2. 2008 CAMPAIGN
• One of the hardest fought campaigns in U.S. history
• Democrats attacked the conduct of the war in Iraq
• Republicans supported it
• Hillary Clinton was the early frontrunner because of her
popularity with women
• Barack Obama became the nominee after the results of
one of the closest primaries in history
• Top student at Harvard Law School
• Senator from Illinois
• Publicly endorsed by Oprah Winfrey which helped with women
• Senator John McCain was a Republican candidate with
a distinguished war record
3. 2008 ELECTION
McCain Platform
• Claim to be an
independent-minded
Republican
• Chose Sarah Palin to
sway women voters
• Supporter of the war in
Iraq
• Tax cuts for all
Americans
Obama Platform
• Criticized war in Iraq
• Health care reform
• Against tax cuts for
wealthy
• No tax increase on
middle class
• Promised eventual
citizenship rights to
illegal aliens
(immigrants)
5. IMPACT OF THE 2008 ELECTION
• Obama was the 1st
African American to be
elected president
• 135 years after the
Emancipation
Proclamation and 45 years
after “I Have a Dream”
speech
• Longest and most costly
campaign in U.S. history
• 1st time Internet was used
to gain support and raise
money for his campaign
6. BARACK OBAMA VIDEO
• Do you believe the election of Obama was a huge
part of the Civil Rights Movement? Explain your
reasoning.
7. RECESSION CRISIS
• President Obama wanted to prevent the a
depression like the 1930s
• Objective was to creating jobs, rebuilding roads, schools,
bridges, and tunnels
• Proposed important changes to the nation’s health care
and educational systems
• Passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act of 2009
• Over $700 billion was spent by government in a bailout
package to create and save jobs, start economic activity,
and invest in American infrastructure
8. RECESSION CRISIS
• Other pieces of legislation
included regulations to
credit cards, lending and
other banking practices
• Had to follow new
guidelines to gain funds
from American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act
• Saved the auto industry
• Health Care Reform Act
• Make health care more
available
9. SUPREME COURT APPOINTMENTS
• Sonia Sotomayor
became the 1st
Hispanic Supreme
Court Justice
• 3rd woman
• Promoted from U.S.
Court of Appeals
• Elena Kagan was
another woman
elected to the
Supreme Court
• Former Harvard Law
School Dean
10. DEATH OF OSAMA BIN LADEN
• In late April of 2011, Obama and his aides met to discuss top-
secret information involving the whereabouts of Osama bin
Laden,
• Al Qaeda leader who claimed credit for the September 11, 2001, terrorist
attacks on the United States.
• Secret surveillance suggested that bin Laden and his family were
housed in a compound near Islamabad, Pakistan.
• Obama discussed the advantages and disadvantages of a raid
on the compound with his aides and ultimately decided to issue
the go-ahead to a U.S. Navy SEALs team to get bin Laden.
• On Sunday, May 1, President Obama, Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, and other top officials
met in the Situation Room to watch in real time as the operation
convened.
• After about 40 minutes, Obama and his team had confirmation
that Osama bin Laden was dead.
11. SEAL TEAM SIX
• Explain how did the training the Seal Team Six
received benefited them in killing Osama Bin
Laden?
12. FOREIGN POLICY
• Obama has tried to use moral leadership and work
closely with allies.
• Many threats to American security
• June 22, 2011, Obama announced in a televised
address to the nation that he would begin to
withdraw troops from Afghanistan.
• He stated that troop withdrawals would continue
until 2014, with the forces that remain there
transitioning
13. FOREIGN POLICY
• Used force to
discourage dictators
from suppressing
democracy
movements
• In Tunisia, Yemen, Syria,
and Egypt
• In Libya he
authorized airstrikes
to defend the rebels
• Led to the Gaddafi’s
death
14. FOREIGN POLICY
• Obama is seeking to
work with Israelis and
Palestinians living in
peace
• Iran has been placed
on economic &
political sanctions
because they
support terrorist
groups
• Threaten Israel’s
existence
15. ELECTION OF 2012
• Obama enjoyed popularity as the incumbent
candidate leading up to the November 2012
presidential election.
• Although the economy was an issue on many
American minds, polls in summer 2012 already
showed Obama with a lead over Mitt Romney,
• Republican Party's choice to serve as presidential
candidate.
• Polls of potential voters indicated a close race
between the two candidates
• Obama won the election
17. ELECTION OF 2012
• Obama still faced economic
woes for his country, and a lack
of unity between Democrats
and Republicans.
• Celebrations would certainly
be smaller given the state of
economic and emotional strain
on the American people.
• His themes in his speech--
democracy, equality, unity--
were an appropriate tribute to
Dr. King and his legacy.
Obama emphasized
government's role in society; he
called for better education, an
improved infrastructure, and
the protection of social
programs such as Medicare
and Medicaid.
