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| [[File:BorisYeltsin.jpg|thumb|250px|Vladimir Putin (second from the left) with Boris Yeltsin]] | | [[File:BorisYeltsin.jpg|thumb|250px|Vladimir Putin (second from the left) with Boris Yeltsin]] |
| '''Vladimir ''' | | '''Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin''' (born 7 October 1952) is the fourth and current President of [[Russia]], from 2000 to 2008 and again from 2012 to the present. He previously served as Prime Minister of Russia from 1999 to 2000 and again from 2008 to 2012. Before his political career, he was known as one of the greatest agents of the {{Wiki|KGB}}, the Russian secret police. |
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| Obama became chairman of the Illinois Senate's Health and Human Services Committee when Democrats, after a decade in the minority, regained a majority.<sup id="cite_ref-120" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-120 [120]]</sup> He sponsored and led unanimous, bipartisan passage of legislation to monitor [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racial_profiling racial profiling] by requiring police to record the race of drivers they detained, and legislation making Illinois the first state to mandate videotaping of homicide interrogations.<sup id="cite_ref-Scott20070730_116-1" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-Scott20070730-116 [116]]</sup><sup id="cite_ref-121" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-121 [121]]</sup> During his 2004 general election campaign for the U.S. Senate, police representatives credited Obama for his active engagement with police organizations in enacting [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment_in_the_United_States death penalty] reforms.<sup id="cite_ref-122" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-122 [122]]</sup> Obama resigned from the Illinois Senate in November 2004 following his election to the U.S. Senate.<sup id="cite_ref-123" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-123 [123]]</sup>
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| ====2004 U.S. Senate campaign====
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| Main article: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_election_in_Illinois,_2004 United States Senate election in Illinois, 2004][https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Illinois_Senate_Election_Results_by_County,_2004.svg] County results of the 2004 U.S. Senate race in Illinois. Obama won the counties in blue.In May 2002, Obama commissioned a poll to assess his prospects in a 2004 U.S. Senate race. He created a campaign committee, began raising funds, and lined up political media consultant [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Axelrod_(political_consultant) David Axelrod] by August 2002. Obama formally announced his candidacy in January 2003.<sup id="cite_ref-124" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-124 [124]]</sup>
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| Obama was an early opponent of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W._Bush George W. Bush] administration's [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_invasion_of_Iraq 2003 invasion of Iraq].<sup id="cite_ref-125" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-125 [125]]</sup> On October 2, 2002, the day President Bush and Congress agreed on the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_Resolution joint resolution] authorizing the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_War Iraq War],<sup id="cite_ref-Rose_Garden_126-0" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-Rose_Garden-126 [126]]</sup> Obama addressed the first high-profile Chicago [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protests_against_the_Iraq_War anti-Iraq War rally],<sup id="cite_ref-Federal_Plaza_127-0" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-Federal_Plaza-127 [127]]</sup> and spoke out against the war.<sup id="cite_ref-spoke_out_128-0" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-spoke_out-128 [128]]</sup> He addressed another anti-war rally in March 2003 and told the crowd that "it's not too late" to stop the war.<sup id="cite_ref-stop_the_war_129-0" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-stop_the_war-129 [129]]</sup>
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| Decisions by Republican incumbent [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Fitzgerald_(politician) Peter Fitzgerald] and his Democratic predecessor [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carol_Moseley_Braun Carol Moseley Braun] to not participate in the election resulted in wide-open Democratic and Republican primary contests involving 15 candidates.<sup id="cite_ref-130" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-130 [130]]</sup> In the March 2004 primary election, Obama won in an unexpected landslide—which overnight made him a rising star within the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_National_Committee national Democratic Party], started speculation about a presidential future, and led to the reissue of his memoir, ''Dreams from My Father''.<sup id="cite_ref-future_131-0" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-future-131 [131]]</sup> In July 2004, Obama delivered the keynote address at the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Democratic_National_Convention 2004 Democratic National Convention],<sup id="cite_ref-132" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-132 [132]]</sup> seen by 9.1 million viewers. His speech was well received and elevated his status within the Democratic Party.<sup id="cite_ref-status_133-0" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-status-133 [133]]</sup>
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| Obama's expected opponent in the general election, Republican primary winner [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Ryan_(politician) Jack Ryan], withdrew from the race in June 2004.<sup id="cite_ref-134" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-134 [134]]</sup> Six weeks later, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Keyes Alan Keyes] accepted the Republican nomination to replace Ryan.<sup id="cite_ref-135" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-135 [135]]</sup> In the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_election_in_Illinois,_2004 November 2004 general election], Obama won with 70% of the vote.<sup id="cite_ref-margin_136-0" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-margin-136 [136]]</sup>
