His first name comes from the word that means "blessed by God" in Arabic.

In the Kenyan town where his father was born, the long-brewed "Senator" brand of beer has been nicknamed "Obama."

U.S. Senator from Illinois from January 3, 2005 to November 16, 2008.

Won a Grammy for Best Spoken Word for the CD version of his autobiography "Dreams From My Father" (2006).

Lived in Hyde Park in Chicago.

On Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993), he revealed that President George W. Bush nicknamed him "Bama" and "Rock".

The movie he saw on his first date with Michelle Obama was Do the Right Thing (1989).

He is a sixth cousin once removed to Park Overall.

Has two daughters, Malia Obama (born in 1998) and Sasha Obama (born in 2001).

Candidate for the Democratic nomination in the 2008 US presidential election.

Several celebrities including; Halle Berry, George Clooney, Sheryl Crow, Bob Dylan, Topher Grace, Macy Gray, Bruce Springsteen, Oprah Winfrey Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson, Hayden Panettiere, Zachary Quinto, Eddie Murphy and John Cleese support his 2008 presidential campaign. Robert De Niro gave his endorsement at the same rally where Barack was endorsed by Caroline and Ted Kennedy.

Enjoys playing basketball and poker.

At his wife's suggestion, he quit smoking before his campaign to win the Democratic nomination began.

His paternal relatives still live in Kenya.

Confessed teenage drug experiences in his memoirs "Dreams from My Father".

One of his ancestors was Mareen Duvall, also an ancestor of actor Robert Duvall.

Shares his surname with a small city in western Japan, which means "small shore" in Japanese.

Plays basketball.

Born to Barack Obama Sr. (1936-1982) and Ann Dunham (1942-1995) married from 1961 to 1965.

Named one of Time magazine's "100 most influential people in the world" list in 2005 and 2007.

Chosen as one of "10 people would change the world" by New Statesman magazine (2005).

Won his second Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for "The Audacity of Hope" (2008).

On June 3, 2008 he won the Montana primary election giving him enough delegates to become the first Black American presidential candidate to win a major political party's presumptive nomination for the office of President of the United States.

Is a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan.

More than 215,000 people attended his speech in Berlin on 24 July 2008.

Has one half-sister, Maya, born to his mother and stepfather in 1970.

Has his look-alike puppet in the French show Les Guignols de l'info (1988).

Barack Obama's grandmother, Madelyn Payne Dunham died Sunday November 2, 2008 in the early evening in Honolulu from cancer. She was 86.

Is the first African-American man to be elected President of the United States (November 2008).

When elected President, he won the battleground states of North Carolina, Florida, Virginia and Colorado - all of which had voted Republican in 2004.

Is the first American president to be born in Hawaii.

Was the 27th lawyer to be elected American president.

Was elected to be the 44th president of the Unites States of America on 4 November, 2008.

As a child growing up in Hawaii, his classmates knew him as Barry.

Presidential campaign slogan: "Change we can believe in".

His father was Kenyan, from Alego, and of the Luo tribe. His mother, who was from Wichita, Kansas, was white, and was of English, with small amounts of Scottish, Irish, German, Welsh, Swiss-German, French, and possibly remote African, ancestry. Genealogists believe she may have been descended from John Punch, an African-American slave who lived in the 1600s.

Favorite movies are Casablanca (1942), Lawrence of Arabia (1962), One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975), The Godfather (1972), and The Godfather: Part II (1974).

Is a fan of The Wire (2002).

First ever US President to address a Muslim community at an inaugural speech.

Shares the same birthday as long-time White House correspondent and journalism legend, Helen Thomas. On her 89th birthday (and his 48th), they celebrated by blowing birthday cupcakes together in front of the press corps.

First United States Senator to be elected President since John F. Kennedy.

October 2009, won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Fourth US President to win a Nobel Peace Prize (2009) after Theodore Roosevelt (1906), Woodrow Wilson (1919) and Jimmy Carter (2002).

Defended his decision not to issue a formal written statement on the death of controversial pop star Michael Jackson on 25 June 2009.

Half-brother of Maya Soetoro-Ng.

Brother-in-law of Konrad Ng.

Merited a position in Time magazine's - The 100 Most Influential People in the World ("Leaders" category) - with an homage contributed by David Remnick (Issue: May 10, 2010).

Received a gift of a Portuguese water dog from Senator Ted Kennedy and his wife Victoria. Because the particular breed is reportedly hypo-allergenic, the First Family and friends were highly unlikely to suffer any allergic reactions in the pet's presence. [2009]

Obama's appearance on The View (1997) (29 July 2010) made him the first ever sitting US President to appear as a guest on a daytime TV talk show.

Obama's birthplace of Hawaii makes him the first U.S. president not born in the 48 contiguous United States.

Brother-in-law of basketball player, coach and author Craig Robinson.

Son of Barack Obama Sr..

The character of Matt Santos in 'The West Wing' is based on him.

The first US President to be born after the Vietnam War started.

