of bills sponsored by Barack Obama in the United States Senate

Obama cosponsored the Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act.^[77] He introduced two initiatives that bore his name: Lugar–Obama, which expanded the Nunn–Lugar cooperative threat reduction concept to conventional weapons;^[78] and the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006, which authorized the establishment of USAspending.gov, a web search engine on federal spending.^[79] 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.^[80]

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.^[81] Regarding tort reform, Obama voted for the Class Action Fairness Act of 2005 and the FISA Amendments Act of 2008, which grants immunity from civil liability to telecommunications companies complicit with NSA warrantless wiretapping operations.^[82]

Obama and U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN) visit a Russian facility for dismantling mobile missiles (August 2005).^[83]

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.^[84] 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.^[85] Obama also introduced Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act, a bill to criminalize deceptive practices in federal elections,^[86] and the Iraq War De-Escalation Act of 2007,^[87] neither of which was signed into law.

Later in 2007, Obama sponsored an amendment to the Defense Authorization Act to add safeguards for personality-disorder military discharges.^[88] This amendment passed the full Senate in the spring of 2008.^[89] 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.^[90] 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.^[91]

Committees

Obama held assignments on the Senate Committees for Foreign Relations, Environment and Public Works, and Veterans' Affairs through December 2006.^[92] In January 2007, he left the Environment and Public Works committee and took additional assignments with Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.^[93] He also became Chairman of the Senate's subcommittee on European Affairs.^[94] 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.^[95]

Presidential campaigns

2008 presidential campaign

Main articles: United States presidential election, 2008, Barack Obama presidential primary campaign, 2008, and Barack Obama presidential campaign, 2008

Obama stands on stage with his wife and daughters just before announcing his presidential candidacy in Springfield, Illinois, February 10, 2007

President George W. Bush meets with then President-elect Obama in the Oval Office on November 10, 2008

On February 10, 2007, Obama announced his candidacy for President of the United States in front of the Old State Capitol building in Springfield, Illinois.^[96][97] The choice of the announcement site was viewed as symbolic because it was also where Abraham Lincoln delivered his historic "House Divided" speech in 1858.^[96][98] Obama emphasized issues of rapidly ending the Iraq War, increasing energy independence, and providing universal health care,^[99] in a campaign that projected themes of "hope" and "change".^[100]

A large number of candidates entered the 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 delegates due to better long-range planning, superior fundraising, dominant organizing in caucus states, and better exploitation of delegate allocation rules.^[101] On June 7, 2008, Clinton ended her campaign and endorsed Obama.^[102]

On August 23, Obama announced his selection of Delaware Senator Joe Biden as his vice presidential running mate.^[103] Biden was selected from a field speculated to include former Indiana Governor and Senator Evan Bayh and Virginia Governor Tim Kaine.^[104] At the 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.^[105] Obama delivered his acceptance speech, not at the center where the Democratic National Convention was held, but at Invesco Field at Mile High to a crowd of over 75,000; the speech was viewed by over 38 million people worldwide.^[106][107]

During both the primary process and the general election, Obama's campaign set numerous fundraising records, particularly in the quantity of small donations.^[108] On June 19, 2008, Obama became the first major-party presidential candidate to turn down public financing in the general election since the system was created in 1976.^[109]

John McCain was nominated as the Republican candidate and the two engaged in three presidential debates in September and October 2008.^[110] On November 4, Obama won the presidency with 365 electoral votes to 173 received by McCain.^[111] Obama won 52.9% of the popular vote to McCain's 45.7%.^[112] He became the first African American to be elected president.^[113] Obama delivered his victory speech before hundreds of thousands of supporters in Chicago's Grant Park.^[114]

2012 presidential campaign

Main articles: United States presidential election, 2012 and Barack Obama presidential campaign, 2012

The Empire State Building lit blue when CNN projected him the winner of the 2012 election; had Romney won it would have been lit red.^[115]

On April 4, 2011, Obama announced his re-election campaign for 2012 in a video titled "It Begins with Us" that he posted on his website and filed election papers with the Federal Election Commission.^{[116][117][118]} As the incumbent president he ran virtually unopposed in the Democratic Party presidential primaries,^[119] and on April 3, 2012, Obama had secured the 2778 convention delegates needed to win the Democratic nomination.^[120]

At the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, former President Bill Clinton formally nominated Obama and Joe Biden as the Democratic Party candidates for president and vice president in the general election, in which their main opponents were Republicans Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, and Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin.^[121]

On November 6, 2012, Obama was elected to a second term as president after winning 303 votes in the electoral college.^[122][123]

Presidency

Main article: Presidency of Barack Obama

See also: Confirmations of Barack Obama's Cabinet and List of presidential trips made by Barack Obama

First days

Barack Obama takes the oath of office administered by Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr. at the Capitol, January 20, 2009

The inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th 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.^[124] He ordered the closing of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp,^[125] but Congress prevented the closure by refusing to appropriate the required funds.^{[126][127][128]} Obama reduced the secrecy given to presidential records.^[129] He also revoked President George W. Bush's restoration of President Reagan's Mexico City Policy prohibiting federal aid to international family planning organizations that perform or provide counseling about abortion.^[130]

Domestic policy

Main article: Barack Obama social policy

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.^[131] Five days later, he signed the reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to cover an additional 4 million uninsured children.^[132] In March 2009, Obama reversed a Bush-era policy which had limited funding of embryonic stem cell research and pledged to develop "strict guidelines" on the research.^[133]

Obama delivering a speech at joint session of Congress with Vice President Joe Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on February 24, 2009

Obama appointed two women to serve on the Supreme Court in the first two years of his Presidency. Sonia Sotomayor, nominated by Obama on May 26, 2009, to replace retiring Associate Justice David Souter, was confirmed on August 6, 2009,^[134] becoming the first Hispanic Supreme Court Justice.^[135] Elena Kagan, nominated by Obama on May 10, 2010, to replace retiring Associate Justice John Paul Stevens, 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.^[136]

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.^[137][138]

On October 8, 2009, Obama signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, a measure that expands the 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.^[139][140]

On March 30, 2010, Obama signed the 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.^[141][142]

In a 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, and research and development for an eventual manned mission to Mars, and ongoing missions to the International Space Station.^[143]

Obama meets with the Cabinet, November 23, 2009.

On December 22, 2010, Obama signed the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010, fulfilling a key promise made in the 2008 presidential campaign^[144][145] 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.^[146]

President Obama's 2011 State of the Union Address focused on themes of education and innovation, stressing the importance of innovation economics to make the United States more competitive globally. He spoke of a five-year freeze in domestic spending, eliminating tax breaks for oil companies and reversing tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, banning congressional earmarks, and reducing healthcare costs. He promised that the United States would have one million electric vehicles on the road by 2015 and would be 80% reliant on "clean" electricity.^[147][148]

As a candidate for the Illinois state senate Obama had said in 1996 that he favored legalizing same-sex marriage;^[149] but by the time of his run for the U.S. senate in 2004, he said that while he supported civil unions and domestic partnerships for same-sex partners, for strategic reasons he opposed same-sex marriages.^[150] 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.^[151][152]

Economic policy

Main article: Economic policy of Barack Obama

Obama presents his first weekly address as President of the United States on January 24, 2009, discussing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

On February 17, 2009, Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, a $787 billion economic stimulus package aimed at helping the economy recover from the deepening worldwide recession.^[153] The act includes increased federal spending for health care, infrastructure, education, various tax breaks and incentives, and direct assistance to individuals,^[154] which is being distributed over the course of several years.

In March, Obama's Treasury Secretary, Timothy Geithner, took further steps to manage the financial crisis, including introducing the Public-Private Investment Program for Legacy Assets, which contains provisions for buying up to $2 trillion in depreciated real estate assets.^[155] Obama intervened in the troubled automotive industry^[156] in March 2009, 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 sale of Chrysler to Italian automaker Fiat^[157] and a reorganization of GM giving the U.S. government a temporary 60% equity stake in the company, with the Canadian government taking a 12% stake.^[158] In June 2009, dissatisfied with the pace of economic stimulus, Obama called on his cabinet to accelerate the investment.^[159] He signed into law the Car Allowance Rebate System, known colloquially as "Cash for Clunkers", that temporarily boosted the economy.^{[160][161][162]}

Although spending and loan guarantees from the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department authorized by the Bush and Obama administrations totaled about $11.5 trillion, only $3 trillion had been spent by the end of November 2009.^[163] However, Obama and the Congressional Budget Office predicted that the 2010 budget deficit will be $1.5 trillion or 10.6% of the nation's gross domestic product (GDP) compared to the 2009 deficit of $1.4 trillion or 9.9% of GDP.^[164][165] For 2011, the administration predicted the deficit will slightly shrink to $1.34 trillion, while the 10-year deficit will increase to $8.53 trillion or 90% of GDP.^[166] The most recent increase in the U.S. debt ceiling to $16.4 trillion was signed into law on January 26, 2012.^[167] 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 enforces limits on discretionary spending until 2021, establishes a procedure to increase the debt limit, creates a Congressional Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction to propose further deficit reduction with a stated goal of achieving at least $1.5 trillion in budgetary savings over 10 years, and establishes automatic procedures for reducing spending by as much as $1.2 trillion if legislation originating with the new joint select committee does not achieve such savings.^[168] By passing the legislation, Congress was able to prevent a U.S. government default on its obligations.^[169]

Employment statistics (changes in unemployment rate and net jobs per month) during Obama's tenure as U.S. President^[170][171]

