Obama Presidential Candidate Illinois Democrat Senator

Barack Hussein Obama is the candidate for the 2008 US presidential election from Illinois. A junior United States Senator, he is campaigning for the Democrats. Since his campaign began he has focused on ending the Iraq war, increasing energy dependence, providing universal health care etc.

Obama became Illinois State Senate in 1996 followed by his win in the same position in 1998 and 2002, when he officially resigned to become US Senate. As a state legislator, he was successful in implementing legislation on ethics and health care along with the Republicans and Democrats. Tax-credits for low income workers, welfare reforms and subsidies for child health care were introduced by him.

152 bills and resolutions bestowed before the 109th Congress was sponsored by Obama and he was instrumental in patronizing 427 other such bills in the years 2005 and 2006. Border security and immigration reforms were also amended under him as he cosponsored the Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act. Under the 110th Congress, he abolished the gifts of corporate jets by lobbyists to the Congress members.

Obama announced his candidacy for the 2008 presidential election in February 2007 and raised US $58 million in the first half of the year, a record that was never before created. 108,000 new donors were added to his fundraising and 365,000 people added to his donations in all. 18 months before the election he was provided Secret Service protection, to ensure his safety. But 2 months before the election, he was trailing behind Hillary Clinton, another candidate for the same position.

However, Obama was confident of his abilities and believed that he would draw more support from independent and Republicans voters. In November 2007, during the fundraising dinner, he announced that as president he would unite the country in a fresh bulk that would help solve problems effectively. On January 3, 2008, he won the 2008 Iowa Democratic caucuses, ahead of John Edwards and Hillary Clinton. British journal New Statesman considered him in the list of 10 people who could change the world. Time magazine, in 2007, considered him one of the most influential people in the world.

Obama was born on August 4, 1971, in Honolulu. His father was a Kenyan and his mother was from America. He grew up in Hawaii and Indonesia and then graduated from Columbia University and Harvard Law School. He was a community organizer, civil rights lawyer and university lecturer before becoming a senator. A basketball player since his school days, he loves playing sports. Critics and supporters alike have liked his persona as one with a neutral personality who could achieve the support of people. In 2004, a New York magazine described him as his everyman image. A number of Honorary Doctorates were given to him by a number of universities. Barack Obama