Is a big fan of the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man and collected the comics as a youth.

Counts Homeland (2011) as one of his favorite TV shows.

First U.S. President to be personally presented with an Apple iPad 2 by Steve Jobs before it was officially released domestically. Obama is frequently seen using Apple devices.

Notable for being the first United States President to participate in social media. He is the first President to have a personal Facebook page and a Twitter account, and the first President to hold Q&A sessions via those forums and YouTube. He is also the first sitting President to own and use an iPod, Blackberry (custom made for security purposes), and iPad.

His daily newspapers are The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. He claims to not watch cable TV news stations.

Introduced the 50th anniversary television broadcast of To Kill a Mockingbird (1962).

Can speak Indonesian to a certain degree, having lived in Indonesia for a number of years during his childhood.

The TV presidential election campaign commercial for Obama featured, Carl Reiner, Garry Marshall, Larry Gelbart, Valerie Harper, Danny DeVito, Rhea Perlman, Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara (slogan: "This Ain't Funny, it's a serious election. Don't vote out of fear, vote for hope - Vote for Obama").

Was a classmate of Hill Harper's at Harvard Law School.

First United States President to be elected twice with over 50% of the popular vote since Ronald Reagan and the first Democratic President elected as such since Franklin D. Roosevelt.

First two-term President to take the Oath of Office four times. The first time, during his televised first inauguration, Chief Justice John Roberts made a mistake while reading the Oath of Office, which Obama repeated to avoid embarrassment. A few days later, he called Roberts into his office to do it again, and this time read it correctly. By law, the President is sworn in at noon on January 20. In 2013, the month and date fell on a Sunday, but to comply with the Blue Law (no work on Sunday), he was sworn in privately in the Oval Office, and then again publicly the next day. The two before him that were sworn in on Monday, January 21st, were Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1957 and Ronald Reagan in 1985.

One of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World (2013).

First US President since Jimmy Carter in 1979 to speak directly on the phone with a leader of Iran - Hassan Rouhani. [September 2013]

Elected the 44th President of the United States of America [November 2008]

Favorite films are The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather: Part II (1974).

In the 2008 presidential election, he won the state of North Carolina with a 0.32% margin of victory. Normally considered a solid Republican state, the margin was small enough that it took days after the election to call the state, although this had little regard on calling the election, as nationally it was a landslide victory and winning or losing North Carolina would have made no difference. The last time prior to this that North Carolina elected a democrat was in 1976 when they elected Jimmy Carter.

One of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World. [April 2014].

He is related to Jimmy Carter in multiple ways. Through Adrian Gordy they are seventh cousins three times removed. Through William Terrell and Susannah Waters they are eighth cousins twice removed.

British author Anthony Horowitz wrote of a Black Prime Minister in 2009 not long before Obama was elected President.

First sitting US President to visit a federal prison when he toured El Reno Correctional Institution in Oklahoma (July 16, 2015).

Became the first sitting US President to enter the Arctic Circle when he visited Kotzebue, Alaska, to address the adverse effects of global warming in that particular region (September 3, 2015).

When a USAF AC-130 gunship attacked the Kunduz Trauma Centre in Afghanistan 3 October 2015, President Barack Obama became the first Nobel Peace Prize winner to bomb another, namely, Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders).

The President's favorite book of 2015 was "Fates and Furies" by award-winning author Lauren Groff.

First sitting US President since Calvin Coolidge to visit Cuba in 88 years. In 1928 President Coolidge arrived in Cuba on a battleship after a 3-day cruise, whereas President Obama touched down in Havana aboard Air Force One after a 3-hour flight (20 March 2016).

How Much A Dollar Cost by Kendrick Lamar was his favorite song of 2015.

The first sitting president to visit Sweden's capital Stockholm in 2013. His predecessor George W. Bush visited second city Gothenburg.

Officially endorses Hillary Clinton for the 2016 Presidential race. (June 2016).

Was offered a book publishing deal before graduating from Harvard University.

Was the first African-American to be elected President of the Harvard Law Review.

Graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University.

Normalized full diplomatic relations with Cuba in July 2015.

First sitting US President to visit Myanmar (November 2012).

3rd sitting US President to visit Vietnam (May 2016).

First sitting US President to visit Laos. (5 September 2016).

Is the Second US President to visit Greece (November 15 2016).

Met with his successor Donald Trump after the latter won the White House (November 10 2016).

By the end of his second term, he granted clemency to over 1,000 non-violent drug offenders, which was more than the past 11 presidents combined.

Vowed retaliation against Russia for the cyber attacks.[December 2016].

Awarded 21 recipients The Presidential Medal of Freedom.[November 2016].

Met with CIA director John Brennan, FBI Director James B. Comey and Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper Jr., to discuss the cyber attacks made by Russia.[December 2016].

During his 2009 inauguration, he had an approval rating of seventy nine percent, the highest for any modern day incoming president.

Plays poker socially.

Taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School.

Had a 70 percent approval rating at the 100 day mark into his first term as President.