As it did throughout 2008, the unemployment rate rose in 2009, reaching a peak in October at 10.0% and averaging 10.0% in the fourth quarter. Following a decrease to 9.7% in the first quarter of 2010, the unemployment rate fell to 9.6% in the second quarter, where it remained for the rest of the year.^[172] Between February and December 2010, employment rose by 0.8%, which was less than the average of 1.9% experienced during comparable periods in the past four employment recoveries.^[173] GDP growth returned in the third quarter of 2009, expanding at a rate of 1.6%, followed by a 5.0% increase in the fourth quarter.^[174] Growth continued in 2010, posting an increase of 3.7% in the first quarter, with lesser gains throughout the rest of the year.^[174] In July 2010, the Federal Reserve expressed that although economic activity continued to increase, its pace had slowed, and Chairman Ben Bernanke stated that the economic outlook was "unusually uncertain."^[175] Overall, the economy expanded at a rate of 2.9% in 2010.^[176]

The Congressional Budget Office and a broad range of economists credit Obama's stimulus plan for economic growth.^[177][178] The CBO released a report stating that the stimulus bill increased employment by 1–2.1 million,^{[178][179][180][181]} while conceding that "It is impossible to determine how many of the reported jobs would have existed in the absence of the stimulus package."^[177] 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 68 respondents believed that the stimulus bill has had no impact on employment.^[182]

Within a month of the 2010 midterm elections, Obama announced a compromise deal with the Congressional Republican leadership that included a temporary, two-year extension of the 2001 and 2003 income tax rates, a one-year payroll tax reduction, continuation of unemployment benefits, and a new rate and exemption amount for estate taxes.^[183] The compromise overcame opposition from some in both parties, and the resulting $858 billion 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.^[184]

Health care reform

Main article: Health care reform in the United States

Obama signs the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act at the White House, March 23, 2010

Obama called for Congress to pass legislation reforming health care in the United States, a key campaign promise and a top legislative goal.^[185] 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 billion over 10 years and include a government insurance plan, also known as the 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.^[186][187]

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.^[185] After much public debate during the Congressional summer recess of 2009, Obama delivered a speech to a joint session of Congress on September 9 where he addressed concerns over the proposals.^[188] In March 2009, Obama lifted a ban on using federal funds for stem cell research.^[189]

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: CRS)

On November 7, 2009, a health care bill featuring the public option was passed in the House.^[190][191] On December 24, 2009, the Senate passed its own bill—without a public option—on a party-line vote of 60–39.^[192] On March 21, 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act passed by the Senate in December was passed in the House by a vote of 219 to 212.^[193] Obama signed the bill into law on March 23, 2010.^[194]

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act includes health-related provisions to take effect over four years, including expanding Medicaid eligibility for people making up to 133% of the federal poverty level (FPL) starting in 2014,^[195] subsidizing insurance premiums for people making up to 400% 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 to 9.5% of income,^[196][197] 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 exchanges, prohibiting annual coverage caps, and support for medical research. According to White House and Congressional Budget Office figures, the maximum share of income that enrollees would have to pay would vary depending on their income relative to the federal poverty level.^[196][198]

The costs of these provisions are offset by taxes, fees, and cost-saving measures, such as new Medicare taxes for those in high-income brackets, taxes on indoor tanning, cuts to the Medicare Advantage program in favor of traditional Medicare, and fees on medical devices and pharmaceutical companies;^[199] 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.^[200] In March, 2010, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that the net effect of both laws will be a reduction in the federal deficit by $143 billion over the first decade.^[201]

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 Commerce Clause does not allow the government to require people to buy health insurance, but the mandate was constitutional under the US Congress's taxing authority.^[202]

Gulf of Mexico 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 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. On May 22, he announced a federal investigation and formed a bipartisan commission to recommend new safety standards, after a review by 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.^[203] 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.^[204]

2010 midterm election

Main article: United States House of Representatives elections, 2010

Obama called the November 2, 2010 election, where the Democratic Party lost 63 seats in, and control of, the House of Representatives,^[205] "humbling" and a "shellacking".^[206] He said that the results came because not enough Americans had felt the effects of the economic recovery.^[207]

Foreign policy

Main articles: Foreign policy of the Barack Obama administration and Barack Obama foreign policy

Obama speaking on "A New Beginning" at Cairo University on June 4, 2009

Obama and Mexican President Felipe Calderón, 2009

British Prime Minister David Cameron and Obama, during the 2010 G-20 Toronto summit

In February and March, Vice President Joe Biden and 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.^[208] Obama attempted to reach out to Arab leaders by granting his first interview to an Arab cable TV network, Al Arabiya.^[209]

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.^[210] This attempt was rebuffed by the Iranian leadership.^[211] In April, Obama gave a speech in Ankara, Turkey, which was well received by many Arab governments.^[212] On June 4, 2009, Obama delivered a speech at Cairo University in Egypt calling for "a new beginning" in relations between the Islamic world and the United States and promoting Middle East peace.^[213]

