and African American identity, 271–72, 534
and Alinsky style, 12, 13, 201, 248, 373–74
assessment of effectiveness of, 286
bonds with colleagues, 201–2, 208–9, 217–20, 237
and CCRC ad, 40–41, 189
concern for poor people, 402–3
departure announcement, 308–9
earlier experience in Harlem, 182–88
effect on identity of, 271–72, 534
emotional involvement with, 211–12
“Future of Organizing” panel, 501–3
Galluzzo formal mentoring of, 238, 260–61
and IAF training program, 216, 220, 227, 230–31, 232–33, 238
Illinois Issues article by, 312–13
and impressions of Chicago, 202–3, 206–7
Kellman interview of, 189, 190–91
and Kellman’s and Kruglik’s ongoing work, 351
lack of social life, 217–18, 219
McKnight influence on, 281–83, 555, 576–77, 591, 661, 728, 729
and Montes relationship, 236
and one-on-one interviews, 199–200
retrospective view of, 1044
roundtable participation, 372–74
salary, 191, 237, 239, 296
and self-assessment, 312–14, 534
skills learned from, 287, 457
stock expressions of, 269
workday of, 211–12
identity
and abandonment issues, 88–89, 90, 106, 112, 119, 129, 178, 185, 532, 1049, 1067
as African American, 270–72, 278–79, 292, 302, 316, 345, 470, 533, 534, 537, 556
from “Barry” to “Barack,” 122, 129, 144, 152, 245, 295, 765
and biographers, 1055–56, 1061–62
as biracial, 67–68, 212, 232, 246, 278, 345, 533, 859, 860, 991
as both African and American, 553, 910, 921
calmness of, 104, 514, 580, 900
charisma of, 236, 273, 385, 394, 414, 969, 994
and Chicago as home, 195, 313, 345, 367, 395, 458, 459, 469, 529
as Christian, 850, 946, 995
community work effects on, 271–72, 534
Davis influence on, 96, 119
DNC speech as “transformational moment” for, 940
and Dreams From My Father portrayals, 515, 522, 527–37, 543
and Elia’s life-changing monologue, 193–95, 202, 324–25, 458, 529–30, 993
Ellison’s Invisible Man impact on, 172, 1049
embracing own destiny, 138, 270–71, 277, 285, 305, 324, 344–45, 367, 368, 382, 403, 458, 469, 751, 782, 993, 1062
and father’s failings, 204–5, 320–21, 709
first awareness of racial differences, 65–67, 529
first close black male friend, 222
first exposure to mainland African Americans, 120
foreign-sounding name of, 471, 553, 923, 938
as hapa-haole (half-white), 67–68, 278
higher goals and aspirations of, 751
Indonesia as formative influence on, 73–74
as international, 159, 367
and lack of African American experience, 232
and lack of roots, 130, 313
as “multi-colored,” 900–901
as multiethnic Hawaiian, 104, 116, 120, 122, 245, 995
as “not black enough,” 409, 552–53, 603, 658, 667, 669, 677, 690, 704, 705, 708, 750, 792, 856, 908, 1035
as “passing in reverse,” 953
pragmatism of, 441, 469, 731, 732, 859, 867, 1036, 1049, 1060, 1063, 1065
as race-transcending, 389
religious belief of, 255–56, 260, 272, 273, 298, 427, 468, 848, 849–50, 873, 909–10, 946, 952, 994, 995, 1006, 1015, 1039, 1042, 1046
reserve of, 112, 174, 448, 808
self-assessment of, 994–95
self-confidence of, 571, 602, 652, 1059–60
self-creation of, 88, 204, 348, 1049, 1078
self-discipline of, 227–28
self-transformation (early 1987) of, 132, 152, 270–71, 277, 313, 751
sense of humor of, 273, 975, 987, 991, 1018
seriousness of purpose of, 143, 144, 159
sexuality of, 246, 345
skin color of, 52, 65
as transcending racial stereotypes, 953, 1002
“whiteness” of, 170, 245, 247, 273, 603, 793, 953–54
law, 324–25, 327–458
and Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland, 455, 465–66, 475, 485–86
disinterest in clerkship, 375, 392, 417–18
dislike of litigation, 514
as Electric Knowledge Interchange counsel, 723–24, 729
