Thread: I'm fired up and running for president

Obama declares he's running for president

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois (CNN) -- Sen. Barack Obama stood before a cheering crowd in his home state Saturday and announced he will seek the 2008 Democratic nomination for president.

Invoking the memory of fellow Illinoisan and the 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, the first-term senator addressed thousands packed into the Springfield, Illinois, town square on a chilly day in America's heartland.

To chants of "Obama! Obama!," he told the crowd: "It was here, in Springfield, where North, South, East and West come together that I was reminded of the essential decency of the American people -- where I came to believe that through this decency, we can build a more hopeful America." (Watch as the crowd erupts when Obama officially declares his candidacy )

If the 45-year-old Obama were elected, he would become the nation's first African-American president.

"And that is why, in the shadow of the Old State Capitol, where Lincoln once called on a divided house to stand together, where common hopes and common dreams still live, I stand before you today to announce my candidacy for president of the United States of America."

Obama told the crowd he would tackle problems like poor schools, economic hardships and oil dependence, saying a "failure of leadership" is to blame for not meeting the nation's challenges. He also implored the crowd to demand that there be "universal health care in America by the end of the president's first term."

He called the Iraq war a "tragic mistake" and said, "It's time to admit that no amount of American lives can resolve the political disagreement that lies at the heart of someone else's civil war. That's why I have a plan that will bring our combat troops home by March of 2008.

"Letting the Iraqis know that we will not be there forever is our last, best hope to pressure the Sunni and Shia to come to the table and find peace," he said. (Watch the senator lay out his plan for Iraq )

He also lauded what he called the founding fathers' "genius" in creating a system of government that can be changed. He cited examples throughout history -- from the American Revolution to the Civil War to the Great Depression -- in which Americans have demanded, and effected, change.

"We've done this before. Each and every time, a new generation has risen up and done what's needed to be done. Today we are called once more, and it is time for our generation to answer that call," he said.

The absence of sound policy is not what's holding the country back, he said.

Rather, Obama said, "what's stopped us is the failure of leadership, the smallness of our politics -- the ease with which we're distracted by the petty and trivial, our chronic avoidance of tough decisions, our preference for scoring cheap political points instead of rolling up our sleeves and building a working consensus to tackle the big problems of America."

Brief tenure no obstacle
The senator acknowledged that he hasn't been in Washington long, but said he is familiar enough with the city's political machinations to understand that change is in order.

"I recognize there is a certain presumptuousness in this -- a certain audacity -- to this announcement," Obama said. "I know that I haven't spent a lot of time learning the ways of Washington, but I've been there long enough to know that the ways of Washington must change. (Watch how name recognition may be Obama's best weapon )

He added, "People who love their country can change it."

Admitting the tactic is typical of aspiring candidates, Obama promised to overhaul a political system he says is dominated by lobbyists and special interest groups "who've turned our government into a game only they can afford to play."

"They write the checks and you get stuck with the bills, they get the access while you get to write a letter, they think they own this government, but we're here today to take it back. The time for that kind of politics is over," he said. "It's time to turn the page right here and right now."

Obama, the son of a black Kenyan father and white American mother, then invoked Lincoln again.

"He had his doubts. He had his defeats. He had his setbacks, but through his will and his words, he moved a nation and helped free a people."

Despite his brief tenure in the Senate, Obama has quickly gained popularity as he pondered his bid to break the Oval Office's color barrier.

According to a University of New Hampshire Survey Research Center conducted this month, Obama placed second, behind Sen. Hillary Clinton, among New Hampshire Democratic primary voters. Obama snared 21 percent of the vote in that popularity poll, trailing Clinton by 14 points. (Full story )

Other Democrats seeking the office include Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware; Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut; former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina; Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich; New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson; Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack and Sen. Clinton of New York.

While speculation abounds over whether a black presidential candidate can be viable, Obama -- whose first name comes from the Swahili word for "one who is blessed" -- has not let the color of skin hinder his career.

He attended Harvard and Columbia universities and was the first black president of the Harvard Law Review. He entered politics in Illinois, where he practiced civil rights law and taught at the University of Chicago Law School.

His first foray into politics came in 1997, when he took his seat in the state Senate, where he served until 2005. He was sworn in as a U.S. senator in 2005.