It was the second time he appeared in a video message to support Macron.

Formally endorsed Emmanuel Macron to be France's next president.[May 2017].

Reportedly proposed to Sheila Miyoshi Jager twice before he was turned down.

Sign one book deal as two separate memoirs with Michelle reportedly worth $60 million.[May 2017].

As part of the deal, the publishers will donate one million books in the Obama family's name to First Book: a nonprofit organization.

Does not drink coffee.

As a child, he had an ape for a pet.

Does not like ice cream.

Played basketball since high school.

Worked at a gift shop as a teenager.

Worked at Baskin-Robbins as a teenager.

Can bench press over 200 pounds.

Gets his haircut from the same barber every week.

Tried modeling when he studying at Harvard by submitting his photographs to be considered one of "Harvard's hunks" in their university calendar but was rejected.

Worked at a deli as a teenager.

Fan of comic books.

Has read every Harry Portter book.

First President to use Twitter.

Believes in good luck charms.

Nicknamed "Renegade" by the Secret Service.

Third-youngest person to be elected President of the United States, at the age of forty-seven, and the fourth-youngest President overall.

Personal Quotes (111)

[from keynote speech given at the 2004 Democratic party national convention] There's not a liberal America and a conservative America. There's the United States of America. We worship an awesome God in the blue states, and we don't like federal agents poking around our libraries in the red states. We coach Little League in the blue states, and have gay friends in the red states. There are patriots who opposed the war, and patriots who supported it. We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the Stars and Stripes, all of us defending the United States of America.

And it lives on in those Americans -- young and old, rich and poor, black and white, Latino and Asian and Native American, gay and straight -- who are tired of a politics that divides us and want to recapture the sense of common purpose that we had when John Kennedy was President of the United States of America.

[regarding former President Bill Clinton's support for his wife--and Obama's opponent for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination--Hillary Clinton] Sometimes I don't know who I'm running against.

[when asked whether he would call on Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton to release their tax returns, after Hilary loaned $5 million of her own money to her campaign] I'll just say that I've released my tax returns. That's been a policy I've maintained consistently. I think the American people deserve to know where you get your income from. But I'll leave it up to you guys to chase it down . . . I think we set the bar in terms of transparency and disclosure that has been a consistent theme of my campaign and my career in politics.

In the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope.

When I am this party's [Democratic party] nominee, my opponent will not be able to say that I voted for the war in Iraq; or that I gave [George W. Bush] the benefit of the doubt on Iran; or that I supported Bush-Cheney [former VP Dick Cheney] policies of not talking to leaders that we don't like. And he will not be able to say that I wavered on something as fundamental as whether or not it is okay for America to torture - because it is NEVER okay. That's why I am in it.

As President, I will end the war in Iraq. We will have our troops home in sixteen months. I will close Guantanamo. I will restore habeas corpus. I will finish the fight against Al Qaeda. And I will lead the world to combat the common threats of the 21st century - nuclear weapons and terrorism; climate change and poverty; genocide and disease. And I will send once more a message to those yearning faces beyond our shores that says, "You matter to us. Your future is our future. And our moment is now."

This time we want to talk about the crumbling schools that are stealing the future of black children and white children and Asian children and Hispanic children and Native American children. This time we want to reject the cynicism that tells us that these kids can't learn; that those kids who don't look like us are somebody else's problem. The children of America are not those kids, they are our kids, and we will not let them fall behind in a 21st century economy. Not this time.

Change is coming to America.

In America, we have this strong bias toward individual action. You know, we idolize the John Wayne hero who comes in to correct things with both guns blazing. But individual actions, individual dreams, are not sufficient. We must unite in collective action, build collective institutions and organizations.

In America, we have this strong bias toward individual action. You know we idolize the John Wayne hero who comes in to correct things with both guns blazing. But individual actions, individual dreams are not sufficient. We must unite in collective action, build collective institutions and organizations.

In Washington, we call this the Ownership society, and it is especially tempting because each of us believes we will always be the winner in life's lottery, that we're the one who will be the next Donald Trump, or at least we won't be the chump who Donald Trump says: "You're fired!"

To avoid being mistaken for a sellout, I chose my friends carefully. The more politically active black students. The foreign students. The Chicanos. The Marxist professors and the structural feminists and punk rock performance poets. We smoked cigarettes and wore leather jackets. At night in the dorms, we discussed neocolonialism, Franz Fanon, Eurocentrism and patriarchy. When we ground our cigarettes in the hallway carpet or set our stereos so loud that the walls began to shake, we were resisting bourgeois society's stifling constraints. We weren't indifferent or careless or insecure. We were alienated.

(visiting Ireland) My name is Barack Obama of the Moneygall O'Bamas. And I've come to find the apostrophe we lost along the way.

Hopefully, more and more people will begin to feel their story is somehow a part of the larger story of how we're going to reshape America in a way that is less mean spirited and more generous. I mean I really hope to be a part of the transformation of this country.

