Barack Obama For Beginners
An Essential Guide, by Bob Neer


(Click for Amazon book review)

BOOK REVIEW by OnTheIssues.org:

Don't be put off by the cutesy title "Barack Obama for Beginners" -- this is a really nice little summary of all the essentials that knowledgeable voters should know about our next president. And don't be put off by the numerous drawings -- the younger generation might call this the equivalent of a "graphic novel" -- they set the tone of not taking themselves very seriously. But the content is actually serious, and seriously good.

The book covers the basic biography -- Obama's upbringing; his relationship with his mother and father; education; and marriage. And then covers the basics of Obama's political career -- from his first State Senate race to the presidential primaries. There are decent summaries of the key controversies of the presidential race too -- from Tony Rezko & Rev. Wright to "Bittergate" and others. Just the basics -- without the bias.

This slim volume -- 68 pages that you can read in an hour or so -- is the latest entry in the "For Beginners" series. I have read many books in this series, from "Plato for Beginners" to "Zen for Beginners." I'm no expert on Zen or Plato, but after reading those "For Beginners" guides, I can understand the relevant references and hold my own at cocktail parties. You can do the same in political discussions by reading "Barack Obama for Beginners".

-- Jesse Gordon, jesse@OnTheIssues.org, November 2008

OnTheIssues.org excerpts:  (click on issues for details)

Civil Rights     Community organizing continues the civil rights movement.

Education     Mother home-schooled Obama in English while in Indonesia.

Environment     1980s: Tested for asbestos at Chicago housing project.

Gun Control     April 2008: "Bittergate" labeled Obama elitist.

Health Care     1998: Passed 11 bills on healthcare and child welfare issues.

Jobs     1980s: Opened first city job center in South Chicago.

Principles & Values     We should be guided by what works.     Kenyan grandfather converted to Christianity & then to Islam.     Father was raised Muslim but became an atheist.     Father's family from the Luo tribe of Kenya.     Related to both Vice Pres. Cheney and Pres. Truman.     Mother described as "the original feminist" at 1960 college.     Registered as Muslim at Catholic & secular Indonesian school.     In his 20s, searched for his identity, absent both parents.     Epiphany at age 21 settled his racial identity.     Organizer's method: from issue to action to power.     Barack's UCC church motto: Unabashedly Black & Christian.     1980s: Registered 150,000 voters in Chicago "Project Vote".     Greatest mistake: absence from mother when she died.     1996: job of state senator is organizer, teacher, & advocate.     1996: Campaigned on unity, but got opponents disqualified.     After challenging Rep. Rush, got redistricted out.     5th African-American ever elected to US Senate.     June 2008: YouTube hit, "I Got a Crush on Obama".     Mar. 2008: Campaign uproar over Rev. Wright's anti-US sermon.

Technology     Feb. 2008: Had 250,000 members on Facebook to Clinton's 3250.

War & Peace     2002 anti-war speech was not popular opinion at that time.

Click for quotations from other sources by: Barack Obama