-------------------------------------------

I have a feeling that with Gore, Hillary and Obama, we Dems have very popular contenders. The GOP era is over soon

Good. Let him fracture the Dim-o-crat vote.

I have a feeling that with Gore, Hillary and Obama, we Dems have very popular contenders.

That is true, and I am afraid that is why the Democrats will pick up many of their votes. It would be better if the public voted based on issues instead.

Originally Posted by Neese

I have a feeling that with Gore, Hillary and Obama, we Dems have very popular contenders.

That is true, and I am afraid that is why the Democrats will pick up many of their votes. It would be better if the public voted based on issues instead.

Well, popularity is a funny thing. If it's all you have then you don't have much.

Gore is popular with dogmatic environuts.

Hillary is popular with Lesbians and other man-haters.

Obama is popular with self-loathing Caucasians who blame themselves for slavery and with Muslims who see him as a stealth candidate.

Each of those demographics is a sliver of the overall voting public.

Gore is very UNPOPULAR with Conservatives at large, people who don't want the government telling them what sort of car they can drive, and with informed people who understand that anthropogenic global warming is nonsense.

Hillary is VERY unpopular with Conservatives, centrists and Libertarians, as well as with a large percentage of Christian Liberals.

Obama is largely an unknown, although suspicions about his Muslim background, alleged atheism, and relative inexperience make his chances at gaining even the nomination, much less the Presidency, highly unlikely.

In other words, each of them has as large or larger a segment rating them as unfavorable as they do rating them as favorable or "popular." As always for Democrats, though, each of them has a good chance of benefitting from pandering to the idiot and illegal alien caucuses.

Originally Posted by Neese

I have a feeling that with Gore, Hillary and Obama, we Dems have very popular contenders.

That is true, and I am afraid that is why the Democrats will pick up many of their votes. It would be better if the public voted based on issues instead.

So you're getting afraid of us Dems
Are you Republican ??
Then you need to be afraid, no matter who wins the primaries, the other Democratic candidates will always support the nomination winner over a Republican. Imagine if Gore wins the primaries, and Obama and Hillary will endorse to vote Gore. And Obama is really really popular, also here in Ca. Gore, Obama and Hillary is a team that can attract more voters than all Republicans together. I'm smiling while reading my post

Originally Posted by cassie

Originally Posted by Neese

I have a feeling that with Gore, Hillary and Obama, we Dems have very popular contenders.

That is true, and I am afraid that is why the Democrats will pick up many of their votes. It would be better if the public voted based on issues instead.

So you're getting afraid of us Dems
Are you Republican ??
Then you need to be afraid, no matter who wins the primaries, the other Democratic candidates will always support the nomination winner over a Republican. Imagine if Gore wins the primaries, and Obama and Hillary will endorse to vote Gore. And Obama is really really popular, also here in Ca. Gore, Obama and Hillary is a team that can attract more voters than all Republicans together. I'm smiling while reading my post

No, I'm not afraid, because I would like to think that the American public is just a little smarter than that. I am an Independent, and vote for whomever is best for the job. Unfortunately it is slim pickins sometimes. My vote will most likely go to Tancredo or Hunter. Illegal immigration is my number one concern.

Has Gore actually came out and said he's considering a run? Last I heard he wasn't running. His name keeps coming on here, so he must have said something to make people believe he's going to run. Who's heard what?

Well personally. I don't want any of the Elites from either party to run this county. It is time for a 3rd party to put back Checks and balances.

Originally Posted by Neese

No, I'm not afraid, because I would like to think that the American public is just a little smarter than that. I am an Independent, and vote for whomever is best for the job. Unfortunately it is slim pickins sometimes. My vote will most likely go to Tancredo or Hunter. Illegal immigration is my number one concern.

okay, you will vote for hunter or tancredo, but who are you going to vote if none of these 2 wins the GOP nomination ?? If it's McCain vs the Dem winner, who will you vote for ? Illegal immigration is my number 2 concern, number one is the war. I used to post on democraticunderground, but all they do is bashing Republicans, I bash Republicans too, but not all the time, like they do

Originally Posted by MW

Has Gore actually came out and said he's considering a run? Last I heard he wasn't running. His name keeps coming on here, so he must have said something to make people believe he's going to run. Who's heard what?

I just assume he'll be running