Obama Steps Up

Democratic Sen. Barack Obama on Tuesday took the initial step in a presidential bid that could make him the nation's first black to occupy the White House. Obama filed papers creating a presidential exploratory committee, a move he announced on his Web site, http://www.barackobama.com. He said he would announce more about his plans in his home state of Illinois on Feb. 10.

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

Obama, a 45-year-old with little more than two years into his Senate term, is the most inexperienced candidate considering a run for the Democratic nomination. He quickly rose to national prominence, beginning with his keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention and his election to the Senate that year, but still is an unknown quantity to many voters.

It seems to me that 2008 is going to be a very interesting year for Presidental politics. For the first time we will have a female candidate for president, and with Obama we will also have an African American candidate. While I would not vote for either of these candidates based solely on their minority status, I must say it's good to see a field that consists of more than just white men. Let the fun begin!