[Obama, Barack]

Obama for Illinois. Democrat for U.S. Senate 2004 [caption title]

[Cincinnati? 2004]. Campaign yard sign printed in blue and white on both sides, 16.5 x 25.5 inches. Minor wear. Inscribed and signed by Barack Obama in black marker. Very good. Item #5405

A wonderful survival from a critical, early year in Barack Obama's political career. On the present campaign yard sign, Illinois Senator Obama has written "Thanks, Tina!" and signed his full name in the white capital "O" in the top left corner. Although Obama was elected State Senator for Illinois in 1997, in many respects 2004 was the year that ignited his political career and brought him to national prominence.  His keynote speech at the July Democratic National Convention in Boston set the themes -- hope and unity -- for his Senate campaign, for which he received 70% of the vote, and indeed for the 2008 presidential election. Famously, he stated: "Now even as we speak, there are those who are preparing to divide us, the spin masters, the negative ad peddlers who embrace the politics of 'anything goes.' Well, I say to them tonight, there is not a liberal America and a conservative America; there is the United States of America.  There is not a Black America and a White America and Latino America and Asian America; there's the United States of America.... Hope in the face of difficulty. Hope in the face of uncertainty.  The audacity of hope. In the end, that is God's greatest gift to us, the bedrock of this nation. A belief in things not seen. A belief that there are better days ahead."
 
One hundred and thirty-eight years after the enfranchisement of African-American men, Obama became the first African-American President of the United States. He was re-elected in 2012. During election season, yard signs such as this are a common feature on suburban lawns across the United States. Most are discarded soon after the election. While books signed by Senator and then President Obama are not uncommon, substantial, display-worthy campaign items such as this one are indeed rare, especially from the watershed year of his political career.

Price: $4,250.00