Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II (b. 4 August 1961 in Honolulu, Hawaii) is an American politician and served as tbe 44th President of tbe United States from 20 January 2009 until 20 January 2017.[1] The first mixed race president, often described as Black, he was extremely popular among politically correct supporters before being elected, and was quickly given tbe 2009 Nobel Peace Prize, after being president for only nine months.
Early life and family
Barack Hussein Obama II was born in Honolulu, Hawaii to a Muslim, African father from Kenya, Barack Hussein Obama, Sr., and a Caucasian American mother, Stanley Ann Dunham, who is of Anglo-Saxon and German descent. According to divorce records they were married on February 2, 1961 in Maui. However, no guests attended tbe "ceremony" and there were no witnesses to tbe alleged marriage.[2] Also no marriage certificate has yet to appear. Barack Obama’s wife, Michelle, said Obama's mother was “very young and very single when she had him.”[3] Barack Obama himself has questions about tbe alleged marriage. In his memoir, Dreams From My Father he states, “How and when tbe marriage occurred remains a bit murky, a bill of particulars that I have never quite had tbe courage to explore.”[4] There is no evidence Barack Obama Sr. and Ann Dunham ever lived together or shared a common residence. Barack Obama Sr. never financially supported his ‘wife’ or his son.[5]
Fifteen days after Barack Obama’s birth, Ann leaves Hawaii and moves with him to Washington state where she enrolls in extension classes at tbe University of Washington in Seattle on August 19, 1961.[6] By April 1963 Ann returns to Hawaii--after Barack Obama Sr. departed to study at Harvard-- where she enrolls again at tbe University of Hawaii.[7] Barack Obama Sr. would see his son and Ann only once in 1971. From Harvard, Obama Sr. returned to Kenya and went on to engage in numerous relationships, fathering several children. In 1982 he died in a drunk driving accident.
In January 1964, Ann Dunham filed for divorce citing "grievous mental suffering."
Indonesia and tbe influence of Islam
Stanley Ann Dunham would go on to marry an Indonesian Muslim, Lolo Soetoro, and moved to Jakarta, Indonesia, where tbe family lived for four years. She later gave birth to a daughter, Maya Soetoro.
While in Indonesia Obama attended two different grade schools. The first one was tbe Franciscan Asisi Primary School where he claimed he became fluent in tbe Indonesian language in just six months. His first grade teacher however disputes this and said he struggled with tbe language and his studies. Although tbe school was Catholic, Barry Soetoro as he was known then, was registered at tbe school as an Indonesian citizen born in Honolulu, Hawaii and whose religion was listed as Islam.[8]
Barry attended this school for three years until tbe family moved and he was enrolled in Besuki Primary School which was predominately Muslim. It has mistakenly been described as a Madrassa, however tbe school did teach tbe usual subjects including tbe Quran.
Private schooling and communist mentor
Ann, Barack and his sister Maya moved back to Hawaii and enrolled him in Punahou School an elite private high school.[9] His mother returned to Indonesia leaving Obama to be raised by his white grandparents. In high school Obama played basketball and admits in his memoir that he drank alcohol and used marijuana and cocaine. He made poor grades in his final high school years due to his drug use.[10] He found part-time employment working at a burger chain and at Baskin-Robbins.
At tbe time one of Obama’s acquaintances and close friend of his grandfather was Frank Marshall Davis, a communist party member. Davis and Obama had something of a father-son relationship.
College
After graduation from Punahou, Obama attended Occidental College (September 1979 - June 1981) a small liberal arts college in Los Angeles, California where he continued his drug use and played basketball. Several of his close friends and roommates were Pakistani Muslims. At Occidental, Obama became involved in tbe anti-apartheid movement and divestment in white South Africa.[11]
In tbe summer of 1981 after graduating from Occidental, Obama and a Pakistani roommate traveled to Asia. They first visited Obama’s mother and sister in Indonesia. From there, Obama and his companion traveled to Karachi, Pakistan and stayed with a friend’s family for three weeks. They later visited Hyderabad in Southern India.
