(R) George Bush- 271
(D) Al Gore- 266
-Results of the Electoral Vote count in the 2000 United States Presidential Election.
Obama held assignments on the House Committees for Foreign Relations, Education and the Workforce, and Veteran’s Affairs through December of 2001. In January 2002, he received additional assignments on the House committees for Oversight and Government Reform, and Ways and Means. Obama would also briefly serve on the United States Committee on Homeland Security after it’s formation on June 19, 2002.
-Wikipedia Entry: Barack Obama: Legislative Career: U.S. Representative: Committees
Ever since Dan Rostenkowski had heard Barack Obama’s keynote address at the 2000 Democratic National Convention, he was impressed. He hadn’t paid much attention to the freshman Obama when he won the special election in 1999, but the Keynote had changed everything. Rostenkowski became very impressed with Obama’s auditory skills, and saw a great deal of potential in the young man. Once Obama was sworn in for the second time to the House, he was going around getting to know everyone. Rostenkowski approached him and pulled him aside. The two had a brief conversation and then Obama left to meet other people. Rostenkowski phoned Obama three days later, and asked him to come to his office. It was there that he introduced Obama to his longtime friend, Senator Ted Kennedy. The three had a conversation that lasted for a little over four hours. During that time, they questioned him on a variety of issues including national security, foreign affairs, domestic affairs, and economics. Whatever was said at that meeting between the three, Rostenkowski was apparently very pleased with the results. Rostenkowski took Obama under his wing in the House and served as his mentor. He used his influence to place his fellow Representative from Chicago on a number of important committees that a regular freshman congressman could not have hoped to make without seniority. In return, Obama learned much from Rostenkowski and supported a number of bills that were both sponsored and supported by him. Rostenkowski and Obama would form a long-lasting friendship that would last until Rostenkowski’s retirement from congress in 2006. Obama was one of the pallbearers at his funeral in 2010. In his earlier years, Rostenkowski was a good friend of the Kennedys, and formed a lasting friendship with the family. He would be quoted in 2008 as saying that Obama reminded him of John Kennedy, and that he saw a bright future for the young man.
-Wikipedia Entry: Dan Rostenkowski: Legislative Career: Relationship with Barack Obama