Photos of Obama’s Childhood in Indonesia

Photo 1: With Step father Soentoro and half-sister Maya Soentoro

Picture 2: In Pre-school SDN Menteng Jakarta Indonesia

Image 3: Obama with beloved Mother Stanley Ann

In case you stay outside America and want to watch a live coverage of US election 2008 result here’s a live streaming video from MSNBC. Watch it for free.

CBS News Election Widget

Have a look at MSNBC’s electoral voting map

…the reason Obama isn’t ahead right now is that he trails badly among one group, older white voters. He does so for a simple reason: the color of his skin. … Much evidence points to racial prejudice as a factor that could be large enough to cost Obama the election. That warning is written all over last month’s CBS/New York Times poll, which is worth examining in detail if you want a quick grasp of white America’s curious sense of racial grievance.

In the meanwhile, Joseph Biden Delaware Senator has been chosen as Obama’s vice presidential running mate. Juan Cole, a middle-east political analyst and among a few  American political pundit who has a very independent mind, couldn’t agree more with Obama on Biden’s candidacy.

Update 30.8.08: Latest survey after Democrats convention showed Obama leads eight points over his rival McCain

The latest survey showing Obama at 49 percent and McCain at 41 percent was based on interviews conducted Tuesday through Thursday evening, the night Obama delivered his acceptance speech, the Princeton, NJ-based pollster said.

Related: Self Criticism of an American

Hillary Rodham Clinton will endorse Barack Obama on Saturday, bringing a close to her 17-month campaign for the White House, aides said. Her decision came after Democrats urged her Wednesday to leave the race and allow the party to coalesce around Obama.

In a country where the color of your (white) skin does matter, Obama’s win drives so much hypes simply because he’s born with dark skin called outthere as black.  Just to remind international readers that it’s only a couple of centuries ago people with Obama’s skin color were merely a bunch of slaves for the Whites.  So, the Americans, both media and the people, feel by electing Obama as the Democratic candidate for upcoming election they have achieved something great: acknowledging the used-to-be American “low caste” into an equal footing with the mighty Whites. Accomplishment is accomplishment whatever weird it was. That’s said, one has to be appreciated for one’s efforts to reform one’s self.

Among international citizens, however, enthusiasm to Obama’s candidacy is also there for entirely different reasons. Barack Obama is an individual with an international “taste & feel”. It’s hoped his win in the next general election will change America’s unipolar & unilateral attitude towards others as is shown now and were in the past.

[Edit] Finally, Hillary Clinton endorses Obama graciously and promises to back him wholeheatedly to make sure he’s the first black president of the USA.

In his own life, Barack Obama has lived the American dream, as a community organiser, in the state Senate, as a United States senator. He has dedicated himself to ensuring the dream is realised. And, in this campaign, he has inspired so many to become involved in the democratic process and invested in our common future.

“Now, when I started this race, I intended to win back the White House and make sure we have a president who puts our country back on the path to peace, prosperity and progress. And that’s exactly what we’re going to do, by ensuring that Barack Obama walks through the doors of the Oval Office on January 20, 2009.”

Obama in the eye of his Indonesian friends

In Indonesia, excitement and surprise are also felt among Obama’s childhood friend as reported by an Indonesia’s local newspapers Duta Masyarakat 05 June 2008.

As is known, he’s been in Indonesia during his childhood days that is between 6 to 10 year-old of his age. . He studied in SDN Menteng* Jakarta. According to Cahyono, one of his class mate in Class III, he’s

Just an ordinary student although is very studious one. He used to like playing soccer in break time.

Kuwadiyanto, the SDN Menteng principal, in the meantime, feels so proud of Barack Obama’s great and historic achievement and hopes that once he is elected as the US president, he would visit Indonesia.

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*SDN or Sekolah Dasar Negeri is Indonesian school from class I to VI. We call SMP or sekolah menengah pertama for Class VII to IX and SMA or sekolah menengah atas for Class X to XII