On June 26, 2009, in response to the Iranian government's actions towards protesters following Iran's 2009 presidential election, Obama said: "The violence perpetrated against them is outrageous. We see it and we condemn it."^[214] 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."^[215]

On September 24, 2009, Obama became the first sitting U.S. president to preside over a meeting of the United Nations Security Council.^[216]

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.^[217][218] During the same month, an agreement was reached with the administration of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to replace the 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.^[219] The New START treaty was signed by Obama and Medvedev in April 2010, and was ratified by the U.S. Senate in December 2010.^[220]

On December 6, 2011, he instructed agencies to consider LGBT rights when issuing financial aid to foreign countries.^[221]

Iraq War

Main article: Iraq War

On February 27, 2009, Obama announced that combat operations in Iraq would end within 18 months. His remarks were made to a group of 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."^[222] The Obama administration scheduled the withdrawal of combat troops to be completed by August 2010, decreasing troops levels from 142,000 while leaving a transitional force of 35,000 to 50,000 in Iraq until the end of 2011.^{[needs update]} On August 19, 2010, the last United States combat brigade exited Iraq. Remaining troops transitioned from combat operations to counter-terrorism and the training, equipping, and advising of Iraqi security forces.^[223][224] On August 31, 2010, Obama announced that the United States combat mission in Iraq was over.^[225] On October 21, 2011 President Obama announced that all U.S. troops would leave Iraq in time to be "home for the holidays".^[226]

War in Afghanistan

Main article: War in Afghanistan (2001–present)

Early in his presidency, Obama moved to bolster U.S. troop strength in Afghanistan.^[227] 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".^[228] He replaced the military commander in Afghanistan, General David D. McKiernan, with former 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.^[229] On December 1, 2009, Obama announced the deployment of an additional 30,000 military personnel to Afghanistan.^[230] He also proposed to begin troop withdrawals 18 months from that date.^{[231][needs update]} McChrystal was replaced by David Petraeus in June 2010, after McChrystal's staff criticized White House personnel in a magazine article.^[232]

Israel

Obama meeting with Israeli President Shimon Peres, 2009

Obama referred to the bond between the United States and Israel as "unbreakable."^[233] During the initial years of the Obama administration, the U.S. increased military cooperation with Israel, including increased military aid, re-establishment of the 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.^[234] 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.^[235]

In 2011, the United States vetoed a Security Council resolution condemning Israeli settlements, with the United States being the only nation to do so.^[236] Obama supports the two-state solution to the Arab–Israeli conflict based on the 1967 borders with land swaps.^[237]

War in Libya

Main article: 2011 military intervention in Libya

In March 2011, as forces loyal to Muammar 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^[238] passed unanimously by the U.S. Senate.^[239] In response to the unanimous passage of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 on March 17, Gaddafi who had previously vowed to "show no mercy" to the rebels of Benghazi^[240]—announced an immediate cessation of military activities,^[241] yet reports came in that his forces continued shelling Misrata. The next day, on Obama's orders, the U.S. military took a lead role in air strikes to destroy the Libyan government's air defense capabilities to protect civilians and enforce a no-fly-zone,^[242] including the use of Tomahawk missiles, B-2 Spirits, and fighter jets.^{[243][244][245]} Six days later, on March 25, by unanimous vote of all of its 28 members, NATO took over leadership of the effort, dubbed Operation Unified Protector.^[246] Some Representatives^[247] questioned whether Obama had the constitutional authority to order military action in addition to questioning its cost, structure and aftermath.^[248][249]

Osama bin Laden

Main article: Death of Osama bin Laden

	President Obama on Osama bin Laden's Death President Obama's address (Full Text)  President Obama on Osama bin Laden's Death Menu 0:00 audio only version
Problems listening to these files? See media help.

Starting with information received in July 2010, intelligence developed by the CIA over the next several months determined what they believed to be the location of Osama bin Laden in a large compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, a suburban area 35 miles from Islamabad.^[250] CIA head Leon Panetta reported this intelligence to President Obama in March 2011.^[250] 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.^[250] The operation took place on May 1, 2011, resulting in the death of bin Laden and the seizure of papers, computer drives and disks from the compound.^[251][252] Bin Laden's body was identified through DNA testing,^[253] and buried at sea several hours later.^[254] 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 Ground Zero and Times Square.^[251][255] Reaction to the announcement was positive across party lines, including from former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush,^[256] and from many countries around the world.^[257]

Cultural and political image

Main article: Public image of Barack Obama

See also: International media reaction to the United States presidential election, 2008 and International reactions to the United States presidential election, 2012

Obama conducting the first completely virtual interview from the White House in 2012^[258]

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.^[259] 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".^[260] 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."^[261]

Obama is frequently referred to as an exceptional orator.^[262] During his pre-inauguration transition period and continuing into his presidency, Obama has delivered a series of weekly Internet video addresses.^[263]

