IN THE RACE

Here's Senator Obama's exploratory announcement. You can hear more HERE and see more HERE. By the way, has anyone else noticed that Chris Dodd has only entered the race to act as Clinton's Obama attack shill?

BORN FIGHTING, STILL FIGHTING

Virginia’s Freshman Senator, and my pick for the man most likely to be Senator Obama’s running mate if he happens to snag the democratic nomination, namely …Jim Webb has been tapped to deliver the Democratic response to President Bush's State of the Union Address.

Webb’s spokeswoman issued a statement saying that the selection was made by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, but I for one, sense that hand of Obama rabbi Dick Durbin (D, IL) at work.

Webb's upset victory over one time Republican presidential hopeful Senator George Allen was the decisive race in giving the Democrats control of Congress in last year's midterm elections.

Senator Webb will speak for around five minutes shortly after President Bush's address to a joint session of Congress on January 23rd.

This will be the 2nd year that a Democrat from Virginia has been selected to rebut the president's annual address to Congress. Last year, newly elected Governor Tim Kaine delivered the response live from the Executive Mansion in Richmond.