Senator elect obama discussing this memoir in new york city. [cheering and applause]. Good evening everyone my name is luke and thank you for joining us and on the morning of november 3rd, millions of americans woke up to find them and they voted for was elected president. [laughter]. Millions of other americans. [cheering and applause]. Almost an equal numbers woke up to a great disappointment. For those americans there was a least one saving grace. [cheering and applause]. The man who had been the dynamic voice of the democratic conventions keynote speaker and amanda spoke of big dreams and his own life and big dreams for his country had actually been elected senator from illinois. [cheering and applause]. And that man is our guest tonight, barack obama. It is convention speak our guest spoke about his father born and raised in kenya that he spoke of his grandfather, domestic servants marine and he spoke of the journey he has taken his own life. That story which brings him here tonight, has sold more fully is memoir called, dreams from my father. Now if there is talk about what i guess will be doing in the year 2008. [laughter]. And in 2012. And beyond. It would certainly give me a great deal of clip protester to say that i was introducing the next president of the United States. [cheering and applause]. And give you a lot of pleasure as well on shore. Bullet millions of welcome and disappointment on november 3r november 3rd, 5 feet looking to get what i guess will be doing in the immediate future. They said the journey in the stands he is taken Many Americans should rejoice over the voice they will have in their government. A voice that speaks for expanding opportunity and civil liberties. A voice that speaks to the promise that we will eventually as he puts it, come out of the long political darkness. Please join me in welcoming the man behind that voice, barack obama. [cheering and applause]. Pres. Barack obama thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you so much. Thank you. [cheering and applause]. Thank you. I appreciated. Thank you very much. Thank you so much. I know i made the speech about there are no red states and blue states but i suspect the states kind of love. [laughter]. Were looking at that, looking at the crowd out here tonight. Would make am so grateful to all of you for taking the time out of your busy schedules to travel here especially in new york traffic which i just braved. I was mentioning that when the book theyre going to be discussing tonight, conversing about witches out which is in 1995 in 1996. And a much smaller reception. [laughter]. But this bookstore which had just opened it. In fact it was one of the stuff that we made this wonderful to be back close to ten years later. And to see how things have grown. Im very grateful to all of you for being here. What im going to do is spend a few minutes talking a little bit about my perspective as expressed not only the book but also the campaign now those two things connect and then we will open up for questions before we start to do a book signing i just had night appearance on charlie rose is asking me how does the book connect with your politics. Is very clear to me that there is a direct line between subject matter of dreams from my father and the types of politics i aspire to. Because essentially what the stories about is a boy born to a father from kenya and a mother from kansas. In hawaii with an unusual name. Who traveled to indonesia and came back. Found himself in chicago working in some of the lowest income neighborhoods in the country. Then traveled back to africa. But somehow was able to lead together workable meeting for his life as an africanamerican, as an american and a somebody who is part of the broader human family. It was not an easy task. It wasnt an easy task not because it did not have some enormous love for my family. I did. It wasnt because i didnt have people helping me every step of the way. I had that help. But it was because i found myself born astride a nation in the world that is so often divided. Divided along lines of race, divided along lines of class pretty and religion. So we have this enormous tragic history that all of us confront from whatever backgrounds are. Whether we are white box is danny muslim jew or christian. The notion that in fact in the words of a great writer happen to win a nobel prize, William Faulkner he said that pass is not even faceted think that all of us are confronting costlier history. The history of slavery in this country. Were confronting the history and problems that arose in the conflicts of the mobile is improved with confronting those scars of violence and oppression and struggle and difficulty and hope not only on the larger canvas of history but also within our own families. And for me it was not entirely obvious how in fact i was going to be able to integrate apple together. All of those different strands in my life. So part of a challenge growing up was figure out how i function as someone who is black but also passed white blood in me. How do function as somebody who is american and takes pride and understands the enormous blessings that come with being an american but is also able to recognize that i am part of something larger than just a nationstate. How do i embrace my faith and as a christian and also recognizing that if people within my own family have a different faith and how i described the fact that well different paths ultimately to a same source, the same place that we come from and which ultimately we will all end up. How did we do that. What kind of language do we come up with. Natalie have empathy and allow each and every one of us be able to stand in somebody elses shoes and see the world through their eyes and as a consequence see ourselves and other people. Because it strikes me that that is the only way that we are going to survive. As a planet. And so that was in a very abstract terms with the theme of this book is about. And much more concrete, its about a boy is going up and does not have a father around. When i start with is a my father passing away. Killed in a car accident. A father than i did not know well. Somebody who had been part of that first generation of africans to study in the United States and then married