Barack Obama

Current job: U.S. senator from Illinois

Birth date: August 4, 1961; Honolulu, Hawaii

Family: Married Michelle Robinson (1992-present); Children: Sasha (2001) and Malia Ann (1999)

Religion: Christian

Education: Columbia University, B.A., 1983; Harvard University, J.D., 1991

Campaign Web site: www.barackobama.com
Other candidate: John McCain »
In Their Own Words

America, this is our moment. This is our time. Our time to turn the page on the policies of the past. Our time to bring new energy and new ideas to the challenges we face. Our time to offer a new direction for this country that we love.
-- from his June 3, 2008, speech declaring his win as Democratic candidate
Video Highlights
Transcripts and Speeches
Supporters
Some supporters, who may have also contributed to other candidates, include:
Adam Arkin
Actor
Donated $250
Jodie Foster
Actress
Donated $1,000
Jamie Foxx
Actor
Donated $2,300
Tom Hanks
Actor
Donated $4,600
Tom Hanks
Paul Newman
Actor
Donated $4,600
Tom Skerritt
Actor
Donated $1,000
Will Smith
Actor
Donated $4,600
Isaiah Washington
Actor
Donated $2,300
Joanne Woodward
Actress
Donated $4,600
* Money figures are according to FEC
Advisers
Some of the top and notable advisers, according to the campaigns and/or media reports.
David Axelrod
Senior strategist
A former Chicago Tribune political reporter who advised Edwards during his 2004 presidential bid.
Mark Penn
David Plouffe
Campaign manager
Former executive director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and senior aide to House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt.
Pete Rousee
Chief of staff
Former chief of staff to Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle
Julianna Smoot
Finance director
A former finance director for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, raised more than $25 million in the first fundraising quarter of 2007.
Jim Margolis
Senior adviser
A media strategist with close ties to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
Steve Hildebrand
Campaign adviser and strategist
An "early state" expert who served as Iowa director of Vice President Al Gore's presidential run
Robert Gibbs
Communications director
A former communications director at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
Robert Gibbs
Betsy Myers
Chief operating officer
Clinton administration official, sister of former Clinton press secretary Dee Dee Myers
* Special Notes
• Delegate counts represent CNN's most recent estimate for each candidate. For Democrats, the figures include pledged delegates and superdelegates. For Republicans, the figures include pledged delegates and unpledged RNC member delegates. There are currently 4,234 total delegates to the Democratic National Convention, including 3,409 pledged delegates and 825 superdelegates. The total number of delegate votes needed to win the nomination is 2,118. There are currently 2,380 total delegates to the Republican National Convention, including 1,917 pledged delegates and 463 unpledged delegates. The total number of delegate votes needed to win the nomination is 1,191. More about the delegate selection process
• Needed to Win: This refers to the total number of delegate votes needed by a candidate to win the party's nomination.
• States won: This refers to CNN's projected winner for each race until a final result has been determined. How CNN projects winners
Barack Obama Fundraising
TOTAL through June 2008
Raised: $349,716,137
Spent: $278,045,813
Cash-on-Hand: $71,670,323
provided by FEC
more Fundraising data »
Obama on the Issues
Abortion
Supports abortion rights.
Immigration
Supported Bush-backed immigration reform legislation, which would have increased funding and improved border security technology, improved enforcement of existing laws, and provided a legal path to citizenship for some illegal immigrants. Voted to authorize construction of a 700-mile fence along the U.S.-Mexican border.
Iraq
Opposed use of military force in Iraq. Voted for war spending bill that would have withdrawn most U.S. troops by March 2008. Supports phased redeployment of U.S. troops. Opposed Bush's plan to send additional troops to Iraq. Had once called for troop withdrawal to begin by the end of 2006.
Same-sex marriage
Opposes same-sex marriage, but also opposes a constitutional ban. Supports civil unions.
Social Security
Opposes Bush plan allowing workers to divert some Social Security payroll taxes into private retirement accounts.
Taxes
Opposed extending 2003 Bush tax cut law through 2010. Supports eliminating marriage penalty and extending child tax credit. Supports scaling back capital gains and dividends tax cuts and re-examining tax benefits for the top one percent of earners.
Home  |  Asia  |  Europe  |  U.S.  |  World  |  World Business  |  Technology  |  Entertainment  |  World Sport  |  Travel
Podcasts  |  Blogs  |  CNN Mobile  |  RSS Feeds  |  Email Alerts  |  CNN Radio  |  CNNAvantGo  |  Site Map
© 2008 Cable News Network. A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved.