Barack Hussein Obama, Jr.

The Democratic president was re-elected in 2012

After a historic and bruising 22-monthlong campaign, Sen. Barack Obama was elected the 44th president of the United States on Nov. 4, 2008. He prevailed over Sen. John McCain in what was probably the most pivotal U.S. election since World War II. He took the oath of office on Jan. 20, 2009, and became the first black U.S. president. Four years later, on Nov. 6, 2012, Obama was re-elected, narrowly defeating Republican nominee Mitt Romney. Obama prevailed in both the electoral college (303 to 206) and the popular vote (50% to 48%), buoyed largely by taking several crucial battle states, including Colorado, Iowa, Ohio, New Hampshire, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Obama's First Term

On his second day in office in January 2009, President Barack Obama signed executive orders to suspend military tribunals of terror suspects, close all secret prisons and detention camps run by the CIAincluding the infamous Guantanamo Bay prisonand ban coercive interrogation methods. He, however, did not rule out the use of tribunals, saying he would review the Bush administration's policies on handling detainees. In March 2011, Obama reversed course on two fronts, allowing military tribunals to move forward at Guantanamo, thus admitting that the prison will remain open for the foreseeable future. His decision followed legislation passed in 2010 that prevents prisoners from being transferred from the prison to the U.S. for trial. Obama's orders also said that the C.I.A. can only use the 19 interrogation methods mentioned in the Army Field Manual. The move ended Bush's policy of allowing the CIA to use methods that were not permitted by the military. "We believe we can abide by a

rule that says we don't torture, but we can effectively obtain the intelligence we need," Obama said. In October 2009, Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize for "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples." Obama responded to the honor with surprise and humility, saying that the award was a "call to action" to engage other nations around the world to promote peace. In his acceptance speech in December, Obama acknowledged the apparent irony that he was given a prize for peace while leading a country fighting in two wars, but claimed that the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are both necessary and just. He agreed, however, that he had a lot of work ahead of him to improve the lives of Americans and the others around the world.

2008 Campaign Battle

By taking advantage of the Internet and the power of text messaging on mobile phones, Obama ran an innovative campaign that appealed to young voters. Shunning public financing for his election, Obama raised an unprecedented amount of money, much of it from small donors. Prior to the financial crisis, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan dominated the campaign. Obama presented himself as the candidate for change and stressed that a McCain presidency would mirror the policies of the Bush administration. As a political newcomer, Obama faced an uphill battle in convincing voters that he would be ready to lead the nation. Indeed, throughout the long and often bitter campaign for the Democratic nomination, he and Sen. Hillary Clinton ran neck-and-neck in the primaries and caucuses. Obama and Clinton competed fiercely for the support of working-class voters, and each candidate tried to paint the other as elitist. Obama met sharp criticism for his association with his former pastor, the combative and controversial Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Obama denounced Wright after several of his divisive sermons popped up in the media. Wright's charged statements prompted Obama to address the race issue, and he earned wide praise for his speech on race relations, "A More Perfect Union." Running as the candidate of change, Obama made hope the center of his campaign. His platform focused on advocating for working families and poor communities, education, caring for the environment, and ethics reform.

Formative Years
Obama was born in Hawaii to a Kenyan father and American mother. His father was raised in a small village in Kenya where he herded goats until he earned a scholarship to study in America. After his parents divorced, Obama's Harvard-educated father then returned to Kenya, where he worked in the economics ministry. Obama was raised by his mother in both Hawaii and Jakarta, Indonesia. He later moved to New York City to attend Columbia University, where he earned his undergraduate degree. Obama moved to Chicago after college and worked extensively in the inner city to improve living conditions and reduce the unemployment rate in high-crime

neighborhoods. He then attended Harvard Law School, graduated magna cum laude, and served as the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review. After receiving his degree from Harvard Law School, he returned to Chicago and practiced as a civil rights lawyer.

Personal Life
Obama is married to Michelle Obama, a Chicago native who also graduated from Harvard Law School. Barack and Michelle met in Chicago, where they both worked for the law firm Sidley and Austin. Michelle worked in corporate law for three years before pursuing a career in public service. She has worked for the city of Chicago, and she cofounded Public Allies, which helps young adults acquire skills to work in the public sector. In 2005 she was appointed vice president of community and external affairs at the University of Chicago Medical Center. Barack and Michelle have two daughters, Malia Ann and Sasha.

