Obama administration: Difference between revisions
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'''[[Barack Obama]]''' entered office as [[President of the United States of America]] on January 20, 2009, as the nation's 44th president and the first [[African American]] to be [[United States of America|U.S.]] [[head of state]]. His [[Vice President of the United States of America|Vice President]] is [[Joe Biden]], and his [[U.S. Department of State|Secretary of State]] is [[Hillary Clinton]], Obama's main rival for the [[U.S. Democratic Party|Democratic Party]] nomination in the [[2008 United States presidential election|2008 presidential election]].<ref>''CNN:'' '[http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/21/clinton.confirmation/index.html Hillary Clinton sworn in as secretary of state].' January 21, 2009.</ref> | '''[[Barack Obama]]''' entered office as [[President of the United States of America]] on January 20, 2009, as the nation's 44th president and the first [[African American]] to be [[United States of America|U.S.]] [[head of state]]. His [[Vice President of the United States of America|Vice President]] is [[Joe Biden]], and his [[U.S. Department of State|Secretary of State]] is [[Hillary Clinton]], Obama's main rival for the [[U.S. Democratic Party|Democratic Party]] nomination in the [[2008 United States presidential election|2008 presidential election]].<ref>''CNN:'' '[http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/21/clinton.confirmation/index.html Hillary Clinton sworn in as secretary of state].' January 21, 2009.</ref> | ||
==First 100 days== | |||
Obama began his presidential term of office with a focus on [[U.S. foreign policy|foreign policy]], particularly the [[Guantanamo detention camp]] and the [[Middle East]]. In line with his previous pledge to close the camp, Obama had military trials at Guantanamo suspended. He also called Middle Eastern leaders to pursue Arab-[[Israel]]i peace.<ref>''BBC:'' '[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/obama_inauguration/7842169.stm President Obama tackles first day].' January 21, 2009.</ref> Obama appointed [[George Mitchell]] as a special envoy foe the Middle East, with former [[United Nations]] Ambassador [[Richard Holbrooke]] becoming special representative for [[Afghanistan]] and [[Pakistan]].<ref>''CNN:'' '[http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/22/obama.mitchell/index.html George Mitchell named special envoy for the Middle East].' January 22, 2009.</ref> On January 22, Obama signed an executive order authorizing the closure of the Guantanao camp within a year. This act, said Obama was to avoid "a false choice between our safety and our ideals," and to "restore the standards of due process and the core constitutional values that have made this country great even in the midst of war, even in dealing with terrorism." A second order banned [[torture]] by the [[U.S. Military]], in effect terminating the Bush administration's authorization of extensive [[CIA]] [[interrogation]] techniques.<ref>''CNN:'' '[http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/22/guantanamo.order/index.html http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/22/guantanamo.order/index.html].' January 22, 2009.</ref> | Obama began his presidential term of office with a focus on [[U.S. foreign policy|foreign policy]], particularly the [[Guantanamo detention camp]] and the [[Middle East]]. In line with his previous pledge to close the camp, Obama had military trials at Guantanamo suspended. He also called Middle Eastern leaders to pursue Arab-[[Israel]]i peace.<ref>''BBC:'' '[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/obama_inauguration/7842169.stm President Obama tackles first day].' January 21, 2009.</ref> Obama appointed [[George Mitchell]] as a special envoy foe the Middle East, with former [[United Nations]] Ambassador [[Richard Holbrooke]] becoming special representative for [[Afghanistan]] and [[Pakistan]].<ref>''CNN:'' '[http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/22/obama.mitchell/index.html George Mitchell named special envoy for the Middle East].' January 22, 2009.</ref> On January 22, Obama signed an executive order authorizing the closure of the Guantanao camp within a year. This act, said Obama was to avoid "a false choice between our safety and our ideals," and to "restore the standards of due process and the core constitutional values that have made this country great even in the midst of war, even in dealing with terrorism." A second order banned [[torture]] by the [[U.S. Military]], in effect terminating the Bush administration's authorization of extensive [[CIA]] [[interrogation]] techniques.<ref>''CNN:'' '[http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/22/guantanamo.order/index.html http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/22/guantanamo.order/index.html].' January 22, 2009.</ref> | ||
The Obama administration also overturned a policy by former President [[Ronald Reagan]] on federal funds for international [[family planning]] clinics that offer [[abortion]]s. The reversal was in line with the same decision by previous Democratic President [[Bill Clinton]], though this "Mexico City policy"<ref>Named for the city in which the policy was first announced.</ref> was reinstated by [[George W. Bush]] in 2001 as his first executive order. Obama also committed his administration to restoring U.S. contributions to the [[UN Population Fund]] (UNFPA), an organization with which the [[George W. Bush Administration|Bush administration]] refused to co-operate, alleging that it funded enforced [[sterilization]].<ref>''CNN:'' '[http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/23/obama.abortion/index.html Obama reverses abortion-funding policy].' January 23, 2009.</ref> | |||
==Other issues== | ==Other issues== | ||
Revision as of 02:51, 24 January 2009
Barack Obama entered office as President of the United States of America on January 20, 2009, as the nation's 44th president and the first African American to be U.S. head of state. His Vice President is Joe Biden, and his Secretary of State is Hillary Clinton, Obama's main rival for the Democratic Party nomination in the 2008 presidential election.[1]
First 100 days
Obama began his presidential term of office with a focus on foreign policy, particularly the Guantanamo detention camp and the Middle East. In line with his previous pledge to close the camp, Obama had military trials at Guantanamo suspended. He also called Middle Eastern leaders to pursue Arab-Israeli peace.[2] Obama appointed George Mitchell as a special envoy foe the Middle East, with former United Nations Ambassador Richard Holbrooke becoming special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan.[3] On January 22, Obama signed an executive order authorizing the closure of the Guantanao camp within a year. This act, said Obama was to avoid "a false choice between our safety and our ideals," and to "restore the standards of due process and the core constitutional values that have made this country great even in the midst of war, even in dealing with terrorism." A second order banned torture by the U.S. Military, in effect terminating the Bush administration's authorization of extensive CIA interrogation techniques.[4]
The Obama administration also overturned a policy by former President Ronald Reagan on federal funds for international family planning clinics that offer abortions. The reversal was in line with the same decision by previous Democratic President Bill Clinton, though this "Mexico City policy"[5] was reinstated by George W. Bush in 2001 as his first executive order. Obama also committed his administration to restoring U.S. contributions to the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), an organization with which the Bush administration refused to co-operate, alleging that it funded enforced sterilization.[6]
Other issues
In 2009, Obama became one the few presidents to take the oath of office twice, Chief Justice John Roberts having made a mistake on inauguration day. The renewed oath has no implications for Obama's legitimacy as President, as the new term begins automatically following the previous president leaving office.[7]
References
- ↑ CNN: 'Hillary Clinton sworn in as secretary of state.' January 21, 2009.
- ↑ BBC: 'President Obama tackles first day.' January 21, 2009.
- ↑ CNN: 'George Mitchell named special envoy for the Middle East.' January 22, 2009.
- ↑ CNN: 'http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/22/guantanamo.order/index.html.' January 22, 2009.
- ↑ Named for the city in which the policy was first announced.
- ↑ CNN: 'Obama reverses abortion-funding policy.' January 23, 2009.
- ↑ CNN: 'Obama retakes oath of office after Roberts' mistake.' January 21, 2009.