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| ====U.S. Senator from Illinois (2005–08)====
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| Main article: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_career_of_Barack_Obama United States Senate career of Barack Obama][https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:BarackObamaportrait.jpg] The official portrait of Obama as a member of the United States SenateObama was sworn in as a senator on January 3, 2005,<sup id="cite_ref-137" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-137 [137]]</sup> becoming the only Senate member of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_Black_Caucus Congressional Black Caucus].<sup id="cite_ref-138" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-138 [138]]</sup> ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_Quarterly CQ Weekly]'' characterized him as a "loyal Democrat" based on analysis of all Senate votes from 2005 to 2007. Obama announced on November 13, 2008, that he would [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resignation_from_the_United_States_Senate resign his Senate seat] on November 16, 2008, before the start of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lame_duck_(politics) lame-duck] session, to focus on his transition period for the presidency.<sup id="cite_ref-transition_period_139-0" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-transition_period-139 [139]]</sup>
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| A photo has emerged of then-Senator Obama standing with controversial [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nation_of_Islam Nation of Islam] leader [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Farrakhan Louis Farrakhan] during a 2005 Congressional Black Caucus meeting on [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitol_Hill Capitol Hill].<sup id="cite_ref-140" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-140 [140]]</sup> In 2008, Farrakhan endorsed Obama's candidacy for President.<sup id="cite_ref-141" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-141 [141]]</sup><sup id="cite_ref-142" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-142 [142]]</sup>
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| =====Legislation=====
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| See also: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_bills_sponsored_by_Barack_Obama_in_the_United_States_Senate List of bills sponsored by Barack Obama in the United States Senate]Obama [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sponsor_(legislative) cosponsored] the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secure_America_and_Orderly_Immigration_Act Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act].<sup id="cite_ref-143" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-143 [143]]</sup> He introduced two initiatives that bore his name: Lugar–Obama, which expanded the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nunn%E2%80%93Lugar_Cooperative_Threat_Reduction Nunn–Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction] concept to conventional weapons;<sup id="cite_ref-144" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-144 [144]]</sup> and the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Funding_Accountability_and_Transparency_Act_of_2006 Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006], which authorized the establishment of USAspending.gov, a web search engine on federal spending.<sup id="cite_ref-145" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-145 [145]]</sup> On June 3, 2008, Senator Obama—along with Senators [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Carper Tom Carper], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Coburn Tom Coburn], and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McCain John McCain]—introduced follow-up legislation: Strengthening Transparency and Accountability in Federal Spending Act of 2008.<sup id="cite_ref-146" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-146 [146]]</sup>
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| Obama sponsored legislation that would have required nuclear plant owners to notify state and local authorities of radioactive leaks, but the bill failed to pass in the full Senate after being heavily modified in committee.<sup id="cite_ref-147" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-147 [147]]</sup> Regarding [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tort_reform tort reform], Obama voted for the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Class_Action_Fairness_Act_of_2005 Class Action Fairness Act of 2005] and the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_Intelligence_Surveillance_Act_of_1978_Amendments_Act_of_2008 FISA Amendments Act of 2008], which grants immunity from civil liability to telecommunications companies complicit with [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NSA_warrantless_surveillance_(2001%E2%80%9307) NSA warrantless wiretapping] operations.<sup id="cite_ref-Fisher_148-0" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-Fisher-148 [148]]</sup>
