Barack Obama, The Aloha Zen President

With a foreword written by former presidential candidate Michael Dukakis, this book portrays President Barack Obama as a true child of Hawai'i and explains why he believes that America can achieve even more greatness by learning from the multicultural customs of the 50th state. Obama's aspiration to transform the United States using Hawai'i as his model has been a conspicuous theme in his books and speeches over the years. In them, he extols Hawai'i's multicultural ethos, describing how a normative, problem-solving mindset predicated on mutual respect and harmonious interchange is inculcated in the culture, politics, and society of the Islands. Indeed, this "Aloha Spirit" is imbued in Barack Obama, is part of what made him irresistibly charismatic as a candidate, and explains why voters in 2010 were baffled at his demeanor after he became the 44th President of the United States. This unique book examines Obama's decisions as an adult and as president and exposes how they are directly linked to the culture of Hawai'i and Obama's multicultural life as a child. The author and contributors also describe the ways in which native Hawaiians were dispossessed of their sovereignty and their land, how they steadfastly sought justice, and how their quest served as a model for Obama's mobilization of support for his candidacy. * Provides connections between quotes from President Barack Obama to his philosophy and temperament throughout the book * Supplies a comprehensive look at the multiculturalism of Hawai'i and ties these characteristics to Obama's career and political decision-making * Includes a reprint of the text of the Aloha Spirit Law, which guides governmental decisions in Hawai'i with the force of law * Identifies how Obama's presidency is unlike any other as a result of his multicultural experiences as a child of Hawai'i, and why he is compelled to bring his humanity, idealism, and strong belief in American values to the entire country