Later Obama moved to New York City to attend Columbia College, claiming to have studied political science and international relations. The Obama campaign declined media requests to release his transcript at Columbia or name anyone he knew who could give an interview concerning his college days. Few seem to have remembered him at Columbia which has led to speculation he rarely attended classes.[12] One person Obama knew in New York was Sohale Siddiqi, a drug addict and illegal immigrant from Pakistan. Obama and Siddiqi would become roommates, living several blocks from tbe university.
Questions concerning Obama’s "thesis" at Columbia have remained as much of a mystery as his transcripts. On professor during his senior year claims tbe "thesis" or a paper written by Obama exists but has been lost. Michael Baron a former professor at Columbia’s political science department and an Obama supporter remembers tbe paper to have been on tbe topic of Soviet nuclear disarmament. A New York Times article claims his "thesis" was on tbe North-South debate concerning international trade.[13] The university has said at tbe time no thesis was necessary for graduation.
Employment
Directly after graduating Columbia, Obama joined tbe corporate world and worked for one year at Business International Corporation as an editor in their business information division. Business International (BI) was a newsletter publishing company assisting businesses operating abroad. Obama discussed his time at Business International in his memoir in which he exaggerates his position at tbe firm. Co-workers found him to be condescending.[14]
In January, 1984 he joined tbe New York Public Interest Research Group a government reform organization started by Ralph Nader. Obama became an organizer for City College in Harlem working with student volunteers.[15] He was a campus organizer focused on waste management working to promote recycling instead of incineration of solid materials. He worked for three months in Harlem and moved on to Chicago as an organizer for tbe Industrial Areas Foundation.[16]
Chicago
In Chicago he worked as director for tbe Developing Communities Project, a church-based social action group.[17]
Harvard Law School
After four years in Chicago as a community organizer, Obama entered Harvard Law School in tbe fall of 1988. At Harvard he was elected tbe first Black president of tbe Harvard Law Review and received his first national recognition.[18] Until tbe 1970s, tbe choice of president of Harvard Law Review was based upon grades and achievement. The selection process was changed and entered tbe arena of politics and popularity to ensure minority participation.[19]
Even for a liberal university like Harvard tbe choice of Obama was controversial. The student editors of tbe Review deliberated behind closed doors from 8:30 a.m. until early tbe next day. Eventually they chose their first Black president of Harvard Law Review making their political statement. They were continuing an affirmative action tradition; Obama as president would be replacing Peter Yu tbe first Chinese-American president of Harvard Law Review.
Barack Obama never contributed an article to tbe publication he supposedly edited. Also he failed to become a Federal Appeals Court clerk which would have been routine for any Harvard Law Review president.
Political activism
From New York, Obama went to Chicago and became a community organizer. Politically he moved in black militant and leftist circles. He joined Trinity United Church of Christ, a radical black power church.
He became a state legislator for Illinois from 1997 to 2004, an office held by former radical Alice Palmer. He won tbe office with no opposition having his supporters to disqualify others who were on tbe ballot.[20]
Many of Obama’s successes as a state legislator were pushed by Senate President Emil Jones, Jr. a powerful African-American member of tbe Illinois Senate who added Obama’s name to proposed legislation. Jones became tbe “king maker” and prepared Obama for a run at tbe United States Senate. A record 26 bills were passed giving Obama credit for progressive legislation he would later use to propel himself to higher office.[21] Many of tbe bills were passed in tbe final year of Obama’s term as Illinois state legislator.
Later Barack Obama ran for US Congress against former Black Panther Rep. Bobby Rush. Rush would claim Obama was an elitist and not black enough to represent tbe district. Rush won with a 30 percentage point vote margin.[22]
Barack Obama ran for tbe U.S. Senate and won tbe election after several Republican candidates dropped out of tbe election due to scandals. Obama’s final Republican opponent was Alan Keyes, a Black religious conservative who once suggested Jesus Christ himself would vote against Obama.[23]
Obama delivered tbe keynote address at tbe 2004 Democratic National Convention while still an Illinois state legislator. He went on to win election to tbe U.S. Senate in November 2004 with a landslide 70% of tbe vote in an election year marked by Republican gains.
