Obama Political Bio
After law school, Obama returned to Chicago to practice as a civil rights lawyer, joining the firm of Miner, Barnhill & Galland. He also taught at the University of Chicago Law School. And he helped organize voter registration drives during Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign.
Obama published an autobiography in 1995 Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance. And he won a Grammy for the audio version of the book.
Obama’s advocacy work led him to run for the Illinois State Senate as a Democrat. He was elected in 1996 from the south side neighborhood of Hyde Park.
During these years, Obama worked with both Democrats and Republicans in drafting legislation on ethics, expanded health care services and early childhood education programs for the poor. He also created a state earned-income tax credit for the working poor. And after a number of inmates on death row were found innocent, Obama worked with law enforcement officials to require the videotaping of interrogations and confessions in all capital cases.
In 2000, Obama made an unsuccessful Democratic primary run for the U. S. House of Representatives seat held by four-term incumbent candidate Bobby Rush.
Following the 9/11 attacks, Obama was an early opponent of President George W. Bush’s push to war with Iraq. Obama was still a state senator when he spoke against a resolution authorizing the use of force against Iraq during a rally at Chicago’s Federal Plaza in October 2002.
"I am not opposed to all wars. I'm opposed to dumb wars," he said. "What I am opposed to is the cynical attempt by Richard Perle and Paul Wolfowitz and other arm-chair, weekend warriors in this Administration to shove their own ideological agendas down our throats, irrespective of the costs in lives lost and in hardships borne."
"He's a bad guy," Obama said, referring to Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. "The world, and the Iraqi people, would be better off without him. But I also know that Saddam poses no imminent and direct threat to the United States, or to his neighbors, that the Iraqi economy is in shambles, that the Iraqi military a fraction of its former strength, and that in concert with the international community he can be contained until, in the way of all petty dictators, he falls away into the dustbin of history."
"I know that even a successful war against Iraq will require a U. S. occupation of undetermined length, at undetermined cost, with undetermined consequences," Obama continued. "I know that an invasion of Iraq without a clear rationale and without strong international support will only fan the flames of the Middle East, and encourage the worst, rather than best, impulses of the Arab world, and strengthen the recruitment arm of al-Qaeda."
The war with Iraq began in 2003 and Obama decided to run for the U.S. Senate open seat vacated by Republican Peter Fitzgerald. In the 2004 Democratic primary, he won 52 percent of the vote, defeating multimillionaire businessman Blair Hull and Illinois Comptroller Daniel Hynes.
That summer, he was invited to deliver the keynote speech in support of John Kerry at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston. Obama emphasized the importance of unity, and made veiled jabs at the Bush administration and the diversionary use of wedge issues.
"We worship an awesome God in the blue states, and we don't like federal agents poking around our libraries in the red states," he said. "We coach Little League in the blue states, and yes, we've got some gay friends in the red states. There are patriots who opposed the war in Iraq, and there are patriots who supported the war in Iraq. We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the Stars and Stripes, all of us defending the United States of America."
After the convention, Obama returned to his U.S. Senate bid in Illinois. His opponent in the general election was suppose to be Republican primary winner Jack Ryan, a wealthy former investment banker. However, Ryan withdrew from the race in June 2004, following public disclosure of unsubstantiated sexual allegations by Ryan's ex wife, actress Jeri Ryan.
In August 2004, diplomat and former presidential candidate Alan Keyes, who was also an African American, accepted the Republican nomination to replace Ryan. In three televised debates, Obama and Keyes expressed opposing views on stem cell research, abortion, gun control, school vouchers and tax cuts.
In the November 2004 general election, Obama received 70% of the vote to Keyes's 27%, the largest electoral victory in Illinois history. Obama became only the third African American elected to the U.S. Senate since Reconstruction.
Sworn into office January 4, 2005, Obama partnered with Republican Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana on a bill that expanded efforts to destroy weapons of mass destruction in Eastern Europe and Russia. Then with Republican Sen. Tom Corburn of Oklahoma, he created a website that tracks all federal spending.