an american woman, had a child but that had back to his own country. Thinking somehow to be old to bring that technology and transformation the knowledge that he had gained to help develop country that was nearly free. Didnt really know a story very well. All i knew about my father for the most part during my upbringing stories my mother told me. Fortunately mythology my mother fed me was a very positive image. To read about the fact that in the book, i grew up with an image of a strong black man who just didnt happen to be in the house. But one is one of the smartest and brightest and most charismatic and honest people that you would ever care to meet. So there was a mythology that i carried with me despite his absence and living with her in a very different world this. It is only a later that i started to realize his life was much more complex. And as a consequence rebelled and all sorts of ways and went through a lot of difficulties that are not unique to me. In fact particularly among africanamerican males without fathers in the house buffeted by a series of negative stereotypes but they say release confining stereotypes of what it means to be black men in america. As a consequence of the state, owing to a whole negative direction that lasted throughout most of my teenage years. What the book discusses and seven i pulled myself out of it and ended up being a matter of me recognizing that the struggles that i was going through internally to reconcile divided heritage, different strands of my past. Could only be done if i think my story up with a larger story. Story of struggle, taking place here in the United States with africanamericans who struggle is taking place overseas. With the millions of people are impoverished and dont have opportunity. That is part of what led me directly into the organizing works that i did in the civil rights work that i did not ultimately into the politics of still engaged in. In some ways the themes of this book are very much the project of my life right now. Just to figure out how in fact we lived together as one people effectively. What is the main and require. Where is the nature of our commitment to each other what is the scope of our regard and concern. That is not an easy question for us to answer. We just rented through an election in which i think both sides symbolized the nature of the problem didnt necessarily offer very good solutions. Our politics so often functions as one side ending a character sure of the other side. The republicans happen to be better characterizing. Then the other way around. [laughter]. Clipart of what i meant in my speech when i said there are no red states in the blue states. Was the fact that the complexity of our lives is not fully captured in our political debates. There are people in red states were devout christians and traditionalists who also think the of the american tradition of tolerance. There are people in urban areas were wine sipping and volvo driving. But also think we live in a dangerous world and have to confront the threats that we face in the strongest of terms. When we simplify our politics and we caricature each other. And i think that we are actually going in a direction that is entirely contrary to the best spirit of this country. I actually am and believer in american conceptualism. Another its not always popular but i believe in american exceptionalism but there is Something Special about this nation precisely because this is a nation that is heterogeneous and forced to constantly confront the fact that we are different. And yet somehow their set of core values and common beliefs and bind us together as a single people. If we cant pull off that experiment in the United States, then we can be optimistic about what happens if Northern Ireland the middle east or rwanda because we have so much to build on. The basic outlines of the government that we possess and her civic religion as a people, and such potentially a least could create a society that is the model for the world. It is not right now. Thats one of the tragedies of think our Foreign Policy not domestic policy that that is quite out of the last several years. [applause]. The book ends with me traveling back to africa. Retracing than the steps that my father took. My grandfather took. My grandfather as those of you who read the book or we will read the book will discover that actually the first african in his village in the circle ever to meet point person. Almost immediately he had to confront what it meant to be drawn from 15th century 13th century world into a 20th century world span of a single lifetime. In the enormous contradictions that he had to grapple with and he ended up passing on to my father. This contradictions, my father than is passed on to me. The problem of the 20th century is the problem of the color line. I think that over sympathize it. Such as the color line, his class lined and gender lines. Sexual orientation lines and religious lines. I call this book of racism inheritance because the inheritances most important inheritance that i received is the fact that ive got to grapple with the same issues that my grandfather and my father had to grapple with that my mother and her parents had to grapple with. And that you have to grapple with. Not only near individual lives but also as american citizens and citizens of the world. So hopefully with this book accomplishes not to provide answers to all of these enormous questions but at least allows each and every one of us to recognize a piece of ourselves in my story and is a consequent, maybe will be able to recognize a piece of yourself and the person sitting next to you. And i will close by just saying i havent had much of a break since the election. [laughter]. Summary very charitably told me i havent seen them in six months. They said you really aged. [laughter]. s lsi i said thank you very much. Im going to take a vacation. And im going to go back to hawaii for two weeks for my grandmother is 92 and was born in augustine, kansas. A little old white lady. Syllabus. Shes got a bad back shes just as sharp as ever. And my sister also lives there. And she is half indonesian. She married a chinese canadian. [laughter]. So with my wife, is a descendent of slaves from South Carolina who grew up