Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States on January 20, 2009. A photo of Obama shirtless at the the beach is believed to have contributed to the spread of Obamamania.

A photo, taken in 2006, which shows Obama dressed in traditional attire during a visit to his father's home country of Kenya, raised questions about Obama's Muslim heritage. The photo was reportedly emailed to the Drudge Report by one of Hillary Clinton's aides in what Obama representatives called an attempt at "fear-mongering." Politico: Obama Slams Smear Photo (February 25, 2008)