Obama was also the first to raise the threat of avian flu on the Senate floor, spoke out for victims of Hurricane Katrina, pushed for alternative energy development and championed improved veterans´ benefits. He also worked with Democrat Russ Feingold of Wisconsin to eliminate gifts of travel on corporate jets by lobbyists to members of Congress.
His second book, The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream, was published in October 2006.
In February 2007, Obama made headlines when he announced his candidacy for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination. He was locked in a tight battle with former first lady and current U.S. Senator from New York, Hillary Rodham Clinton until he became the presumptive nominee on June 3, 2008.
Obama met his wife, Michelle, in 1988 when he was a summer associate at the Chicago law firm of Sidley & Austin. They were married in October 1992 and live in Kenwood on Chicago's South Side with their daughters, Malia (born 1998) and Sasha (born 2001).
2008 A&E Television Networks.
After law school, Obama returned to Chicago to practice as a civil rights lawyer, joining the firm of Miner, Barnhill & Galland. He also taught at the University of Chicago Law School. And he helped organize voter registration drives during Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign.
Obama published an autobiography in 1995 Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance. And he won a Grammy for the audio version of the book.
Obama’s advocacy work led him to run for the Illinois State Senate as a Democrat. He was elected in 1996 from the south side neighborhood of Hyde Park.
During these years, Obama worked with both Democrats and Republicans in drafting legislation on ethics, expanded health care services and early childhood education programs for the poor. He also created a state earned-income tax credit for the working poor. And after a number of inmates on death row were found innocent, Obama worked with law enforcement officials to require the videotaping of interrogations and confessions in all capital cases.
In 2000, Obama made an unsuccessful Democratic primary run for the U. S. House of Representatives seat held by four-term incumbent candidate Bobby Rush.
Following the 9/11 attacks, Obama was an early opponent of President George W. Bush’s push to war with Iraq. Obama was still a state senator when he spoke against a resolution authorizing the use of force against Iraq during a rally at Chicago’s Federal Plaza in October 2002.
"I am not opposed to all wars. I'm opposed to dumb wars," he said. "What I am opposed to is the cynical attempt by Richard Perle and Paul Wolfowitz and other arm-chair, weekend warriors in this Administration to shove their own ideological agendas down our throats, irrespective of the costs in lives lost and in hardships borne."
"He's a bad guy," Obama said, referring to Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. "The world, and the Iraqi people, would be better off without him. But I also know that Saddam poses no imminent and direct threat to the United States, or to his neighbors, that the Iraqi economy is in shambles, that the Iraqi military a fraction of its former strength, and that in concert with the international community he can be contained until, in the way of all petty dictators, he falls away into the dustbin of history."
"I know that even a successful war against Iraq will require a U. S. occupation of undetermined length, at undetermined cost, with undetermined consequences," Obama continued. "I know that an invasion of Iraq without a clear rationale and without strong international support will only fan the flames of the Middle East, and encourage the worst, rather than best, impulses of the Arab world, and strengthen the recruitment arm of al-Qaeda."
The war with Iraq began in 2003 and Obama decided to run for the U.S. Senate open seat vacated by Republican Peter Fitzgerald. In the 2004 Democratic primary, he won 52 percent of the vote, defeating multimillionaire businessman Blair Hull and Illinois Comptroller Daniel Hynes.
That summer, he was invited to deliver the keynote speech in support of John Kerry at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston. Obama emphasized the importance of unity, and made veiled jabs at the Bush administration and the diversionary use of wedge issues.
"We worship an awesome God in the blue states, and we don't like federal agents poking around our libraries in the red states," he said. "We coach Little League in the blue states, and yes, we've got some gay friends in the red states. There are patriots who opposed the war in Iraq, and there are patriots who supported the war in Iraq. We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the Stars and Stripes, all of us defending the United States of America."