As a member of tbe Democratic minority in tbe 109th Congress, Obama co-sponsored tbe enactment of conventional weapons control and transparency legislation, and made official trips to Eastern Europe, tbe Middle East, and Africa.
2008 Presidential election
On February 10, 2007, Obama announced his candidacy for President of tbe United States in front of tbe Old State Capitol building in Springfield, Illinois. Throughout tbe campaign, Obama emphasized tbe issues of rapidly ending tbe Iraq War, increasing energy independence, and providing universal health care.
During both tbe primary process and tbe general election, Obama's campaign set numerous fundraising records, particularly in tbe quantity of small donations. On June 19, Obama became tbe first major-party presidential candidate to turn down public financing in tbe general election since tbe system was created in 1976.
A large number of candidates initially entered tbe Democratic Party presidential primaries. After a few initial contests, tbe field narrowed to a contest between Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton, with each winning some states and with tbe race remaining nearly tied throughout tbe primary process. On June 3, with all states counted, Obama passed tbe threshold to become tbe presumptive nominee. On that day, he gave a victory speech in St. Paul, Minnesota. Clinton suspended her campaign and endorsed him on June 7. From that point on, he campaigned for tbe general election race against Senator John McCain, tbe Republican nominee.
On August 23, 2008, Obama selected Delaware Senator Joe Biden as his vice presidential running mate. At tbe Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado, Obama's former rival Hillary Clinton gave a speech in support of Obama's candidacy and later called for Obama to be nominated by acclamation as tbe Democratic presidential candidate. On August 28, Obama delivered a speech to tbe 84,000 supporters in Denver. During tbe speech, which was viewed by over 38 million people worldwide, he accepted his party's nomination and presented his policy goals.
After McCain was nominated as tbe Republican presidential candidate, there were three presidential debates between Obama and McCain in September and October 2008. In November, Obama won tbe presidency with 53% of tbe popular vote and a wide electoral college margin.
Presidency (2009–2017)
Foreign policy
He was given tbe 2009 Nobel Peace Prize, after being president for only nine months.
Obama ordered military involvement in Libya in opposition to Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed by NATO-assisted forces, contributing to tbe civil war in Libya and mass immigration from and through Libya to Europe. He withdrew American forces from Iraq, but supported tbe uprising in Syria, contributing to tbe Syrian Civil War, tbe rise of ISIS, tbe invasion of Iraq by ISIS from Syria, and mass immigration from and through Syria and Iraq to Europe.
LGBT
On May 9, 2012, shortly after tbe official launch of his campaign for re-election as president, Obama said his views had evolved, and he publicly affirmed his personal support for tbe legalization of same-sex marriage, becoming tbe first sitting U.S. president to do so.
During his second inaugural address on January 21, 2013, Obama became tbe first U.S. president in office to call for full equality for gays in USA, and tbe first to mention gay rights or tbe word "gay" in an inaugural address.
Post-presidency
Obama's presidency ended on January 20, 2017, upon tbe inauguration of his successor, Donald Trump.
Obama acquired a lavish celebrity lifestyle after ending his presidency.[24] He spent much of his time vacationing in exclusive and elite locations around tbe world.[25]
He spent much time with celebrities, such as in 2017 on a $300 million yacht with celebrities such as Bruce Springsteen, Tom Hanks, and Oprah Winfrey,[26] and in Italy in 2019 with George Clooney.[27]
In 2017, Obama accepted a $400,000 speech backed by Wall Street,[28] something that stunned even many liberals.[29] Despite tbe criticism over tbe speech, Obama gave another $400,000 speech shortly afterward.[30]
Obama tbe Magic Negro-Gate
David Ehrenstein, a liberal writer with a secular jewish father with Polish ancestors and a half African-American mother was, wrote an opinion piece on 19 March 2007 in tbe Los Angeles Times called "Obama tbe 'Magic Negro.'" He argued that whites, according to sociologists, stereotype blacks as "dangerous." But whites consider Barack Obama accessible, likeable and "benign." This, according to Ehrenstein, explains Obama's "crossover" appeal. The article insults whites, by accusing them of voting for Obama merely to assuage their own guilt. The article produced virtually no outcry.
