Key events in the first year of Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign:
2007:
Feb. 10 _ Obama launches his campaign at the former Illinois capitol where Abraham Lincoln once served.
Feb. 11 _ Says soldiers' lives are being "wasted" in the Iraq war. He apologizes.
Feb. 27 _ Poll finds Sen. Hillary Clinton leading nationally at 36 percent, followed by Obama at 24, Al Gore at 14 and John Edwards at 12 percent.
March 4 _ Speaking in Selma, Ala., Obama says civil rights protesters helped make his presidential campaign possible, and he urges blacks to take more personal responsibility.
March 7 _ Obama says he didn't know he had invested in two companies backed by some top donors. He denies doing anything in the Senate to aid their businesses.
March 14 _ National poll: Clinton 37 percent, Obama 22 percent, Gore 14 percent, Edwards 12 percent.
March 15 _ After initially sidestepping the issue, Obama rejects the idea that homosexuality is immoral, a claim made by the Pentagon's top general.
March 27 _ National poll: Clinton 35, Obama 22, Gore 17, Edwards 14.
April 12 _ National poll: Clinton 33, Obama 26, Edwards 25.
April 15 _ Obama raises $24.8 million for the primary election during the first quarter, compared to $19 million for Clinton.
April 24 _ Tries to reassure Jewish voters concerned about his Muslim ties, arguing that his commitment to Israel's security is unwavering.
May 3 _ The Secret Service says it has placed Obama under its protection, the earliest move ever for a presidential candidate.
May 7 _ At a speech in Detroit, Obama tells automakers he would require them to produce more fuel-efficient cars.
May 8 _ Obama flubs the number of people killed by recent Kansas tornadoes, putting the toll at 10,000 instead of the actual number _ 12.
May 21 _ Iowa poll: Edwards 29, Obama 23, Clinton 21.
May 22 _ Obama's wife resigns from the board of a company that supplies food to Wal-Mart. The retail giant has been a major target for criticism by Obama.
May 24 _ Obama and Clinton vote against legislation that pays for the Iraq war but lacks a timeline for troop withdrawal. Both began the year shunning a timeline.
May 29 _ Obama offers a sweeping health care plan. Clinton later argues it doesn't amount to truly universal health coverage.
June 1 _ Donates to charity a $5,000 contribution to his 2004 Senate campaign from a donor tied to indicted businessman Antoin "Tony" Rezko. Obama later gives back tens of thousands more and face repeated criticism over his links to Rezko.
June 9 _ National poll: Clinton 33, Obama 21, Gore 20, Edwards 12.
June 11 _ New Hampshire poll: Clinton 36, Obama 22, Gore 12, Edwards 12, Richardson 10.
June 13 _ "Obama Girl" Internet video debuts, featuring a model singing that she has "a crush on Obama." Ultimately viewed more than 5.7 million times.
June 15 _ Obama says a lot of fathers need to stop acting like boys and share the responsibility for raising children because their role doesn't end at conception.
June 18 _ Obama criticizes his staff for labeling his opponent "Hillary Clinton (D-Punjab)" in a memo about her investments in India and fundraising among Indian-Americans.
June 21 _ Discloses more than $300 million in pork projects he requested for the federal budget and challenges his fellow candidates to do the same.
June 25 _ First TV ads of the Obama campaign focus on his bipartisanship in the Illinois legislature and his community organizing work after college.
July 1 _ Obama reports raising at least $32.5 million for his presidential campaign from April through June, a record for a Democratic candidate.
July 5 _ Tells the National Education Association he supports merit pay for teachers, a position the union opposes.
July 17 _ National poll: Clinton 36, Obama 20, Edwards 11.
July 24 _ Clinton criticizes Obama for saying he'd be willing to meet with leaders of rogue nations such as Cuba, North Korea and Iran.
Aug. 1 _ Obama says he would send troops into Pakistan to hunt down al Qaeda terrorists even without local permission, if warranted.
Aug. 2 _ Says he would not use nuclear weapons "in any circumstance" to fight terrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Clinton responds that such a hypothetical shouldn't be discussed.
Aug. 9 _ Iowa poll: Clinton 27, Obama 22, Edwards 22, Richardson 9.
Aug. 12 _ Michelle Obama calls it "nonsense" to question her biracial husband's credentials as a black man.
Aug. 14 _ Republicans accuse Obama of criticizing American troops by saying the U.S. must step up efforts in Afghanistan "so that we're not just air-raiding villages and killing civilians."
Sept. 8 _ Obama's family tree includes ancestors of President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Sept. 14 _ National poll: Clinton 34, Obama 20, Edwards 10 percent, no preference 12.
Sept. 20 _ Friend and fundraiser Valerie Jarrett takes on a bigger role in the Obama campaign amid worries that his progress has stalled.
Sept. 25 _ Obama begins airing his first television ads in New Hampshire.
Oct. 4 _ Says he no longer wears an American flag lapel pin because it has become a substitute for "true patriotism" since the Sept. 11 attacks.
Oct. 6: National poll: Clinton 46, Obama 25, Edwards 9.
Oct. 7 _ Obama stands in a church pulpit and says his faith "plays every role" in his life. Obama has been dogged by Internet rumors that he is a Muslim bent on destroying America.
Nov. 4 _ Obama appears on late-night TV to deliver the signature line, "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night."
Nov. 20 _ Tells students he was "kind of a goof-off" in high school and made the bad decision to use drugs.
Dec. 3: Iowa poll: Clinton 31, Obama 26, Edwards 19, Richardson 10.
Dec. 5 _ Clinton volunteer in Iowa resigns after forwarding an e-mail that suggests Barack Obama is a Muslim who wants to destroy the United States.
Dec. 7 _ Iowa poll: Obama 35, Clinton 29, Edwards 18, Richardson 9.
Dec. 8 _ Oprah Winfrey campaigns with Obama in Iowa. She later appears for his campaign in South Carolina and California.
Dec. 11 _ National poll: Clinton 53, Obama 23, Edwards 10.
Dec. 12: New Hampshire poll: Clinton 31, Obama 30 percent, Edwards 16, Richardson 7.
Dec. 13 _ In a debate, Clinton says she looks forward to hearing why Obama uses foreign policy advisers who once worked for her husband. Obama counters, "Hillary, I'm looking forward to you advising me as well."
Dec. 14 _ Clinton denounces the comments of a campaign official who suggested Obama's drug use could be a campaign issue in the general election. The official resigned.
Dec. 19 _ National poll: Clinton 45, Obama 23, Edwards 13.
Dec. 20 _ Clinton supporter Bob Kerrey apologizes for discussing Obama's Muslim ancestry and his middle name of Hussein in a newspaper interview.
2008:
Jan. 3 _ Obama wins the Democratic caucuses in Iowa. Sens. Joe Biden, Christopher Dodd drop out.
Jan. 7 _ Bill Clinton calls coverage of Obama's position on Iraq a "fairy tale."
Jan. 8 _ Clinton wins New Hampshire. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson soon drops out.
Jan. 19 _ Clinton wins Nevada caucuses.
Jan. 26 _ Obama wins South Carolina primary. Bill Clinton notes Jesse Jackson also won South Carolina when he ran unsuccessfully.
Jan. 28 _ Ted Kennedy and Caroline Kennedy appear at a rally with Obama and begin campaigning for him.
Jan. 30 _ Edwards drops out.
Feb. 5 _ Obama and Clinton essentially split the "Super Tuesday" primaries.
http://www.thesouthern.com/articles/2008/02/08/ap-state-il/d8um9gio1.txt
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