When did Obama seriously begin to think about running for President?

[Beet]

I am currently leaning toward H2 2004 or H1 2005.

[Bacon King]

He was probably considering an eventual presidential run by the time his Senate race became inevitable.

[Mr. Morden]

kindergarten

[Judäischen Volksfront]

He didn't. The Wahhabiists who raised them chose him to do so.

[elcorazon]

I am currently leaning toward H2 2004 or H1 2005.

what's H2 and H1?

[All life is a blur of Republicans and meat.]

He didn't. The Wahhabiists who raised them chose him to do so.

all praises to teh allah!!!11

[YRABNNRM]

I take his word for it when he said that he didn't actually want to be President in the near future. I think that he decided in late 2006, probably after this cover...



Who can go against a cover like that? That's when I first considered him a serious candidate for 2008.

[Beet]

I am currently leaning toward H2 2004 or H1 2005.

what's H2 and H1?

Second half and first half.

Btw, what is [qm]?

The reason for this thread is that I watched the free PBS Frontline special on "The Choice 2008" on the PBS website, and they stated that immediately after Obama won election in 2004, Daschle's chief of staff and other senior veterans of the Senate helped him craft a "two year plan". What freshman Senator would start out with a two year plan instead of a six year plan? It's plausible that big changes in seniority were expected after 2006 which obviated the need or ability to plan for past that date, but the show further said that the two year plan was divided into the first year, where he would "keep a low profile" and the second year, where he would "increase his visibility." The only way this makes sense is if he was seriously planning for a Presidential announcement by early 2007.

Another thing, Obama's book came out in September 2006... it's clearly a "I'm gonna run for President" book. The book methodically spells out his philosophy, biography, and views in a balanced and comprehensive way. Between writing, editing and publishing, the book must have been conceived by at least late 2005.

[WalterMitty]

kindergarten

of indonesia maybe,

okay..that was wrong.  i apologize.

[Verily]

All Senators dream of being President. So some time around when his election to the Senate became inevitable.

Of course, that may not have been serious. Serious probably started around late 2005/early 2006.

[Senator Ben]

When he was quite young, I suspect, like most politicians.

[Mr. Morden]

kindergarten

To elaborate:

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7009344920

On Sunday, the Clinton campaign issued a press release suggesting that Obama was being deceitful when he told voters in Boston that he has "not been planning to run for president for however number of years," citing news reports that Obama wrote "essays" in kindergarten and third grade, titled "I want to be a president."

[Beet]

kindergarten

To elaborate:

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7009344920

On Sunday, the Clinton campaign issued a press release suggesting that Obama was being deceitful when he told voters in Boston that he has "not been planning to run for president for however number of years," citing news reports that Obama wrote "essays" in kindergarten and third grade, titled "I want to be a president."

This has nothing to do with my support of Clinton in the primary. Although I learned today that there are tons of quotes from US News & World Report of his friends and acquaintances saying he had been thinking about running for President for as long as 15 years.

Also, he previously had been insinuating that Clinton wanted to run for President since she was a child, although I don't have the exact quote. So it's not like he was above this absurdity.

But I really never knew about the whole 2 year plan until I saw the PBS special. Honest to God. But it is quite striking. The timing of his book release, his increased visibility, the whole 2 year plan. I think he was very serious about it from day 1.

[LanceMcSteel]

When he was born as a British Citizen in Kenya.

HES NOT EVEN A US CITIZEN!!!!!!1111111ZOMG

[BushKenya]

H2 2004, IMO.  I think he really started to ponder a run for the White House after he was given the keynote speech at Kerry's convention and was fueled when Kerry lost, thus opening the door for a different, new, and refreshing kind of politician to enter the national picture.

[Daniel Z]

Of course he has probably had presidential ambitions for many years, but maybe not for 2008. For 2008 I voted H1 2006, when it was becoming apparent that the Republican would have an almost insurmountable climb to win the 2008 election.

[Sibboleth]

Disturbingly early is the obvious answer. Not an unusual answer either.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

In general?  Probably somewhat before I posted this:

Obama will landslide

In 2008? Possibly a little later.