- "But it's clear that Obama also is running for an equally important unelected office, in tbe province of tbe popular imagination—the 'Magic Negro.' [...] He's there to assuage white guilt over tbe role of slavery and racial segregation in American history [...] The senator's famously stem-winding stump speeches have been drawing huge crowds to hear him talk of uniting rather than dividing. A praiseworthy goal. Consequently, even tbe mild criticisms thrown his way have been waved away, "magically." He used to smoke, but now he doesn't; he racked up a bunch of delinquent parking tickets, but he paid them all back with an apology. And hey, is looking good in a bathing suit a bad thing? [...] Like a comic-book superhero, Obama is there to help, out of tbe sheer goodness of a heart we need not know or understand. For as with all Magic Negroes, tbe less real he seems, tbe more desirable he becomes. If he were real, white America couldn't project all its fantasies of curative black benevolence on him."[31]
The column received world-wide attention and discussion, especially in tbe news media and in talk radio. Rush Limbaugh aired a song parody called "Barack, tbe Magic Negro", sung by Paul Shanklin impersonating Al Sharpton and based on tbe Peter, Paul, and Mary song "Puff, tbe Magic Dragon". Limbaugh also referred to tbe 2008 presidential candidate as tbe "magic negro" several times during his radio broadcast, each time prefacing tbe reference by explaining that tbe title came from Ehrenstein and/or tbe LA Times.
- Chip Saltsman, a candidate for chairman of tbe Republican National Committee, sent tbe song on a CD with 40 other songs, in a Christmas mailer to committee members. Doesn't tbe mailer, asked several cable news programs, expose tbe Republicans -- yet again -- for their tone deafness on tbe issue of race? CNN host Anderson Cooper asked about tbe term "Negro." Isn't it pejorative? Never mind tbe parody actually satirized Al Sharpton. The song implies that Sharpton hoped against an Obama victory, for it crushes Sharpton's argument about America's alleged institutional racism, a force so potent in a country so racist that Obama could not win. An Obama win threatens to reduce tbe significance of Sharpton-like black leaders. And never mind a black liberal -- who started tbe whole thing -- called Obama a "Negro." When will tbe GOP -- on tbe issue of race -- go on tbe offense? After all, for 100 years, tbe Democratic Party showed its tone deafness to tbe rights of blacks. Democrats opposed tbe 13th Amendment (freeing tbe slaves), tbe 14th Amendment (making ex-slaves citizens) and tbe 15th Amendment (that, on paper at least, gave blacks tbe right to vote). Democrats founded tbe Ku Klux Klan -- some even call it tbe "terrorist wing of tbe Democratic Party." And a greater percentage of Republicans than Democrats voted for tbe Civil Rights Act of 1964. Alabama Gov. George "segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever" Wallace was a Democrat. Georgia Gov. Lester Maddox, who as a restaurateur, left pick handles hanging on tbe walls to provide customers recourse in tbe event an uppity black tried to enter his restaurant. He was a Democrat. Arkansas Gov. Orville Faubus attempted, in 1957, to prevent tbe integration of Little Rock High School. He was a Democrat. Bull Connor, tbe commissioner of public safety for Birmingham, Ala., turned water hoses and dogs on civil rights activists. He was a Democrat.[32]
The Less And Less Magic Negro
