The 21st-Century United StatesPolitics & Leaders

The Presidency

of Barack Obama

Election of 2008• Democratic candidates Barack Obama and

Hilary Clinton were choices but Obama was chosen as the Democratic candidate.

• Obama ran against Senator John McCain for the Republican party, who chose Sarah Palin as his running mate

Hilary Clinton & Sarah Palin were two important women in the 2008 election

Election of 2008

Nominee: Barack Obama John McCainParty: Democratic RepublicanHome state: Illinois ArizonaRunning mate: Joe Biden Sarah PalinElectoral vote: 365 173Popular vote: 69,498,516 59,948,323Percentage: 52.9% 45.7%

Condition of US at Election• 2007 US in economic recession stemming from

mortgage crisis – worst since Great Depression of 1930s• Unemployment steadily climbing toward 7%• Home foreclosures grew• Sept. 2008 the stock market plunged• $700 billion bailout for banking industry abused• War in Iraq and Afghanistan (war against terrorism)

still going on with more than 4,000 soldiers killed and over 31,000 wounded

Taking Office• Obama laid out ambitious agenda:• Economic stimulus package and accountability of

institutions to American taxpayers• Draw down war in Iraq & refocus military in

Afghanistan• Reform nation’s healthcare insurance system• Pass new laws to regulate Wall Street• Federal government transparency

In Office• February 2009—American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

passed (stimulus package)

• March 2010--Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act passed

• August 2010—announce “combat mission in Iraq has ended” with increased military presence in Afghanistan

• July 2010--Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act signed

• May 2011—announced the death of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden by US Navy Seals

Barack Obama (Democrat) 65,915,795 51.06% Mitt Romney (Republican) 60,933,504 47.20% Gary Johnson (Libertarian, Independent) 1,275,971 0.99%

Obama Numbers

2015• 6,371,000 jobs added since 2008• Unemployment 5.1% down from high 10% Oct. 2009• Real weekly earning up 1.7%• Corporate profits have tripled• GDP up 3.7% annual rate in second quarter 2015• Consumer spending grew at a rate of 2.9% in 2nd qtr

2015