Barack Obama's biological father, Barack Obama, Sr.
(Barack Obama, Sr. was from Kenya.)
Barack Obama’s biological mother, Ann Dunham
holding a very young Barack Obama
(Ann Dunham was from Kansas.)
Barack Obama's Grandparents
(When Barack returned to Hawaii at age 10, he lived with his grandparents.)
Barack Obama’s stepfather Lolo Soetoro; biological mother Ann Dunham;
and half-sister Maya Soetoro-Ng
(Ann Dunham married Lolo Soetoro, from Indonesia, after she and Barack Sr. were divorced. Barack lived with his stepfather and mother in Indonesia from age 6 - 10.)
So now the story is out – the real Superman is indeed Barack Obama. You see, not only is Barack faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but he can also play a pretty mean game of basketball, write best-selling novels, give inspiring speeches, bring over two decades of deep experience to the presidency, bring hope back to America, bring about change that we can believe in, and, once in a while, go on The Ellen Show and do a little boogie. Now, if that doen’t make him Superman, I don’t know what would!
Many Republicans are Supporting Barack Obama
We are seeing many extraordinary events occur this campaign season, and that is because we have an extraordinary man running for president – Barack Obama. And one extraordinary thing that we see happening on a daily basis is lifelong Republicans choosing to SUPPORT BARACK OBAMA. Indeed, countless Republicans have approached Barack Obama himself and told him that they SWITCHED PARTIES because of him. You see, Barack Obama TRANSENDS partisan politics. He is the candidate of ALL people, not just Democrats.
Susan Eisenhower, a lifelong Republican and the granddaughter of Dwight D. Eisenhower, wrote a compelling article that appeared in the Washington Post in which she stated why she is BACKING OBAMA. To all Republicans, I suggest that you listen closely to Susan Eisenhower and the innumerable others who believe that Barack Obama is THE BEST CANDIDATE for president. Please do not allow partisan politics and BLIND PARTISAN LOYALTY to preclude you from voting for who is truly the best person for the job – Barack Obama. Below is Susan Eisenhower’s article.
Why I'm Backing Obama
By Susan Eisenhower
From: The Washington Post; February 2, 2008
Forty-seven years ago, my grandfather Dwight D. Eisenhower bid farewell to a nation he had served for more than five decades. In his televised address, Ike famously coined the term "military-industrial complex," and he offered advice that is still relevant today. "As we peer into society's future," he said, we "must avoid the impulse to live only for today, plundering, for our own ease and convenience, the precious resources of tomorrow. We cannot mortgage the material assets of our grandchildren without risking the loss also of their political and spiritual heritage. We want democracy to survive for all generations to come, not to become the insolvent phantom of tomorrow." Today we are engaged in a debate about these very issues. Deep in America's heart, I believe, is the nagging fear that our best years as a nation may be over. We are disliked overseas and feel insecure at home. We watch as our federal budget hemorrhages red ink and our civil liberties are eroded. Crises in energy, health care and education threaten our way of life and our ability to compete internationally. There are also the issues of a costly, unpopular war; a long-neglected infrastructure; and an aging and increasingly needy population. I am not alone in worrying that my generation will fail to do what my grandfather's did so well: Leave America a better, stronger place than the one it found. Given the magnitude of these issues and the cost of addressing them, our next president must be able to bring about a sense of national unity and change. As we no longer have the financial resources to address all these problems comprehensively and simultaneously, setting priorities will be essential. With hard work, much can be done. The biggest barrier to rolling up our sleeves and preparing for a better future is our own apathy, fear or immobility. We have been living in a zero-sum political environment where all heads have been lowered to avert being lopped off by angry, noisy extremists. I am convinced that Barack Obama is the one presidential candidate today who can encourage ordinary Americans to stand straight again; he is a man who can salve our national wounds and both inspire and pursue genuine bipartisan cooperation. Just as important, Obama can assure the world and Americans that this great nation's impulses are still free, open, fair and broad-minded. No measures to avert the serious, looming