By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois (Reuters) - Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama, citing the legacy of Abraham Lincoln, pledged on Saturday to bridge the partisan divide in Washington, end the war"" >

 
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12:44PM EST, Sun 11 Feb 2007
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Obama sees new generation of leadership

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By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois (Reuters) - Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama, citing the legacy of Abraham Lincoln, pledged on Saturday to bridge the partisan divide in Washington, end the war in Iraq and transform American politics as the first black U.S. president.

Launching his 2008 White House campaign outside the building where Lincoln began his fight against slavery with an 1858 speech declaring ""a house divided against itself cannot stand,"" Obama said it was time to ""turn the page"" to a new politics.

""Let us begin this hard work together. Let us transform this nation,"" Obama, 45, told thousands of cheering supporters who braved sub-freezing temperatures outside the old state Capitol building.

""By ourselves, this change will not happen. Divided, we are bound to fail,"" he said.

Obama, a rising party star and the only black U.S. senator, said the United States had overcome many challenges, from gaining its independence to the Civil War to the Great Depression.

""Each and every time, a new generation has risen up and done what's needed to be done. Today we are called once more -- and it is time for our generation to answer that call,"" he said.

Obama's candidacy has intrigued Democrats looking for a fresh face and sparked waves of publicity and grass-roots buzz about the first black presidential candidate seen as having a chance to capture the White House.  Continued...

 

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