on the southside of chicago. My two gorgeous daughters. Malia natasha, we will be visiting their new cousin. Its something that, in jesus her last name. The little chinese girl who carries in her my dna. The prospect of watching this little girls run on the beach or on the beach depending on the progress that shes making. [laughter]. Is part of what all of us are working towards. Making sure that their lives ultimately are rich blessed. In that way that they deserve. So hopefully that will be a project that all of us will be working on for many years to come. [applause]. [applause]. Barack obama i think what we have arranged is to take a few questions. Theyre going to get busy. After my pin already. So those of you have questions. I think you have to line up. There may be unfortunate cutoff point because of him going to be him to get through this proud is going to get out of here by midnight. We double take every question. So i apologize in advance for those of you who do not get your questions responded to. Yes please pretty. On the spiritual leader of a Faith Community of religion and faith as they can be used as a wedge in this country. I would really appreciate your reflections of help those of us who consider ourselves fatal can be more proactive in combating this very negative way of talking about religion. Barack obama i think thats a terrific question. Theres been a lot of talk of the election about a week lost the election on moral values. Personal, i think its oversimplified analysis. The fact of the matter is we were running against him personally popular wartime president in one of the best political operations thats ever been created. We had mistakes that we made and we didnt have any margin for error during the course of the campaign. We moved actually looking at night at the exit polls which were badly worded but you look at where george bush came the boats and why people said they voted for him. He increases martin in manhattan as much as he did the socalled rural areas were supposedly moral values persuaded part of it had to do with the memory 911 and ultimately not being persuaded that the Democratic Party was going to be as effective with respect to terrorism. I obviously disagree with that and a lunch into a whole reason why. We didnt make our case as effectively as we should. Having said that, what is true is that Democratic Party has not been particularly effective. The progress in the community has not been particularly effective in general. In describing his values in a narrative that relates to peoples faith in the family and the community. Part of that thing started off as our embrace of intolerance. I think there is a running strain in progressive politics and Democratic Politics that at some point, and to know when it was exactly equated religion with intolerance. So the fair was if we talk too much about religion, then we must be demeaning of putting down something else. So lets stop talking about it. So then we equated secularism with intolerance and thats a dangerous equation. I think it is wrong. Theres a reason why doctor king was such a good preacher. He was preaching. He wasnt just making a speech. So those who were inspired by the Civil Rights Movement has an understanding was rotted and faith. Thats why people were flowing to subject themselves to these things. So i think it is possible for us to reclaim this territory and think we have ceded to a very narrow and intolerant rand. The faith. But requires us being active in that arena and talking about our values and talking about the meaning of her faith in a way thats inclusive as opposed to exquisite. We do that, it also has to be authentic. If we go around telling our bibles or whatever our religious text is and try to be more righteous than somebody else then they were playing a game. People will sniff that out. As the organic and internal has to come from within. I think that is Something Interesting and engaging in. Ill hopefully be working with people who are interested in these issues per there is a problem though. Theres a genuine one that cant be brushed aside and that is the nature of religious faith by definition is absolute. You believe in a lot. You believe in allah and all the way. If you believe that jesus christ as your savior, then you cant say sort of pretty you believe that jesus christ as your savior. And the nature of political pluralism requires a certain measure of doubt. Its contrary to absolute wisdom. It assumes that there are questions that have to be answered and then dont always have the right answer and certainly i cant do deliberative discursively by saying god told me so. That is not an option. So there is that real tension all i can do is say personally how i resolve the tension is by proclaiming that impact my religious faith is premised on some measure of doubt. Thats whys faith in him science. So that means that is i can admit when i read scripture, that im in this constant interpretation. Trying to figure out in my own simple imperfect way, what exactly is god trying to say. And if that is the spirit to bring to the Public Square and you can reconcile those two things. But that is a difficult project. [applause]. I have followed by a question. How would a that you do run for president of the United States. [applause]. Barack obama i rank 99th grade in the senate write it in a while, is until somebody, will be sharpening pencils. And sweeping up when i get to washington. So help people dont expect too much. [laughter]. My question is among. Just looking at a book of Current Events by monday for the election. You saw a lot of books was for president bush or for john kerry against president bush against john kerry. Kerry is a liar. Back and forth back and forth. There is no middle ground. In the senate, that will be more polarized. He knew was on his own. How you bridge the divide. Not just culturally, with abortion, guns and god whatnots. Just people looking at two different worlds. Her tooth different americans. Barack obama think youre absolutely right that the political language that we use politically is is more than just polarized. Its poisonous. Cant watch most of these cable news shows. Whether yelling at each other. Ha, what are you talking about spring. [applause]. I confronted