I'm not interested in the suburbs. The suburbs bore me. And I'm not interested in isolating myself. I feel good when I'm engaged in what I think are the core issues of the society, and those issues to me are what's happening to poor folks in this society.

It's crucial that people don't see my election as a sign of progress in the broader sense that we don't sort of point to a Barack Obama any more than you point to a Bill Cosby or a Michael Jordan and say "Well things are hunky dory".

To that extent, as radical as I think people try to characterize the Warren court, it wasn't that radical. It didn't break free from the essential constraints that were placed by the founding fathers in the Constitution, or at least as it's been interpreted and Warren court interpreted in the same way, that generally the Constitution is a charter of negative liberties, Says what the states can't do to you. Says what the Federal government can't do to you, but doesn't say what the Federal government or the state government must do on your behalf, and that has shifted and one of the, I think, tragedies of the civil rights movement was, um, because the civil rights movement became so court focused I think there was a tendency to lose track of the political and community organizing and activities on the ground that are able to put together the actual coalition of powers through which you bring about redistributive change. In some ways we still suffer from that.

Anger over welfare and affirmative action helped forge the Reagan Coalition. Politicians routinely exploited fears of crime for their own electoral ends. Talk show hosts and conservative commentators built entire careers unmasking bogus claims of racism while dismissing legitimate discussions of racial injustice and inequality as mere political correctness or reverse racism.

You go into these small towns in Pennsylvania and, like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years, and nothing's replaced them. And they fell through the Clinton administration, and the Bush administration, and each successive administration has said somehow these communities are going to regenerate and they have not. And it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy toward people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.

It's great to be here this evening in the vast, magnificent Hilton ballroom, or what Mitt Romney would call a little fixer-upper.

You know, Malia and Sasha, they have friends whose parents are same-sex couples. There have been times where Michelle and I have been sitting around the dinner table and we're talking about their friends and their parents and Malia and Sasha, it wouldn't dawn on them that somehow their friends' parents would be treated differently. It doesn't make sense to them and frankly, that's the kind of thing that prompts a change in perspective. (May 9, 2012)

I have to tell you that over the course of several years, as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors, when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together, when I think about those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that Don't Ask Don't Tell is gone, because they are not able to commit themselves in a marriage, at a certain point I've just concluded that for me, personally, it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married. (May 9, 2012)

I believe the majority of gun owners would agree we should do everything possible to prevent criminals and fugitives from purchasing weapons. And we should check someone's criminal record before they can check out a gun seller. A mentally unbalanced individual should not be able to get his hands on a gun so easily. These steps shouldn't be controversial. They should be common sense.

We can't continue to sustain a situation in which some countries are maintaining surpluses, others massive deficits and there never is the kind of adjustment with respect to currency that would lead to a more balanced growth pattern.

My image of Onyango, faint as it was, has always been of an autocratic man - a cruel man, perhaps. But I had also imagined him an independent man, a man of his people, opposed to white rule... What Granny had told us scrambled that image completely, causing ugly words to flash across my mind. Uncle Tom. Collaborator. House nigger.

The only way my life makes sense is if - regardless of culture, race, religion, tribe - there is this commonality, these essential human truths and passions and hope and moral precepts, that we can reach out beyond our differences. If that is not the case, then it is pretty hard for me to make sense of my life. That is the core of who I am.

[on election night, November 4, 2008] This is your victory. I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation, the only way it's been done in America for 221 years - block by block, brick by brick, callused hand by callused hand.

[on the political choice as he sees it in 2012] This isn't a matter of who's more patriotic or who is more empathetic toward people or who is nicer. It's a hardheaded assessment of what makes our economy grow. And the facts are on my side in this argument.

Part of the reason that our politics seems so tough right now, and facts and science and argument does not seem to be winning the day all the time, is because we're hardwired not to think clearly when we're scared.

What I wake up determined to accomplish every single day is making the best decisions I can. And the only thing then to guide you is what you genuinely think is best for the country. Because if you start trying to guess what's going to be most politically advantageous or try to game all that stuff out, you'll get lost very quickly.

We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times... and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK. That's not leadership. That's not going to happen.

I do think at a certain point you've made enough money.

If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help. There was a great teacher somewhere in your life. Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you've got a business - you didn't build that. Somebody else made that happen.

Governor Romney seems to have a tendency to shoot first and aim later.

As President of our country and Commander-in-Chief of our military, I accept that people are going to call me awful things every day, and I will always defend their right to do so.

If you can't beat your opponent's ideas, you distort those ideas and maybe make some up. If you don't have a record to run on, than you paint your opponent as someone people should run away from.

[on Donald Trump's refusal to trust the validity of the President's personal documents] This all dates back to when we were growing up together in Kenya.

I've always believed that education begins at home, with parents who take responsibility - who read to their kids, set limits on the TV and instill a lifelong love of learning. But there is no substitute for a good school or the teacher who stands in front of the classroom.

[to the crowd at the 2013 Presidential Inauguration] I want to look out one more time. I'm not going to see this again.