consequences can be taken without this sense of renewal. Uncommon political courage will be required. Yet this courage can be summoned only if something profoundly different transpires. Putting America first -- ahead of our own selfish interests -- must be our national priority if we are to retain our capacity to lead. The last time the United States had an open election was 1952. My grandfather was pursued by both political parties and eventually became the Republican nominee. Despite being a charismatic war hero, he did not have an easy ride to the nomination. He went on to win the presidency -- with the indispensable help of a "Democrats for Eisenhower" movement. These crossover voters were attracted by his pledge to bring change to Washington and by the prospect that he would unify the nation. It is in this great tradition of crossover voters that I support Barack Obama's candidacy for president. If the Democratic Party chooses Obama as its candidate, this lifelong Republican will work to get him elected and encourage him to seek strategic solutions to meet America's greatest challenges. To be successful, our president will need bipartisan help. Given Obama's support among young people, I believe that he will be most invested in defending the interests of these rising generations and, therefore, the long-term interests of this nation as a whole. Without his leadership, our children and grandchildren are at risk of growing older in a marginalized country that is left to its anger and divisions. Such an outcome would be an unacceptable legacy for any great nation.
Barack Obama FAQ
Q: What year was Barack Obama born in?
A: 1961
Q: How old is Barack Obama?
A: As of this writing, he is 46 years old.
Q: Is Barack Obama too young to be president?
A: No. His qualifications, character, experience, intelligence, and leadership abilities give him a level of wisdom and maturity that are nothing short of remarkable.
Q: Where was Barack Obama born?
A: Hawaii
Q: What is Barack Obama’s religion?
A: He is a Christian.
Q: Is Barack Obama African-American?
A: Barack Obama is, first and foremost, AMERICAN…and a great American at that. His father was black and his mother was white; so that technically makes him biracial; but most people see him as African American.
Q: Is Barack Obama married?
A: Yes, he is married to an intelligent and beautiful woman named Michelle Obama.
Q: Does Barack Obama have children.
A: Yes, two wonderful children…and he is a great father.
Q: How long has Barack Obama been in politics for?
A: For 10 years. He started as a member of the Illinois State Senate in 1997.
Q: Are Barack Obama’s biological parents still alive?
A: No, they have passed away.
Q: Did Barack Obama’s biological parents divorce?
A: Yes, they separated when Barack was two and later divorced.
Q: Who was Barack’s biological father?
A: His father’s name was Barack Obama, Sr., he who was born in Kenya and died in an automobile accident in 1982.
Q: Is it true that Barack Obama lived in Indonesia when he was young?
A: Yes, he lived in Jakarta, Indonesia from ages 6 to 10
Q: Why did Barack Obama move to Indonesia?
A: Because after his biological parents divorced, his mother married a man from Indonesia named Lolo Soetoro, and the family moved to Indonesia in 1967.
Q: What university did Barack Obama graduate from?
A: He graduated from Columbia University in 1983 with a degree in Political science, and he graduated from Harvard Law School in 1991.
Q: What type of work did Barack Obama do after he when he was younger?
A: After he received his degree from Columbia, he worked at Business International Corporation and New York Public Interest Research Group (both in New York); And then became the Director of the Developing Communities Project in Chicago where he worked with low-income residents. After he completed law school, he returned to Chicago and worked as an associated attorney with a law firm in which he represented individuals in discrimination claims, voting rights cases, and other important cases. He became a lecturer at the University of Chicago Law School from 1993 until he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2004.
Q: Was he in the Illinois state legislature before he was elected to the U.S. Senate?
A: Yes, her served in the Illinois state senate from 1997 to 2004.
Q: How did Barack Obama become so famous? Was there a major event that thust him into the public eye?
A: Yes. Barack gave the keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston, and the speech was VERY well received. He seemed to become a “rock star” politician with that singular event.
Q: Is Barack Obama really as nice as he seems to be.