According to the Gallup Organization, Obama began his presidency with a 68% approval rating^[264] before gradually declining for the rest of the year, and eventually bottoming out at 41% in August 2010,^[265] a trend similar to Ronald Reagan's and Bill Clinton's first years in office.^[266] He experienced a small poll bounce shortly after the death of Osama bin Laden, which lasted until around June 2011, when his approval numbers dropped back to where they were prior to the operation.^{[267][268][269]} Polls show strong support for Obama in other countries,^[270] and before being elected President he met with prominent foreign figures including British Prime Minister Tony Blair,^[271] Italy's Democratic Party leader and Mayor of Rome Walter Veltroni,^[272] and French President Nicolas Sarkozy.^[273]

Obama talks with pub-goers as the First Lady draws a pint of stout at the Ollie Hayes pub in Moneygall, Ireland, in 2011

In a February 2009 poll conducted in Western Europe and the U.S. by 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.^[274] 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.^[275][276]

Obama won Best Spoken Word Album Grammy Awards for abridged audiobook versions of Dreams from My Father in February 2006 and for The Audacity of Hope in February 2008.^[277] His concession speech after the New Hampshire primary was set to music by independent artists as the music video "Yes We Can", which was viewed 10 million times on YouTube in its first month^[278] and received a Daytime Emmy Award.^[279] In December 2008, Time magazine named Obama as its Person of the Year for his historic candidacy and election, which it described as "the steady march of seemingly impossible accomplishments".^[280]

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".^[281] Obama accepted this award in Oslo, Norway on December 10, 2009, with "deep gratitude and great humility."^[282] The award drew a mixture of praise and criticism from world leaders and media figures.^[283][284] 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.

Family and personal life

Obama posing in the Green Room of the White House with wife Michelle and daughters Sasha and Malia in 2009

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."^[285] Obama has a half-sister with whom he was raised (Maya Soetoro-Ng, the daughter of his mother and her Indonesian second husband) and seven half-siblings from his Kenyan father's family – six of them living.^[286] Obama's mother was survived by her Kansas-born mother, Madelyn Dunham,^[287] until her death on November 2, 2008,^[288] 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.^[289] 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.^[290]

Obama was known as "Barry" in his youth, but asked to be addressed with his given name during his college years.^[291] Besides his native English, Obama speaks some basic Indonesian, having learned the language during his four childhood years in Jakarta.^[292][293] He plays basketball, a sport he participated in as a member of his high school's varsity team^[294]; he is left-handed.^[295]

Obama taking a shot during a game on the White House basketball court, 2009

Obama is a supporter of the Chicago White Sox, and he threw out the first pitch at the 2005 ALCS when he was still a senator.^[296] In 2009, he threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the all star game while wearing a White Sox jacket.^[297] He is also primarily a Chicago Bears football fan in the NFL, but in his childhood and adolescence was a 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.^[298] In 2011, Obama invited the 1985 Chicago Bears to the White House; the team had not visited the White House after their Super Bowl win in 1986 due to the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.^[299]

In June 1989, Obama met Michelle Robinson when he was employed as a summer associate at the Chicago law firm of Sidley Austin.^[300] 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.^[301] They began dating later that summer, became engaged in 1991, and were married on October 3, 1992.^[302] The couple's first daughter, Malia Ann, was born on July 4, 1998,^[303] followed by a second daughter, Natasha ("Sasha"), on June 10, 2001.^[304] 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.^[305] The Obamas have a Portuguese Water Dog named Bo, a gift from Senator Ted Kennedy.^[306]

Applying the proceeds of a book deal, the family moved in 2005 from a Hyde Park, Chicago condominium to a $1.6 million house in neighboring Kenwood, Chicago.^[307] 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.^[308]

In December 2007, Money estimated the Obama family's net worth at $1.3 million.^[309] Their 2009 tax return showed a household income of $5.5 million—up from about $4.2 million in 2007 and $1.6 million in 2005—mostly from sales of his books.^[310][311] On his 2010 income of $1.7 million, he gave 14% 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.^[312][313] As per his 2012 financial disclosure, Obama may be worth as much as $10 million.^[314]

Obama tried to quit smoking several times, sometimes using nicotine replacement therapy, and, in early 2010, Michelle Obama said that he had successfully quit smoking.^[315][316]

Religious views

Obama is a Christian whose religious views developed in his adult life. 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 (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 described his father as a "confirmed 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 churches as a community organizer while in his twenties, he came to understand "the power of the African-American religious tradition to spur social change".^[317]

In an interview with the evangelical periodical Christianity Today, Obama stated: "I am a Christian, and I am a devout Christian. I believe in the redemptive death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I believe that that faith gives me a path to be cleansed of sin and have eternal life."^[318] On September 27, 2010, Obama released a statement commenting on his religious views saying "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, treating others as they would treat me."^[319][320]

Obama was baptized at the Trinity United Church of Christ in 1988, and was an active member there for two decades.^[321] He resigned from Trinity during the presidential campaign after controversial statements made by Rev. Jeremiah Wright became public.^[322] 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.^[323]

