Democratic incumbent President; IL Senator (2004-2008):
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- Romney thinks 47% consider themselves victims, I disagree. (Oct 2012)
- If all Americans get opportunity, we're all better off. (Oct 2012)
- Letters from Americans: This is who we are fighting for. (Sep 2012)
- OpEd: Offered a third way; but hid left-of-center agenda. (Jun 2012)
- Compact in past decades: do your job & make it in America. (Sep 2011)
- OpEd: seeks newer New Deals and greater Great Societies. (Feb 2011)
- American exceptionalism is same as any other exceptionalism. (Nov 2010)
- 92% of Tea Partiers: "Obama is moving US toward socialism". (Sep 2010)
- Loyal opposition is not just valuable, but a necessity. (Jan 2010)
- Hard times test us, like we have been tested in the past. (Jan 2010)
- Despite setbacks, Americans don't quit; & I don't quit. (Jan 2010)
- OpEd: Unflappability comes from Methodist grandparents. (Jan 2009)
- OpEd: Combines clergy oratory with intellectual eloquence. (Jan 2009)
- "Obama Messiah Watch": Keep eye on media gushing hyperbolic. (Jan 2009)
- Ordinary people found the courage to keep the promise alive. (Aug 2008)
- Measure progress by observing how ordinary people are doing. (Aug 2008)
- Our government must keep the promise of America. (Aug 2008)
- Fulfilling America’s promise means individual participation. (Aug 2008)
- The American promise is our greatest inheritance. (Aug 2008)
- Traditional conservatives value temperance & restraint. (Aug 2008)
- OpEd: Themes of "hope" and "change" has numerous antecedents. (Aug 2008)
- We have to demand more from ourselves. (Jul 2008)
- Michelle: My husband demands you move out of comfort zone. (Jul 2008)
- The Clinton years were undeniably better than the Bush years. (Jan 2008)
- Turn the page on the failed politics & policies of the past. (Jan 2008)
- Criticizes voter cynicism from decades of disappointment. (Oct 2007)
- Post-1960s politics more about moral attitude than issues. (Oct 2006)
- Americans dislike partisanship--not solution like Dems think. (Oct 2006)
- Enlist the American people in the process of self-government. (Jan 2006)
- Guilt is a luxury that not everyone can afford. (Aug 1996)
Campaign Themes
- I want to build on our strengths; invest in America. (Oct 2012)
- This election about vision of restoring middle class values. (Sep 2012)
- Fundamental American promise: work hard & build better life. (Sep 2012)
- Effective citizenship means listening to opposing views. (Oct 2011)
- OpEd: Transformative from individualism to collectivism. (Apr 2010)
- Campaign slogan: "Yes, we can". (Mar 2010)
- We've had lots of plans; but a shortage of hope. (Jan 2010)
- We’re more decent & compassionate than last 8 years. (Aug 2008)
- ¡Sí, se puede! Yes, we can!. (Jun 2008)
- Life experiences taught me how to bring people together. (Feb 2008)
- People understand we must bring the country together. (Feb 2008)
- End politics of division; make it about addition. (Jan 2008)
- Hope is the bedrock of this nation. (Jan 2008)
- Resounds with American theme of overcoming burden of history. (Nov 2007)
- Cultivates comparison to Jack Kennedy. (Nov 2007)
- Campaigns assiduously in black churches. (Nov 2007)
- Community politics: merges Alinsky & political activism. (Oct 2007)
- Turn the page: invite GOP & independents to join in agenda. (Sep 2007)
- People have an urgent desire for change in Washington. (Jul 2007)
- A “hopemonger”, having seen the power of hope. (Jun 2007)
- Washington can change if we say: Yes we can. (Mar 2007)
- Replace partisan bickering with politics of hope. (Feb 2007)
- I’ve been in DC long enough to know that it must change. (Feb 2007)
- Progressives should recognize common morality with religion. (Oct 2006)
- “Audacity of Hope” to change politics to reflect common good. (Oct 2006)
- Seek common ground, not a moral crusade. (Oct 2004)
- I’m living my parents’ dreams and the American dream. (Jul 2004)
- Greatness based on Declaration of Independence, not military. (Jul 2004)
- We are one people all defending the United States of America. (Jul 2004)
- Want common-sense solutions, not liberal-conservative labels. (Jul 2004)
Community Organizing
- OpEd: greatest talent is chairing balanced meetings. (May 2010)
- 2008 HQ phone greeting: "What can you do for us?". (Apr 2010)
- Required email list from every candidate event he attended. (Jan 2010)
- Headed "Project Vote!" in Chicago in 1990s. (Aug 2008)
- Obama worked in same community as Saul Alinsky. (Aug 2008)
- OpEd: Obama implements Alinsky's ideas of radical change. (Aug 2008)
- Used community organizer skills as State Senator. (Aug 2008)
- Organizer's method: from issue to action to power. (Apr 2008)
- 1980s: Registered 150,000 voters in Chicago "Project Vote". (Apr 2008)
- Moved to Illinois as community organizer, for $13,000 a year. (Feb 2007)
- Poverty of political organizers was proof of their integrity. (Aug 1996)
Family of Origin
- Maternal grandfather fought in WWII. (Oct 2011)
- Father had wife in Africa when he met and married Ann Dunham. (Aug 2008)
- Father left family for Harvard education. (Aug 2008)
- Father's upbringing was Muslim, although never religious. (Aug 2008)
- Father had 3 or 4 wives; Barack has at least 5 half-siblings. (Aug 2008)
- Many attribute mother's marriages to being anthropologist. (Aug 2008)
- Lived with grandparents in Hawaii over mother in Indonesia. (Aug 2008)
- Would be first president to have extended family abroad. (Aug 2008)
- Greatest mistake: absence from mother when she died. (Apr 2008)
- Father's family from the Luo tribe of Kenya. (Apr 2008)
- Related to both Vice Pres. Cheney and Pres. Truman. (Apr 2008)
- Mother described as "the original feminist" at 1960 college. (Apr 2008)
- In his 20s, searched for his identity, absent both parents. (Apr 2008)
- Father was first African exchange student at U. Hawaii. (Aug 2007)
- Traces ancestry to Jefferson Davis, President of Confederacy. (Feb 2007)
- Greeted as hero on visit to ancestral Kenya. (Feb 2007)
- Father died in car crash before Barack got to know him. (Feb 2007)
- Full name: Barack Hussein Obama; family calls him “Barry”. (Oct 2006)
Past Campaigns
- 2008: supported by both Hollywood and Wall Street. (Sep 2011)
- 2005: Inherited staff from outgoing Senator Tom Daschle. (Sep 2011)
- OpEd: Big Business gave more to Obama than McCain. (Nov 2009)
- 2006: Started from scratch compared with Hillary & McCain. (Aug 2009)
- 1999 Congressional loss: "I got my rear end handed to me". (Aug 2008)
- Borrowed "Yes, we can" slogan from Cesar Chavez 1960s UFW. (Aug 2008)
- 1996: job of state senator is organizer, teacher, & advocate. (Apr 2008)
- 5th African-American ever elected to US Senate. (Apr 2008)
- June 2008: YouTube hit, "I Got a Crush on Obama". (Apr 2008)
- Campaigning on change from the bottom up that King stood for. (Jan 2008)
- 1990: Elected Law Review president with conservative support. (Aug 2007)
- Senate 2004 campaign theme: “Yes we can”. (Aug 2007)
- Lost Congressional primary in 1999 to Bobby Rush. (Feb 2007)
Personal History
- Being president doesn't change you--it reveals who you are. (Sep 2012)
- Developed style & attitude based on exposure to pop culture. (Jan 2009)
- 1970s: Teen basketball player & fan of Julius "Dr. J" Erving. (Jan 2009)
- Favorite movie: “The Godfather”, for respect & family. (Sep 2008)
- Visited Africa 3 times; 1986, then 1992 & 2006 with Michelle. (Aug 2008)
- In no other country is my story even possible. (Mar 2008)
- “Dreams From My Father” is an archetypal search. (Dec 2007)
- Obama REPRESENTS something; doesn’t have to DO anything. (Dec 2007)
- Won Grammy for recording “Dreams from My Father”. (Nov 2007)
- First major politician of the post-Baby Boom generation. (Oct 2007)
- Most decisive moment: transition from high school to college. (Aug 2007)
- High school jock--played football as defensive lineman. (Aug 2007)
- Goal as youth: Leave the world a better place. (Aug 2007)
- Planned on presidency since well before 2004 Convention. (Aug 2007)
- Dreams from My Father originally about Harvard Law Review. (Aug 2007)
- Favorite authors: E. L. Doctorow & Shakespeare. (Aug 2007)
- To understand Obama, understand Hawaii’s cultural mix. (Aug 2007)
- Met Michelle Robinson at law firm; married in 1990. (Aug 2007)
- A reformed smoker but occasionally burns one. (Mar 2007)
- Personal story is basis of political desire to unite. (Feb 2007)
- First black president of the Harvard Law Review. (Jul 2004)
Racism & Race
- OpEd: Jackson & Sharpton were articulate black predecessors. (Oct 2010)
- OpEd: Elections of underclass occurred in many countries. (Jun 2010)
- New Yorker cover: Islamic garb & fist-bumping Michelle. (Jan 2009)
- Am I somehow responsible for fate of entire black race? (Jan 2009)
- No contradiction as black voice & constituent representative. (Jan 2009)
- OpEd: March 2008 "race speech" reminder of ongoing struggle. (Jan 2009)
- March 2008 speech on race began with "We, the people". (Jan 2009)
- Speaks about racial anxiety from personal experience. (Aug 2008)
- 1995: Participated in Million Man March. (Aug 2008)
- Apocryphal story: race awareness began with skin-bleach ad. (Aug 2008)
- Taking a black candidate for granted is measure of progress. (Jun 2008)