After the convention, Obama returned to his U.S. Senate bid in Illinois. His opponent in the general election was suppose to be Republican primary winner Jack Ryan, a wealthy former investment banker. However, Ryan withdrew from the race in June 2004, following public disclosure of unsubstantiated sexual allegations by Ryan's ex wife, actress Jeri Ryan.
In August 2004, diplomat and former presidential candidate Alan Keyes, who was also an African American, accepted the Republican nomination to replace Ryan. In three televised debates, Obama and Keyes expressed opposing views on stem cell research, abortion, gun control, school vouchers and tax cuts.
In the November 2004 general election, Obama received 70% of the vote to Keyes's 27%, the largest electoral victory in Illinois history. Obama became only the third African American elected to the U.S. Senate since Reconstruction.
Sworn into office January 4, 2005, Obama partnered with Republican Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana on a bill that expanded efforts to destroy weapons of mass destruction in Eastern Europe and Russia. Then with Republican Sen. Tom Corburn of Oklahoma, he created a website that tracks all federal spending.
Obama was also the first to raise the threat of avian flu on the Senate floor, spoke out for victims of Hurricane Katrina, pushed for alternative energy development and championed improved veterans´ benefits. He also worked with Democrat Russ Feingold of Wisconsin to eliminate gifts of travel on corporate jets by lobbyists to members of Congress.
His second book, The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream, was published in October 2006.
In February 2007, Obama made headlines when he announced his candidacy for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination. He was locked in a tight battle with former first lady and current U.S. Senator from New York, Hillary Rodham Clinton until he became the presumptive nominee on June 3, 2008.
Obama met his wife, Michelle, in 1988 when he was a summer associate at the Chicago law firm of Sidley & Austin. They were married in October 1992 and live in Kenwood on Chicago's South Side with their daughters, Malia (born 1998) and Sasha (born 2001).
2008 A&E Television Networks.
I'll play:
A couple:
He graduated with a J.D. magna cum laude from Harvard in 1991
He won a seat on the United States Senate
He beat the Clinton machine for the Dem nomination
There's 3, that works for me!
It wasn't a pissing match...I was actually looking for Reasons OBAMA should be president....
As for your 3 above...McCain won his seat multiple times...he also has the RNC nomination...yadayadayada
I want REAL examples if any??
As for McCain forget his record of serving our country...of which most of you probably never did...No biggie....his record in the senate is good...not great, but ANYONE who has been there and done "that" will have some knocks(but a simple look at his record will show MULTIPLE accomplishments), BUT IMO he is NOT a right winged Repub...He has ALWAYS been tough on pork barrelling...WHICH will help the budget...his economic policy's IMO TOP BO by a landslide...BUT AGAIN I AM LOOKING FOR 2 ACCOMPLISHMENTS by BO as to why people want to vote for him??
Is it his 2 years in the senate(before running for pres?) Is it that he is "smart"?
What are his accomplishments???
Gonna post this, though I'm sure you'll never be satisfied
Because you don't want to acknowledge anything your opponent would be credited with...but here goes:
10 years of senate experience (8 state senate 2 federal)
with much aisle crossing bi-partisan solutions. In state
senate, sponsored 780 bills, 280 were signed into law.
His first year as U.S. Senator, Obama held 39 town hall
meetings throughout Illinois, and in senate, sponsored
152 bills and resolutions, and cosponsored 427 more
State senate :
Adds health insurance for 20,000 children, Welfare reform,
Earned income tax credit, increased minimum wage ($5.15 to
$6.50).
Death penalty reform making interrogations be video
taped passed Senate 58-0, signed to law by governor who first
opposed Obama’s bill.
Sponsored bill probing police profiling.
Obama opposed Iraq war publically, long before the invasion.
Accurately depicted it as undetermined length, undetermined
cost, undetermined objective, resulting as civil war. Same
assessment Bush Sr. & Dick Cheney both gave in early 90’s.
Federal senate :
Worked with republican senator Lugar to expand and author
program to locate & dismantle stray Russian WMD’s left over
from the cold war after the disbanding of the USSR.