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| [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lugar-Obama.jpg] Obama and U.S. Senator [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Lugar Richard Lugar] (R-IN) visit a Russian facility for dismantling mobile missiles (August 2005)<sup id="cite_ref-149" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-149 [149]]</sup>In December 2006, President Bush signed into law the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo] Relief, Security, and Democracy Promotion Act, marking the first federal legislation to be enacted with Obama as its primary sponsor.<sup id="cite_ref-150" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-150 [150]]</sup> In January 2007, Obama and Senator Feingold introduced a corporate jet provision to the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honest_Leadership_and_Open_Government_Act Honest Leadership and Open Government Act], which was signed into law in September 2007.<sup id="cite_ref-151" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-151 [151]]</sup> Obama also introduced two unsuccessful bills: the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deceptive_Practices_and_Voter_Intimidation_Prevention_Act Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act] to criminalize deceptive practices in federal elections,<sup id="cite_ref-152" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-152 [152]]</sup> and the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_War_De-Escalation_Act_of_2007 Iraq War De-Escalation Act of 2007].<sup id="cite_ref-153" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-153 [153]]</sup>
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| Later in 2007, Obama sponsored an amendment to the Defense Authorization Act to add safeguards for personality-disorder military discharges.<sup id="cite_ref-154" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-154 [154]]</sup> This amendment passed the full Senate in the spring of 2008.<sup id="cite_ref-155" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-155 [155]]</sup> He sponsored the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disinvestment_from_Iran Iran Sanctions Enabling Act] supporting divestment of state pension funds from Iran's oil and gas industry, which was never enacted but later incorporated in the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comprehensive_Iran_Sanctions,_Accountability,_and_Divestment_Act_of_2010 Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010];<sup id="cite_ref-156" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-156 [156]]</sup> and co-sponsored legislation to reduce risks of nuclear terrorism.<sup id="cite_ref-nuclear_terrorism_157-0" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-nuclear_terrorism-157 [157]]</sup> Obama also sponsored a Senate amendment to the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Children%27s_Health_Insurance_Program State Children's Health Insurance Program], providing one year of job protection for family members caring for soldiers with combat-related injuries.<sup id="cite_ref-158" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-158 [158]]</sup>
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| =====Committees=====
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| [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Barack_Obama_Iraq_2006.jpg] Obama speaking with a soldier stationed in Iraq, 2006Obama held assignments on the Senate Committees for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Committee_on_Foreign_Relations Foreign Relations], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Committee_on_Environment_and_Public_Works Environment and Public Works] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Committee_on_Veterans%27_Affairs Veterans' Affairs] through December 2006.<sup id="cite_ref-159" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-159 [159]]</sup> In January 2007, he left the Environment and Public Works committee and took additional assignments with [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Committee_on_Health,_Education,_Labor_and_Pensions Health, Education, Labor and Pensions] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Committee_on_Homeland_Security_and_Governmental_Affairs Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs].<sup id="cite_ref-160" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-160 [160]]</sup> He also became Chairman of the Senate's subcommittee on [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Foreign_Relations_Subcommittee_on_Europe_and_Regional_Security_Cooperation European Affairs].<sup id="cite_ref-161" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-161 [161]]</sup> As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Obama made official trips to Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa. He met with [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahmoud_Abbas Mahmoud Abbas] before Abbas became [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_the_Palestinian_National_Authority President of the Palestinian National Authority], and gave a speech at the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Nairobi University of Nairobi] in which he condemned corruption within the Kenyan government.<sup id="cite_ref-Kenyan_162-0" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-Kenyan-162 [162]]</sup>
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| ==Presidential campaigns==
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| ===2008===
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| Main articles: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_2008 United States presidential election, 2008]; [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama_presidential_primary_campaign,_2008 Barack Obama presidential primary campaign, 2008]; and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama_presidential_campaign,_2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign, 2008][https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Flickr_Obama_Springfield_01.jpg] Obama standing on stage with his wife and daughters just before announcing his presidential candidacy in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springfield,_Illinois Springfield, Illinois], February 10, 2007On February 10, 2007, Obama announced his candidacy for President of the United States in front of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_State_Capitol_State_Historic_Site_(Illinois) Old State Capitol] building in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springfield,_Illinois Springfield, Illinois].<sup id="cite_ref-ChicagoTribune_Pearson_20070210_163-0" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-ChicagoTribune_Pearson_20070210-163 [163]]</sup><sup id="cite_ref-BBC20070210_164-0" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-BBC20070210-164 [164]]</sup> The choice of the announcement site was viewed as symbolic because it was also where [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln Abraham Lincoln] delivered his historic [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln%27s_House_Divided_Speech "House Divided"] speech in 1858.