The truth is that we have steadily become a more diverse and tolerant country that embraces people's differences and respect people who are not like us. That's a profoundly good thing. That's one of the strengths of America.

[on the 2012 campaign trail] If you buy into the cynicism that the change we fought for isn't possible, well, change will not happen. Other voices will fill the void: lobbyists and special interests, the people with ten million dollar checks who are trying to buy this election.

[on Senator Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma)] The people of Oklahoma are lucky to have someone like Tom representing them in Washington - someone who speaks his mind, sticks to his principles and is committed to the people he was elected to serve. Each of us still hopes the other will see the light. But in the meantime, we'll settle for being friends.

[ at the 2009 White House Correspondents Dinner] Mother's Day is a tough holiday for Rahm Emanuel because he's not used to saying the word 'day' after 'mother'.

AK-47s belong in the hands of soldiers and not in the hands of crooks. They belong on the battlefield of war, not on the streets of our cities.

[on Nelson Mandela] I had read his writings and speeches and understood this was somebody who believed in the basic principle I just talked about - treating people equally. He was willing to sacrifice his life for that belief. He's a personal hero, but I don't think I'm unique in that regard. He's a hero for the world. If and when he passes from this place, one thing we all know is that his legacy is one that will linger on throughout the ages.

We discussed the fact that Ho Chi Minh was actually inspired by the U.S. Declaration of Independence and Constitution, and the words of Thomas Jefferson.

Trayvon Martin could have been me thirty-five years ago.

[on the outlawed use of poison gas in Syria] I didn't set a red line, the world set a red line.

[to Dmitri Medvedev] This is my last election, after my election, I'll have more flexibility.

[on why he quit smoking] I haven't had a cigarette in probably six years. That's because I'm scared of my wife.

[on critics of American engagement with Iran, 2013] Tough talk and bluster may be the easy thing to do politically, but it's not the right thing to do for our security.

No party has a monopoly on wisdom.

[from a 2012 campaign speech] If you give up on the idea that your voice can make a difference, then other voices will fill the void: the lobbyists and special interests; the people with the $10 million checks who are trying to buy this election, and those who are making it harder for you to vote.

[on the passing of Pete Seeger at age 94] Once called 'America's tuning fork', Pete Seeger believed deeply in the power of song. But more importantly, he believed in the power of community - to stand up for what's right, speak out against what's wrong, and move this country closer to the America he knew we could be. Over the years, Pete used his voice - and his hammer - to strike blows for workers' rights and civil rights; world peace and environmental conservation. And he always invited us to sing along. For reminding us where we came from and showing us where we need to go, we will always be grateful for Pete Seeger.

[at the 2014 White House Correspondents' Dinner, on government gridlock] If you want to get paid while not working, you should have to run for Congress like everyone else.

[In response to the issue of rising US gun violence after another school shooting] We're the only developed country on Earth where this happens. And it happens now once a week. And it's a one-day story. There's no place else like this.

[downplaying the role of military action in U.S. global leadership] Just because we have the best hammer does not mean that every problem is a nail.

[to the graduating class at West Point, 2014] For the foreseeable future, the most direct threat to America, at home and abroad, remains terrorism. But a strategy that involves invading every country that harbours terrorist networks is naive and unsustainable.

[2014 White House Correspondents' Dinner Speech] It is great to be back. What a year, huh? I usually start these dinners with a few self-deprecating jokes. After my stellar 2013, what can I possibly talk about? I admit it - last year was rough. Sheesh. At one point, things got so bad, the 47 percent called Mitt Romney to apologize.

[2014 White House Correspondents' Dinner Speech] Let's face it, Fox, you'll miss me when I'm gone. It will be harder to convince the American people that Hillary was born in Kenya.

[from a speech on November 20, 2014] To those members of Congress who question my authority to make our immigration system work better, or question the wisdom of me acting where Congress has failed, I have one answer: Pass a bill.

[on Kim Jong-un and the controversy surrounding The Interview (2014)] We cannot have a society in which some dictator someplace can start imposing censorship here in the United States.

We are not at war with Islam.

[on commuting prison sentences for 46 drug offenders, July 13, 2015] These men and women were not violent criminals , but the overwhelming majority had been sentenced to at least twenty years. Fourteen of them had been to sentenced to life for non-violent drug offenses, so their punishments didn't fit the crime. I believe that America, at its heart, is a nation of second chances, and I believe these folks deserve their second chance.

[on the U.S. and Cuba re-opening their embassies, 2015 ] We don't have to be imprisoned by the past.

[addressing the climate change issue] We only get one planet. There is no Plan B.

