Accepting the Democratic nomination for presidential candidacy in 2008, Barack Obama expressed how he thought the government should interact with citizens. “…Our government should work for us, not against us. It should help us, not hurt us. It should ensure opportunity not just for those with the most money and influence, but for every American who’s willing to work…” (Schuman 120). In making these remarks, Obama reveals what he wants to achieve for the nation. Obama’s ultimate goal is to try to help Americans in every possible way. He started to achieve this by becoming involved in politics. He was able to become a state senator for the state of Illinois, a United States senator representing Illinois, and the forty-fourth president of the
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and mother Ann Dunham. His father was from Kenya, and his mother was from Kansas, making the relationship that they had frowned upon and rare. Barack Obama Sr. was planning to get his master 's degree shortly after his son was born. With these goals set in mind, he left his son and his wife in Hawaii while he moved to New York, where he would receive his degree at Harvard Law School. Ann and Barack Sr. 's relationship quickly weakened, and they soon divorced. Alone in Hawaii, Ann met an Indonesian man named Lolo Soetoro. Ann and Lolo married, and soon moved with Barack Obsma Jr. to Jakarta, Indonesia. Obama was enrolled in a private school named the International School, where he was taught most of his secondary schooling. Obama excelled in his schooling, so Ann thought it would be best for him to move back to Honolulu, live with his grandparents, and finish high school at Punahou Academy, a preparatory school in Hawaii. After Obama finished his secondary education, he was given a scholarship to pay for all of his tuition at Occidental College in Los Angeles, California. There, he became involved in one of his first political movements: ending apartheid in South Africa. Obama sent letters, looked for speakers, and planned rallies against the South African government’s actions. Obama was pleased with his life at Occidental, but he felt as if he could get more out of his career. …show more content…
So, Obama decided to run for state legislature. In 1996, state senator of Illinois Alice Palmer resigned from her position with the intention of advancing in the political world. Obama was elected to the position in 1996 and was named as Chairman of State Senate’s Health and Human Services Committee in January of 1997. Throughout his time as a state legislator, helped guide twenty-six bills through the legislature with the overall intention of expanding rights for working, poor, or uninsured citizens. Knowing that he could potentially aid more people than he already had, Obama wanted to run for the House of Representatives. His opponent would be Bobby Rush, the current democratic congressman representing Illinois. Due to bad press, Obama lost in the primary. Obama refused to give up, because in November of 2004, he announced that he was going to run for the United States Senate. While Obama only managed to raise six million dollars for his campaign, his opponent Blair Hull raised twenty-nine million, most of which was an investment of his own money. Before the primary, Hull was found to have abused a previous wife. Obama was able to attract the votes from Hull, and win the primary. In November of 2004, Obama received seventy percent of the popular vote, compared to his republican opponent Alan Keyes’ twenty-four percent. Obama took senate office on 4 January 2005, and would be named the fifth African-American United States Senator. As a
and mother Ann Dunham. His father was from Kenya, and his mother was from Kansas, making the relationship that they had frowned upon and rare. Barack Obama Sr. was planning to get his master 's degree shortly after his son was born. With these goals set in mind, he left his son and his wife in Hawaii while he moved to New York, where he would receive his degree at Harvard Law School. Ann and Barack Sr. 's relationship quickly weakened, and they soon divorced. Alone in Hawaii, Ann met an Indonesian man named Lolo Soetoro. Ann and Lolo married, and soon moved with Barack Obsma Jr. to Jakarta, Indonesia. Obama was enrolled in a private school named the International School, where he was taught most of his secondary schooling. Obama excelled in his schooling, so Ann thought it would be best for him to move back to Honolulu, live with his grandparents, and finish high school at Punahou Academy, a preparatory school in Hawaii. After Obama finished his secondary education, he was given a scholarship to pay for all of his tuition at Occidental College in Los Angeles, California. There, he became involved in one of his first political movements: ending apartheid in South Africa. Obama sent letters, looked for speakers, and planned rallies against the South African government’s actions. Obama was pleased with his life at Occidental, but he felt as if he could get more out of his career. …show more content…
So, Obama decided to run for state legislature. In 1996, state senator of Illinois Alice Palmer resigned from her position with the intention of advancing in the political world. Obama was elected to the position in 1996 and was named as Chairman of State Senate’s Health and Human Services Committee in January of 1997. Throughout his time as a state legislator, helped guide twenty-six bills through the legislature with the overall intention of expanding rights for working, poor, or uninsured citizens. Knowing that he could potentially aid more people than he already had, Obama wanted to run for the House of Representatives. His opponent would be Bobby Rush, the current democratic congressman representing Illinois. Due to bad press, Obama lost in the primary. Obama refused to give up, because in November of 2004, he announced that he was going to run for the United States Senate. While Obama only managed to raise six million dollars for his campaign, his opponent Blair Hull raised twenty-nine million, most of which was an investment of his own money. Before the primary, Hull was found to have abused a previous wife. Obama was able to attract the votes from Hull, and win the primary. In November of 2004, Obama received seventy percent of the popular vote, compared to his republican opponent Alan Keyes’ twenty-four percent. Obama took senate office on 4 January 2005, and would be named the fifth African-American United States Senator. As a