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U.S Presidents — Barack Obama

OVERVIEW Name: Barack Obama President: # 44 Term Number(s): 56 Term Length: In Office Took Office: January 20, 2009 Left Office: Incumbent Age when Elected: 47 Party: Democratic Also Known As: "Barry" BIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION Education: Occidental College, Columbia University (B.A.), Harvard Law School (J.D.) Occupation: Community organizer, Lawyer,Constitutional law professor, Author Other Governmental Position: Member of the Illinois Senate from the 13th District, United States Senator from Illinois. Military Service: None Religion: Christianity Spouse(s): Michelle Obama (October 3, 1992) Children: Malia Ann Obama, Natasha "Sasha" Obama Birthdate: August 4, 1961 Birthplace: Honolulu, Hawaii Deathdate: Alive Deathplace: N/A Age at Death: Still living Cause of Death: Still living Place of Internment: N/A Signature FIRST ELECTION Election Year: 2008 Main Opponent: John McCain Voter Participation: N/A   Electoral Popular States Click for larger image Winner 365 (67.80%) 69,456,897 (52.90%) 28+DC Main Opponent 173 (32.16%) 59,934,814 (45.70%) 22 total 538 131,257,328 50+DC CABINET AND COURT APPOINTMENTS Vice President: Joseph Biden Secretary of State: Hillary Rodham Clinton (2009– ) Secretary of the Treasury: Timothy F. Geithner (2009– ) Secretary of Defense: Robert M. Gates (2009– ) Secretary of the Interior: Kenneth L. Salazar (2009– ) Secretary of Agriculture: Thomas J. Vilsack (2009– ) Secretary of Commerce: Gary F. Locke (2009– ) Secretary of Labor: Hilda L. Solis (2009– ) Secretary of Health & Human Services: Kathleen Sebelius (2009– ) Secretary of Housing & Urban Development: Shaun L.S. Donovan (2009– ) Secretary of Transportation: Ray LaHood (2009– ) Attorney General: Eric H. Holder Jr. (2009– ) Supreme Court Assignments: Sonia Sotomayor (2009) PRESIDENT'S BIOGRAPHY His story is the American story—values from the heartland, a middle-class upbringing in a strong family, hard work and education as the means of getting ahead, and the conviction that a life so blessed should be lived in service to others. With a father from Kenya and a mother from Kansas, Barack Obama was born in Hawaii on August 4, 1961. He was raised with help from his grandfather, who served in Patton's army, and his grandmother, who worked her way up from the secretarial pool to middle management at a bank. After working his way through college with the help of scholarships and student loans, President Obama moved to Chicago, where he worked with a group of churches to help rebuild communities devastated by the closure of local steel plants. He went on to attend law school, where he became the first African American president of the Harvard Law Review. Upon graduation, Obama returned to Chicago to help lead a voter registration drive, teach constitutional law at the University of Chicago, and remain active in his community. President Obama's years of public service are based around his belief in the ability to unite people around a purpose. In the Illinois State Senate, he passed the first major ethics reform in 25 years, cut taxes for working families, and expanded health care for children and their parents. As a United States Senator, Obama reached across the aisle to pass groundbreaking lobbying reform, lock up the world's most dangerous weapons, and bring transparency to government by putting federal spending online. Barack Obama was elected the 44th president of the United States on November 4, 2008, and was sworn in on January 20, 2009. He and his wife, Michelle, have two daughters, Malia and Sasha. FIRST LADY'S BIOGRAPHY Michelle Obama When people ask Michelle Obama to describe herself, she doesn't hesitate. First and foremost, she is Malia and Sasha's mom. But before she was a mother—or a wife, lawyer, or public servant—she was Fraser and Marian Robinson's daughter. The Robinsons lived in a brick bungalow on the South Side of Chicago. Fraser was a pump operator for the Chicago Water Department, and despite being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at a young age, he hardly ever missed a day of work. Marian stayed home to raise Michelle and her brother, Craig, skillfully managing a busy household. A product of Chicago public schools, Michelle studied sociology and African-American studies at Princeton University. After graduating from Harvard Law School in 1988, she joined the Chicago law firm Sidley & Austin, where she later met the man who would become her husband. After a few years, Michelle decided her true calling lay in encouraging people to serve their communities and their neighbors. She served as assistant commissioner of planning and development in Chicago's City Hall before becoming the founding executive director of the Chicago chapter of Public Allies, an AmeriCorps program that prepares youth for public service. In 1996, Michelle joined the University of Chicago with a vision of bringing campus and community together. As associate dean of student services, she developed the university's first community service program, and under her leadership as vice president of community and external affairs for the University of Chicago Medical Center, volunteerism skyrocketed. As first lady, Michelle Obama works on the issues close to her heart: supporting military families, helping working women balance career and family, and encouraging national service. Michelle and Barack Obama have two daughters, Malia and Sasha. Like their mother, the girls were born on the South Side of Chicago. MAJOR EVENTS 2009: President Obama becomes the first African American to be nominated by a major party and to win the presidency of the United States. 2009: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Congress allocates money to create jobs, promote investment, assist the unemployed, and assist with financial stabilization. TRIVIA 1. The Obamas' first date was to the Spike Lee movie Do the Right Thing. 2. The audio versions of his books, Dreams for My Father (2005) and Audacity of Hope (2008), earned Obama two Grammy Awards for Best Spoken Word Album. 3. Barack Obama is the first president of African American heritage to be elected president.