first significant courtroom appearance, 498
Illinois bar exam, 454, 462, 463, 466, 467
law school decision, 284–86, 304–5
and Miner, Barnhill, 590, 729
and political ambition, 277, 288, 297, 302, 318, 401, 518
salaries, 489
summer jobs, 348–49, 351–52, 357, 360–61, 380, 417
teaching approach, 514–15, 673, 718–19, 745
“Transformative Politics” coauthored paper, 432–34
and Tribe professional relationship, 357, 371, 376–77
See also Harvard Law Review; Harvard Law School; University of Chicago Law School
personal life
basketball pickup games, 82, 84, 85, 97, 110–11, 143, 336, 343–44, 367, 375, 378, 428, 492, 571, 600, 622, 675, 694–95
biographers of, 1055–56, 1060–62
birth of daughters, 634, 735–36
book contracts (see Audacity of Hope, The; Dreams From My Father)
Business International job, 165–67, 169–70, 173–75, 178, 179–80
charitable giving, 651, 990, 1044
Christmas at home in Chicago (2007), 1040
Christmas celebrated in Hawaii (see under Hawaii)
close friendship with Fisher (see Fisher, Rob)
condominium purchase, 466, 482, 488, 491–92, 498
condominium sale, 973
dinners with Ayers, Dohrn, and Khalidis, 568–70, 603, 674, 708, 834–35
eating habits, 781, 854–55
engagement and marriage, 463–64, 468 (see also Obama, Michelle Robinson)
European trips, 319, 450, 564–65
family life in White House, 1052, 1054
family-political life balance, 977, 996, 1001, 1004
family vacations, 903, 947
fatherhood, 742, 746–47, 773, 782, 808, 810, 819, 874, 907, 920, 942, 950, 956, 960, 978, 979, 995, 1019–20, 1038, 1048, 1065
and father’s death, 150–51, 152, 153
favorite books, 1009
favorite hideout, 921
favorite lunch, 781
financial concerns, 491, 565, 625, 643, 651, 674, 709, 713, 716, 717, 723–24, 733, 747, 750, 753–54, 755, 758, 777, 789, 814, 914, 929, 970, 1048–49
financial investments, 968–69, 979
financial wealth, 963, 965, 968–69, 989–90, 1012, 1044
girlfriends (see Cook, Genevieve; Jager, Sheila Miyoshi; McNear, Alex; Montes, Mary Ellen “Lena”)
golf enthusiasm, 514, 605, 615, 622–23, 749, 808, 919, 947, 1021, 1054, 1064, 1068, 1070, 1074
grandmother Dunham’s meaning to, 1050, 1051
health consciousness, 781
HistoryMakers interview of, 727–28
jazz enthusiasm, 81, 89, 97, 100, 348, 405, 457
journal keeping, 143, 317, 453, 994
Kenyan family (see Kenya; Obama listings)
mansion purchase, 965–66, 968–69, 973, 977, 979, 982–83, 1010, 1019, 1041, 1043
marital loyalty, 710–11, 1037
and mother’s death, 549, 564, 565, 567, 1050
in New York City, 140–93
Pakistani friends, 117–18, 121, 123, 139–40, 144, 145, 153, 175–77, 188–90, 197–98, 208, 218, 245
Scottsdale vacation, 901, 903, 906
Scrabble competitiveness, 950–51, 963, 104
0
September 11 effect on, 742, 743
smoking habit, 91, 112, 167, 171, 187, 209, 270, 347, 361, 414, 422, 438, 477, 496, 497, 514, 601, 603, 632, 634, 652, 740, 781, 813, 854–55, 921, 980, 981, 1019, 1021, 1026
smoking quitting, 1060
stereo and record collection, 144
student loan debt, 321, 330, 372, 401, 411, 458, 491, 491–92, 674, 723
wedding, 478–80, 532
in White House, 1052, 1074
politics, 899–906
ambitions of, 270–71, 276–77, 288, 291, 316, 348, 375, 401, 418, 453
assets as candidate, 859, 993
and bipartisanship, 973, 974, 975, 976, 991, 1001, 1002, 1070
“Call to Renewal Speech,” 991
celebrity of, 934–36, 941–44, 946, 949, 950, 963–67, 979–80, 997, 1002–3, 1007, 1010, 1016, 1017, 1021
as change agent, 1019
and New Party, 493–94, 522, 561–62
and politics of hope, 793, 820, 900, 930, 939, 1038
and Project VOTE!, 471, 471–78
smoothness of, 801, 814, 875
Yes We Can! slogan, 894, 900, 918
presidency, 1051–78
black vs. white voter approval, 1069
