Barack Obama

Barack Obama, official portrait, 2009

Barack Obama (born Barack Hussein Obama on August 4, 1961, in Honolulu) was 44th president of the United States. He served as President from January 20, 2009 to January 20, 2017, serving two four-year terms. He was preceded by George W. Bush and succeeded by Donald Trump.

Barack Obama is a Democrat. During the primary leading up to his presidential election, he defeated Hillary Clinton. In the general election in 2008 he defeated John McCain and in 2012 he defeated Mitt Romney.

His chief of staff early on was Rahm Emanuel and later William Daley.

At the beginning of his presidency, there was a long recession and high unemployment which mostly recovered by the end of his two terms. Congress passed his health care bill known as the Affordable Care Act which was nicknamed "Obamacare" and his stimulus act. He drew down American forces in Iraq, and ordered a surge in Afghanistan.