Obama's email to first supporters

[Perky]

On Tuesday, when I announced my intention to form a presidential exploratory committee, I told you all that the one thing I learned from my travels across this country was how hungry Americans are for a different kind of politics.

Within hours, you proved how true this is. Thousands upon thousands of you emailed and contributed and signed up to help. I am truly humbled by your response, and inspired by your desire to change America.

We face many challenges in this country. But big as they are, it's not the magnitude of our problems that concerns me. It's the smallness of our politics.

There is a sense today that politics has lost its purpose - that somewhere between the 24-hour news cycles and the talking heads, between the negative ads and the personal attacks, between the partisanship and the gridlock, politics has stopped speaking to what matters in the lives of the American people.

I believe that you and I can change that.

I believe there is a different kind of politics waiting for us. It's a tradition of politics that has stretched from the days of the country's founding to the glory of the civil rights movement. It's a tradition based on the simple idea that we have a stake in one another, and that what binds us together is greater than what drives us apart. And if enough of us believe in the truth of that proposition - and enough of us act on it - then we might not solve every problem facing America, but we can certainly get something meaningful done during the time we share on this Earth.

This is the journey on which I'm asking you all to join me. This is the kind of America I believe we can have.

Many of you have asked what else you can do to help, and I appreciate that. For starters, you can talk to your neighbors and friends. You can call your mom or dad. You can forward folks this email and ask them to sign up for our effort. But most of all, you can keep speaking out and standing up for the issues that matter to you and your family.

http://www.barackobama.com/video/about.php

Years ago, as a community organizer in Chicago, I learned that meaningful change always begins at the grassroots, and that by working together, ordinary people can accomplish extraordinary things.

We've already started down that road together, and as I continue to travel around the country and decide what role a presidential campaign can have in bringing America together, I look forward to meeting and speaking with more of you about your hopes for our future.

Thank you again for supporting our effort, and please ask others to join us. Together, we're going to make history.

Sincerely,

U.S. Senator Barack Obama

[illinoisprogressive]

1. that is so cool. It is thought that he is the first draft candidate in some time

[Imagevision]

2. Mr. Obama, I thank you for becoming a candidate, you couldn't have happened at a better time

[MaggieSwanson]

3. Very nice.

I just signed up on his website. I'm a Kucinich girl from back in the day - but I really, really like Obama.

:kick:

[helderheid]

5. You and me both! I worked as hard as I could for Dennis ... but I really, really like Obama!

[peacebaby3]

4. The video is wonderful! n/t

[Perky]

6. .