Political Career
His advocacy work on the local level in Chicago led to a run for the Illinois State Senate. Obama served for four years as a state senator and used his position to create programs such as the state Earned Income Tax Credit that provided more than $100 million in tax cuts to families over three years. He also generated an expansion in early childhood education and worked to pass legislation that requires all interrogations and confessions in capital cases to be videotaped. Obama's eloquent keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention earned him wide praise him and cemented his reputation as one of the party's freshest and most inspirational new faces. In 2004, he was elected to the U.S. Senate, winning with 70% of the vote against the conservative black Republican, Alan Keyes. Obama became the only African-American serving in the U.S. Senate (and the fifth in U.S. history). Obama's idealism, commitment to civil rights, and telegenic good looks generated enormous media attention for his Senate campaign. He worked with Republicans on issues such as weapons control and ethics reform, yet voted with other Democrats against President Bush's surge of 20,000 troops to Iraq and in favor of a resolution that required combat troops to be fully withdrawn by March 2008. He served on the Senate's Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee; the Foreign Relations Committee; the Veteran's Affairs Committee; and the Environment and Public Works Committee.

2008 Presidential Nomination Acceptance Speech

Obama accepted the Democratic presidential nomination before some 83,000 people at Invesco Field rather than the convention hall in Denver. His acceptance coincided with the 45th anniversary of the March on Washington, during which Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his pivotal "I Have a Dream" speech. In his speech, Obama attacked John

McCain on several fronts, including national security and his support for many of the policies of the Bush administration, and outlined his plans for the economy, the environment, and health care. Calling McCain out of touch with the economic woes of working-class America, Obama said, "It's not because John McCain doesn't care. It's because John McCain doesn't get it."

Obama's Presidency
Obama took office in the midst of a severe recession. His first major piece of legislative was the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, a $787 billion spending bill, or "stimulus package," designed to create jobs and reignite the economy. Soon to follow were executive orders that reversed Bush's policies on stem cell research and interrogation techniques for enemy detainees. In 2009, Obama pushed Congress to pass legislation on health care reform in the United States. Health care reform was a chief legislative goal and a major campaign promise. On March 21, 2010, after months of debate, the House passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the Senate voted in favor of the legislation in December 2009). Obama signed the bill into law two days later. In June 2012, the Supreme Court upheld most of President Barack Obama's healthcare law, including the individual mandate, which requires that most Americans buy health insurance or pay a fee. The individual mandate was the centerpiece of the law. The court ruled, 54, that the individual mandate is constitutional under Congress's taxing authority. The Court also upheld the expansion of Medicaid, the government's health insurance program for low-income Americans, but limited the provision, saying states will not necessarily lose their funding if they choose not to expand the program. It was one of the most anticipated rulings in recent history and a major victory for Obama in an election year. In the November 2010 midterm election, Democrats lost 63 seats, therefore, losing control of the House of Representatives. In a speech about the election outcome, Obama called the loss "humbling" and a "shellacking" and blamed it on the slow economic recovery. The following summer, Congress became gridlocked in a battle over whether to raise the debt ceiling, bringing the government to the brink of default. Because of the gridlock, Standard & Poor's downgraded the nation's credit rating for the first time in history. By the fall of 2012, there were signs that the recovery from the 2008 recession had stalled with job growth continuing to come up short, the unemployment rate hovering at 8%, and the stock market experiencing ups and downs. On social issues, Obama won praise from the gay community and its supporters. In December 2010, he signed the repeal of the Don't Ask Don't Tell military policy, and in May 2012 he came out in support of gay marriage.

Bin Laden Killed

Perhaps the biggest triumph of Obama's presidency came on May 2, 2011, when Navy SEALS and and CIA operatives shot and killed Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad,

Pakistan. The operation was a risky one for Obama; despite months of intelligence work leading up to the raid, there was no guarantee bin Laden would be in the compound. The risk paid off when the world's most wanted terrorist was finally killed nearly 10 years after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. A month after bin Laden was killed, Obama announced that the U.S. had largely achieved its goals in Afghanistan and that time had come to start withdrawing troops and begin "to focus on nation-building here at home." He said about 10,000 of the 30,000 troops deployed in 2009 as part of the surge would leave the country. In February 2012, the Obama administration announced that the military would end its combat role in Afghanistan by the middle of 2013 and shift toward an "advise and assist" capacity. On December 15, 2011, Obama declared that the U.S.-led war in Iraq had officially ended. The war, launched in March 2003, lasted nearly nine years, killed more than 4,440 U.S. troops, and cost about $1 trillion.