Notes

1. ^ "President Barack Obama". Washington, D.C.: The White House. 2008. Retrieved December 12, 2008.
2. ^ ^{a b} "Certificate of Live Birth: Barack Hussein Obama II, August 4, 1961, 7:24 pm, Honolulu". Department of Health, State of Hawaii (The White House). April 27, 2011. Archived from the original on April 29, 2011. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
3. ^ "American President: Barack Obama". Charlottesville, VA: Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. 2009. Archived from the original on January 23, 2009. Retrieved January 23, 2009. "Religion: Christian"
   • "The Truth about Barack's Faith". Obama for America. Archived from the original on January 5, 2011. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
   • Miller, Lisa (July 18, 2008). "Finding his faith". Newsweek. Archived from the original on February 6, 2010. Retrieved February 4, 2010. "He is now a Christian, having been baptized in the early 1990s at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago."
   • Barakat, Matthew (November 17, 2008). "Obama's church choice likely to be scrutinized; D.C. churches have started extending invitations to Obama and his family". Associated Press. msnbc.com. Archived from the original on January 24, 2009. Retrieved January 20, 2009. "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.".
   • "Barack Obama, long time UCC member, inaugurated forty-fourth U.S. President". United Church of Christ. January 20, 2009. Archived from the original on January 25, 2009. Retrieved January 21, 2009. "Barack Obama, who spent more than 20 years as a UCC member, is the forty-fourth President of the United States."
   • Sullivan, Amy (June 29, 2009). "The Obama's find a church home—away from home". Time. Retrieved February 5, 2010. "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.".
   • Kornblut, Anne E. (February 4, 2010). "Obama's spirituality is largely private, but it's influential, advisers say". The Washington Post. p. A6. Retrieved February 5, 2010. "Obama prays privately ... 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."
4. ^ "Obama projected to win Ohio, will win re-election". CBS News. November 6, 2012. Retrieved November 6, 2012.
5. ^ Maraniss, David (August 24, 2008). "Though Obama had to leave to find himself, it is Hawaii that made his rise possible". The Washington Post. p. A22. Retrieved October 28, 2008.
6. ^ Nakaso, Dan (December 22, 2008). "Twin sisters, Obama on parallel paths for years". The Honolulu Advertiser. p. B1. Retrieved January 22, 2011.
7. ^ Rudin, Ken (December 23, 2009). "Today's Junkie segment On TOTN: a political review Of 2009". Talk of the Nation (Political Junkie blog) (NPR). Retrieved April 18, 2010. "We began with the historic inauguration on January 20—yes, the first president ever born in Hawaii"
8. ^ Obama (1995, 2004), p. 12.
9. ^ Jones, Tim (March 27, 2007). "Barack Obama: Mother not just a girl from Kansas; Stanley Ann Dunham shaped a future senator". Chicago Tribune. p. 1 (Tempo). Archived from the original on February 21, 2009. Retrieved May 18, 2012.
10. ^ ^{a b} Obama (1995, 2004), pp. 9–10.
    • Scott (2011), pp. 80–86.
    • Jacobs (2011), pp. 115–118.
    • Maraniss (2012), p. 154–160.
11. ^ Ripley, Amanda (April 9, 2008). "The story of Barack Obama's mother". Time. Retrieved April 9, 2007.
12. ^ Scott (2011), p. 86.
    • Jacobs (2011), pp. 125–127.
    • Maraniss (2012), p. 160–163.
13. ^ Scott (2011), pp. 87–93.
    • Jacobs (2011), pp. 115–118, 125–127, 133–161.
    • Maraniss (2012), pp. 170–183, 188–189.
14. ^ Scott (2011), pp. 142–144.
    • Jacobs (2011), pp. 161–177, 227–230.
    • Maraniss (2012), pp. 190–194, 201–209, 227–230.
15. ^ Ochieng, Philip (November 1, 2004). "From home squared to the US Senate: how Barack Obama was lost and found". The EastAfrican. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved June 25, 2008.
    • Merida, Kevin (December 14, 2007). "The ghost of a father". The Washington Post. p. A12. Retrieved June 25, 2008.
    • Jacobs (2011), pp. 251–255.
    • Maraniss (2012), pp. 411–417.
16. ^ Scott (2011), pp. 97–103.
    • Maraniss (2012), pp. 195–201, 225–230.
17. ^ Maraniss (2012), pp. 195–201, 209–223, 230–244.
18. ^ Maraniss (2012), pp. 216, 221, 230, 234–244.
19. ^ Serafin, Peter (March 21, 2004). "Punahou grad stirs up Illinois politics". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Retrieved March 20, 2008.
    • Scott, Janny (March 14, 2008). "A free-spirited wanderer who set Obama's path". The New York Times. p. A1. Retrieved November 18, 2011.
    • Obama (1995, 2004), Chapters 3 and 4.
    • Scott (2012), pp. 131–134.
    • Maraniss (2012), pp. 264–269.
20. ^ Scott (2011), pp. 139–157.
    • Maraniss (2012), pp. 279–281.
21. ^ Scott (2011), pp. 157–194.
    • Maraniss (2012), pp. 279–281, 324–326.
22. ^ Scott (2011), pp. 214, 294, 317–346.
23. ^ Serrano, Richard A. (March 11, 2007). "Obama's peers didn't see his angst". Los Angeles Times. p. A20. Retrieved March 13, 2007.
    • Obama (1995, 2004), Chapters 4 and 5.
24. ^ Reyes, B.J. (February 8, 2007). "Punahou left lasting impression on Obama". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Retrieved February 10, 2007. "As a teenager, Obama went to parties and sometimes sought out gatherings on military bases or at the University of Hawaii that were mostly attended by blacks."
25. ^ Elliott, Philip (November 21, 2007). "Obama gets blunt with N.H. students". The Boston Globe (Associated Press). p. 8A. Retrieved May 18, 2012.
26. ^ Karl, Jonathan (May 25, 2012). "Obama and his pot-smoking "choom gang"". ABC News. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
    • Obama (1995, 2004), pp. 93–94.
    • for analysis of the political impact of the quote and Obama's more recent admission that he smoked marijuana as a teenager ("When I was a kid, I inhaled"), see:
    • Seelye, Katharine Q. (October 24, 2006). "Obama offers more variations from the norm". The New York Times. p. A21. Retrieved October 29, 2006.
    • Romano, Lois (January 3, 2007). "Effect of Obama's candor remains to be seen". The Washington Post. p. A1. Retrieved January 14, 2007.
