Obama makes it official

Obama makes it official
BY SCOTT FORNEK AND DAVE McKINNEY Staff Reporters
Copyright by The Chicago Sun-Times
February 11, 2007


SPRINGFIELD -- Invoking Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Barack Obama launched his bid for the White House Saturday with a pledge to lead an “improbable quest” to bring the troops home, end poverty, give everyone healthcare and “transform our nation.”

“I recognize there is a certain presumptuousness — a certain audacity — to this announcement,” the freshman U.S. senator said. “I know 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.”

U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., shakes hands with a crowd of spectators after announcing his candidacy for the White House at the Old State Capitol in Springfield Saturday. The first-term senator entered the race for the Democratic nod in front of about 17,000 supporters. Obama began his elective career just 10 years ago in Springfield.

The South Side Democrat kicked off his historic campaign to become the nation’s first African American president before as many as 17,000 cheering supporters.

They wrapped themselves in blankets to stave off 12-degree weather — so cold Obama bumper stickers snapped in half when folded. His words producing wisps of steam, Obama wore no hat or gloves, although an aide said the presidential hopeful wore long johns beneath a suit and black overcoat.

“I know it’s a little chilly,” Obama said as he took to the stage. “But I’m fired up!”

So was the crowd, which came from as far away as Massachusetts, Georgia and North Carolina. Some waved hand-painted signs saying “Barack the Vote.” Others wore buttons proclaiming him “Superbama.”

“Oh! Bama!” they yelled, interrupting his 20-minute speech more than 20 times with applause.

Obama’s backdrop was the sandstone-pillared Old State Capitol, where Lincoln delivered his famous “House Divided” speech in 1858 that deplored the prospects of a nation split into half slave states and half free states. Red, white and blue bunting decorated two sides of the landmark, while a huge American flag hung over four stories of a nearby office building.

Facing Lincoln’s law office, Obama wove the 16th president throughout his speech, telling the crowd “the life of a tall, gangly, self-made Springfield lawyer tells us that a different future is possible.

“He tells us that there is power in words. He tells us that there is power in conviction. That beneath all the differences of race and region, faith and station, we are one people.

“He tells us that there is power in hope.”

“That is our purpose here today. That’s why I’m in this race. Not just to hold an office, but to gather with you to transform a nation.”

Pointing to past generations that explored the moon and embraced the moral challenge of King, Obama called on young people to join him in a sweeping crusade.

He provided no details, but Obama offered to try to solve nearly every problem vexing the nation — ending poverty, capping climate-changing greenhouse gases, extending healthcare in his first term, making college more affordable, providing comfortable retirements for workers, reducing dependence on foreign oil and combating terrorism.

“But all of this cannot come to pass until we bring an end to this war in Iraq,” he said, provoking some of the loudest applause of his speech. “America, it’s time to start bringing our troops home.”

Obama did not mention President Bush by name but attacked him on the national debt, health care, the economy, the environment and Hurricane Katrina.

“We’ve been told that our crises are somebody else’s fault. We’re distracted from our real failures and told to blame the other party, or gay people, or immigrants,” he said.

Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton downplayed the significance of his candidacy.

“We certainly welcome him into the race,” said Mo Elleithee, a senior spokesman for the New York senator.

A couple of dozen anti-abortion demonstrators tried to dampen Obama’s big day, protesting his support for abortion rights with signs bearing photos of aborted, bloody fetuses and asking “What If His Momma Had Aborted Obama?”

“We’re here to share the truth about Barack Obama and how he supports black genocide,” said Angela Michael, 40, of Small Victories Ministries in Highland, Ill. “He is for abortion on demand.”

Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs declined to address their remarks, telling reporters later he did not hear the group’s chanting.

Republicans also took aim at Obama, criticizing his use of Lincoln — the GOP’s first presidential candidate.

“Lincoln never compared himself to President Washington or Jefferson,” state GOP chairman Andy McKenna Jr. said.

Gov. Blagojevich, however, said the comparison was appropriate.

“Barack, Abraham Lincoln and a lot of others have proven that in America, anything is possible,” the governor said. “This is a place where dreams come true.”

Whatever the critics had to say about Obama’s speech did not register with his adoring followers.

Carrie Grant, a 31-year-old software company employee, drove her two young sons five hours from Louisville, Ky., to see Obama and to emphasize their heroes should not be the latest act to appear on MTV.

“I think he might be a good president and not bad, like George Bush,” said her 10-year-old son, David.

And Joslyn McBride, a 51-year-old state worker from near Springfield, came because of the potential historic nature of Obama’s candidacy.

“As an African American, it was really important because it will probably never happen again in my lifetime,” she said. “Looking at the sampling of the people who are out here, I think everybody is ready. I think we’re all ready to look past race and go with the candidate, no matter what the ethnic background.”

WHO HE IS
NAME : Barack Obama.

PARTY : Democrat.

AGE-BIRTH DATE : 45; Aug. 4, 1961.

RESIDENCE : Chicago.

OCCUPATION : Freshman U.S. senator.

EXPERIENCE : U.S. senator, 2005-present; Illinois State senator, 1997-2004; constitutional law professor, University of Chicago.

EDUCATION : Law degree, Harvard University; bachelor's degree in political science, Columbia University.

FAMILY : Wife, Michelle, and two daughters.

QUOTE : "I am suspicious of hype. The fact that my 15 minutes of fame has extended a little longer than 15 minutes is somewhat surprising to me and completely baffling to my wife."


A look at Obama's changing views on running for president
Before Saturday's announcement, Sen. Barack Obama was asked many times whether he would run for president. Here's a look at his evolving answers to the question:


"Pshaw. You know, hooey.'' - July 27, 2004
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"That's way premature. I'm a lowly state senator trying to get to the U.S. Senate.'' - September 29, 2004
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"I am not running for president. I am not running for president in four years. I am not running for president in 2008.'' - Nov. 3, 2004
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"Ridiculous'' - Dec. 6, 2004
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"I will not be running for president in '08.'' - Jan. 3, 2005
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"People have asked me this, and I'm sincere when I say it's not on my radar screen.'' - Jan. 19, 2005
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"It's not something that I'm focused on right now, but it's not something that I would foreclose in the future.'' - December 2005
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"My attitude about something like the presidency is that you don't want to just be the president. You want to change the country. You want to make a unique contribution. You want to be a great president.'' - August 2006
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"The day after my election to the United States Senate, somebody asked me, am I running in 2008. I said at that time: 'No.' And nothing so far has changed my mind.'' -August 26, 2006
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"When the election is over and my book tour is done, I will think about how I can be most useful to the country and how I can reconcile that with being a good dad and a good husband. I haven't completely decided or unraveled that puzzle yet.'' - October 2006
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"I don't want to be coy about this. Given the responses that I've been getting over the last several months, I have thought about the possibility.'' - October 22, 2006