The Obama campaign has refused to release his college transcript, despite an academic career that led him to Harvard Law School and, later, to a lecturing position at the University of Chicago. The shroud surrounding his experience at Columbia contrasts with that of other major party nominees since 2000, all whom have eventually released information about their college performance or seen it leaked to the public. In contrast with the rest of Mr. Obama’s life story, little is known about his college experience. He attended Occidental College in Los Angeles for two years before transferring to Columbia in 1981. The move receives only a mention in Mr. Obama’s 1995 memoir, “Dreams from My Father,” which instead devotes that chapter to his impressions of race and class struggles in New York.

An article in a Columbia University publication, Columbia College Today, reported that Mr. Obama has portrayed Columbia as a period of buckling down following a troubled adolescence. He did not socialize much, he has said, instead spending a lot of time in the library, “like a monk.” He has also stated that he was involved to some extent with the Black Students Organization.

Federal law limits the information that Columbia can release about Mr. Obama’s time there. A spokesman for the university, Brian Connolly, confirmed that Mr. Obama spent two years at Columbia College and graduated in 1983 with a major in political science. He did not receive honors, Mr. Connolly said, though specific information on his grades is sealed. A program from the 1983 graduation ceremony lists him as a graduate.

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President-elect Barack Obama is calling for Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich to resign. That’s according to an Obama spokesperson. Earlier this week, Blagojevich was arrested on federal corruption charges. He’s accused of conspiring to sell or trade the Senate seat vacated by Obama in exchange for financial benefits for himself and his wife. At a news conference, the President-elect said he had no contact with the Governor about selling his Senate seat and added that he’s saddened by the news. Blagojevich is free on bail.

Obama told reporters this week that it’s time to deal with the issue of climate change in a serious way. With former Vice President Al Gore at his side, he said the time for denial is over. Gore, Obama and Vice-President Elect Joe Biden met privately in Chicago to discuss energy and climate change. A spokeswoman for Gore said he wasn’t seeking an official position in the new administration, but the meeting prompted speculation about what the former Vice President’s exact role in an Obama White House might be. The President-Elect said the purpose of the meeting was to learn how new environmental policies can spur job creation and jumpstart the economy.

Former Senator Tom Daschle is Obama’s choice to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. The President-elect made the official announcement earlier today. The former Senate majority leader from South Dakota said he plans to write the health care proposal that Obama will submit to Congress next year. Daschle said he hopes to have the plan enacted by next year, but added that it will take several years to implement. The former senator is currently on the health care advisory group of Obama’s transition team.

As Obama continues to fill out his Cabinet, Democratic sources say the President-elect is close to naming his pick for energy secretary. Steven Chu, who’s a physicist and runs the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is reportedly Obama’s choice. Sources say Obama will also name Carol Browner to be the newly created climate director inside the White House. Browner was the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency in the Clinton administration.

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Blagojevich Jokes On The Illinois Governor s Arrest

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