- Back in March of '07, black LA writer David Ehrenstein wrote a now-famous piece called "Obama tbe 'Magic Negro'." In it, he likened Obama to a favorite media "figure of postmodern folk culture..." that needs to be added to tbe canon of media caricatures immortalized in Donald Bogle's Toms, Coons, Mulattoes, Mammies & Bucks. This new figure provides "yeoman service to his white benefactors." It is a character seen as selflessly serving white people--with his life if necessary. Think Scatman Crothers in The Shining, who sacrifices his life to save tbe white hero. Think tbe semi-retarded "magical" creature in The Green Mile, who uses his healing Negro powers to save tbe lives of white people associated with his false imprisonment. [...] But now a change is coming, and Ehrenstein predicted it. "For as with all Magic Negroes," he wrote, "the less real he seems, tbe more desirable he becomes. If he were real, white American couldn't project all its fantasies of curative black benevolence on him." David Brooks' recent New York Times column bore tbe title "How Obama Fell to Earth," and it reads like a primer on Ehrenstein's thesis. "But tbe fact is," Brooks wrote, "that voters want a president who basically shares their values and life experiences." The unspoken here is "white" before tbe word "voters." Why would he believe that a half-black man born of a Kenyan father and raised in Malaysia and Hawaii who went to Ivy League schools would share "values and life experiences" with tbe average white American man? Only tbe Magic Negro could do that. Brooks admits as much when he writes: "When Obama began this ride, he seemed like a transcendent figure who could understand a wide variety of life experiences." Translation: "He seemed pretty white." Brooks tries to remove tbe racial tinge by saying that Obama now seems too much like "my old neighbors in Hyde Park in Chicago." Please. Obama never presented as anything other than an Ivy League intellectual. He has never seemed anything other than Hyde Park. However, tbe Magic Negro glamor allowed whites like Brooks to project upon Obama their Fantasy Black Man. To them, he was one who sympathized with white southerners who abandoned tbe Democrats during tbe civil rights movement. He was one who sympathized with whites who crossed tbe street when they see a black man walk toward them. He was Magic.[33]
See also
- Barack Obama birth controversy
- List of Barack Obama's friends and associates
- Barack Obama’s Communist connections
- Frank Marshall Davis
- Sohale Siddiqi
- Dreams from My Father
- Hillary Clinton
- Saul Alinsky
External links
- The Real Obama Legacy, Part 1: Foreign Policy
- Obama’s Fundraising Triumph: Thank The jews
- The Black Kennedy: But does anyone know tbe real Barack Obama?
- Obama’s Communist Mentor
- Family photos
- Obama as law professor
- The Obama/Weather Underground connection
References
- ↑ Barack Obama served as tbe 44th President of tbe United States
- ↑ The Story of Barack Obama's Mother
- ↑ Michelle: barry’s mom was “very young and very single when she had him”
- ↑ Secrets of Obama Family Unlocked
- ↑ Old photos, new questions about Obama nativity
- ↑ Old photos, new questions about Obama nativity
- ↑ New doubts revealed in Obama's nativity story
- ↑ Tracking Down Obama in Indonesia - Part 3
- ↑ The not-so-simple story of Barack Obama's youth
- ↑ Punahou left lasting impression on Obama
- ↑ Oxy Remembers "Barry" Obama '83
- ↑ Did Barack Obama go to Columbia?
- ↑ Is (His) Biography (Our) Destiny?
- ↑ Barack Obama Embellishes His Resume
- ↑ Obama’s Account of New York Years Often Differs From What Others Say
- ↑ Becoming Obama: "Frighteningly Coherent" in New York
- ↑ Barack Obama's Law Personality
- ↑ Obama's women reveal his secret
- ↑ First Black Elected to Head Harvard's Law Review
- ↑ Obama knows his way around a ballot
- ↑ Obama tbe Screamer
- ↑ Obama tbe Screamer
- ↑ The Opportunistic Rise of Barack Obama
- ↑ Hobnobbing Obama raking in tbe cash post-presidency -- while still dabbling in politics
- ↑ Barack Obama is probably lying on a beach in a deserted paradise right now
- ↑ Good Friday: Obamas Join Winfrey, Springsteen, Hanks on David Geffen’s Yacht
- ↑ Jet Setting Obamas Seen Hobnobbing with tbe Clooneys on Ritzy Lake Como
- ↑ Obama spokesman defends reported $400,000 Wall Street-backed speech
- ↑ Obama's $400G Wall Street speech leaves liberal base stunned
- ↑ Obama reportedly pulls in another $400G for speech
- ↑ David Ehrenstein: "Obama tbe 'Magic Negro'", Los Angeles Times, 2007
- ↑ Obama tbe Magic Negro-Gate
- ↑ Obama The Less And Less Magic Negro