Breaking MSNBC: Obama is going to run

[Horse with no Name]

on MSNBC now.
He filed papers to take first step in a Presidential bid.

[jasmeel]

1. WOOT!

[JCMach1]

2. I misread this as Osama when I clicked on the thread...

I initially thought this was another 'Where's Osama thread'... ooops


umm as much as I like Obama, that's a problem.

[bdamomma]

3. oh boy, as much as I like Obama, I think he should of waited

unless we have a Edwards/Obama ticket would definitely get him ready for another Presidential bid. I do like hearing him speak, his professionalism is stunning.

[Norquist Nemesis]

21. Supposedly, they're trying to firm up things since CNN's announced

it will be doing the Presidential Debates in April. It all just seems waaaayyyyyyy too early to me, especially with everything that's going on.

Latest 'rumor' is that Hillary is expected to make an announced by the end of this week or early next week...and Bayh is schmoozing up to be her VP in the ticket. Just a rumor, of course. :)

[JCMach1]

27. Can't you see a Repug candidate having an 'accidental' slip of the tongue

in a debate?

Yikes!?!

Anyway, as with most of our candidates I have things I have agreed and disagreed with obama on...

So, for the moment, I remain undecided.

[ripple]

36. People dumb enough to fall for those tactics

probably wouldn't vote for Obama, anyway. I'm confident he'll overcome ridiculous smears like that with complete class. ;-)

[BlooInBloo]

33. What? The fact that a certain group of Americans "can't help" but think of terrorists...

... when seeing his name?

A problem? Yes. Not Obama's though. America's.

[helderheid]

4. Was just about to post this:

Obama takes 1st step in presidential bid



By NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press Writer 11 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Democratic Sen. Barack Obama (news, bio, voting record) of Illinois said Tuesday he is taking the initial step in a presidential bid that could make him the nation's first black to occupy the White House.

Obama announced his intentions to file a presidential exploratory committee on his Web site, http://www.barackobama.com. He said he would announce more about his plans in his hometown of Chicago on Feb. 10.

"I didn't expect to find myself in this position a year ago," Obama said in a video posting. "I've been struck by how hungry we all are for a different kind of politics. So I spent some time thinking about how I could best advance the cause of change and progress we so desperately need.

"The decisions that have been made in the past six years have put our country in a precarious place," he said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070116/ap_on_el_pr/obama2008

[youthere]

35. Good. I'll give him an ear..

the more candidates in the pool to choose from the better, says I.

[itsmesgd]

5. yah, time for more timekilling, democratic in-fighting

forget war, we've got an election in a year and a half

[helderheid]

6. VIDEO

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid413287001/bctid422873237

[itsmesgd]

7. yah, time for more timekilling, democratic in-fighting

forget war, we've got an election in a year and a half

[itsmesgd]

8. delete

[Mass]

9. Good news. At least one candidate I can support.

[helderheid]

10. Dupe, sorry

[Starbucks Anarchist]

11. Excellent!

[BayCityProgressive]

12. Good

he was against war fromt he begginning. We will need to see where he stands on ending it though and preventing a surge.

[helderheid]

13. I'm in a wait and see mode with him - he is very inspiring +

[Sapphire Blue]

14. Email from Senator Obama: "My Plans for 2008"

My Plans for 2008

Dear Friend,

As you may know, over the last few months I have been thinking hard about my plans for 2008. Running for the presidency is a profound decision - a decision no one should make on the basis of media hype or personal ambition alone - and so before I committed myself and my family to this race, I wanted to be sure that this was right for us and, more importantly, right for the country.

I certainly didn't expect to find myself in this position a year ago. But as I've spoken to many of you in my travels across the states these past months; as I've read your emails and read your letters; I've been struck by how hungry we all are for a different kind of politics.

So I've spent some time thinking about how I could best advance the cause of change and progress that we so desperately need.

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. Our economy is changing rapidly, and that means profound changes for working people. Many of you have shared with me your stories about skyrocketing health care bills, the pensions you've lost and your struggles to pay for college for your kids. Our continued dependence on oil has put our security and our very planet at risk. And we're still mired in a tragic and costly war that should have never been waged.

But challenging as they are, it's not the magnitude of our problems that concerns me the most. It's the smallness of our politics. America's faced big problems before. But today, our leaders in Washington seem incapable of working together in a practical, common sense way. 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.

We have to change our politics, and come together around our common interests and concerns as Americans.

This won't happen by itself. A change in our politics can only come from you; from people across our country who believe there's a better way and are willing to work for it.

Years ago, as a community organizer in Chicago, I learned that meaningful change always begins at the grassroots, and that engaged citizens working together can accomplish extraordinary things.

So even in the midst of the enormous challenges we face today, I have great faith and hope about the future - because I believe in you.

And that's why I wanted to tell you first that I'll be filing papers today to create a presidential exploratory committee. For the next several weeks, I am going to talk with people from around the country, listening and learning more about the challenges we face as a nation, the opportunities that lie before us, and the role that a presidential campaign might play in bringing our country together. And on February 10th, at the end of these decisions and in my home state of Illinois, I'll share my plans with my friends, neighbors and fellow Americans.

