Presidency of Barack Obama

Presidency of Barack Obama
Name	Barack Obama
Order	44th
Term start	January 20, 2009
Term end	January 20, 2017
Vice president	Joe Biden
Predecessor	George W. Bush
Successor	Donald Trump
Birth date	4 August 1961
Birth place	Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.
Party	Democratic
Spouse	Michelle Obama, October 3, 1992
Children	Malia, Sasha
Education	Occidental College, Columbia University (BA), Harvard University (JD)

Presidency of Barack Obama began at noon EST on January 20, 2009, when he was inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States, and ended on January 20, 2017. His presidency, following the administration of George W. Bush, was defined by its response to the Great Recession, major legislative achievements in health care reform and financial regulation, and a foreign policy marked by the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and the operation that killed Osama bin Laden. Obama, a member of the Democratic Party, was the first African-American president.

Early life and career

Barack Hussein Obama II was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Barack Obama Sr. from Kenya and Stanley Ann Dunham from Kansas. He spent part of his childhood in Jakarta, Indonesia, before returning to Hawaii to live with his grandparents. He attended Occidental College for two years before transferring to Columbia University, where he earned a degree in political science. After working as a community organizer in Chicago, he entered Harvard Law School, where he became the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review. He returned to Chicago to practice civil rights law, taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School, and served in the Illinois Senate from 1997 to 2004. He gained national prominence with a keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention and was elected to the United States Senate later that year.

2008 presidential election

Obama announced his presidential campaign in February 2007 in Springfield, Illinois. He defeated rivals like Hillary Clinton and John Edwards in a protracted Democratic primary, securing the nomination at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver. In the general election, he and his running mate, Joe Biden, faced the Republican ticket of John McCain and Sarah Palin. The campaign unfolded against the backdrop of the financial crisis of 2007–2008, with Obama's message of "hope and change" resonating widely. He won a decisive electoral victory, carrying states like Ohio, Florida, and Virginia, and received 365 electoral votes to McCain's 173.

Domestic policy

Obama's first term was dominated by addressing the Great Recession. He signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, a $787 billion stimulus package. His signature domestic achievement was the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (often called "Obamacare"), which expanded health insurance coverage. He also signed the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act to regulate the financial sector. Other significant actions included the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, and executive orders on climate change and environmental protection through the Environmental Protection Agency. His administration oversaw the bailouts of the General Motors and Chrysler automakers.

Foreign policy

Obama's foreign policy sought to recalibrate American engagement. He ordered the Operation Neptune Spear raid in Abbottabad, Pakistan, that resulted in the death of Osama bin Laden in 2011. He oversaw the end of the Iraq War and the drawdown of troops in the War in Afghanistan, though he authorized a surge in forces there in 2009. He pursued diplomatic openings, culminating in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (Iran nuclear deal) and the restoration of diplomatic relations with Cuba. His administration confronted challenges including the Arab Spring, the Libyan Civil War, the rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, and the Syrian civil war. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009.

Supreme Court appointments

President Obama made two appointments to the Supreme Court of the United States. In 2009, he nominated Sonia Sotomayor, a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, to succeed retiring Justice David Souter; she became the first Hispanic justice. In 2010, he nominated Elena Kagan, the Solicitor General of the United States, to succeed retiring Justice John Paul Stevens; she became the fourth woman to serve on the Court. His 2016 nomination of Merrick Garland to fill the vacancy created by the death of Antonin Scalia was blocked by the Republican-controlled Senate.

2012 re-election

Obama and Biden were re-nominated at the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. They faced the Republican ticket of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan. The campaign focused on the economy, the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, and foreign policy. Obama won re-election with 332 electoral votes, carrying key swing states such as Ohio, Virginia, Colorado, and Iowa, while losing North Carolina. He was the first president since Ronald Reagan to win a majority of the popular vote twice.

Post-presidency

Since leaving office, Obama has remained active in public life. He and former First Lady Michelle Obama founded the Obama Foundation, which oversees the development of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. He has authored a bestselling memoir, A Promised Land, and, with Michelle, produced content for Higher Ground Productions under a deal with Netflix. He has occasionally weighed in on political matters, campaigning for Democratic candidates including Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election, and has been involved in global initiatives through the Obama Foundation Leaders program.