Despite his relatively short political career, Barack Obama has earned himself a place in the spotlight with his record of bipartisanship and focus on meeting the needs of American working families.

Barack Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on 4 August 1961. His parents were divorced at the age of two, and Obama was sent to live with his mother's parents. Although there have been rumors that Barack Obama was raised a radical Muslim, he has repeatedly stated that he had a non-religious upbringing and did not become a Christian until his late twenties.

Barack Obama had a difficult childhood and admits to experimenting with cocaine and marijuana when he was a teenager in an attempt to cope with conflicting feelings about his multi-racial heritage. Despite his troubles, however, he remained an exceptionally ambitious student. He earned his B.A. in political science with an international relations focus from Columbia University. Later, Barack Obama was nationally recognized for serving as the first president of the Harvard Law Review of African American descent.

In 1992, Barack Obama married attorney Michelle Robinson. The couple met while they were both employed at Sidley Austin LLP, a corporate law firm. They have two daughters, Malia and Sasha.

In 1996, Barack Obama was elected to Illinois' State Senate. During his time in office, he worked on initiatives to benefit low-income families, increase funding for the prevention of AIDS, and provide affordable access to healthcare. He became well known for his ability to work successfully with members of both the Democratic and Republican parties without succumbing to the partisan bickering.

In 2004, Barack Obama was elected to the U.S. Senate, making him the fifth African-American Senator in U.S. history. To fulfill one of his campaign promises, the first bill he sponsored was the Higher Education Opportunity through Pell Grant Expansion Act. Unfortunately, the bill failed to progress beyond the committee stage. However, Barack Obama later became a member of the Senate committees for Foreign Relations; Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; and Veterans' Affairs.

Barack Obama is one of several politicians attempting to earn the Democratic nomination for the 2008 presidential election. The race is expected to be one of the most hotly contested in history, with many experts naming Hillary Clinton as Barack Obama’s toughest competitor.

Outside of his extensive political accomplishments, Barack Obama is also the author of several books. His 1995 memoir Dreams from My Father provides a detailed account of his early career. The Audacity of Hope , published in 2006, describes his political convictions. He is also currently working on a children’s book with his wife and daughters—a project that will have all proceeds donated to charity.