In the meantime, I want to thank all of you for your time, your suggestions, your encouragement and your prayers. And I look forward to continuing our conversation in the weeks and months to come.

Sincerely,

U.S. Senator Barack Obama

Watch Barack's statement on forming a Presidential Exploratory Committee: http://www.barackobama.com/video/youtube/index.php

[seabeyond]

15. nooooooooo. he hasnt earned it. edwards and clark, just at the point

of earning it, though i see clark further ahead than edwards.

[Connie_Corleone]

16. How do you EARN a run for president?

The only thing you EARN is the nomination and no one has earned that yet. The primary voters will determine who earns that.

[seabeyond]

19. i am a believer in experience in running something, anything.... for

a period of time before getting the job. my own criteria in hiring a president. experience. my own judgment. and valid to me, regardless of how you may feel

[Clark2008]

18. I'm a Clarkie and I don't see that Obama hasn't "earned" it.

I just think he has no way in hell of flipping any red states.

Our country has regressed, dramatically, on issues of gender and color in the past 12-13 years.

[seabeyond]

20. maybe, and maybe with a woman too.... i dont know. not my reason

for not wanting him to run. would prefer he take vp, or stay in senate a handful of more years. just my preference. clark i felt had the experience in foreign affair being in military, but i didn't feel he had the experience in the political arena. the way i see things. not asking all to see it my way. but i do prefer experience.

[Clark2008]

22. Oh, I agree with you on the experience, but I think Obama has

had more than John Edwards. Edwards rarely even voted until a few years before running for senator. Obama was, at least, involved both politically and in his profession, well before he became a senator.
Edwards was a personal injury attorney - which really has little to do with foreign policy and diplomacy and public policy (minus the policy created by companies after a lawsuit).

[seabeyond]

25. ya see, shhhhhh

i feel that way about edwards. and as on another post, why he didnt run for senate again, i too seem to remember he was losing bad in the polls and would not have been re elected. but dont tell anyone, cause whatever dem it is, edwards, obama, hillary.... not my top choices, i will support. that is for d*mn sure and we arent supose to bash fellow dems. lol lol i am a believer. my ideal kerry/clark, but id kerry doenst go for it, i really am liking clark.

there is richardson, but i am still pissed about new mexico 2004 election and i want some answers, and the other in the field i will have to listen to. i havent formed opinion on yet.

[WI_DEM]

32. yes, Obama was a state senator for several years as well as a law professor

[seabeyond]

34. makes me feel better. thanks n/t

[never cry wolf]

37. His undergrad major was foreign relations... n/t

[NewJeffCT]

17. Least surprising breaking news of the day?

I would have been surprised if he said he was not running.

Good luck to him and all the other Democratic candidates.

[BlooInBloo]

23. lol!! Now all the white folks paying him lip service are pissed! lololol!

[Norquist Nemesis]

24. As much as I like my junior Senator

oh, come on! If you're going to run, jump in and run!!! Don't be like a republiCON and go the whimpy route of "Exploratory Committee" ferchrissakes!

Those 'committees' drive me crazy.

[jollyreaper2112]

26. *sigh*

Strikes me as Hillary lite, trying too hard to walk the middle of the road and get elected rather than taking a stand and getting things done. I'd also be more comfortable if he had a few more years in Washington under his belt so he'd know how the twisted game is played. Carter was too good of a man for that city and he got royally fucked by the establishment not playing ball with him. That's how he got saddled with the "do-nothing" reputation.

To quote the Joker, that town needs an enema. The Dems need to front candidates who will clean out the shit, not add to the constipation.

[grace0418]

28. Oh boy. Here come all the people ready to tear him down for not being the exact

perfect candidate of their dreams. Sigh...

[quinnox]

29. whatever, he won't win

but I guess he can get a learning experience out of it.

[WI_DEM]

30. I'm happy, I'm not sure he is my choice but he will add a lot

and if nominated I could support him strongly.

[quinnox]

31. I couldn't

support him strongly, I'd have to take a long look before I could vote for him as president.

[Tatiana]

38. I won't vote for him in a primary, but if he happens to get the Democratic nomination

I'd feel OK voting for him.

[citygal]

39. I am really glad he is getting into the race.

And I know a lot of people still have doubts about him. But, once you hear him speak (think Dem keynote in '04), he is very inspirational. To people worried about his middle name and how much Obama sounds like Osama, I think when people hear and see him, it will make those issues irrelevant. I think he can really rally the country and make this a hopeful nation once again. IMHO he has a strong "likability" factor, which, unfortunately, is important when people vote for president. (Like how people claimed they liked Bush but not Kerry or Gore because the latter were too stuffy.)

[Marie26]

40. Well, I wish he'd waited a term

Cause he has so much potential to be a really great leader, but it doesn't seem like he has enough experience yet.