A: Yes. He is a very kind man, and that kindness and compassion has manifested itself throughout his life with his public service, his work to help others, and his amazing disposition.
Q: Is Barack Obama a role model for black people?
A: Barack Obama is a role model for ALL people!
Barack Obama Democratic National Convention
Keynote Address - July 27, 2004
On July 27, 2004, Barack Obama delivered an inspiring, powerful, and electirying speech at the Democratic National Convention in Boston, Massachusetts.
Universally regarded as a spectacular speech, it was this speech that thrust Barack Obama into national prominence and certified him as a heavyweight politician.
Full text of speech:
On behalf of the great state of Illinois , crossroads of a nation, land of Lincoln , let me express my deep gratitude for the privilege of addressing this convention. Tonight is a particular honor for me because, let's face it, my presence on this stage is pretty unlikely. My father was a foreign student, born and raised in a small village in Kenya . He grew up herding goats, went to school in a tin-roof shack. His father, my grandfather, was a cook, a domestic servant.
But my grandfather had larger dreams for his son. Through hard work and perseverance my father got a scholarship to study in a magical place; America which stood as a beacon of freedom and opportunity to so many who had come before. While studying here, my father met my mother. She was born in a town on the other side of the world, in Kansas . Her father worked on oil rigs and farms through most of the Depression. The day after Pearl Harbor he signed up for duty, joined Patton's army and marched across Europe . Back home, my grandmother raised their baby and went to work on a bomber assembly line. After the war, they studied on the G.I. Bill, bought a house through FHA, and moved west in search of opportunity.
And they, too, had big dreams for their daughter, a common dream, born of two continents. My parents shared not only an improbable love; they shared an abiding faith in the possibilities of this nation. They would give me an African name, Barack, or "blessed," believing that in a tolerant America your name is no barrier to success. They imagined me going to the best schools in the land, even though they weren't rich, because in a generous America you don't have to be rich to achieve your potential. They are both passed away now. Yet, I know that, on this night, they look down on me with pride.
I stand here today, grateful for the diversity of my heritage, aware that my parents' dreams live on in my precious daughters. I stand here knowing that my story is part of the larger American story, that I owe a debt to all of those who came before me, and that, in no other country on earth, is my story even possible. Tonight, we gather to affirm the greatness of our nation, not because of the height of our skyscrapers, or the power of our military, or the size of our economy. Our pride is based on a very simple premise, summed up in a declaration made over two hundred years ago, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal. That they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights. That among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
That is the true genius of America , a faith in the simple dreams of its people, the insistence on small miracles. That we can tuck in our children at night and know they are fed and clothed and safe from harm. That we can say what we think, write what we think, without hearing a sudden knock on the door. That we can have an idea and start our own business without paying a bribe or hiring somebody's son. That we can participate in the political process without fear of retribution, and that our votes will be counted -- or at least, most of the time.
This year, in this election, we are called to reaffirm our values and commitments, to hold them against a hard reality and see how we are measuring up, to the legacy of our forbearers, and the promise of future generations. And fellow Americans -- Democrats, Republicans, Independents -- I say to you tonight: we have more work to do. More to do for the workers I met in Galesburg, Illinois, who are losing their union jobs at the Maytag plant that's moving to Mexico, and now are having to compete with their own children for jobs that pay seven bucks an hour. More to do for the father I met who was losing his job and choking back tears, wondering how he would pay $4,500 a month for the drugs his son needs without the health benefits he counted on. More to do for the young woman in East St. Louis , and thousands more like her, who has the grades, has the drive, has the will, but doesn't have the money to go to college.
Don't get me wrong. The people I meet in small towns and big cities, in diners and office parks, they don't expect government to solve all their problems. They know they have to work hard to get ahead and they want to. Go into the collar counties around Chicago, and people will tell you they don't want their tax money wasted by a welfare agency or the Pentagon. Go into any inner city neighborhood, and folks will tell you that government alone can't teach kids to learn. They know that parents have to parent, that children can't achieve unless we raise their expectations and turn off the television sets and eradicate the slander that says a black youth with a book is acting white. No, people don't expect government to solve all their problems. But they sense, deep in their bones, that with just a change in priorities, we can make sure that every child in America has a decent shot at life, and that the doors of opportunity remain open to all. They know we can do better. And they want that choice.