congressional relations, 1056, 1059, 1065, 1068, 1071, 1073
critics of, 1055–60, 1063–64, 1065–73
first term statistics, 1064
and golf, 1054, 1064, 1068, 1070, 1073, 1074
health care reform (see Affordable Care Act)
and “hidden identity” rumors, 1056, 1059
inauguration day, 1051
inherited economic crisis, 1051, 1054
and intelligence agencies, 1072–73
killing of bin Laden, 1059, 1072
long-form birth certificate issue, 1059
one-year anniversary, 1054–55
pragmatic stances, 1060, 1062, 1063
and public approval, 1052–53
second-term, 1064–78
and Secret Service, 1032, 1040
self-critique, 1060
Supreme Court appointments, 1052, 1056
Syrian red line reversal, 1066
White House staff, 1051, 1053, 1054–55, 1057, 1058, 1061, 1066
presidential candidacy, 980–1051
Biden as running mate, 1049
campaign slogan, 1038, 1039
campaign staff, 1020–26
campaign themes, 1034, 1035
Chicago campaign headquarters, 1026, 1029
“cling to guns and religion” remark, 1043–44
decision factor, 1000–1001, 1022, 1110–20n
declaration of, 1023–24
defeat of McCain, 1050
Democratic nomination victory speech, 1047–48
election returns responses, 1050–51
and family life, 1011–20, 1032–33
fund-raising, 1025–26, 1029, 1036–37
inauguration day, 1051
Michelle Obama campaign events, 1029, 1034–35, 1039, 1040
negative coverage of, 1032, 1033, 1034–38
“On My Faith and My Church” statement, 1042
primaries and caucuses, 1040–42, 1046, 1050
public funding rejection, 1048
race factor, 1035, 1042–45, 1050–51
responses to Hillary Clinton, 1040–41
and Rezko issue, 1039, 1042
safety concerns, 944, 1012, 1013, 1017, 1019
second term campaign, 1062, 1063
Secret Service protection, 1032, 1040
Springfield announcement ceremony, 1026–28
televised debates, 1040, 1044
television ads, 1034
vital factor in success of, 1050–51
Web video declaration of, 1023–1244
and Wright issue, 1026–27, 1028, 1030, 1042–47
state Senate
achievements in, 848, 866, 874, 915–16
and Black Caucus, 657–58
colleague relationships, 571–72, 592–93, 596, 604–6, 711, 731–32
colleague resentments of, 599–600, 658, 808, 907–8
committee assignments, 594–96, 652, 783, 787–88
and congressional primary defeat, 710–11
disappointment with, 596–97, 606, 647, 649–50, 658–70, 731, 739, 750
discarded records of, 1038, 1039
district office and staff, 585, 593–96, 610, 635–36, 814, 819
floor debut, 597–98
ghost employee “William Higgins,” 636, 819
and informal issues committee, 717–18, 721, 726–27, 788
and member initiative grants, 716–17, 719–20
and missed gun-control bill vote, 687–90, 691, 694, 707, 796, 861, 895
outsider status of, 600
physical confrontation with Hendon, 767–68, 769
and poker games, 603–4, 620–21, 651–52, 732, 808, 809, 919, 1078
and “present” votes, 600–601, 607, 618–19, 818, 824, 862, 863, 891
and presidential campaign, 1034–35, 1038, 1039
racial makeup of district, 578
redistricting map, 744–45, 746
reelections to, 616, 622, 623, 637–40, 748, 753, 754, 776
resignation from, 959–60
salary, 651, 814
and Springfield routine, 808–9
State Government Operations Committee, 596
and U.S. Senate campaign, 759, 867–69, 932–33
U.S. Senate contrasted with, 977–78, 1007
voting record, 609, 654, 734–35, 824, 832
state Senate primary, 517–22, 526–27, 538–64
campaign donors, 610, 638, 733
campaign office, 539–40, 545–46, 571
nominating petition, 547–48, 551, 553, 557–59, 616
opponents’ invalid petitions, 559–60, 562, 563–64
Palmer reentry into, 553–54, 558–60, 571, 572, 624, 658, 667, 703
Palmer withdrawal from, 562
unanimous win, 564
U.S. Congress primary, 505–32, 543–671, 673–713
advertising, 680, 695–96, 699–700