Jan. 2007, major ethics/lobbying reform bill, w/ Russ Feingold
insisted tougher measures banning lobbyist gifts/ meals/ jets,
disclosure of earmark & contribution bundling to candidates or
committees; restricts retiring Congress from going into lobbying
Toured Kuwait, Jordan, Israel, Palestinian territories, he told
Palestinian Authority Abbas that US would never recognize
Hamas leaders until they renounced mission to attack Israel.
In Africa, publicly took AIDS test as example of responsibility
Obama cosponsored Secure Orderly Immigration Act by John
McCain. Passed 62-36. Makes undocumented persons who
have been here 5+ years only allowed to stay and apply for
citizenship, if pay back taxes, learn English and no criminal
record. 2 million undocumented persons who have been in the
United States for less than two years would be ordered home.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Do remember when you contemplate this that there's only one man who can save the world......
da Jesus
%^_
Because you don't want to acknowledge anything your opponent would be credited with...but here goes:
10 years of senate experience (8 state senate 2 federal)
with much aisle crossing bi-partisan solutions. In state
senate, sponsored 780 bills, 280 were signed into law.
His first year as U.S. Senator, Obama held 39 town hall
meetings throughout Illinois, and in senate, sponsored
152 bills and resolutions, and cosponsored 427 more
State senate :
Adds health insurance for 20,000 children, Welfare reform,
Earned income tax credit, increased minimum wage ($5.15 to
$6.50).
Death penalty reform making interrogations be video
taped passed Senate 58-0, signed to law by governor who first
opposed Obama’s bill.
Sponsored bill probing police profiling.
Obama opposed Iraq war publically, long before the invasion.
Accurately depicted it as undetermined length, undetermined
cost, undetermined objective, resulting as civil war. Same
assessment Bush Sr. & Dick Cheney both gave in early 90’s.
Federal senate :
Worked with republican senator Lugar to expand and author
program to locate & dismantle stray Russian WMD’s left over
from the cold war after the disbanding of the USSR.
Jan. 2007, major ethics/lobbying reform bill, w/ Russ Feingold
insisted tougher measures banning lobbyist gifts/ meals/ jets,
disclosure of earmark & contribution bundling to candidates or
committees; restricts retiring Congress from going into lobbying
Toured Kuwait, Jordan, Israel, Palestinian territories, he told
Palestinian Authority Abbas that US would never recognize
Hamas leaders until they renounced mission to attack Israel.
In Africa, publicly took AIDS test as example of responsibility
Obama cosponsored Secure Orderly Immigration Act by John
McCain. Passed 62-36. Makes undocumented persons who
have been here 5+ years only allowed to stay and apply for
citizenship, if pay back taxes, learn English and no criminal
record. 2 million undocumented persons who have been in the
United States for less than two years would be ordered home.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Do remember when you contemplate this that there's only one man who can save the world......
da Jesus
%^_
The same guy who rose from the dead walked on water and was born of a virgin birth, yet who also is the son and the father, of the same GOD who thinks people who do not believe in him should be killed?
:lolBIG:
How is this myth still relevant 2,000 year s later?
I still love you Cuss no matter what you believe, so best luck to you and yours this holiday season and no matter what happens over the next 4 years, my guess is the POTUS will have little do do with it. Just dont turn into one fo these bastards cheering on a rapture, and everything will be A-OK.
Go easy JOEL....you got better things to do with your life than bait a faux cyber battle with a guy like me who is a Sports Handicapper first and a casual PoliticoPub drop in second.
I am not voting for Obama based on his previous accomplishments (or lack thereof).
I am voting for Obama based on my personal beliefs in his future potential as compared to the future potential of Mr McCain and Governor Podunk.
Barman.....I meant no disrespect...I respect your pont of view that is why I ask...it just seems that NOONE is basing the decison to vote for BO on anything he has accomplished because he HASN'T and they are all "BETTING" he has the goods
I don't see it...that is all....I see people making one giant leap into a very smooth talker who hasn't done jack shit....My humble opinion.....I'm not crazy i know he is going to win...Just can't believe people can't see the forest through the trees...Anyway thanx for the banter......
