Seeking to become just the 3rd African-American U.S. senator in a century, Barack Obama knows he has a long, hard fight ahead. But, with national attention pouring in, Obama is shining in the spotlight. Obama's early opposition to the war in Iraq drew the attention of the liberal wing of the Democratic Party. Now the endorsements he received from many of the state's newspapers as well as his strong showing downstate Tuesday seem to indicate that he can reach beyond the left wing and replace retiring GOP Sen. Peter Fitzgerald.