In this election, we offer that choice. Our party has chosen a man to lead us who embodies the best this country has to offer. That man is John Kerry. John Kerry understands the ideals of community, faith, and sacrifice, because they've defined his life. From his heroic service in Vietnam to his years as prosecutor and lieutenant governor, through two decades in the United States Senate, he has devoted himself to this country. Again and again, we've seen him make tough choices when easier ones were available. His values and his record affirm what is best in us.
John Kerry believes in an America where hard work is rewarded. So instead of offering tax breaks to companies shipping jobs overseas, he'll offer them to companies creating jobs here at home. John Kerry believes in an America where all Americans can afford the same health coverage our politicians in Washington have for themselves. John Kerry believes in energy independence, so we aren't held hostage to the profits of oil companies or the sabotage of foreign oil fields. John Kerry believes in the constitutional freedoms that have made our country the envy of the world, and he will never sacrifice our basic liberties nor use faith as a wedge to divide us. And John Kerry believes that in a dangerous world, war must be an option, but it should never be the first option.
A while back, I met a young man named Shamus at the VFW Hall in East Moline , Illinois . He was a good-looking kid, 6'2'' or 6'3'', clear eyed, with an easy smile. He told me he'd joined the Marines and was heading to Iraq the following week. As I listened to him explain why he'd enlisted, his absolute faith in our country and its leaders, his devotion to duty and service, I thought this young man was all any of us might hope for in a child. But then I asked myself: Are we serving Shamus as well as he was serving us? I thought of more than 900 service men and women, sons and daughters, husbands and wives, friends and neighbors, who will not be returning to their hometowns. I thought of families I had met who were struggling to get by without a loved one's full income, or whose loved ones had returned with a limb missing or with nerves shattered, but who still lacked long-term health benefits because they were reservists. When we send our young men and women into harm's way, we have a solemn obligation not to fudge the numbers or shade the truth about why they're going, to care for their families while they're gone, to tend to the soldiers upon their return, and to never ever go to war without enough troops to win the war, secure the peace, and earn the respect of the world.
Now let me be clear. We have real enemies in the world. These enemies must be found. They must be pursued and they must be defeated. John Kerry knows this. And just as Lieutenant Kerry did not hesitate to risk his life to protect the men who served with him in Vietnam , President Kerry will not hesitate one moment to use our military might to keep America safe and secure. John Kerry believes in America . And he knows it's not enough for just some of us to prosper. For alongside our famous individualism, there's another ingredient in the American saga.
A belief that we are connected as one people. If there's a child on the south side of Chicago who can't read, that matters to me, even if it's not my child. If there's a senior citizen somewhere who can't pay for her prescription and has to choose between medicine and the rent, that makes my life poorer, even if it's not my grandmother. If there's an Arab American family being rounded up without benefit of an attorney or due process, that threatens my civil liberties. It's that fundamental belief -- I am my brother's keeper, I am my sisters' keeper -- that makes this country work. It's what allows us to pursue our individual dreams, yet still come together as a single American family. "E pluribus unum." Out of many, one.
Yet even as we speak, there are those who are preparing to divide us, the spin masters and negative ad peddlers who embrace the politics of anything goes. Well, I say to them tonight, there's not a liberal America and a conservative America -- there's the United States of America . There's not a black America and white America and Latino America and Asian America; there's the United States of America . The pundits like to slice-and-dice our country into Red States and Blue States ; Red States for Republicans, Blue States for Democrats. But I've got news for them, too. We worship an awesome God in the Blue States, and we don't like federal agents poking around our libraries in the Red States. We coach Little League in the Blue States and have gay friends in the Red States. There are patriots who opposed the war in Iraq and patriots who supported it. We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America .