- Epiphany at age 21 settled his racial identity. (Apr 2008)
- We’ve never really worked through complexities of race. (Mar 2008)
- Intertwined search for father and racial identity. (Dec 2007)
- Rooted in African-American community but also more than that. (Dec 2007)
- In college, rejected multiracialism for black identity. (Dec 2007)
- Fans see Obama as opportunity to vote for redemption. (Dec 2007)
- Veiled racism in dismissing Obama as “unqualified”. (Oct 2007)
- Catching a cab, no one questions he’s “authentically black”. (Jul 2007)
- America’s race and class problems are intertwined. (Aug 1996)
- There is some hope of eventual reconciliation between races. (Aug 1996)
- Racism wasn’t merely the cruelty involved, but arrogance too. (Aug 1996)
Religion
- OpEd: installed secularism as America's state religion. (Oct 2011)
- First American president not raised in a Christian home. (Aug 2008)
- Religious Left calls Obama "called" and "anointed". (Aug 2008)
- Grandmother raised as strict Methodist, but saw hypocrisy. (Aug 2008)
- Mother raised in Unitarian Church with secular values. (Aug 2008)
- Mother declared herself an atheist during high school. (Aug 2008)
- Obama's Trinity Church is based on black-liberation theology. (Aug 2008)
- Moved to & attended church in neighborhood he was organizing. (Aug 2008)
- GovWatch: never a Muslim, but school listed him as Muslim. (Jun 2008)
- In hard times, people take refuge in traditions, God & guns. (Apr 2008)
- I am a person of faith; and I reach out to people of faith. (Apr 2008)
- Religion is foundational; not clinging nor elitist. (Apr 2008)
- Rev. Jeremiah Wright helped bring me to Christianity. (Apr 2008)
- Exposure to Islam taught me that Muslims can partner with us. (Apr 2008)
- Kenyan grandfather converted to Christianity & then to Islam. (Apr 2008)
- Barack's UCC church motto: Unabashedly Black & Christian. (Apr 2008)
- Father was raised Muslim but became an atheist. (Apr 2008)
- Registered as Muslim at Catholic & secular Indonesian school. (Apr 2008)
- I am a proud Christian who believes deeply in Jesus Christ. (Jan 2008)
- Despite attack email, pledges Allegiance & uses Bible. (Jan 2008)
- Attends church with press, to dispel rumors that he’s Muslim. (Dec 2007)
- Joined church that emphasized a “Black Value System”. (Dec 2007)
- Uses prayer to take stock of his moral compass. (Oct 2007)
- Reach out to faith community;faith has role in public square. (Sep 2007)
- Active in the Trinity faith community. (Aug 2007)
- Carries Bible on campaign trail, & refers to it weekly. (Aug 2007)
- Embrace Christ as an ally. (Mar 2007)
- Source of his book title “Audacity of Hope” was a sermon. (Feb 2007)
- Raised secular, but with working knowledge of world religion. (Oct 2006)
- Baptized as an adult in the Trinity United Church of Christ. (Oct 2006)
- Religious concerns ok, if translated into universal values. (Oct 2006)
- There’s a call to evangelize in politics. (Apr 2004)
- I’m a big believer in the separation of church and state. (Apr 2004)
- Spent time in both Muslim and Catholic schools. (Aug 1996)
Scandals
- Neighbor Bill Ayres admits 1970s violent radicalism. (Aug 2008)
- OpEd: Distances himself from 1970s radical Bill Ayres. (Aug 2008)
- Tony Rezko: large contributor & active member of campaigns. (Aug 2008)
- Tony Rezko helped Obama buy home in prestigious neighborhood. (Aug 2008)
- Segments of Wright sermons were "caricatures of the church". (Aug 2008)
- Photographed without hand over heart during national anthem. (Aug 2008)
- I revere the American flag; I don’t refuse to wear flag pins. (Apr 2008)
- FactCheck: Yes, refused to wear a flag pin, last year. (Apr 2008)
- Mar. 2008: Campaign uproar over Rev. Wright's anti-US sermon. (Apr 2008)
- FactCheck: Took Rezko’s donations, but never represented him. (Jan 2008)
- Gave away all Rezko “boneheaded” donations to charity. (Nov 2007)
Voting Record
- FactCheck: Ranked most liberal in Senate, based on 99 votes. (Feb 2008)
- Voted with Democratic Party 96.0% of 251 votes. (Sep 2007)
- Biggest mistake was intruding in Terri Schiavo case. (Apr 2007)
- Voted NO on confirming Samuel Alito as Supreme Court Justice. (Jan 2006)
- Voted NO on confirming John Roberts for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. (Sep 2005)
- Member of Congressional Black Caucus. (Jan 2001)
- Reject Bush's Florida electors due to election fraud. (Jan 2001)
- Rated 100% by the AU, indicating support of church-state separation. (Dec 2006)
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Written by
Pat Quinn on Principles & Values
Richard Durbin on Principles & Values
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