Re-election Campaign
Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney secured the Republican presidential nomination and has based his campaign on the economy, saying that Obama had failed to lift the economy out of turmoil and that the American people are no better off than they were four years ago. Obama is running on his accomplishments and is warning voters that Romney is weak on foreign policy and that a Romney administration would protect the rich at the expense of the middle and working classes. Social issues have also figured prominently in the campaign. In choosing Rep. Paul Ryan as his running mate, Romney has veered right on abortion, same-sex marriage, and immigration, hoping to win the support of the party's conservative base. The race has shaped up to be one of the closest in recent history, with the election being decided in just a few dozen districts.

Barack Obama: Campaign Issues

Where he stands

Budget/Deficit/Taxes

Will focus on continuing to stimulate the economy by creating new jobs and investing in health care, education, energy, and infrastructure

Increase alternative energy production, modernize and weatherize buildings and homes, expand broadband technology, and computerize the health care system. Obama has said these measures will create some 3.5 million jobs Supports the Making Home Affordable Modification program to prevent foreclosures and the Making Home Affordable Refinancing program to restructure loans to keep people in their homes Has demanded accountability and transparency from banks and other financial institutions Plans to create a financial regulatory system that makes executives in the financial market accountable for their actions and prevents fraud Will work to make the tax system more fair to working families and the middle class and eliminate loopholes that benefit the wealthy Has promised to simplify the tax code

Immigration

Supports additional personnel, infrastructure, and technology on the border and at our ports of entry Believes it is impractical to deport the 12 million immigrants living in the U.S. and supports the Dream Act, which would allow children of immigrants who are in good standing with the law access to higher education Create a legal immigration system Increase the number of legal immigrants to keep families together and meet the demand for jobs that employers cannot fill Crack down on employers who hire undocumented immigrants Supports a system that allows undocumented immigrants who are in good standing to pay a fine, learn English, and go to the back of the line for the opportunity to become citizens

Energy/Environment

Decrease the country's reliance on fossil fuels and increase use of renewable sources of energy. Obama says he will invest $150 billion over the next 10 years to develop new technology for the production of biofuels and renewable energy Would like to reduce carbon emissions by 80% by 2050 Says he would pursue clean coal technology to reduce the reliance on imported oil

Foreign Policy Israeli-Palestinian conflict:

o

Called for a two-state solution that should start with Israel's 1967 borders, with mutually agreed upon land swaps, as a guide to the formation of a Palestinian state Said the U.S. will veto Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas's request for statehood at the UN Security Council

Has expressed U.S. commitment to Israel's security. Obama the U.S. will not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon, but has warned of "too much loose talk of war." He does not support a policy of containment for Iran. Announced that U.S. troops will be withdrawn from Afghanistan by the end of 2014. The president has made reducing the number of nuclear weapons a primary goal, with a focus on keeping such weapons out of the hands of terrorists.
o

Same-sex Marriage

Supported the repeal of "Don't Ask Don't Tell"

Willard "Mitt" Romney

The 2012 Republican presidential nominee falls to Obama in the general election

After a bruising general election campaign that largely focused on the economy and women's rights, Mitt Romney lost his presidential bid to the Democratic incumbent, Barack Obama. On Nov. 6, 2012, Romney finished the race for 45th U.S. president with 206 electoral votes to Obama's 303. Obama prevailed in battleground states that were must-wins for Romney, including Ohio and Virginia. In the early fall following the nominating conventions, Obama was considered a shoo-in, but Romney gained momentum after the first presidential debate in which he came out

fighting and President Obama gave a surprisingly lackluster performance. In addition, during the general election campaign Romney moderated his far-right stance on several key issues, such as abortion, taxes, and immigration, seemingly to appeal to the centrist wing of the party. Throughout October, the race was neck-and-neck, and many analysts predicted that the results may not be final for days. However, Obama's win in several key battleground states tipped the race in his favor, and Romney delivered his concession speech shortly before 1 a.m. on Nov. 7. "This is a time of great challenges for America, and I pray that the president will be successful in guiding our nation," he said. "The nation, as you know, is at a critical point. At a time like this, we cant risk partisan bickering and political posturing. Our leaders have to reach across the aisle to do the peoples work. And we citizens also have to rise to the occasion."

Romney Learns from 2008

Romney may have lacked the political experience of his rivals when he ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008, but four years later he emerged as the seasoned front runner, comfortable in front of a crowd, and unafraid to discuss controversial issues, such as the similarity between his successful Massachusetts health care plan and Obama's national one. His success in business and managing the 2002 Olympic Games has demonstrated an innate leadership ability and attracts voters worried about the country's troubled economy. Romneys presidential campaign agenda is based on conservative principles, including small government, lower taxes, national security, defending the traditional family, and calling out Obama for being ineffective, especially when it comes to the economy. Born into a politically active family in Detroit, Michigan, with roots in the Mormon Church, it was only natural that Romney would pursue a political career. His father, George W. Romney, was the governor of Michigan from 1963-69, and a 1968 presidential candidate. His mother, Lenore Romney, was a U.S. Senate candidate in 1970.

