12/20/2009
https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu...
"He brings electricity to this race. He brings an alternative to Senator Clinton."
"Barack Obama sort of blew this race wide open in some ways."
"Politics has become so bitter and partisan, so gummed up by money and influence, that we can't tackle the big problems that demand solutions."
"Today, Democratic Senator Barack Obama of Illinois filed papers saying he's forming a presidential exploratory committee."