[164] As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Obama made official trips to Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa. He met with Mahmoud Abbas before Abbas became President of the Palestinian National Authority, and gave a speech at the University of Nairobi in which he condemned corruption within the Kenyan government.[165]
Obama resigned his Senate seat on November 16, 2008, to focus on his transition period for the presidency.[166]

Presidential campaigns
2008
Main articles: 2008 United States presidential election, Barack Obama 2008 presidential primary campaign, and Barack Obama 2008 presidential campaign
2008 electoral vote results. Obama won 365–173.
On February 10, 2007, Obama announced his candidacy for President of the United States in front of the Old State Capitol building in Springfield, Illinois.[167][168] The choice of the announcement site was viewed as symbolic, as it was also where Abraham Lincoln delivered his "House Divided" speech in 1858.[167][169] Obama emphasized issues of rapidly ending the Iraq War, increasing energy independence, and reforming the health care system.[170]
Numerous candidates entered the Democratic Party presidential primaries. 