This talk is an overview of the political life and career of Barack Obama, who was elected as the 44th President of the United States. It begins with his personal background and mixed heritage profile inherited from his Kenyan–born father and white Kansan mother. This provides a glimpse and introduction into the early foundations which were to formatively influence Obama’s subsequent political choice and direction. The second part will continue charting the development of Obama’s political rise by a critical focus on how he won the presidential election. His charisma and vision for a new America, reborn from the pessimism and gloom of a broken nation typified by an unpopular overseas image and the economic crisis, were amongst the crucial factors which swayed the electorate to vote for change. Finally, this paper will seek to articulate the challenges to the Obama presidency, including a “projection” on whether he will be able to move away from the pattern set by his predecessor or achieve a breakthrough on a number of key areas particularly on foreign policy and relations.
Family background Barack Obama was born Honolulu, Hawaii in 1961. His father was Barack Hussein Obama, Sr., a Kenyan from the tribe of Luo in the Rachuonyo District which is situated on the shores of Lake Victoria. Obama Sr. came to the United States on a US-funded scholarship inspired by Thomas Mboya who was economics and national development minister and a leading nationalist politician under Jomo Kenyatta. He enrolled at the University of Hawaii in Mānoa where Obama’s mother, Ann Dunham was also studying. Ann Dunham was a White American from Wichita, Kansas of English, Irish and German descent with some Cherokee (Native American) blood – a n anthropologist who specialised in rural development. The couple married in 1961but separated when Obama was two years old and divorced in 1964. Obama Sr. returned to Kenya and saw his son only once more before tragically dying in an car accident in 1982. Where
Family background Barack Obama was born Honolulu, Hawaii in 1961. His father was Barack Hussein Obama, Sr., a Kenyan from the tribe of Luo in the Rachuonyo District which is situated on the shores of Lake Victoria. Obama Sr. came to the United States on a US-funded scholarship inspired by Thomas Mboya who was economics and national development minister and a leading nationalist politician under Jomo Kenyatta. He enrolled at the University of Hawaii in Mānoa where Obama’s mother, Ann Dunham was also studying. Ann Dunham was a White American from Wichita, Kansas of English, Irish and German descent with some Cherokee (Native American) blood – a n anthropologist who specialised in rural development. The couple married in 1961but separated when Obama was two years old and divorced in 1964. Obama Sr. returned to Kenya and saw his son only once more before tragically dying in an car accident in 1982. Where
Family background Barack Obama was born Honolulu, Hawaii in 1961. His father was Barack Hussein Obama, Sr., a Kenyan from the tribe of Luo in the Rachuonyo District which is situated on the shores of Lake Victoria. Obama Sr. came to the United States on a US-funded scholarship inspired by Thomas Mboya who was economics and national development minister and a leading nationalist politician under Jomo Kenyatta. He enrolled at the University of Hawaii in Mānoa where Obama’s mother, Ann Dunham was also studying. Ann Dunham was a White American from Wichita, Kansas of English, Irish and German descent with some Cherokee (Native American) blood – a n anthropologist who specialised in rural development. The couple married in 1961but separated when Obama was two years old and divorced in 1964. Obama Sr. returned to Kenya and saw his son only once more before tragically dying in an car accident in 1982. Where
Family background Barack Obama was born Honolulu, Hawaii in 1961. His father was Barack Hussein Obama, Sr., a Kenyan from the tribe of Luo in the Rachuonyo District which is situated on the shores of Lake Victoria. Obama Sr. came to the United States on a US-funded scholarship inspired by Thomas Mboya who was economics and national development minister and a leading nationalist politician under Jomo Kenyatta. He enrolled at the University of Hawaii in Mānoa where Obama’s mother, Ann Dunham was also studying. Ann Dunham was a White American from Wichita, Kansas of English, Irish and German descent with some Cherokee (Native American) blood – a n anthropologist who specialised in rural development. The couple married in 1961but separated when Obama was two years old and divorced in 1964. Obama Sr. returned to Kenya and saw his son only once more before tragically dying in an car accident in 1982. Where
Family background Barack Obama was born Honolulu, Hawaii in 1961. His father was Barack Hussein Obama, Sr., a Kenyan from the tribe of Luo in the Rachuonyo District which is situated on the shores of Lake Victoria. Obama Sr. came to the United States on a US-funded scholarship inspired by Thomas Mboya who was economics and national development minister and a leading nationalist politician under Jomo Kenyatta. He enrolled at the University of Hawaii in Mānoa where Obama’s mother, Ann Dunham was also studying. Ann Dunham was a White American from Wichita, Kansas of English, Irish and German descent with some Cherokee (Native American) blood – a n anthropologist who specialised in rural development. The couple married in 1961but separated when Obama was two years old and divorced in 1964. Obama Sr. returned to Kenya and saw his son only once more before tragically dying in an car accident in 1982.
Family background Barack Obama was born Honolulu, Hawaii in 1961. His father was Barack Hussein Obama, Sr., a Kenyan from the tribe of Luo in the Rachuonyo District which is situated on the shores of Lake Victoria. Obama Sr. came to the United States on a US-funded scholarship inspired by Thomas Mboya who was economics and national development minister and a leading nationalist politician under Jomo Kenyatta. He enrolled at the University of Hawaii in Mānoa where Obama’s mother, Ann Dunham was also studying. Ann Dunham was a White American from Wichita, Kansas of English, Irish and German descent with some Cherokee (Native American) blood – a n anthropologist who specialised in rural development. The couple married in 1961but separated when Obama was two years old and divorced in 1964. Obama Sr. returned to Kenya and saw his son only once more before tragically dying in an car accident in 1982.
Family background Barack Obama was born Honolulu, Hawaii in 1961. His father was Barack Hussein Obama, Sr., a Kenyan from the tribe of Luo in the Rachuonyo District which is situated on the shores of Lake Victoria. Obama Sr. came to the United States on a US-funded scholarship inspired by Thomas Mboya who was economics and national development minister and a leading nationalist politician under Jomo Kenyatta. He enrolled at the University of Hawaii in Mānoa where Obama’s mother, Ann Dunham was also studying. Ann Dunham was a White American from Wichita, Kansas of English, Irish and German descent with some Cherokee (Native American) blood – a n anthropologist who specialised in rural development. The couple married in 1961but separated when Obama was two years old and divorced in 1964. Obama Sr. returned to Kenya and saw his son only once more before tragically dying in an car accident in 1982.
Family background Barack Obama was born Honolulu, Hawaii in 1961. His father was Barack Hussein Obama, Sr., a Kenyan from the tribe of Luo in the Rachuonyo District which is situated on the shores of Lake Victoria. Obama Sr. came to the United States on a US-funded scholarship inspired by Thomas Mboya who was economics and national development minister and a leading nationalist politician under Jomo Kenyatta. He enrolled at the University of Hawaii in Mānoa where Obama’s mother, Ann Dunham was also studying. Ann Dunham was a White American from Wichita, Kansas of English, Irish and German descent with some Cherokee (Native American) blood – a n anthropologist who specialised in rural development. The couple married in 1961but separated when Obama was two years old and divorced in 1964. Obama Sr. returned to Kenya and saw his son only once more before tragically dying in an car accident in 1982.
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