WASHINGTON, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- On Nov. 4, 2008, he made history as the first African-American president-elect in the United States and gained unprecedented high popularity with his promise of bringing the country "change we can believe in."

    In the first 100 days of his presidency, he signaled some major departures from the previous administration, ordering the close of the controversial Guantanamo Bay prison, mapping the strategy to end the costly wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and reaching out to the world that has been fed up with the U.S. unilateralism.

    On every Saturday morning, he appeared in a video clip posted on the White House website to deliver the routine weekly national address rather than over radio. This is seen as only a tip of iceberg compared to his whole strategy to employ modern technology in building a more transparent and accessible government.

    He would surprise Americans by occasionally showing up in a humble fast food restaurant outside Washington, D.C., eating burgers with his sleeves wrapped and taking out more for his White House staff.

    That man is Barack Obama.

    Obama is a husband, father, career statesman, Democratic Party leader and public icon. But above all, he is the American leader who is steering the country through multiple domestic and global challenges.

    EARLY LIFE

    Obama's life tells a different story from previous presidents. He was born on Aug. 4, 1961, in Honolulu, Hawaii, to a Kenyan father and a white mother from the state of Kansas, in the U.S. heartland.

    Obama graduated from Columbia University in 1983. Two years later, he moved from New York to Chicago, Illinois, and worked as a community organizer in a poor African-American area for three years, when he realized involvement at a higher level was needed to bring true improvement to such communities.

    Obama then attended Harvard Law School and was elected the first black president of the Harvard Law Review. After graduation, he returned to Chicago where he practiced civil rights law and taught the Constitution at the University of Chicago.

    During the period, Obama met his wife, Michelle Robinson. They married on Oct. 3, 1992. and have two daughters, Malia Ann and Natasha.

    POLITICAL CAREER

    Obama made his first attempt for public office in 1996 and won a seat in the Illinois State Senate.

    In 2004, Obama beat six Democratic rivals to win the nomination in the congressional elections. That November, he overwhelmingly captured 70 percent of the popular vote in the congressional elections to become a senator.

    When Obama announced his bid for the White House on Feb. 10, 2007, in Springfield, Illinois, he was not considered a hopeful compared to other high-profile candidates including former First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton.

    But, Obama soon made a headline story by raising 58 million U.S. dollars, setting the record for fundraising by a presidential campaign in the first six months of the calendar year before the elections.

    From the campaign started on Jan. 3 till it ended on Aug. 29, Obama strode up to the stage of the Democratic National Convention against all odds, winning presidential nomination and naming then Senator Joe Biden to be his running mate.

    Obama's road to the White House was eventually laid out after he easily beat Republican rival John McCain on the election night. However, challenges came even before his presidency started as a worse economic crisis in decades befell to the United States in the fall of 2008.

    FIRST-YEAR PRESIDENCY IN AMERICAN PEOPLE'S EYES

    "Overall, Obama's first year in his presidency can be approved," said Will Turner, a Virginia resident in his 20's. "Americans understand being a president is a tough job, and would like to give him more time to work on those complicated issues."

    It is by no means an easy job to deliver his campaign promises including closing Guantanamo prison, ending the Iraq war, offering universal health care coverage and achieving bipartisan cooperation, let alone in a rough period when the country was facing serious economic meltdown.

    American voters, either Republicans or Democrats, have noticed Obama's difficulties in keeping his words and how hard he has tried. .

    "He is a quick learner and dedicated to his job," said Turner, "He is becoming more practical and realistic after encountering setbacks."

    Travor Fitzegibbon, a public relations professional in Washington, D.C., appreciated Obama's resolve to come in the presidency when the country's economy was in a bad shape and tried really hard to make changes happen, especially improving the U.S. international image by forsaking unilateralism.

    As a public affairs professor in George Mason University, Mark Rozell's perception of Obama's performance so far was mixed.

    "He is a president who has set many big goals with high risks but ran into harsh reality," he said.

    However, history has shown that some voters' disappointment over a president's policies does not necessarily draw down the president's popularity. It is the case with Obama.

    Despite recent polls signaling decline of Obama's supporting rate, he remains a charismatic leader to most Americans.

    "He has great personalities," said Jay Nestlerode, a Republican-leaned engineer, citing Obama's capability to eloquently make his points to public.

    Compared to previous presidents, Obama makes himself more accessible and has tried many approaches to better explain his policy decisions to people, Nestlerode said.

    WHAT DO CHINESE PEOPLE THINK ABOUT OBAMA?

    The U.S. president's upcoming visit to China slated for Nov. 15-18 would be warmly welcomed by the Chinese government, but he may face an audience both as enthusiastic and as divided as any he has faced at home.

    On the Internet, the Chinese netizens have already prepared numerous questions for the U.S. president, ranging from "Do you think the U.S. could lead the world out of the economic recession?" to "Do you have a Facebook account? May I add you as a friend?"

    As the first African-American U.S. president, Obama was especially popular among Chinese young people, who regarded him as an example of American dream.

    "I think he is nice and has excellent oratory skills...Most of my classmates like him," said Wang Yu, an 18-year-old senior middle school student.

    "He is the first black president in U.S. history...I think he has achieved something really remarkable," added Wang, who is now busy preparing for his college entrance examination.

    Gong Chengtao, a senior accountant, said the issue he is most concerned about is how to protect Chinese people's assets in the United States.

    "I think we should raise this issue before Obama, because China has suffered great losses in this regard...After years of hard work, we don't want to lose our money."

    "Also, the United States should stop its trade protection measures against China and efforts should be made to prevent trade wars between the two countries," he said.

    "Sorry, I don't really care about it," Li Ying, a 29-year-old freelancer in Beijing, said with an apologetic smile when asked how she viewed the U.S. president and his upcoming visit.

    "His visit is important of course...but I am busy trying to make my ends meet and taking care of my family...I just don't have time to pay any attention to it."