<sup id="cite_ref-ChicagoTribune_Pearson_20070210_163-1" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-ChicagoTribune_Pearson_20070210-163 [163]]</sup><sup id="cite_ref-ChicagoTribune_Parsons20070210_165-0" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-ChicagoTribune_Parsons20070210-165 [165]]</sup> Obama emphasized issues of rapidly ending the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_War Iraq War], increasing [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_policy_of_the_United_States energy independence], and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_reform_in_the_United_States reforming the health care system],<sup id="cite_ref-166" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-166 [166]]</sup> in a campaign that projected themes of hope and change.<sup id="cite_ref-167" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-167 [167]]</sup>
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| Numerous candidates entered the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party_presidential_primaries,_2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries]. The field narrowed to a duel between Obama and Senator [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Clinton Hillary Clinton] after early contests, with the race remaining close throughout the primary process but with Obama gaining a steady lead in pledged [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delegate delegates] due to better long-range planning, superior fundraising, dominant organizing in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caucus caucus] states, and better exploitation of delegate allocation rules.<sup id="cite_ref-allocation_168-0" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-allocation-168 [168]]</sup> On June 7, 2008, Clinton ended her campaign and endorsed Obama.<sup id="cite_ref-169" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-169 [169]]</sup>
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| [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:President_George_W._Bush_and_Barack_Obama_meet_in_Oval_Office.jpg] Outgoing President [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W._Bush George W. Bush] meets with President-elect Obama in the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oval_Office Oval Office] on November 10, 2008On August 23, Obama announced his selection of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delaware Delaware] Senator [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Biden Joe Biden] as his vice presidential running mate.<sup id="cite_ref-170" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-170 [170]]</sup> Obama selected Biden from a field speculated to include former Indiana Governor and Senator [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evan_Bayh Evan Bayh] and Virginia Governor [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Kaine Tim Kaine].<sup id="cite_ref-171" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-171 [171]]</sup> At the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Democratic_National_Convention Democratic National Convention] in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denver Denver], Colorado, Hillary Clinton called for her supporters to endorse Obama, and she and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Clinton Bill Clinton] gave convention speeches in his support.<sup id="cite_ref-delegates_172-0" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-delegates-172 [172]]</sup> Obama delivered his acceptance speech, not at the center where the Democratic National Convention was held, but at [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invesco_Field_at_Mile_High Invesco Field at Mile High] to a crowd of approximately 84,000 people; the speech was viewed by over 38 million people worldwide.<sup id="cite_ref-npr1409_173-0" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-npr1409-173 [173]]</sup><sup id="cite_ref-acceptance_174-0" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-acceptance-174 [174]]</sup><sup id="cite_ref-175" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-175 [175]]</sup>
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| During both the primary process and the general election, Obama's campaign set numerous fundraising records, particularly in the quantity of small donations.<sup id="cite_ref-small_donations_176-0" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-small_donations-176 [176]]</sup> On June 19, 2008, Obama became the first major-party presidential candidate to turn down [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campaign_finance_in_the_United_States#Public_financing_of_campaigns public financing] in the general election since the system was created in 1976.<sup id="cite_ref-Bloomberg_Salant_20080619_177-0" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-Bloomberg_Salant_20080619-177 [177]]</sup>
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| [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ElectoralCollege2008.svg] 2008 electoral vote resultsJohn McCain was nominated as the Republican candidate, and he selected [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Palin Sarah Palin] as his running mate. The two candidates engaged in three [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election_debates presidential debates] in September and October 2008.<sup id="cite_ref-presidential_debates_178-0" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-presidential_debates-178 [178]]</sup> On November 4, Obama won the presidency with 365 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electoral_College_(United_States) electoral votes] to 173 received by McCain.<sup id="cite_ref-electoral_votes_179-0" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-electoral_votes-179 [179]]</sup> Obama won 52.9% of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Election popular vote] to McCain's 45.7%.<sup id="cite_ref-180" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-180 [180]]</sup> He became the first African American to be elected president.<sup id="cite_ref-181" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-181 [181]]</sup> Obama delivered [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama_election_victory_speech,_2008 his victory speech] before hundreds of thousands of supporters in Chicago's [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grant_Park_(Chicago) Grant Park].<sup id="cite_ref-independent1_182-0" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-independent1-182 [182]]</sup>
