In February 2007, standing before the Old State Capitol building in Springfield, Illinois, Obama announced his candidacy for the 2008 U.S. presidential election. Describing his working life in Illinois, and symbolically linking his presidential campaign to Abraham Lincoln’s 1858 House Divided speech, Obama said: “That is why, in the shadow of the Old State Capitol, where Lincoln once called on a house divided 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’s campaign reported raising US$25.8 million between January 1 and March 31 of 2007. The donations came from 104,000 individual donors, with US$6.9 million raised through the Internet from 50,000 of the donors. US$24.8 million of Obama’s first quarter funds can be used in the primaries, the highest of any 2008 presidential candidate. Obama’s fundraising prowess was affirmed again in the second quarter of 2007, when his campaign raised an additional $32.5 million, the most ever raised by a Democratic Presidential candidate in a single quarter. Through the first two quarters of fundraising, Obama’s campaign has received donations from a grand total of about 258,000 contributors, the most of any 2008 candidate.

(source: Wikipedia)

On the issues:

• Plans on ending the war in Iraq.
• Supports healthcare reform.
• Supports improved energy policy aimed at reducing America’s energy dependence.

To learn more about Barack Obama, visit his website.

Here is a video of Barack Obama talking about Iraq: