“The absence of even rough agreement on the facts puts every opinion on equal footing and therefore eliminates the basis for thoughtful compromise. It rewards not those who are right, but those - like the White House press office - who can make their arguments most loudly, most frequently, most obstinately, and with the best backdrop.”

American retired politician

Barack Obama is an American retired politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American to hold the office. Before the presidency, Obama represented Illinois in the United States Senate from 2005 to 2008 and served in the Illinois state senate from 1997 to 2004. He is known for his political leadership across state and national office.