that in my own campaign. I was running against a gentleman who was claimed that jesus christ would not vote for me. [laughter]. My response was, and wanted to know, because in a direct line to jesus christ, i had far more important questions to ask him. [laughter]. [applause]. But there is this and burn, take no prisoners anything goes politics. I just think is so corrosive to our democracy. By the way, i think is most damaging for progressives, not only because not as good at it but also because what it does is just terms people turn them off in general. The recent space to be occupied by the special interests who determine how the goodies are going to be passed out. We got to fight thats. Not how to we do that pretty well the best that i can do i think right now is try to model the kind of politics that was successful at least in my campaign in illinois. That is to try to disagree without being disagreeable. To try to find a Common Ground where possible. To stand your ground on matters of principle but not engage in cheap political shots or impugn the motives of people who commit issues in a different direction. I dont know how i function, how that will play when i get to washington. We will find out. But one thing im absolutely clear about is that i think if you know what your convictions are, and youre in a position to compromise. When you are clear about what your convictions are, and it just becomes a sport. Its when politics is treated as for as opposed to actually trying to get something accomplished to help get kids educator provide healthcare to people who dont have it would help Senior Citizens retire with dignity and respect. That is what i think you fall into the minds of politics that we have seen. One must point it will make about this. I am disturbed about the fact that her vicious brand of politics has become so commercially lucrative. Theres an entire industry as you mentioned. These books are on on the bestseller list. Because they speak to a significant although still small sliver of the population that just likes raw meat. Like that. So to the extent that becomes commercialized me get up in the same way that ww of wrestling is ginned up and promoted. I think were all going have to be careful about that. [applause]. As you demonstrated in your keynote addresses summary are not afraid to differentiate beyond the typical television or political personality. I was interested to hear Inspector General who just a couple of years ago from the cas and qaeda, these people hate us for who we are but for what we do. For certain acts that have occurred in the past. I was wondering if you could differentiate most the generalities of them hating us for what values are leg or something as to specifically why you think the tension was created to where Osama Bin Laden would have a 70 percent and trouble writing back stand. Barack obama a couple of things. Its a big question i may not be able to answer completely here. I will start by talking about the passage in my book, chapter is devoted to the three to four years that i spend in indonesia which is actually the largest Muslim Country in the world. When i arrived, and its own problems because there have been a leader of a movement who was overthrown in the military and cia had assisted in that coupe and a half Million People have been killed. But i was six. So i wasnt paying attention to all of this. My mother was only at the time 24. Really didnt understand the history of it. She had remarried. Since all slightly beside the point what is true though is indonesia at the time was explicitly secular government despite the fact there was the devout practice of islam throughout the country. So women were able to wear skirts and work and there was very little religious strike. And after the Asian Financial crisis, the real incomes of the average indonesian dropped by about 30 percent. Is right about the time that al qaeda begin to get a foothold in indonesia. Another are powerful strains gave a perverted brand that islam has taken root in the country. Im not somebody who draws a direct line between poverty and fanaticism. Im not interested actually making too many excuses for somebody who would see people with such abstractions rated with such contempt that they would be willing to kill 3000 people and think theyre making a political statement. There are no excuses for that. Thats where my empathy stops. I cant get into that mindset. But what i can understand is that if a child in pakistan has no prospects, no future. As watched their parents grind out terrible substance since assistance and the only avenues they have, for not only advancement but just some sense of meaning in their lives. In which they are drilled with a very narrow fundamentalist red of islam that then translates itself to potentially into violence. By the way sometimes. There is a connection there. Our Foreign Policy in our perspective with respect to how to deal with terrorism have to reflect not only the interest in stopping the immediate threat of terrorism but also in creating a Foreign Policy that promotes justice, that promotes Economic Development and promote the rights of women. And those are all central aspects to dealing with it. Ultimately terrorism is a tactic. Were not fighting terrorists were finding people who engage in terrorism. But have a whole host of rationales and excuses for why they do this pretty to the extent that we can change the sense of opportunity in many of these countries and we can change the manner in which we function in these countries more positive proactive weights. And were not going to eliminate it entirely but will at least be able to make more redemptive than were only resorting to the military. [applause]. We only time for tomorrow questions. Have a common sending question. I read your book and i loved it. I thought it was very well written. [applause]. It is. The part that really fascinated me was the part where you go to africa to visit your relatives. So my question is what was the reaction from your relatives to recent election. And are they coming to the inaugural parade. Barack obama this is been sort of, nothing that i couldve imagined. We are big in kenya right now. [laughter]. [applause]. Somebody without summer they saw some traditional