black staff members, 877
endorsements, 698–99
four candidates, 685
racial factors, 691, 694–96, 698, 699, 704, 705, 707, 708, 750
retrospective view of, 707–9, 711–12, 716
Rush victory, 706–10, 750, 782, 793, 841
and Trotter animus, 683
U.S. Senate, 960–1058
Africa trip, 995, 996–97, 1006
appraisals of first year, 983
bills introduced, 970, 1021
boredom with, 1022
committee memberships, 787–88, 967, 971–74, 976, 987–88, 1012–13
ethics reform, 984–86, 987, 989
first year, 968, 979–80
Hurricane Katrina tour, 974, 975, 996
Iraq tour, 982, 983
McCain clash with, 984–86, 987
and presidential candidacy, 1028
“reaching across aisle” by, 973, 974, 975, 976, 991, 1001
on “slow pace” of, 971–72
as sole black member, 972
as strain on family life, 977, 996
swearing-in ceremonies, 964–65
and town halls, 1001
U.S. Senate campaign, 905–58
and DNC keynote speech, 913–43, 948, 951
downstate focus of, 943–44, 951
DSCC experienced staff, 901, 906–7, 910, 921–22
endorsements, 954–55
focus groups, 923–24
foreign policy speech, 930
fund-raising, 906, 910, 911, 913, 923, 928, 929, 948, 949, 952, 960, 1003, 1021
and Jack Ryan campaign video stalker, 915, 919, 951
and Jack Ryan divorce records, 912, 924, 925
and Jack Ryan withdrawal, 927, 944
and Keyes replacement candidacy, 945–47, 948, 951–52
landslide victory, 956�
�57
and national media, 921, 933–35
television ads, 947–48, 954
and white voters, 923
Yes We Can! slogan, 918
U.S. Senate primary, 776–906
argument for running, 758–59, 780
basic theme of, 786
black protests against, 855
black staff members, 877, 907
black turnout, 901
campaign manager, 820–21, 827
campaign staff, 792, 805–6, 836, 855
candidates, 789–90, 800–801, 818–20, 830
consultants, 789–90, 820–21, 832–34, 835–36
contributors list, 814
debates, 879–80, 887–88
direct mail, 890–91
Election Day tactics, 888–89, 896–99
favorable press reaction, 845
formal candidacy, 792–94, 795–96
landslide victory, 899–901, 903
Muslim staff members, 805
opposition research, 818–19, 825–26
petition filings, 857
postelection analysis of, 903–6
radio ads, 848, 849, 876–77, 891
success chances, 772–73, 815–16, 821
transition to national campaign, 905–6
TV ads, 871–74, 877–81, 883–85, 892, 893, 896, 901, 905, 923
white liberal supporters, 862–63, 881, 884, 904
Yes We Can! slogan, 878, 880
See also Obama for Illinois
Obama, Barack Hussein, Sr. (father), 43–48, 140, 247, 320, 709
alcohol abuse, 47, 54, 59, 73, 76, 77, 78, 79, 150–51, 152, 153, 178, 203, 204, 205, 260, 320
car crashes, 77, 78, 79, 150–51, 153, 203, 260
charisma of, 46, 78, 204
death in car crash, 150–51, 153, 178, 260
deterioration of, 151–52, 203, 204
Dreams From My Father portrayal of, 515, 529, 531, 549
Dunham’s divorce from, 58, 59
and Echols namesake, 78, 492, 535, 575, 709
Harvard studies, 55–60, 77, 152, 285, 321
INS forces return to Kenya, 60–61
and Kenyan politics, 76–77, 79
multiple marriages, 43, 50–51, 55, 59, 76, 77, 150, 204, 420, 1050
mythology created about, 73, 204
return visit to Honolulu, 75, 80–81
son Barack’s birth in Hawaii, 50, 52, 53
son Barack’s dream about, 178
son Barack’s feelings about, 132, 152, 178, 204, 260, 320–21, 417, 493, 510, 531, 709, 935, 1048
University of Hawaii studies, 45–48, 51, 53, 54–56, 79
violence of, 203
womanizing of, 47, 54, 56, 59, 60, 75–76
Obama, David Opiyo (half-brother), 78, 150, 151, 179
Obama, George Hussein (half-brother), 150, 321
Obama, Grace Kezia Aoko (father’s first wife), 43, 44, 55, 59, 320, 420
Obama, Habiba Akumu (grandfather’s second wife), 43, 44, 515
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