Barack Obama is sworn in as the President of the United States — the first African American to achieve that pinnacle of power.
BE has covered every step of this political change agent’s ascent, starting with his campaign for the US Senate in 2004; the series of presidential primaries and the presidential election in 2008. During his first term, we covered and dissected his policies, among others, that stabilized a national economy teetering on the brink of the next Depression; helped repair a wrecked domestic auto industry; and led to the passage of the Affordable Care Act — better known as Obamacare — enacting historic healthcare reform that eluded his presidential predecessors. His unassailable performance, unflappable demeanor, restoration of American respectability and leadership across the globe; and strategic prowess in defeating his conservative opposition led to his re-election to a second term in November 2012.
As Obama remade the nation and broke barriers, our publication achieved an array of journalistic milestones: During his first run, BE openly backed Obama the first time our publication ever endorsed a presidential contender, consistently took a front-row seat at presidential press conferences; gained the first post- Inauguration interview; was included in an interview session on Air Force One; and engaged in a one-on -one with a sitting president in the Oval Office. As he faced some of the challenging issues of our times, BE witnessed and chronicled how Obama infused a nation with hope.
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