By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : US President Barack Obama has launched his bid for re-election with a short video on BarackObama.com using what apparently will be one of his campaign slogans — “It begins with us”.
For the November 2012 presidential election, the Obama campaign has told supporters that the campaign has kicked off and that means the race for contributions is on.
The familiar looking blue “O” over red and white stripes is back again for 2012.
And at the bottom of the website, the candidates’ names are clearly identified: OBAMA-BIDEN – for Vice President Joe Biden.
Shortly afterward, Obama sent an e-mail to supporters to say he will also file papers Monday with the Federal Election Commission.
“We’ve always known that lasting change wouldn’t come quickly or easily. It never does. But as my administration and folks across the country fight to protect the progress we’ve made – and make more – we also need to begin mobilising for 2012, long before the time comes for me to begin campaigning in earnest,” Obama said in his e-mail message.
He is expected to host his first re-election fundraiser in Chicago April 14, CNN reported citing unnamed sources.
Obama is making his campaign official slightly earlier than is typical for an incumbent, so he can get a jump on fund-raising in a season that’s likely to shatter all records, the news channel said.
Obama’s team has been asking campaign bundlers to raise $350,000 each, no easy task since campaign finance laws limit gifts to $2,500 per donor, it said.
CNN cited two sources as saying the campaign team hopes that in total their bundlers will raise $500 million, leaving the campaign to raise another $500 million and amass a record-breaking $1 billion war chest.
The president has made calls to top donors and conference calls are planned this week to supporters and key Democratic groups, according to these sources cited by CNN.
Vice President Biden is already planning to be in New Hampshire Monday and will meet with key supporters in that crucial early voting state.
(Arun Kumar can be contacted at [email protected])