In the end, that's what this election is about. Do we participate in a politics of cynicism or a politics of hope? John Kerry calls on us to hope. John Edwards calls on us to hope. I'm not talking about blind optimism here -- the almost willful ignorance that thinks unemployment will go away if we just don't talk about it, or the health care crisis will solve itself if we just ignore it. No, I'm talking about something more substantial. It's the hope of slaves sitting around a fire singing freedom songs; the hope of immigrants setting out for distant shores; the hope of a young naval lieutenant bravely patrolling the Mekong Delta; the hope of a mill worker's son who dares to defy the odds; the hope of a skinny kid with a funny name who believes that America has a place for him, too. The audacity of hope!
In the end, that is God's greatest gift to us, the bedrock of this nation; the belief in things not seen; the belief that there are better days ahead. I believe we can give our middle class relief and provide working families with a road to opportunity. I believe we can provide jobs to the jobless, homes to the homeless, and reclaim young people in cities across America from violence and despair. I believe that as we stand on the crossroads of history, we can make the right choices, and meet the challenges that face us. America !
Tonight, if you feel the same energy I do, the same urgency I do, the same passion I do, the same hopefulness I do -- if we do what we must do, then I have no doubt that all across the country, from Florida to Oregon, from Washington to Maine, the people will rise up in November, and John Kerry will be sworn in as president, and John Edwards will be sworn in as vice president, and this country will reclaim its promise, and out of this long political darkness a brighter day will come.
Thank you and God bless you.
Barack Obama Speeches
Barack Obama is unquestionably a spectacular orator. He is intelligent, articulate, passionate, and charismatic – he is a political poet who not only inspires us, but gives us hope. And his words always electrify and captivate the audiences that he addresses…in a way that we have not seen since John F. Kennedy. Please peruse some of Barack Obama’s more prominent speeches below.
Barack Obama Keeping America's Promise Speech
February 13, 2008
Barack Obama Potamic Primary Speech
February 12, 2008
Barack Obama "Rebuilding Trust with New Orleans" Speech
February 7, 2008
Barack Obama Speaks on Super Tuesday
February 5, 2008
Barack Obama "Reclaiming the American Dream" Speech
Barack Obama Give His South Carolina Victory Speech
January 26, 2008
Barack Obama Gives his Iowa Caucus Victory Speech
January 3, 2008
Barack Obama "Our Moment is Now" Speech
December 27, 2007
Barack Obama DNC Keynote
(The speech that made Barack Obama a superstar!)
July 27, 2004
Barack Obama Against War with Iraq
(Speech Made Long Before the War Began)
October 2, 2002
David Plouffe
David Plouffe
Barack Obama's Campaign Manager
David Plouffe is Barack Obama's campaign manager, and he has been doing a spectacular job in keeping the Obama campaign on course. Plouffe has extensive campaign experience and is currently a partner in the Chicago-based political consulting firm AKP&D media, a firm that he joined in 2000, and then became a full partner with in 2004 (the same year he served as a top strategist to Dick Gephardt in his Presidential bid). Prior to joining AKP&D, Plouffe served as executive director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (1999-2000); it was in this capacity that he helped raise a record $95 million for House races across the country. He also served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Richard Gephardt (1997-1998); as Campaign Manager for Bob Torricelli’s run for U.S. Senate (1996); as Campaign Director at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (1995); as Campaign Manager for Charlie Oberly’s run for U.S. Senate (1994); as Campaign Manager for John Olver’s re-election bid to the House (1992); as State Field Director for Senator Tom Harkin’s Presidential campaign (1992); and as Deputy Field Director in Harkin’s run for U.S. Senate (1990). As you can see, Plouffe has the resume that makes him a heavyweight campaign manager in anyone’s book. Please click below to watch John Harwood interview David Plouffe. And when you are done viewing the video, please close that page to return to BarackObama.net. Thank you.
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