Obama Says He'll Consider A 2008 Bid for The Presidency

Yesterday, Obama said pursuit of the presidency cannot be based on celebrity and conceit. "It can't be something that you pursue on the basis of vanity and ambition," he said. "I think there's a certain soberness and seriousness required when you think about that office that is unique."

Obama advisers said yesterday that there has been little formal analysis done in preparation for a possible campaign, and they agreed they will now accelerate that work. But they said they are confident Obama could raise the money to run and noted that he has many offers from people interested in working in a campaign.

"He understands it's a lot easier when you're the subject of speculation than when you're in the arena battling it out," said David Axelrod, one of Obama's advisers. "I think that there's evaluative work to be done, but there are a lot of encouraging signs."

Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs cautioned reading too much into the senator's comments yesterday. "It was simply the honest answer to the question. There isn't a formal process. He announced he was thinking about it. He didn't announce he was announcing."

Another adviser said the Obama team has not done a state-by-state analysis of fundraising potential, nor have they begun building organizations in early states like Iowa and New Hampshire. Several advisers denied that they had conducted focus groups about an Obama candidacy, as some other Democrats have suggested.

Personal factors may influence Obama's decision as much as political considerations, his advisers said. He has a young family and may not want to put them and himself through the rigors of a long campaign.

A large field of prospective candidates awaits Obama, if he decides to run. It includes Massachusetts Sen. John F. Kerry, former North Carolina senator John Edwards, Delaware Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr., Connecticut Sen. Christopher J. Dodd, Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and Wisconsin Sen. Russell Feingold. Some Democrats hope former vice president Al Gore will jump in.

Former Virginia governor Mark R. Warner announced this month that he will not run.