The long road to the White House

Presidential hopeful US Senator Barack Obama and his wife Michelle wave to supporters at the end of a rally 10 February, 2007 at the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois. Obama officially launched his quest to become the first African-American president of the US. AFP PHOTO/Mandel NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

DES MOINES, IA - JULY 4: Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama is joined by his wife Michelle and daughters, Malia and Sasha at a campaign event, July 4, 2007 in Des Moines, Iowa. The U.S. senator from Illinois, who is on a two-day campaign swing through Iowa, recently announced that his campaign had raised $32.5 million in the second quarter, outpacing rival Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY), who pulled in $20 million. (Photo by Charles Ommanney/Getty Images)

Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., right, answers a question while Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., left, Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., second from left, and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, third from left, listen during a debate at Dartmouth College Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2007, in Hanover, N.H. (AP Photo/Jim Cole)

Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama D-Ill., and his wife Michelle and his daughters Malia, left, and Sasha celebrate victory at the Iowa caucus during a rally Thursday, Jan. 3, 2008, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

** FILE ** In this Jan. 7, 2008, file photo Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., speaks to an overflow crowd Monday, Jan. 7, 2008 in Lebanon, N..H. Obama's impending defeat in the New Hampshire primary election could not had been predicted by the crowds he was drawing. Entrance at every rally was shut down by fire marshals, and hoards of people who couldn't get in would stand outside his events in the biting cold. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green, File)

Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., works the crowd after celebrating his Super Tuesday Primary wins with supporters during a rally in Chicago, Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2008.(AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Democratic Presidential hopeful US Senator Barack Obama rolls a bowling ball on March 29, 2008 at the Pleasant Valley Recreation Center in Altoona, Pennsylvania. AFP PHOTO/Stan HONDA (Photo credit should read STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images)

Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., arrives for a news conference in Winston-Salem N.C., Tuesday, April 29, 2008. Obama spoke about the latest assertion by his former pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, that criticism of his fiery sermons is an attack on the black church. \"I am outraged by the comments that were made and saddened by the spectacle that we saw yesterday,\" Obama said and added that Wright's comments do not accurately portray the perspective of the black church. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

epa01367920 Michelle Obama (L) gives her husband, Democratic presidential candidate U.S. Senator Barack Obama, a knuckle-bump as a sign of support before he speaks to supporters at the Xcel Center in St . Paul, Minnesota, USA, 03 June, 2008. Barack Obama clinched the Democratic presidential nomination after a five-month battle with Hillary Clinton, becoming the first African American to lead a major political party into a general election in the United States. EPA/CRAIG LASSIG

This handout photo provided by ABC shows Michelle Obama, wife Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., third from left, on the set of \"The View,\" Wednesday, June 18, 2008 in New York. From left are, Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Mrs. Obama, Sherri Shepard, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, and Barbara Walters. (AP Photo/ABC, Steve Fenn)

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., right, and former Vice President Al Gore appear at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Monday, June 16, 2008. Gore announced his endorsement of Obama. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

epa01397837 Democratic Presidential hopeful Illinois Senator Barack Obama (L) listens to New York Senator Hillary Clinton (R) as she delivers a speech to supporters at a campaign stop in Unity, New Hampshire USA, 27 June 2008. This was the first time Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have campaigned together. EPA/MICHAL CZERWONKA

Sasha Obama, right, a daughter of Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, waves goodbye to he father, left, at Bert Mooney Airport in Butte, Mont., Saturday, July 5, 2008. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

In this photo released by the U.S. army, U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama, left, and top U.S. military commander in Iraq, David Petraeus, talk as they take a helicopter ride over Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, July 21, 2008. Iraq's government welcomed Obama on Monday with a message of apparent common ground on American troop withdrawal goals: expressing hopes that combat forces could leave by 2010. (AP Photo/Ssg. Lorie Jewell, HO)

US Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama laughs as he talks to the media on his campaign airplane shortly before taking off for Germany about his trip on July 24, 2008, while waiting to take-off in Tel Aviv. AFP PHOTO/Paul J. Richards (Photo credit should read PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images)

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., waves as he arrives at the Victory Column in Berlin, Thursday, July 24, 2008. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

US Democratic presidential candidate Illinois Senator Barack Obama and running mate Delaware Senator Joe Biden wave during a rally in Springfield, Illinois, on August 23, 2008. AFP PHOTO/Emmanuel Dunand (Photo credit should read EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images)

Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., left, and Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., are shown on television screens at the media filing center during the final presidential debate held at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y, Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2008. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

US Democratic presidential candidate Illinois Senator Barack Obama walks towards his campaign plane prior to boarding it on his way to Hawaii to see his ailing grandmother, in Indianapolis, Indiana, October 23, 2008. AFP PHOTO/Emmanuel Dunand (Photo credit should read EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images)

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. addresses supporters in rain at a rally in Chester, Pa., Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2008. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) wipes a tear from his eye as he speaks about his grandmother who died earlier on Monday, during a campaign rally in Charlotte, North Carolina November 3, 2008. On the eve of Tuesday's U.S. presidential election, Obama's grandmother Madelyn Dunham died after a battle with cancer. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES) US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN 2008 (USA)

epa01541467 Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama walks onstage with his family (L-R) Natasha, Malia and his wife Michelle as they arrives to address a crowd at Grant Park in Chicago, Illinois, USA, to celebrate his victory on Election Day 04 November 2008. Obama defeated Republican presidential candidate John McCain to become the 44th President of the United States and the first black president in US history. EPA/SHAWN THEW