Obama Forms Exploratory Committee for Presidential Campaign

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) on Tuesday announced that he has formed an exploratory committee to raise funds for a possible presidential campaign in 2008 and said that his campaign would focus on "traditional Democratic goals," such as efforts to reduce health care costs, the Washington Post reports.

Obama, elected to the Senate in 2004, "has maintained a relatively low profile, tending to home-state concerns while promoting narrow causes such as congressional ethics reform," the Post reports (Murray/Cillizza, Washington Post, 1/17). In the past, Obama has expressed support for universal health insurance (Pickler, AP/Long Island Newsday, 1/17).

Obama likely will formally announce his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination on Feb. 10 (Washington Post, 1/17).