Barack Obama was a freshman U.S. Senator February 10, 2007 when he stepped outside the Old State Capitol in Springfield to announce he would seek the presidency.
Thousands crowded the downtown area on a bitterly cold day to watch history in the making. Obama chose the location because it was where Abraham Lincoln served as a state lawmaker and delivered his famous House Divided speech. Obama had also been a state lawmaker, serving in the Illinois Senate.
His remarks focused on issues like health care, bringing back troops from Iraq and Afghanistan and his theme of hope and change.
NPR Illinois' Rich Bradley and Sean Crawford hosted the coverage: