Obama Gains National Press Attention as a Rising Star in the Democratic Party (2004)
After winning the hotly contested seven-way primary for the U.S. Senate seat, the Democratic National Committee began to take notice of Obama’s political acumen. This clip features The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer’s profile of Obama as a rising star the night before Obama gave the keynote address to the 2004 Democratic National Convention. Here, we see national media discussing Obama’s multi-racial identity, his father’s Kenyan heritage, his status as an underdog with a keen ability to unite a broad range of voting blocs, inspiring supporters to loudly chant “Yes, we can!” – a rallying cry that became a cornerstone of his future presidential campaign.
The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer | NewsHour Productions (Television station : Milwaukee, Wis.) | July 27, 2004 This video clip and associated transcript appear from 20:59 - 28:05 in the full record.
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“A Skinny Guy with a Funny Name” – Obama Launches His First U.S. Senate Campaign (2004))
Obama’s Historic Keynote Speech at the 2004 Democratic Convention (2004)
Pre-Primary Preparation: National Media Cements Obama’s Role as a Star in 2006 (2006)
Putting Obama’s 2008 Presidential Nomination in Historical Context (2008)
Right-Wing Campaign Rhetoric and the “Birther Conspiracy” (2008)
Election Night 2008: What Voters Have to Say (2008)
The Aftermath of Obama’s Victory: Celebration, Cautious Optimism, and Concerns (2008)