****Pics Of Obama At The Annual Unity Convention in Chicago, IL****

[Hope And Change]

Sun Jul 27, 1:11 PM ET
Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., left, speaks during a forum at the UNITY '08 Convention in Chicago, Sunday, July 27, 2008.(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)



Sun Jul 27, 1:11 PM ET
Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., walks by a painting depicting an American Indian after participating in a forum at the UNITY '08 Convention in Chicago, Sunday, July 27, 2008. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)



Sun Jul 27, 1:15 PM ET
An images of Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., is projected on a screen as he speaks during a forum at the UNITY '08 Convention in Chicago, Sunday, July 27, 2008.
(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)



Sun Jul 27, 1:16 PM ET
Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., bottom center, participates in a forum at the UNITY '08 Convention in Chicago, Sunday, July 27, 2008.(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)



Sun Jul 27, 1:25 PM ET
Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., smiles while speaking at a forum at the UNITY '08 Convention in Chicago, Sunday, July 27, 2008.(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)



Sun Jul 27, 1:35 PM ET
Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., left, speaks during a forum at the UNITY '08 Convention in Chicago, Sunday, July 27, 2008, with CNN anchor Suzanne Malvealux and Romesh Ratnesar with Time Magazine.(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)



Sun Jul 27, 1:37 PM ET
Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., left, speaks during a forum at the UNITY '08 Convention in Chicago, Sunday, July 27, 2008, with CNN anchor Suzanne Malvealux and Romesh Ratnesar with Time Magazine.(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)



Sun Jul 27, 1:41 PM ET
Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., speaks during a forum at the UNITY '08 Convention in Chicago, Sunday, July 27, 2008.(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)



Sun Jul 27, 1:56 PM ET
Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., appears at a forum at the UNITY '08 Convention in Chicago, Sunday, July 27, 2008.(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)



Sun Jul 27, 2:07 PM ET
US Democratic presidential candidate Illinois Senator Barack Obama speaks at the UNITY: Journalists of Color conference at McCormick Place convention center in Chicago. Obama said Sunday that he will pick a vice presidential running mate who will "help me govern" and not just somebody "who I send off to go to funerals."(AFP/Getty Images/Scott Olson)



Sun Jul 27, 2:09 PM ET
US Democratic presidential candidate Illinois Senator Barack Obama speaks to attendees at the UNITY: Journalists of Color conference at McCormick Place convention center in Chicago. Obama's foreign tour cemented his status as an international political superstar Sunday, but raised the question of whether rampant adulation abroad will translate into votes in America.(AFP/Getty Images/Scott Olson)



Sun Jul 27, 2:10 PM ET
Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., speaks during a forum at the UNITY '08 Convention in Chicago, Sunday, July 27, 2008.(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)



Sun Jul 27, 2:11 PM ET
Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., speaks during a forum at the UNITY '08 Convention in Chicago, Sunday, July 27, 2008.(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)



Sun Jul 27, 2:12 PM ET
Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., speaks during a forum at the UNITY '08 Convention in Chicago, Sunday, July 27, 2008.(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)



Sun Jul 27, 2:13 PM ET
Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., speaks during a forum at the UNITY '08 Convention in Chicago, Sunday, July 27, 2008.(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)



Sun Jul 27, 2:30 PM ET
Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., speaks during a forum at the UNITY '08 Convention in Chicago, Sunday, July 27, 2008. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)



Sun Jul 27, 2:34 PM ET
Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., speaks during a forum at the UNITY '08 Convention in Chicago, Sunday, July 27, 2008. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)



Sun Jul 27, 2:34 PM ET
Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., left, speaks during a forum at the UNITY '08 Convention in Chicago, Sunday, July 27, 2008, with CNN anchor Suzanne Malvealux and Romesh Ratnesar with Time Magazine.(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)



Sun Jul 27, 3:38 PM ET
US Democratic presidential candidate Illinois Senator Barack Obama speaks to attendees at the UNITY: Journalists of Color conference at McCormick Place convention center in Chicago. The event was Obama's first since returning from a week-long overseas trip.(AFP/Getty Images/Scott Olson)

[jezebel]

1. Great pictures but he really does look like he is losing weight. I hope he gets some time to eat. nt

[K Gardner]

21. He looks absolutely exhausted in the pics where you can see under his eyes..

it makes me want to go to bed just looking at him ! Get some rest, dude !!

[BlooInBloo]

2. Fuck I love smart, thoughtful people.

[tishaLA]

3. nice pics

I really want to say that he's SO. FUCKING. HANDSOME. but I know its impolitic and people get blasted for it, so I will remain mum on the subject.

[butterfly77]

13. Ditto

[dogtag]

14. I'm also trying to remain mum,

but it isn't possible. Barack is simply elegant. He moves with unusual grace. Everything he does seems effortless. He's always impeccably dressed without looking overdone. His hands are beautiful and expressive. Obama is attractive in the sense that he attracts attention and admiration, McCain merely repels.

[goclark]

15. He is all that and yet he doesn't appear to be vain

He appears to be considerate of others and has a smile that lights up a thousand tomorrows.

The guy can't help it, he must have been born that way.

[Cha]

4. Great timing to be back in Chi Town..

Posted July 27, 2008 2:15 PM

by John McCormick

"In his first U.S. appearance after a nine-day foreign tour, Sen. Barack Obama told a convention of minority journalists in Chicago today that he believes affirmative action will still be needed, even if the nation elects its first black president.

Obama also criticized Republican challenger Sen. John McCain for a position he took earlier Sunday in support of a proposed ballot initiative in Arizona that would prohibit affirmative action policies from state and local governments.

"I am disappointed that John McCain flipped," the Illinois Democrat said during an appearance broadcast on CNN before an alliance of minority journalists called UNITY gathered at the McCormick Place convention center.

McCain, who made his remarks on ABC's "This Week," has previously called similar efforts "divisive," although he has also consistently expressed opposition to hiring quotas based on race while supporting affirmative action in limited cases.

Obama said the ballot initiatives like the one being considered in McCain's home state are "all too often designed to drive a wedge between people."

<more>
http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/07/obama_at_unity_convention_in_c.html

[cliffordu]

5. I wonder if they could have found a smaller chair for Obama.

[derby378]

6. No offense, but why is Obama showing up at a Republican-lite conference?

The only reason for UNITY '08 to exist is to chip away at Obama's base and inflate McCain's numbers.

[blogslut]

12. Different Group

This one is the 2008 convention for UNITY Journalists of Color.

link: http://www.unityjournalists.org/

[derby378]

22. Duh - sorry about that

:dunce:

[tridim]

7. Anyone have any info on that fancy watch he's sporting?

[Ian David]

9. I don't care about the watch. I want to know why he's not wearing his "Wrist Strong" bracelet. n/t

[givemebackmycountry]

11. I don't know, I was admiring it the other day when I saw this...

[Ian David]

8. They threw EVERYTHING at him (Liberal Media my ASS) and he was flawless. n/t

[high density]

10. He always looks so comfortable.

Exact opposite of * and McCain't.

[darius15]

16. Damn

he's aged a lot since he announced his candidacy.

I remember him at the 2004 Convention, he looked 30!

[darius15]

17. OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is he wearing a flag pin or not?!

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

18. Is a podcast available for this? I've been trying to find one...

[redstate_democrat]

19. My president needs some new shoes.

:hide:

[TexasObserver]

20. Saw the last 30 minutes of it. He's so awesome!!

[Renew Deal]

23. Obama's hair is getting whiter.

I noticed it in the pictures from when he got back to the US.

[ellacott]

24. McCain blew them off

He claimed he had a scheduling conflict.