Posted on 01/17/2007 6:40:50 AM PST by MadIvan
For all those historians and political naysayers, Sen. Barack Obama's allies like to point out that Abraham Lincoln served just two years in the House before becoming president.
It's a comparison certain to be repeated as Obama, with slightly more than two years in the Senate, continues to align himself with the Civil War president. The senator's expected campaign kickoff is scheduled for Feb. 10 in Lincoln's hometown of Springfield, Ill. - where both men served in the state legislature.
Obama filed paperwork for a presidential exploratory committee Tuesday, which allows him to raise money and organize a campaign structure before his formal announcement. He also talked about his plans in a video on his Web site.
If elected, he would be an obvious subject for the history books - the first black president.
Obama said the past six years have left the country in a precarious place and he promoted himself as the standard-bearer for a new kind of politics.
"Our leaders in Washington seem incapable of working together in a practical, commonsense way," Obama said in a video posted on his Web site. "Politics has become so bitter and partisan, so gummed up by money and influence, that we can't tackle the big problems that demand solutions. And that's what we have to change first."
Obama's soft-spoken appeal on the stump, his unique background, his opposition to the Iraq war and his fresh face set him apart in a competitive race that also is expected to include front-runner Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York.
Obama has uncommon political talents, drawing adoring crowds even among the studious voters in New Hampshire during a much-hyped visit there last month. His star has risen on the force of his personality and message of hope - helped along by celebrity endorsements from the likes of Oprah Winfrey, billionaire investor Warren Buffett and actors Matt Damon and Edward Norton.
"I certainly didn't expect to find myself in this position a year ago," said Obama, who added that as he talked to Americans about a possible presidential campaign, "I've been struck by how hungry we all are for a different kind of politics."
The 45-year-old has few accomplishments on the national stage after serving little more than two years in the Senate. But at a time when many voters say they are unhappy with the direction of the country, a lack of experience in the nation's capital may not be a liability.
"The decisions that have been made in Washington these past six years, and the problems that have been ignored, have put our country in a precarious place," Obama said.
He said people are struggling financially, dependence on foreign oil threatens the environment and national security and "we're still mired in a tragic and costly war that should have never been waged."
Clinton is expected to announce her presidential campaign within days, but her spokesman said there would be no comment on Obama's decision from the Clinton camp. Back from Iraq, she abruptly canceled a Capitol Hill news conference minutes after word of Obama's announcement, citing the unavailability of a New York congressman to participate.
Other Democrats who have announced a campaign or exploratory committee are 2004 vice presidential nominee John Edwards, former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd and Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich. Sens. John Kerry of Massachusetts and Joe Biden of Delaware and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson also are considering a run.
Obama's decision was relatively low-key after months of hype, with no speech or media appearance to accompany his online announcement. He said he will discuss a presidential campaign with people around the country before his Feb. 10 event, and he wasted no time calling key activists Tuesday.
New Hampshire lobbyist Jim Demers talked with Obama for about five minutes. "He is extremely pumped and excited that this campaign is coming together," said Demers, who accompanied Obama on his visit to the state last month.
Obama's quick rise to national prominence began with his keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention and his election to the Senate that year. He's written two best-selling autobiographies - "The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream" and "Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance."
Obama was born in Honolulu where his parents met while studying at the University of Hawaii. His father was black and from Kenya; his mother, white and from Wichita, Kan.
Obama's parents divorced when he was two and his father returned to Kenya. His mother later married an Indonesian student and the family moved to Jakarta. Obama returned to Hawaii when he was 10 to live with his maternal grandparents.
He graduated from Columbia University and Harvard Law School, where he was the first black elected editor of the Harvard Law Review. Obama settled in Chicago, where he joined a law firm, helped local churches establish job training programs and met his future wife, Michelle Robinson. They have two daughters, Malia and Sasha.
In 1996, he was elected to the Illinois state Senate. He won a seat in the U.S. Senate in 2004.
Obama insisted during the 2004 campaign and through his first year in the Senate that he had no intention of running for president, but by late 2006 his public statements had begun to leave open that possibility.
Clearly the rest of the demonrat party has rejected osamaObama's new political tone for America. They've chosen Webb to give the response to the SOTU. Clearly Webb will make Boxer's personal attack seem toothless.
Regards, Ivan
I'm curious. If his father was black and his mother was white, why would he be the first black president?
You could say that of any one of the candidates out there, regardless of party. Obama is bright, no question about it. He's articulate and no doubt sincere. But he hasn't been tested, and this is not the time to go with untested leadership.
The selling begins..............
If Obama wants to be like Lincoln, he should be more conservative, since Lincoln was a Republican.
Instead of comparing himself to someone who was President about 145 years ago, he should remember how well recent democrat presidential candidates have been. The last five democrat presidential nominess who had ever been U.S. senators are John Kerry, Al Gore, Walter Mondale, George McGovern, and Hubert Humphrey, and all five of them lost. If the Democrats nominate Sen. Obama, Sen. Clinton, Sen. Biden, or Sen. Dodd, the Republican will probably win.
LMAO!
Very clever.
A better parallel is the last time any major party tried someone this inexperienced, Wendell Willkie in 1940. Willkie also rode a big media blitz to national prominence, though he lost to FDR.
That was also the word in Arkansas about billy before he was elected.
The TV coverage in the Chicago area is vomit inducing. It's wall-to-wall Obamarama. There was only one channel that didn't have constant coverage of this dork this morning. The news people are peeing themselves with excitement.
I just don't get it. He hasn't done ANYTHING. Nothing for Illinois. Nothing for the nation. Nothing period. But these people are acting like he's the second coming.
My fear is this - that buoyed by a message of renewal and good will, he'll escape serious scrutiny. I think he's intelligent enough to pick a VP candidate who balances his inexperience and meshes with his themes of working together. If I were his campaign manager, I would suggest Gov. Phil Breseden (D-TN). If the Republicans go through a bloody primary, the ticket could be tough to defeat.
Regards, Ivan
Remember, we got 2 Presidents, Carter and Clinton by the dimwits bringing in an unknown person and making them into a "superstar".
Ask yourself, do you want another one?
****I just don't get it. He hasn't done ANYTHING. Nothing for Illinois. Nothing for the nation. Nothing period. But these people are acting like he's the second coming.****
Doing nothing for a democrat is a plus.
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The dear senator needs a history lesson....Lincoln never advocated cutting the running.
In fact precisely the opposite, Lincoln would not accept defeat.
Regards, Ivan
Someone should say to Obama "So there have been no democrats from Illinois you can use as an example?"
He'll probably pick Angelina Jolie. :-P
Seriously though, I do agree with you. It could get ugly for the GOP. The only positive is that now he will come under more scrutiny and things like his dealings with Tony Rezco (sp?) will get more attention.
Regards, Ivan
With Turban Durbin kissing the you know what's of all the islamofascists and Obama doing everything he can to avoid being on the Senate floor does Illinois have a current Senator?
PLEASE GARY FENCIK RUN PLEASE GARY FENCIK RUN!
I don't think so. The media is definitely on his side and will run interference.
Regards, Ivan
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