Business Career
Romney graduated with a B.A. from Brigham Young University, and then earned an M.B.A. and a J.D. from Harvard Business and Law schools. After graduating from Harvard, Romney began his business career with the Boston Consulting Group in 1974, and went on to become vice president of another Boston-based consulting firm, Bain & Company, Inc. In 1984, he co-founded Bain Capital, a private equity investment firm. He headed the company for 14 years, investing in or buying well-known companies such as Staples, Brookstone, Dominos, and Sports Authority. He and his wife have accrued a net worth of between $190 and $250 million. With a short political rsum, Romney draws on his business experience and his role on the 2002 Olympic Games committee as proof of his ability to run the nation. Romney

was brought in as the president and CEO of the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Games in 1999 to rescue the games from fiscal crisis. He overhauled the committees leadership and policies, reduced budgets, and increased fundraising. He also coordinated a $300 million security budget to ensure safety at the Games in the wake of the September 11, 2001, attacks.

Massachusetts Politics
Romneys political career has been brief; he served as the governor of Massachusetts for only one term. In 1994 he lost to Democrat Ted Kennedy in the race for the U.S. Senate. Kennedy, however, won by the slimmest margin in his nine terms in the Senate. Despite a complaint filed by the Democratic Party about residency issues, Romney ran for governor of Massachusetts in 2002. He used $6.3 million of his own money during the campaign, and defeated Democrat Shannon OBrien in the general election. As governor, Romney created a scholarship program that rewards the top 25% of Massachusetts high school students with a tuition-free education to any Massachusetts public college or university. He also proposed and signed legislation that requires all Massachusetts residents to have health care. Romneys early support gave way to criticism over the explosive gay marriage issue in Massachusetts. He opposes same-sex marriages and civil unions, yet he backed a proposed state constitutional amendment in 2004 that would have allowed civil unions and banned gay marriage (the amendment failed to pass). He withdrew his support of this amendment, however, in favor of a 2005 petition that banned both. (In 2003, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that barring gays and lesbians from marrying violates the state constitution.)

2008 Campaign for President

After his term as Massachusetts governor ended in January 2007, Romney formally announced his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination. While Romney was certainly not the first politician from Massachusetts to run for president, he did break the mold of Massachusetts liberal. His campaign was aimed at the conservative wing of the Republican Party. Regardless of his short political career, Romneys business acumen translated into success in fund-raising, which allowed him to be one of the top contenders for the Republican nomination. On December 6, 2007, Romney gave a 20-minute speech at the George Bush Presidential Library in Texas to address concerns expressed by many voters about his faith. "I believe in my Mormon faith and endeavor to live by it," said Romney, but he also stressed that his religious views would not affect his ability to be president. Romney was doing well in early voting states, so it was argued he did not need to give a speech about his religion. However, it had been a sensitive issue since he began running for the Republican nomination, and his support began to shift in states like Iowa. Polls showed that

Americans would not vote for a Mormon candidate. According to evangelical Christians, who make up a significant amount of Republican votes, Mormonism is heretical. Many people compared Romney's speech to one made by John F. Kennedy in 1960 about his Roman Catholic faith. Kennedy was trying to convince ministers, who were openly hostile of his faith, that his religion would not affect his governance. Romney, on the other hand, spoke in front of a friendly crowd. In his speech, Romney advocated for religion to take a larger role in American public life. Romney stated that "no candidate should become the spokesman for his faith. For if he becomes president he will need the prayers of the people of all faiths." Another reason for Romney's "Faith in America" speech was the rise in the polls of Southern Baptist minister and former Governor of Arkansas, Mike Huckabee. Huckabee ran a Christian-themed campaign and, on January 3, 2008, won the Iowa Republican Caucuses, the first contest of the primary season, with 34 percent of the vote. Romney placed second with 25 percent of the vote even though he outspent Huckabee. Both John McCain and Huckabee began attacking Romney for being a flip flopper on issues. Romney stayed in the race through Super Tuesday. On February 7, just two days later, he announced the end of his campaign. At that time McCain was leading Romney in delegates by a margin of more than two-to-one. A week later, Romney endorsed McCain, the eventual nominee, for president.

