Thirteen bids to host Obama's presidential library

Reuters
U.S. President Barack Obama speaks during the commencement ceremony for the University of California, Irvine at Angels Stadium in Anaheim, California June 14, 2014. REUTERS/Larry Downing

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Thirteen bidders have applied to host Barack Obama's presidential library, the foundation overseeing the project said on Tuesday. The deadline for organizations or cities to submit their initial proposals to the Barack Obama Foundation was on Monday. The foundation did not say what sites had applied, but Hawaii, where Obama was born, and Chicago, his political base, are considered top contenders. "These ideas will ultimately help us build a library that reflects President Obama’s priorities and values throughout his life and career, and makes our whole nation proud," foundation Chairman Martin Nesbitt said in a statement. He said a short list of potential sites would be identified this summer. Obama supporters launched the foundation in January to plan construction of the library. The foundation said then that it expected to decide on a site in early 2015, two years before Obama, a Democrat, is due to leave office after serving two terms. (Reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by Eric Beech)