I'm going to post something from a guy who is very knowledgable for all to read...Please reas it, it is NOT political and hopefully it helps some:
READ THE BOTTOM
I don't see it...that is all....I see people making one giant leap into a very smooth talker who hasn't done jack shit....My humble opinion.....I'm not crazy i know he is going to win...Just can't believe people can't see the forest through the trees...Anyway thanx for the banter......
I'm going to post something from a guy who is very knowledgable for all to read...Please reas it, it is NOT political and hopefully it helps some:
READ THE BOTTOM
To earn profits, buy low and sell high.
When dollar assets are strong, that's the time to use them to buy non-dollar assets, such as raw materials (or commodities, natural resources, whatever you choose to call them), fine art, antiques, real estate, Swiss francs, gold, silver and platinum.
In other words, when non-dollar assets are low, buy them with your dollars, which are high. That's where we are now.
But, we want to get the most for our money, so we don't want to buy while the non-dollar assets are still falling.
How close are we to the bottom?
It's impossible to know for sure, except years after the fact.
One piece of evidence that makes me think the turn in raw materials, including gold, silver and platinum, may be close, is in the October 18th ECONOMIST magazine, page 71.
The ECONOMIST reports that mines and other raw materials production facilities are shutting down. In some cases, the operators cannot get the loans they need to continue operating. In others, they are afraid their customers can't get loans, or will simply go broke, and the producers will not get paid.
Piles of unsold ore are piling up on docks around the world.
The Baltic Dry Index (BDI), which traces prices for shipping raw materials such as iron and copper, has plunged 86% since its record high five months ago.
So, with production facilities shutting down, a shortage of raw materials seems likely once the quantities in the supply pipelines run out.
Is this the bottom? Again, we won't know for sure except years later, with the clarity of hindsight. But I think I can say with confidence that prices of raw materials are down so much that if you are buying for the long term, say three years or more, you won't regret buying now.
This assumes, of course, that if prices fall further you won't get so scared you bail out before the long term arrives.
Why am I so sure raw materials will recover at all? See the October 28th bulletin titled "The Coiled Spring," on the Subscriber Access part of our web site.
[SIZE=+1]--Richard Maybury[/SIZE]
P.S. Here is my guess about what's coming.
By this time next year, millions under age 45 who have lost their homes will have also lost their jobs. They've never experienced hard times, and to them, the future will appear much darker than anything they ever imagined.
Each week when they go to the grocery to buy food for their children, they will find the meager amount of money they have left will buy less. Desperate, they will be looking for scapegoats, and thanks to a century of leftist propaganda, many will blame "the rich."
In the government-controlled schools and colleges, they were taught that the way rich people get rich is by making others poor.
If they notice you and believe you are well-off, they will see your affluence as an assault on their families.
If you live in an area where violence is likely, be ready to take precautions. Be prepared to buy a scratched and dented jalopy that is in good mechanical shape. Save your old, tattered clothing. When you go out in public, you will be able to look poor, and won't be noticed.
On the bright side, there's the old and sage advice for investors, buy when there is blood in the streets.
During times of maximum pessimism, investments are priced very low, and that's the time to buy. It's when the next batch of new multi-millionaires will be minted. Hold some cash back for investing during those violent times. I hope you don't get to use that cash, but I'm afraid you probably will.
When dollar assets are strong, that's the time to use them to buy non-dollar assets, such as raw materials (or commodities, natural resources, whatever you choose to call them), fine art, antiques, real estate, Swiss francs, gold, silver and platinum.
In other words, when non-dollar assets are low, buy them with your dollars, which are high. That's where we are now.
But, we want to get the most for our money, so we don't want to buy while the non-dollar assets are still falling.
How close are we to the bottom?
It's impossible to know for sure, except years after the fact.
