Obama’s concerns:

“Three major doubts have been raised,” he said. The first is whether in today’s political environment—with its emphasis on media and money—a grass-roots movement can even be created. Will people still answer the call of participatory politics?

“Second,” Obama said, “many believe that the country is too racially polarized to build the kind of multiracial coalitions necessary to bring about massive economic change.

“Third, is it possible for those of us working through the Democratic Party to figure out ways to use the political process to create jobs for our communities?”

From an interview with the Chicago Reader in 1995 as he first sought the Illinois State Senate seat. Read the entirety of “What Makes Obama Run?”