27. ^ "FRONTLINE The Choice 2012". PBS. October 9, 2012. Retrieved October 29, 2012.
28. ^ Hornick, Ed (August 17, 2008). "Obama, McCain talk issues at pastor's forum". CNN. Retrieved May 18, 2012.
29. ^ ^{a b} Gordon, Larry (January 29, 2007). "Occidental recalls 'Barry' Obama". Los Angeles Times. p. B1. Archived from the original on May 24, 2010. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
    • Possley, Maurice (March 30, 2007). "Activism blossomed in college". Chicago Tribune. p. 20. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
    • Kovaleski, Serge F. (February 9, 2008). "Old friends say drugs played bit part in Obama's young life". The New York Times. p. A1. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
    • Rohter, Larry (April 10, 2008). "Obama says real-life experience trumps rivals' foreign policy credits". The New York Times. p. A18. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
    • Goldman, Adam; Tanner, Robert (May 15, 2008). "Old friends recall Obama's years in LA, NYC". USA Today (Associated Press). Retrieved May 12, 2010.
    • Helman, Scott (August 25, 2008). "Small college awakened future senator to service (subscription archive)". The Boston Globe. p. 1A. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
    • Jackson, Brooks (June 5, 2009). "More 'birther' nonsense: Obama's 1981 Pakistan trip". FactCheck.org. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
    • Remnick, David (2010). The Bridge: The Life and Rise of Barack Obama. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. pp. 98–112. ISBN 978-1-4000-4360-6.
    • Obama (1995, 2004), pp. 92–112.
    • Mendell (2007), pp. 55–62.
30. ^ Boss-Bicak, Shira (January 2005). "Barack Obama '83". ISSN 0572-7820. Retrieved October 1, 2006.
31. ^ Obama, Barack (1998). "Curriculum vitae". The University of Chicago Law School. Archived from the original on May 9, 2001. Retrieved October 1, 2006.
    • Issenberg, Sasha (August 6, 2008). "Obama shows hints of his year in global finance; Tied markets to social aid". The Boston Globe. p. 1A. Archived from the original on August 9, 2008. Retrieved August 6, 2008.
32. ^ Scott, Janny (July 30, 2007). "Obama's account of New York often differs from what others say". The New York Times. p. B1. Retrieved July 31, 2007.
    • Obama (1995, 2004), pp. 133–140.
    • Mendell (2007), pp. 62–63.
33. ^ ^{a b c d} Chassie, Karen, ed. (2007). Who's Who in America, 2008. New Providence, NJ: Marquis Who's Who. p. 3468. ISBN 978-0-8379-7011-0.
34. ^ Lizza, Ryan (March 19, 2007). "The agitator: Barack Obama's unlikely political education". The New Republic 236 (12): 22–26, 28–29. ISSN 0028-6583. Retrieved August 21, 2007.
    • Secter, Bob; McCormick, John (March 30, 2007). "Portrait of a pragmatist". Chicago Tribune. p. 1. Archived from the original on December 14, 2009. Retrieved May 18, 2012.
    • Obama (1995, 2004), pp. 140–295.
    • Mendell (2007), pp. 63–83.
35. ^ ^{a b c} Matchan, Linda (February 15, 1990). "A Law Review breakthrough". The Boston Globe. p. 29. Retrieved June 15, 2008.
    • Corr, John (February 27, 1990). "From mean streets to hallowed halls" (paid archive). The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. C01. Retrieved June 6, 2008.
36. ^ Obama, Barack (August–September 1988). "Why organize? Problems and promise in the inner city". Illinois Issues 14 (8–9): 40–42. ISSN 0738-9663. reprinted in:
    Knoepfle, Peg, ed. (1990). After Alinsky: community organizing in Illinois. Springfield, IL: Sangamon State University. pp. 35–40. ISBN 0-9620873-3-5. "He has also been a consultant and instructor for the Gamaliel Foundation, an organizing institute working throughout the Midwest."
37. ^ ^{a b} Obama, Auma (2012). And then life happens: a memoir. New York: St. Martin's Press. pp. 189–208, 212–216. ISBN 978-1-250-01005-6.
38. ^ Obama (1995, 2004), pp. 299–437.
    • Maraniss (2012), pp. 564–570.
39. ^ Mundy, Liza (2008). Michelle: a biography. New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 189. ISBN 978-1-4165-9943-2.
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311. ^ Shear, Michael D.; Hilzenrath, David S. (April 16, 2010). "Obamas report $5.5 million in income on 2009 tax return". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 22, 2010.
312. ^ Solman, Paul (April 18, 2011). "How Much Did President Obama Make in 2010?". PBS NewsHour. Retrieved January 27, 2012.
313. ^ Solman, Paul (April 27, 2011). "The Obamas Gave $131,000 to Fisher House Foundation in 2010; What Is It?". PBS NewsHour. Retrieved January 27, 2012.
314. ^ Wolf, Richard (May 16, 2012). "Obama worth as much as $10 million". USA Today. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
315. ^ Elsner, Alan (December 7, 2008). Obama says he won't be smoking in White House". Reuters. Retrieved February 28, 2010.
316. ^ Zengerle, Patricia (February 8, 2011). "Yes, he did: first lady says Obama quit smoking". Reuters. Retrieved May 9, 2011.
317. ^ Obama (2006), pp. 202–208. Portions excerpted in: Obama, Barack (October 16, 2006). "My Spiritual Journey". Time. Archived from the original on April 30, 2008. Retrieved April 28, 2008.
     • Obama, Barack (June 28, 2006). "'Call to Renewal' Keynote Address". Barack Obama: U.S. Senator for Illinois. Archived from the original on January 4, 2009. Retrieved June 16, 2008.
318. ^ Christianity Today: "Q&A: Barack Obama" Interview by Sarah Pulliam and Ted Olsen, January 23, 2008.
319. ^ Obama 'Christian By Choice': President Responds To Questioner by Charles Babington and Darlene Superville, Associated Press, September 28, 2010
320. ^ Video – President Obama: "I am a Christian By Choice" by ABC News, September 29, 2010.
321. ^ Kantor, Jodi (April 30, 2007). "Barack Obama's search for faith". The New York Times. Retrieved April 30, 2007.
322. ^ "Obama's church choice likely to be scrutinized". Associated Press. msnbc.com. November 17, 2008. Retrieved January 20, 2009.
323. ^ Sullivan, Amy (June 29, 2009). "The Obamas Find a Church Home—Away from Home". Time. Retrieved December 14, 2009.