[when asked if he thinks Bill Clinton was the first "black" president]I think Bill Clinton did have an enormous affinity with the African American community and still does and that's well-earned like John (Edwards) one of the things I've always been inspired by is young men and women who grew up in the south when segregation was still taking place when the transformation that are still incomplete that at least had begun had not yet begun and to see that transformation in their own lives I think that is powerful and that it is hopeful because what indicates is that people can change and each successive generation can create a different vision on how we have to treat each other and I think Bill Clinton embodies that and he deserves credit for that I would have to investigate Bill's dancing abilities some other southern stuff to accurately judge if he was in fact a brother

[on the rampage of school shootings in America, 2015] Our thoughts and prayers are not enough.

[Announcing the successful assignation of Osama bin Laden] Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaeda and a terrorist who's responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women, and children. For over two decades, he has been al Qaeda's leader and symbol, and has continued to plot attacks against our country and our friends and allies. The death of bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation's effort to defeat al Qaeda.

[His response when a child asks him at a campaign rally "why do people hate you?"] I did get elected President, so not everybody hates me. If you're been watching TV lately, it seems like everybody is just getting mad all the time. Some of it is just called politics, when our party wins, the other party feels like they need to poke you a little bit, so it'll keep you on your toes. So you shouldn't take it too seriously. They are worried about their own lives because a lot of people are losing their jobs right now and a lot of people are losing their health care. A lot of people lost their homes to foreclosure, so they're feeling frustrated and when you're President of the United States, you've got to deal with all of that.

[Conclusion of 2012 election victory speech] And together, with your help and God's grace, we will continue our journey forward and remind the world just why it is that we live in the greatest nation on earth. Thank you, America. God bless you. God bless these United States.

[Giving his approval for the mission to kill Osama bin Laden] It's a go.

[on one of the few regrets he has about his presidency] A president with the gifts of Lincoln or Roosevelt might have better bridged the divide.

[after North Korea launched a satellite into space] They are not very good at feeding their people, but they invest a huge amount in their weapons.

The only constraints on America's future are the ones we impose on ourselves. That's always been the case with America - our destiny isn't decided for us - but by us. And as long as we give our young people every tool and every chance to decide the future for themselves, I have incredible faith in the choices they'll make.

[2016, on the Republican presidential candidates] Have you noticed that every one of these candidates say, "Obama's weak! Putin's kicking sand in his face! When I talk to Putin, he's gonna straighten out..." And then it turns out they can't handle a bunch of CNBC moderators.

Climate change is a potential existential threat to the entire world if we don't do something about it... it is a political problem perfectly designed to repel government intervention. It involves every single country, and it is a comparatively slow-moving emergency, so there is always something seemingly more urgent on the agenda.

[on his visit to Cuba, 2016] I have come here to bury the last remnant of the Cold War in the Americas.

I'd rather be a good one term president than a mediocre two term president.

[When asked if capturing Osama bin Laden was the most important day of his presidency] It was the most single "day" of my Presidency the most intense, concentrated "day" of my presidency.

[At 2004 White House correspondents dinner, referring to Hillary Clinton losing the Democratic party nomination and appointing her Secretary of State under his administration] If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

[Impersonating Kobe Bryant's farewell speech] Obama OUT!

[to the delegates at the first United State of Women summit, 2016] I may be a little grayer than I was eight years ago, but this is what a feminist looks like.

[on Donald J. Trump] I think the Republican nominee is unfit to serve as president. I said so last week [at the Democratic national convention], and he keeps on proving it. The notion that he would attack a Gold Star family [the name for a family whose relative has died in service] that had made such extraordinary sacrifices on behalf of our country, the fact that he doesn't appear to have basic knowledge around critical issues in Europe, in the Middle East, in Asia means that he's woefully unprepared to do this job. (...) There has to come a point at which you say somebody who makes those kinds of statements doesn't have the judgment, the temperament, the understanding to occupy the most powerful position in the world because a lot of people depend on the White House getting stuff right. [2016]

[on Michelle and their daughters traveling to China] I don't worry too much whenever or wherever they're traveling, they're surrounded by men with guns.

[To the crowd after he mentions Donald J. Trump's political agenda and the crowd starts booing] Don't boo, vote!

[on the kind of legacy he wants to leave with the African American community]it's hard for to me to say what I've meant to the African American community. I can say what Michelle's meant to the African American community, she's "the bomb" to the them, what concretely I can say is that the work this administration's done has made a difference in the lives of people who are struggling and those folks are dis-proportionally people of color so whether it's the Affordable Care Act that's making sure people have health care or if it's expanding programs in low income communities to provide better job training. Right now each of those areas those people are better off otherwise they would've been because of the concrete actions we took.

[on Donald J. Trump] If somebody can't handle a Twitter account, they can't handle the nuclear codes.

[on the UK's vote to leave the European Union] I think it's fair to say that maybe some point down the line there might be a UK-US trade agreement, but it's not going to happen any time soon because our focus is in negotiating with a big bloc, the European Union, to get a trade agreement done. The UK is going to be in the back of the queue.

[on the current status of the DNC] The question is how do we rebuild that party as a whole so that there's not a county in any state, I don't care how red where we don't have a presence and we're not making the argument because I think we have the better argument.[December 2016]

[on Hilary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign, December 2016] I think she's worked tirelessly on behalf of the American people and I don't think she was treated fairly during the election... I think the coverage of her and the issues was troubling.

