Headline AP news on CNN.com
Sen. Hillary Clinton has been ramping up for a while now, toward 2008. She has just posted the announcement on her website. It begins "I'm in. And I'm in to win."
She's been expected to announce the formation of a 2008 exploratory committee -- this is definitely that announcement, and then some.
From the headline news on CNN:
"Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton will embark on a widely anticipated campaign for the White House Saturday -- a former first lady intent on becoming the nation's first female president.
Clinton was expected to disclose plans to form a presidential exploratory committee on her Web site, according to Democratic officials familiar with the matter."
Here on DailyKos, she polls behind Edwards and Obama (when Gore's not included) -- and of course whenever there is a "Hey, include Gore Too!" poll, Al Gore is way out in front. But nationally, at this time, she is a front runner.
On the other hand, American politics carries a long history of early-peakers eventually being eclipsed by another candidate.
Side note... Richardson is expected to announce tomorrow (Sun.)
This is going to be the most diverse Democratic primary field ever. We've had women and people of color in the running before, but (e.g. Carol Moseley-Braun) they weren't Top-5-ranking candidates like Obama and Clinton. Bill Richardson, bringing latino ethnicity to the race, might poll fairly well too once he announces.