garb somehow got an obama button. [applause]. So we have been big news in kenya as well as the entire continent. My understanding is the same is true in south africa and other places. And obviously, it is heartening although think the information is not always right. There was an article about a little boy to assure that a was running against george bush. And i had defeated him. [laughter]. And there was a and also a to us in this is that my election then gets invested with a lot of expectations. Partly because africa traditionally and negatively by the way, things of politics was been called the big man, though she is the big man gets elected and he dispenses favors and gifts upon those who are his people. So must immediately, even before my election he wore say, well once obama is elected, will get tarmac roads in the schools. So want to go back. And so broke. [laughter]. And try to explain to them the 99th in sonority. Not sure how thats when the play. It may take me back out. But obviously, it is very touching. To the degree which people have responded. I take that role seriously in the sense that one of the Biggest Challenges i will face is making sure that i am singularly focused on serving the state of illinois and the people elected me in doing a good job. [applause]. But that i am also even as i do that, in able and willing to give voice to the voiceless and the power of necessary. [applause]. So i have no qualms about speaking out on issues that are of particular interest to africa right African Americans or latinos or other minorities that are not always well represented. But particularly now is to begin my career. My whole orientation is going to make sure that in the best possible senator for the state of illinois. It will not serve anybody else well if the folks back home start looking in sync man is not answering his mail. Not returning phone calls and my Social Security check is still late and he anything to help. [applause]. So unfortunately personal i o congratulate you. We do need is for you to do your job for the people of illinois. And if and when youre ready to make the move, we would all be here for you. [applause]. With that said, obviously, there must be an enormous amount of pressure being a rising star in the Democratic Party. Barack obama will maybe im not that bright because i dont feel that much pressure. [applause]. There are some nuts and bolts and aspects of this modest celebrity that have achieved that are have to be dealt with. I will probably get a significantly higher volume of mail than the average senator because people from outside of the state think that i am going to be able to do something for them. So good so you guys, you plan to write me a letter, i may not be able to respond to the folks in new york. I apologize in advance. Getting a lot more invitations. Only 200 invitations a week to speak in every Progressive Organization and freedom fund dinner. And unfortunately am going to have safe no more than maybe i would prefer to read as a freshman senator. In terms of i think height and expert tatian how my feeling about that. Im not feeling very stressed about it. Primarily because what im about in our meeting, number one the expectations of the people of illinois who gave me this great honor. Theyre pretty sophisticated bunch. They know that it takes time to get things done in washington. And what they want to know is that wicking up every morning thinking about how to make their lives better and im going to be consistent with the principles that i laid out in the campaign. And then i have my own expectations. And my own expectations are that i continually do this not because im interested in a particular political title or people calling me senator but because i have got a core set of values that i think have to be advanced and that my individual salvation depends on our collective salvation. Thank you very much. [applause] that wraps up programs of our archives the president s have written books. First really do not believe any statute anywhere ever should be torn down by a mob. In my view thats not appropriate. We can have a national conversation, and we are beginning to about which statues from white individuals or period of history should be reexamine reexamined. For my money, as i look at the spectrum, i would say for example, the confederate generals and admirals who took up arms against the United States of america, therefore not only traitors to their oath to support the constitution but also took up arms against their nation in defense of the system including slavery, i dont think they pass muster to have statues put up. And where there are such statues come i think its time to have a commission that will come to the conclusion is time to take them down study the history of the civil war, put them in a museum. Cautionary tale for our time i think confederate generals and admirals, should not be glorified in public places. On the other hand, we have our founding fathers. I am well aware of the instances my fellow veteran points out the systems of individuals who have gone after a statue like general and president grant i am very aware of the movement to take down statues of Thomas Jefferson as a slave owner for example i can understand that emotion but its a different set of circumstances than what i mentioned a moment ago. So the world shouldnt make these decisions based on the retired general has used we are having a collective edge on dash conversation my vote is take down the statues, take down the monuments of confederate admirals. For my many washington, jefferson, gran washington, jefferson, grant, nt perfect, slave owners but in a Broad Spectrum of their life and times and their contributions are striking and their statues and monuments need to remain on display perhaps indicating that in addition to all that is known, making the point that jefferson helped slaves. That is a valid historical point. Does not rise to the level of tearing down the Jefferson Memorial or monticello, the president ial home outside charlottesville. There is room for meaningful conversation. I do not believe ever mobs should be tearing down statues or anything else welcome. Thank you for tuning and we are looking at the timing and accessible work titled grandstanding