[on the Armenian Genocide during his presidential campaign in 2008] Two years ago, I criticized the secretary of state for the firing of U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, John Evans, after he properly used the term 'genocide' to describe Turkey's slaughter of thousands of Armenians starting in 1915... As president I will recognize the Armenian Genocide.

[on the Armenian Genocide] I have consistently stated my own view of what occurred in 1915, and my view has not changed.

[on attempts to repeal the 'Affordable Care Act, May 2017] I hope current members of Congress realize it takes little courage to aid those who are already powerful, already influential - but it takes greater courage to champion the vulnerable, the sick and the infirm.

Emmanuel Macron has stood up for liberal values. He put forward a vision for the important role that France plays in Europe and around the world. And he is committed to a better future for the French people. He appeals to people's hopes and not their fears.

I want all of my friends in France to know how much I am rooting for your success. Because of how important this election is, I also want you to know that I am supporting Emmanuel Macron to lead you forward.

I'm not planning to get involved in many elections now that I don't have to run for office again. But the French election is very important to the future of France and the values that we care so much about, because the success of France matters to the entire world.

When I was president, wherever I would go, I would meet with young people. And it would always give me energy and inspiration to see how much talent and sophistication and optimism and idealism existed among young people

You get the politicians you deserve. And if you don't vote and you don't participate and you don't pay attention, then you'll get policies that don't reflect your interests.

The mark of a good leader is somebody who is able to empower other people. So often we think of leadership as somebody at the top who is ordering other people around but it turns out, for me at least, what made me understand leadership was when I could see somebody who thought they didn't have a voice, thought they didn't have influence or didn't have power, and teach them how to speak up on the things that were affecting their lives.

[on Donald Trump winning the Presidency] Good afternoon, everybody. Yesterday, before votes were tallied, I shot a video that some of you may have seen in which I said to the American people, regardless of which side you were on in the election, regardless of whether your candidate won or lost, the sun would come up in the morning. And that is one bit of prognosticating that actually came true. The sun is up. And I know everybody had a long night. I did as well. I had a chance to talk to President-elect Trump last night about 3:30 in the morning, I think it was, to congratulate him on winning the election and I had a chance to invite him to come to the White House tomorrow to talk about making sure that there is a successful transition between our presidencies. Now, it is no secret that the president-elect and I have some pretty significant differences. But remember, eight years ago President Bush and I had some pretty significant differences. But President Bush's team could not have been more professional or more gracious in making sure we had a smooth transition so that we could hit the ground running. And one thing you realize quickly in this job is that the presidency and the vice presidency is bigger than any of us. So, I have instructed my team to follow the example that President Bush's team set eight years ago, and work as hard as we can to make sure that this is a successful transition for the president-elect. Because we are now all rooting for his success in uniting and leading the country. The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy. And over the next few months, we are going to show that to the world. I also had a chance last night to speak with Secretary Clinton and I just had the chance to hear her remarks. I could not be prouder of her. She has lived an extraordinary life of public service. She was a great first lady. She was an outstanding senator for the state of New York. And she could not have been a better secretary of state. I'm proud of her. A lot of Americans look up to her. Her candidacy and nomination was historic and sends a message to our daughters all across the country that they can achieve at the highest levels of politics. And I'm absolutely confident that she and President Clinton will continue to do great work for people here in the United States and all around the world. Now, everybody is sad when their side loses an election, but the day after we have to remember that we're actually all on one team. This is an intramural scrimmage. We're not Democrats first. We're not Republicans first. We are Americans first. We're patriots first. We all want what's best for this country. That's what I heard in Mr. Trump's remarks last night. That's what I heard when I spoke to him directly. And I was heartened by that. That's what the country needs, a sense of unity, a sense of inclusion, a respect for our institutions, our way of life, rule of law, and respect for each other. I hope that he maintains that spirit throughout this transition. And I certainly hope that's how his presidency has a chance to begin. I also told my team today to keep their heads up, because the remarkable work that they have done day in, day out, often without a lot of fanfare, often with a lot of a lot of attention in agencies, work in obscure areas of policy that make government run better and make it more responsive and make it more efficient, and make it more service-friendly so that it's actually helping more people. That remarkable work has left the next president with a stronger, better country than the one that existed eight years ago. So, win or lose in this election, that was always our mission. That was our mission from day one. And everyone on my team should be extraordinarily proud of everything that they have done and so should all of the Americans that I've had a chance to meet all across this country who do the hard work of building on that progress every single day. Teachers in schools, doctors in E.R. clinic, small businesses putting their all into starting something up, making sure they're treating their employees well, all the important work that's done by moms and dads and families and congregations in every state, the work of perfecting this union. So, this was a long and hard fought campaign. A lot of our fellow Americans are exalted today, a lot of Americans are less so, but that's the nature of campaigns, that's the nature of democracy. It is hard and sometimes contentious and noisy and it's not always inspiring. But to the young people who got into politics for the first time and may be disappointed by the results, I just want you to know, you have to stay encouraged. Don't get cynical, don't ever think you can't make a difference. As Secretary Clinton said this morning, fighting for what is right is worth it. Sometimes you lose an argument, sometimes you lose an election. You know, the path that this country has taken has never been a straight line. We zig and zag and sometimes we move in ways that some people think is forward and others think is moving back, and that's OK. I've lost elections before. That's the way politics works sometimes. We try really hard to persuade people that we're right and then people vote. And then if we lose, we learn from our mistakes, we do some reflection, we lick our wounds, we brush ourselves off, we get back in the arena, we go at it. We try even harder the next time. The point though is that we all go forward with a presumption of good faith in our fellow citizens, because that presumption of good faith is essential to a vibrant and functioning democracy. That's how this country has moved forward for 240 years. It's how we've pushed boundaries and promoted freedom around the world. That's how we've expanded the rights of our founding to reach all of our citizens. It's how we have come this far. Keeping up with politics is easy now. And that's why I'm confident that this incredible journey that we're on, as Americans, will go on. And I'm looking forward to doing everything that I can to make sure that the next president is successful in that. I've said before, I think of this job as being a relay runner. You take the baton, you run your best race and hopefully by the time you hand it off, you're a little further ahead, you've made a little progress. And I can say that we've done that and I want to make sure that hand off is well executed because ultimately, we're all on the same team. All right. Thank you very much, everybody