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| ===2012===
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| Main articles: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_2012 United States presidential election, 2012] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama_presidential_campaign,_2012 Barack Obama presidential campaign, 2012][https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:P112912PS-0444_-_President_Barack_Obama_and_Mitt_Romney_in_the_Oval_Office_-_crop.jpg] Obama greets former Governor [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitt_Romney Mitt Romney] in the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oval_Office Oval Office] on November 29, 2012, in their first meeting since Obama's re-election victory over RomneyOn April 4, 2011, Obama announced his reelection campaign for 2012 in a video titled "It Begins with Us" that he posted on his website and filed election papers with the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Election_Commission Federal Election Commission].<sup id="cite_ref-183" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-183 [183]]</sup><sup id="cite_ref-184" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-184 [184]]</sup><sup id="cite_ref-185" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-185 [185]]</sup> As the incumbent president he ran virtually unopposed in the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party_presidential_primaries,_2012 Democratic Party presidential primaries],<sup id="cite_ref-CNN-clinch1_186-0" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-CNN-clinch1-186 [186]]</sup> and on April 3, 2012, Obama had secured the 2778 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Democratic_National_Convention convention] delegates needed to win the Democratic nomination.<sup id="cite_ref-CNN-clinch2_187-0" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-CNN-clinch2-187 [187]]</sup>
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| [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ElectoralCollege2012.svg] 2012 electoral vote resultsAt the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Democratic_National_Convention Democratic National Convention] in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlotte,_North_Carolina Charlotte, North Carolina], Obama and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Biden Joe Biden] were formally nominated by former President [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Clinton Bill Clinton] as the Democratic Party candidates for president and vice president in the general election. Their main opponents were Republicans [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitt_Romney Mitt Romney], the former governor of Massachusetts, and Representative [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Ryan Paul Ryan] of Wisconsin.<sup id="cite_ref-188" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-188 [188]]</sup>
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| On November 6, 2012, Obama won 332 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electoral_College_(United_States) electoral votes], exceeding the 270 required for him to be reelected as president.<sup id="cite_ref-189" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-189 [189]]</sup><sup id="cite_ref-190" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-190 [190]]</sup><sup id="cite_ref-191" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-191 [191]]</sup> With 51.1% of the popular vote,<sup id="cite_ref-FEC_192-0" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-FEC-192 [192]]</sup> Obama became the first Democratic president since [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_D._Roosevelt Franklin D. Roosevelt] to win the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_presidential_elections_by_popular_vote_margin majority of the popular vote] twice.<sup id="cite_ref-193" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-193 [193]]</sup><sup id="cite_ref-194" class="reference">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#cite_note-194 [194]]</sup> President Obama addressed supporters and volunteers at Chicago's [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCormick_Place McCormick Place] after his reelection and said: "Tonight you voted for action, not politics as usual. You elected us to focus on your jobs, not ours. A
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| '''Putin''' (born 7 October 1952) is the fourth and current President of [[Russia]], from 2000 to 2008 and again from 2012 to the present. He previously served as Prime Minister of Russia from 1999 to 2000 and again from 2008 to 2012. Before his political career, he was known as one of the greatest agents of the {{Wiki|KGB}}, the Russian secret police.
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| Putin has connections to the [[Templars|Templar]] organization [[Abstergo Industries]], which helped put his friend, mentor and predecessor [[Boris Yeltsin]] in power in 1991. In September 1999, {{Wiki|Chechens|Chechen}} terrorists {{Wiki|Russian apartment bombings|bombed apartment buildings}} in the Russian cities of {{Wiki|Buynaksk}}, [[Moscow]], and {{Wiki|Volgodonsk}}. Secretly orchestrated by Abstergo, these bombings boosted Putin's popularity as a presidential candidate. | | Putin has connections to the [[Templars|Templar]] organization [[Abstergo Industries]], which helped put his friend, mentor and predecessor [[Boris Yeltsin]] in power in 1991. In September 1999, {{Wiki|Chechens|Chechen}} terrorists {{Wiki|Russian apartment bombings|bombed apartment buildings}} in the Russian cities of {{Wiki|Buynaksk}}, [[Moscow]], and {{Wiki|Volgodonsk}}. Secretly orchestrated by Abstergo, these bombings boosted Putin's popularity as a presidential candidate. |