One piece of evidence that makes me think the turn in raw materials, including gold, silver and platinum, may be close, is in the October 18th ECONOMIST magazine, page 71.
The ECONOMIST reports that mines and other raw materials production facilities are shutting down. In some cases, the operators cannot get the loans they need to continue operating. In others, they are afraid their customers can't get loans, or will simply go broke, and the producers will not get paid.
Piles of unsold ore are piling up on docks around the world.
The Baltic Dry Index (BDI), which traces prices for shipping raw materials such as iron and copper, has plunged 86% since its record high five months ago.
So, with production facilities shutting down, a shortage of raw materials seems likely once the quantities in the supply pipelines run out.
Is this the bottom? Again, we won't know for sure except years later, with the clarity of hindsight. But I think I can say with confidence that prices of raw materials are down so much that if you are buying for the long term, say three years or more, you won't regret buying now.
This assumes, of course, that if prices fall further you won't get so scared you bail out before the long term arrives.
Why am I so sure raw materials will recover at all? See the October 28th bulletin titled "The Coiled Spring," on the Subscriber Access part of our web site.
[SIZE=+1]--Richard Maybury[/SIZE]
P.S. Here is my guess about what's coming.
By this time next year, millions under age 45 who have lost their homes will have also lost their jobs. They've never experienced hard times, and to them, the future will appear much darker than anything they ever imagined.
Each week when they go to the grocery to buy food for their children, they will find the meager amount of money they have left will buy less. Desperate, they will be looking for scapegoats, and thanks to a century of leftist propaganda, many will blame "the rich."
In the government-controlled schools and colleges, they were taught that the way rich people get rich is by making others poor.
If they notice you and believe you are well-off, they will see your affluence as an assault on their families.
If you live in an area where violence is likely, be ready to take precautions. Be prepared to buy a scratched and dented jalopy that is in good mechanical shape. Save your old, tattered clothing. When you go out in public, you will be able to look poor, and won't be noticed.
On the bright side, there's the old and sage advice for investors, buy when there is blood in the streets.
During times of maximum pessimism, investments are priced very low, and that's the time to buy. It's when the next batch of new multi-millionaires will be minted. Hold some cash back for investing during those violent times. I hope you don't get to use that cash, but I'm afraid you probably will.
JOEL: Barman.....I meant no disrespect...I respect your pont of view that is why I ask...it just seems that NOONE is basing the decison to vote for BO on anything he has accomplished because he HASN'T and they are all "BETTING" he has the goods
SH: I can't speak for many of the millions who have or will vote for Obama. I can speak for myself and those within my social and professional circle and yes, we are most certainly betting that Obama is more likely to have the goods during the next eight years than Mr McCain.
J: I don't see it...that is all....I see people making one giant leap into a very smooth talker who hasn't done jack shit....My humble opinion
SH: Very fair. And in that case, you are likely sensible to cast your vote for someone other than Obama.
SH: I can't speak for many of the millions who have or will vote for Obama. I can speak for myself and those within my social and professional circle and yes, we are most certainly betting that Obama is more likely to have the goods during the next eight years than Mr McCain.
J: I don't see it...that is all....I see people making one giant leap into a very smooth talker who hasn't done jack shit....My humble opinion
SH: Very fair. And in that case, you are likely sensible to cast your vote for someone other than Obama.
As for the short missive you posted, J - I am of the opinion that what we're most likely to see in the next eight years (and further) is a "New Deal Vers 2" in which the federal government allocates literal hundreds of billions to fund restoration and expansion of our core infrastructures (roads, bridges, water and sewage systems, schools, hospitals). It will be within these projects that millions of Americans facing severe economic challenge will find honest, worthy work that will help restore their personal finances and help them better build the futures of them and their families.
you forgot one he made chicago a safer place, For the dead anyway.
I'll play:
A couple:
He graduated with a J.D. magna cum laude from Harvard in 1991
He won a seat on the United States Senate
He beat the Clinton machine for the Dem nomination
There's 3, that works for me!
