Obama Exploring Presidential Bid for 2008

Senator Barack Obama of Illinois is moving closer to announcing his candidacy for President.

As reported:

"At 10:06 a.m. Tuesday, Mr. Obama filed papers with the Federal Election Commission to open a presidential exploratory committee. After disclosing his decision on his Web site — a friendly venue where he would face no questions — he immediately began making telephone calls to key Democratic leaders in states with early contests in the party’s 2008 nominating calendar."

This blogger is a big fan of Senator Obama. He was the 2004 Keynote speaker whose choice was facilitated by the John Kerry campaign. He is indeed interested in many of the same issues supported by Senator Kerry.

While polls show him within striking distance of Hillary Clinton, we should all remember this poll that was taken in March, 2002, for the 2004 election:

"Al Gore (26 percent) Hillary Clinton (19 percent) Tom Daschle (8 percent) Joe Lieberman (7 percent) Dick Gephardt (7 percent) John Kerry (6 percent), John Edwards (2 percent) and Howard Dean (1 percent.)"

Of course, we are now even closer to the November, 2008, election than when that poll was taken before the 2004 election.

But the lesson is the same.

Polls are not to be ignored. But the public at this time is not locked into any particular candidate. Candidates rise and fall in the public's assessment.

As our nation continues to be tragically engaged in a war of choice based on distortions of the truth and as we continue to count our dead and wounded, more Americans will realize that there was only one candidate that has the first-hand experience of a young man going to war and returning asking our leadership to stop sending our young citizens to die for a mistake.

Senator John Kerry is uniquely qualified to be President! It does not detract from my respect for Senator Obama, my admiration for Senator Edwards, my appreciation for Senators Clinton or Dodd. It is just in these difficult times, it takes a special American to bring America back home. To bring us home to the American values and respect for our Constitution that has been cheapened by the current Administration.

Senator Kerry is up for that job!

"Run John, Run!"