References

• Jacobs, Sally H. (2011). The Other Barack: The Bold and Reckless Life of President Obama's Father. New York: PublicAffairs. ISBN 978-1-58648-793-5.
• Maraniss, David (2012). Barack Obama: The Story. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-1-4391-6040-4.
• Mendell, David (2007). Obama: From Promise to Power. New York: Amistad/HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0-06-085820-9.
• Obama, Barack (1995, 2004). Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance. New York: Three Rivers Press. ISBN 978-1-4000-8277-3.
• Obama, Barack (2006). The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream. New York: Crown Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-307-23769-9.
• Scott, Janny (2011). A Singular Woman: The Untold Story of Barack Obama's Mother. New York: Riverhead Books. ISBN 978-1-59448-797-2.

Further reading

• Graff, Garrett. "The Legend of Barack Obama", Washingtonian, November 1, 2006. Retrieved January 14, 2008.
• 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 Science Publishers, Hauppauge, New York, 2005, ISBN 1-59454-360-7
• Lizza, Ryan. "Above the Fray", GQ, September 2007. Retrieved October 27, 2010.
• MacFarquhar, Larissa. "The Conciliator: Where is Barack Obama Coming From?", The New Yorker, May 7, 2007. Retrieved January 14, 2008.
• McClelland, Edward, Young Mr. Obama: Chicago and the Making of a Black President, Bloomsbury Press, 2010.
• Zutter, Hank De. "What Makes Obama Run?", Chicago Reader, December 8, 1995. Retrieved January 14, 2008.

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