Obama Joins Presidential Field

Chicago- It`s not exactly a hat in the ring, but you could call it a toe in the water. With a full year to go before the Iowa caucuses, Senator Barack Obama said Tuesday he`s forming a committee to explore running for president. A rising star in the Democratic Party, Obama said his goal is to put an end to bitter, partisan politics in Washington. "We have to change our politics, and come together around our common interests and concerns as Americans," said Obama. Obama`s message of unity was first delivered at the 2004 Democratic Convention. He has since received welcoming audiences in key primary states like New Hampshire and Iowa. Other candidates in the democratic White House field include John Edwards, Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack and Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd. Frontrunner Senator Hilary Clinton has promised an announcement soon. Obama`s announcement has sparked enthusiasm from some Democrats who fear Clinton is too polarizing to win against a Republican in 2008. Obama will officially announce whether he plans to run for president on February 10th in Springfield, the same place where Abraham Lincoln lived and worked before becoming president.