Obama to Form Exploratory Committee

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Because it’s our job to tell you these things, Barack Obama has posted a video on his website declaring his decision…. to form a presidential exploratory committee.

Obama says that what concerns him most about the current atmosphere in America is the “smallness of our politics.” He continues, “Today, our leaders in Washington seem incapable of working together in a practical, common-sense way. Politics has become so bitter and partisan and gummed up by money and influence that we can’t tackle the big problems that demand solutions, and that’s what we have to change.”

To bring the field up to date, former VP candidate and senator from North Carolina John Edwards has declared his candidacy, as have Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio and Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack. Senators Joe Biden of Delaware and Chris Dodd of Connecticut have also said they will seek the nomination.

Other Democrats mentioned as possible candidates include John Kerry, Al Gore, New Mexico Gov. and former ambassador to the U.N. Bill Richardson, retired Army General Wesley Clark, and the Rev. Al Sharpton.

Oh, and Hillary.

DONALD TRUMP & DEMOCRACY

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DONALD TRUMP & DEMOCRACY

Mother Jones was founded to do things differently in the aftermath of a political crisis: Watergate. We stand for justice and democracy. We reject false equivalence. We go after, and go deep on, stories others don’t. And we’re a nonprofit newsroom because we knew corporations and billionaires would never fund the journalism we do. Our reporting makes a difference in policies and people’s lives changed.

And we need your support like never before to vigorously fight back against the existential threats American democracy and journalism face. We’re running behind our online fundraising targets and urgently need all hands on deck right now. We can’t afford to come up short—we have no cushion; we leave it all on the field.

Please help with a donation today if you can—even just a few bucks helps. Not ready to donate but interested in our work? Sign up for our Daily newsletter to stay well-informed—and see what makes our people-powered, not profit-driven, journalism special.

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