Let's face it, if people do not show respect and tolerance, eventually you have war and conflict. Sooner or later societies break down. [2017]

[on the 2015 Charleston church shooting] Let's be clear: at some point, we as a country will have to reckon with the fact that this type of mass violence does not happen in other advanced countries. It doesn't happen in other places with this kind of frequency. And it is in our power to do something about it.

[2017, on John McCain's diagnosis with a brain tumor] John McCain is an American hero & one of the bravest fighters I've ever known. Cancer doesn't know what it's up against. Give it hell, John.

[his parting letter he left to Donald Trump in the Resolute desk on Sep 3, 2017] Dear Mr. President, Congratulations on a remarkable run. Millions have placed their hopes in you, and all of us, regardless of party, should hope for expanded prosperity and security during your tenure. This is a unique office, without a clear blueprint for success, so I don't know that any advice from me will be particularly helpful. Still, let me offer a few reflections from the past 8 years. First, we've both been blessed, in different ways, with great good fortune. Not everyone is so lucky. It's up to us to do everything we can to build more ladders of success for every child and family that's willing to work hard. Second, American leadership in this world really is indispensable. It's up to us, through action and example, to sustain the international order that's expanded steadily since the end of the Cold War, and upon which our own wealth and safety depend. Third, we are just temporary occupants of this office. That makes us guardians of those democratic institutions and traditions, like rule of law, separations of powers, equal protection and civil liberties that our forebears fought and bled for. Regardless of the push and pull of daily politics, it's up to us to leave those instruments of our democracy at least as strong as we found them. And finally, take time, in the rush of the events and responsibilities, for friends and family. They'll get you through the inevitable rough patches. Michelle and I wish you and Melania the very best as you embark on this great adventure, and we know that we stand ready to help in any ways which we can. Good luck and Godspeed, BO

Just because something's a tradition doesn't make it right.

[at the 2004 Democratic Convention] There's not a liberal America and a conservative America - there's the United States of America. There's not a black America and a white America and Latino America and Asian America; there's the United States of America. The pundits like to slice and dice our country into red states and blue states; red states for Republicans, blue states for Democrats. But I've got news for them too. We coach Little Leagues in the blue states and have gay friends in the red states. We worship an awesome God in the blue states, and we don't like federal agents poking around our libraries in the red states. There are patriots who opposed the war in Iraq and patriots who supported it. We are one people, all of us peddling allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America.

Somebody once said that every man is either trying to live up to his dad's expectations or make up for his dad's mistakes. And I'm sure I was doing a little bit of both. But I feel that somewhere in my late 20s or early 30s I sort of figured out what his absence had meant. It is part of what I think has made me a pretty good dad. I don't think it would have too much of an impact on my decision-making as president. There's no doubt that it has contributed to my drive. I might not be here had it not been for that absent father prodding me early in life.

There wasn't some dramatic moment [when I quit]. Michelle had been putting pressure on me for a while. I was never really a heavy smoker. Probably at my peak I was smoking seven or eight a day. More typical was three. So it wasn't a huge challenge with huge withdrawal symptoms. There have been a couple of times during the campaign when I fell off the wagon and bummed one, and I had to kick it again. But I figure, seeing as I'm running for president, I need to cut myself a little slack.

I wish I was getting a 90-minute workout. Most of my workouts have to come before my day starts. There's always a tradeoff between sleep and working out.

[reflecting upon life after he left the White House] I can wear my mom jeans in peace. I hate these tight jeans.