US President Barack Obama marked his 50th birthday Thursday after a night in his hometown Chicago, seeking to revive the energy of his last presidential campaign following a damaging debt showdown.
Obama paid a lightning evening visit back to the Midwestern metropolis on Wednesday ahead of hitting the half-century mark, seeking solace with some of his staunchest supporters, from online activists to high-rolling fund-raisers. Inside a packed and sweaty downtown theater, Obama read off a list of accomplishments dear to his base such as expanding health care coverage, allowing gays to serve openly in the military and winding down the war in Iraq.
