Dreams of Obama

Shown: Democratic presidential nominee, Sen. Barack Obama, during a campaign rally at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colo., Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2008. Credit: (Damon Winter / The New York Times)

January 20, 2009

As Barack Obama prepares to assume the presidency on Jan. 20, 2009, FRONTLINE tells the story of how a little known state senator rose from obscurity to the White House in just over four years. Dreams of Obama draws on interviews with those closest to the next president to provide insight into how Obama might lead the country. [Explore more stories on the original website for Dreams of Obama.]

Latest Documentaries

A German flag is pictured in the hand of a crowd member in front of a photo wall at an AfD rally on the Schlossplatz Oranienburg on May 6, 2024.

The Rise of Germany’s New Right

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. holding a mic in front of a presidential campaign rally backdrop.

The Rise of RFK Jr.

1h 54m

Born Poor

1h 24m

Remaking the Middle East: Israel vs. Iran

1h 54m

The Resolute Desk in the Oval Office with President Trump's hands resting on a signed executive order.

Trump’s Power & the Rule of Law

1h 24m

Two people carrying firearms tear down a poster of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Syria After Assad

54m

Shadi Haroun wears a head lamp in a dark interior while looking behind bars.

Syria’s Detainee Files

1h 24m

A broken building and road destroyed by Hurricane Helene.

Hurricane Helene’s Deadly Warning

54m

A man's silhouette in front of a wall covered in photos and papers.

Antidote

1h 24m

Kotzebue, an Inupiat town above the Arctic Circle.

Alaska’s Vanishing Native Villages

28m

Two police officers stand on a street at night with police tape behind them.

The Rise and Fall of Terrorgram

1h 24m

A composite of two photos. The one on the left shows a mural of Chinese President Xi Jinping behind a surveillance camera. The one on the right shows two Tibetan monks.

Battle for Tibet

54m

Get our Newsletter

Stay Connected

Jon and Jo Ann Hagler on behalf of the Jon L. Hagler Foundation

Koo and Patricia Yuen

Funding for FRONTLINE is provided through the support of PBS viewers and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Additional funding is provided by the Abrams Foundation; Park Foundation; the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; and the FRONTLINE Journalism Fund with major support from Jon and Jo Ann Hagler on behalf of the Jon L. Hagler Foundation, and additional support from Koo and Patricia Yuen. FRONTLINE is a registered trademark of WGBH Educational Foundation. Web Site Copyright ©1995-2025 WGBH Educational Foundation. PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.