Incumbent
Barack Obama  (Dem)
Candidate for President
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  • Party: Democrat
  • Incumbent: Yes
  • Headquarters:  130 East Randolph St. Chicago, IL 60601
  • Age: 51
  • Occupation: President of the United States
  • Family: Wife Michelle; daughters Malia, 14, and Sasha, 11; Portugese water dog Bo.
  • City / Town: Washington, DC
  • Education: Columbia University, 1983
    Law degree, Harvard Law School, 1991
  • Experience: Barack Obama was the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review in 1991. He delivered the keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, helped pass major measures that combat the international trafficking of nuclear weapons, promoted the use of alternative fuels, and opened up the budget process to greater public scrutiny.

    In the Illinois state Senate, Obama passed major ethics and lobbying reforms, cut taxes for working families, and expanded health care for children and their parents.

    He was elected the 44th president of the United States on Nov. 4, 2008, and sworn in to office on Jan. 20, 2009.

    In office, he pushed through creation of a universal health care system, approved an auto industry bailout, approved the military raid that killed Osama bin Laden, and pushed for a coalition air cap that preceded the ouster of Libyan President Moammar Khadafy.

    He has been dogged, however, by a slow economic recovery.
Other candidates
Jill Stein
Green-Rainbow
Gary Johnson
Libertarian
Mitt Romney
Republican
Why are you running?

President Obama is trying to become the third president in a row to win back-to-back terms. In 2008, he trounced Republican John McCain both in terms of raw votes and Electoral College votes. In 2012, he faces presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney amid a highly polarized electorate, a slow economic recovery, and with some of his prior supporters complaining about his military engagement in Libya and reversal on the suspected terrorist detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. His running mate is Joe Biden, former US senator from Delaware and Obama's vice president in his first term.

- Written by Glen Johnson, Boston.com politics editor

Issues >>
Latest news
Obama OKs honor for Birmingham bombing victims
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama signed legislation Friday to award Congress' highest civilian honor to four girls killed in an Alabama church bombing during the civil rights movement. He called it a tragic loss that "helped to trigger triumph and a more just and equal and fair America."
Obama: Sexual assault threatens trust in military
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — With a growing sexual assault epidemic staining the military, President Barack Obama urged U.S. Naval Academy graduates Friday to remember their honor depends on what they do when nobody is looking and said the crime has "no place in the greatest military on earth."
What's a drone? How is US drone policy changing?
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama's pledge to more narrowly restrict and monitor the country's use of drones to strike targets overseas may garner some applause from allies abroad. But he was careful not to overpromise, signaling that the CIA's covert war in Pakistan is likely to continue at least for now.
Text of President Obama speech on terrorism
Text of President Barack Obama's speech on the fight against terrorism at the National Defense University, as provided by the White House:
Obama's drone policy at a glance
President Barack Obama defended the United States' use of drone attacks as an important part of the U.S. counterterrorism policy on Thursday but signed new presidential policy guidelines to spell out for Congress and the public the standards that the U.S. will use before carrying out drone attacks.
Voter resources
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TUESDAY, NOV. 6 ELECTION VOTING HOURS
Find your polling place 7 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Calendar
  • THURSDAY, NOV. 1 | US Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren campaign appearance, 2 to 3 p.m., McKay's Breakfast & Lunch, 144 Franklin St., Quincy
  • THURSDAY, NOV. 1 | US Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren campaign appearance, 3:45 to 4:45 p.m., Christo's Restaurant, 782 Crescent St., Brockton
  • THURSDAY, NOV. 1 | US Sen. Scott Brown Bus Tour Kickoff Rally with US Rep. GOP candidate Richard Tisei and incumbent GOP state Rep. Donald Wong, Americal Civic Center, 467 Main St., Wakefield
  • THURSDAY, NOV. 1 | US Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren campaign rally with former US Rep. Barney Frank, 5:30 to 7 p.m., United Fisherman's Club, 639 Orchard St., New Bedford
  • THURSDAY, NOV. 1 | US Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren event, 5:30 to 7 p.m., West End Gym, 900 Lawrence St., Lowell
  • THURSDAY, NOV. 1 | President Barack Obama campaign appearances in Boulder, Colorado; Las Vegas, Nevada, and Springfield, Ohio
  • THURSDAY, NOV. 1 | Vice President Joe Biden campaign events in Iowa and Pennsylvania
  • FRIDAY, NOV. 2 | US Sen. Scott Brown bus tour rally, noon, Leominster
  • FRIDAY, NOV. 2 | President Barack Obama campaign events in Ohio
  • FRIDAY, NOV. 2 | GOP rally with presidential candidate Mitt Romney, running mate Paul Ryan, and wife Ann Romney, 7:30 to 8:30 p.m., The Square at Union Centre, West Chester, Ohio
  • TUESDAY, NOV. 6 | Election Day