SPRINGFIELD | Senator John F. Kennedy spoke here in 1960, and the parallels to this capital city’s newest star could not be clearer.

Much like how Kennedy elicited charisma and excitement during his campaigning and presidency and seemed to embody a new kind of politics in America, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) did the same Saturday.

Speaking before a police-estimated crowd of about 17,000, Obama did nothing unexpected by officially announcing his intentions to seek the presidency.

He did, however, lay out an ambitious and unique agenda for the country, including ending the war in Iraq by 2008 and instituting universal health care within six years.

Perhaps more unique was the fact that Obama, on the steps of the Old State Capital building, began to position himself as an agent of change for a new generation.

He suggested his limited experience in politics could help him transform a government – one dominated for the last 15 years by elite families – that he called cynical, corrupt and “a smallness of our politics.”

“I recognize there is a certain presumptuousness in this – a certain audacity – to this announcement,” he said. “I know that I haven’t spent a lot of time learning the ways of Washington. But I’ve been there long enough to know that the ways of Washington must change.”

If elected, he would be the nation’s first black president. But Obama did not seem so much preoccupied with that new precedent as much as he seemed to vy for the public’s trust to enact this change.

“That is why this campaign can’t only be about me,” Obama said. “It must be about us. It must be about what we can do together.”

Temperatures in the teens and a biting wind chill did not dampen the crowd’s spirit. The event overflowed the state’s capital – which has a population of about 115,000 – with supporters from across the Midwest and an estimated 500 media personnel – some from as far as Japan, Norway and Poland – contributed to the throng.

Locals felt honored Obama chose their city to make his announcement.

“If this country is truly what we say we are, we’re ready for him,” said Hayden Twomey of Springfield.

In a demonstration of Obama’s ability to bridge traditional party lines, both Democrats and Republicans attended the speech and pledged their support.

“I’m a Republican, but I haven’t seen anyone I like,” said Mary Conway of Springfield. “I’m voting for Barack. I like his ideas.”

Obama ended his speech with the desire to “usher in a new birth of freedom on this earth.” But one group in attendance was concerned with a different type of birth.

Pro-life protesters urged Obama to change his stance on abortion, touting posters with statistics and aborted fetuses.

“The pictures are the truth … He needs to change his opinion on abortion,” said Daniel Michaels of Highland.

In a sobering reminder of the long road now ahead for him, Obama traveled to Iowa following the speech and began to host town hall-style meetings.

He also will now begin to face more scrutiny from other candidates and the media regarding his substance.

For some, however, this did not seem to matter.

“Hillary [Clinton]’s got all this experience, but she still polarizes the country,” said Ann Limjoco of Chicago. “For Obama, his inexperience is an advantage.”

Regardless of what happens in 2008, Obama’s challenge to create a new kind of politics most likely will not go unnoticed in the coming years.

“Each and every time, a new generation has risen up and done what’s needed to be done,” he said. “Today we are called once more, and it is time for our generation to answer that call.”