2012 Campaign for President

On April 11, 2011, Romney announced that he had formed a committee to explore a run for the Republican presidential nomination. In the announcement he said, "It is time that we put America back on a course of greatness, with a growing economy, good jobs, and fiscal discipline in Washington." Romney emerged as the early front-runner in a weak field. Many potential candidates declined to run, including Mike Huckabee, Donald Trump, and Mitch Daniels. Romney's greatest hurdle this time out was the Massachusetts health care reform law that he signed as Governor because it closely resembles Obama's national health care law, which republicans were working to overturn. In August 2012, Romney introduced Wisconsin Representative Paul D. Ryan as his presidential running mate during an appearance in Norfolk, Virginia. The announcement immediately energized Romney's campaign, which raised $1.2 million dollars in just four hours after the announcement. Later that month, during the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida, Mitt Romney was officially nominated by the Republican Party. At the convention his wife, Ann Romney, gave a speech, assuring voters that they could trust her husband. "This man will not fail. This man will not let us down. This man will lift up America," she said.

Mitt Romney: Campaign Issues

Where he stands
Healthcare

Supports the goals of the House Republican budget plan that seeks to reduce spending by cutting Medicare and other federal programs, but would not say if he would sign the plan as president. Suggests gaining control over entitlement spending on Social Security and Medicare once the economy is revived. Has stated that he will repeal President Obama's health care law if elected.

Budget/Deficit/Taxes

Criticizes the Obama spending bill, saying it will only stimulate the government, not the economy. Believes a well-crafted stimulus plan is needed to put people back to work and that permanent tax cuts should be at the center of the stimulus plan. Believes in the principle behind Reaganomics: cutting taxes brings economic growth. Supports a budget that cuts payroll taxes for people aged sixty-five and older as well as cutting taxes on people earning less than $200,000 a year, including reducing taxes on savings and investment. Supports a national catastrophic fund to cover home owners insurance in the event of natural disasters like hurricanes and tornadoes. Opposes the estate tax. Believes only private sector entrepreneurs will create the millions of jobs that the U.S. needs. Endorses eliminating the minimum wage. For placing sanctions on China. Wants to cut the corporate tax rate.

Immigration

Opposes allowing illegal immigrants to have driver's licenses. Opposes amnesty or permanent legalization for illegal aliens. Opposes temporary legalization for illegal aliens as guest workers.

Believes illegal immigrants should go home and sign up for permanent citizenship within a set time frame. Believes employers who are employing illegal immigrants should be subject to sanctions, but not face imprisonment. Supports scholarships and tuitions for illegal immigrants, including scholarships funded by taxpayers. Opposes the Z visa that allows illegal immigrants to continue living in the U.S. for 13 years before they are able to become citizens. He believes that this is unfair to applicants waiting to enter the country through the proper procedure.

Energy/Environment

Does not believe in establishing mandates, but believes the United States should use innovation to further develop alternative energy sources such as nuclear energy, biodiesel, and ethanol to help use energy more efficiently. Believes in exploring domestic resources for oil such as Outer Continental Shelf and Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to decrease our dependence on oil rich countries. Vows, if elected, to make it easier for American companies to drill for oil in the United States. Against the Kyoto Protocol, believing that the U.S. will lose jobs because of it.

Foreign Policy

Romney's foreign policy has two main issues: competing with Asia economically and defeating the Jihadists. To compete with Asia, Romney wants the U.S. to open up its market even further by reducing the tariffs, decreasing corporate taxes, and easing up on immigration laws to take advantage of highly skilled workers. To defeat Jihadists, Romney wants to use military options and work with local populations in nations where terrorists are living. He also wants to use diplomacy and involve regional and international players in the fight against terrorists. Accused President Obama of throwing "Israel under the bus" after Obama called for a two-state solution that should start with Israel's 1967 borders as a guide to the formation of a Palestinian state. Requested that Arab states stop providing financial support and weapons to Hamas and Hezbollah. Wants Arab states to put pressure on the Palestinians to stop terrorism and recognize Israel's right to exist. Often cites former President Jimmy Carter's view in regard to bringing peace to the Israel/Palestine conflict and believes the opposite. For Romney, the wall, checkpoints, and other security measures are helping to prevent violence and bloodshed. Believes that Iran is a serious threat to the U.S. and wants to use economic sanctions and other measures to assure that Iran does not develop a nuclear

arsenal. Has said a military strike against Iran is an option if it pursues a nuclear weapon, but prefers to exercise other options, such as tough sanctions, first. Same-sex marriage

Strongly feels same-sex marriage would destroy the culture of America, as well as damage children and the education system. Personally believes that Americans should be respectful of all people and their sexual orientation, but that the institution of marriage should be upheld. Supports neither same-sex marriage nor civil unions. Supported the Federal Marriage Amendment which would have modified the U.S. Constitution, prohibiting same-sex marriage.