Barack Obama Officially Announces He's Running In 2012

President Barack Obama has kicked off his 2012 effort with a campaign video (see below) posted on his website that encourages people to help get out the vote, in hopes of recapturing the grassroots fervor that helped him get elected in 2008. Obama doesn't appear in the video, but many of his supporters do, and one says, "President Obama is one person...Plus he's got a job. We're paying to do a job so we can't ask him to take some time off to get us all energized so we better figure it out."

Politico reports, "An official filing with the Federal Election Commission is expected to come Monday so that Obama can begin fundraising for his campaign. His first official fundraiser is scheduled for April 14 in his hometown of Chicago. Two more are set for the following week, in San Francisco and Los Angeles, with ticket prices ranging from $25 for young adults — “Gen44” — to $2,500 for VIPs." Politico also notes Obama's email message from this morning to supporters:

“We’re doing this now because the politics we believe in does not start with expensive TV ads or extravaganzas, but with you — with people organizing block-by-block, talking to neighbors, co-workers, and friends,” he says, explaining why the launch is coming more than 19 months before Election Day. “And that kind of campaign takes time to build.”

“So even though I’m focused on the job you elected me to do, and the race may not reach full speed for a year or more, the work of laying the foundation for our campaign must start today,” Obama continues in the written message. That includes fundraising for what could be the first-ever $1 billion campaign.

The Caucus points out that unlike his change message in 2008, "Now, Mr. Obama must defend his own unpopular wars, an economic recovery that remains fragile, fiscal policies that have drawn skeptics and energy policies that have stalled in the face of natural and manmade disasters. And most of all, the president must find a way to explain how he made good on promises to change the way Washington conducts itself in spite of a brutally divisive health care fight and an ongoing budget standoff that appears to have bogged down in the same politics that Mr. Obama decried as a candidate in 2008."

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on April 4, 2011 8:30 AM

Comments [rss]

Fadlo K. Shell

It doesn't matter... no matter how Obama fares in the election, we the people will remain Corporate America's bitches.

Karim Hassanein

can't say bitch here. toothfairy will get you.

JesseCal

Here is the crux of the matter holding the American Economy in check today:
While there has always been uncertainty in American business life- there has always also been a degree of predictability. . . What the current administration has fostered with it utter lack of socio-political and economic leadership is: uncertainty without a degree of predictability. . . and as they used to say in the early 20th Century. . . "That's no way to run a railroad!"

HypocraticOath

If you are going to yammer on incessantly, you could at least turn off the fucking bolded type.

JesseCal

I am going to: 'cessantly' (read: 'stop') yammering. . .

In a message dated 4/5/2011 12:37:14 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
writes:

HypocraticOath wrote, in response to JesseCal:

If you are going to yammer on incessantly, you could at least turn off the
fucking bolded type.

Link to comment: http://disq.us/1ldo7z

Jeremy Pike

Yes, the lady wants housing and jobs for her kids. I have been looking for a job for 4 months and I haven't been able to pay rent the last 2. Where's my hope and change Obama? Why are my over fifty applications floating around ignored? Where is the job creation? This isn't the "hope" and "change" I voted for in 2008.

Fadlo K. Shell

As a person on the left, I have a fairly low opinion of Obama. He seems superficially intelligent and a competent speaker, but IMO has few other redeeming qualities. In fact, I voted for Nader in 2008 after Obama's proverbial backstabbing of Jeremiah Wright and his FISA doublecross.

But to lay the blame for America's decline solely at Obama's feet is just absurd. He, just like John McCain, John Kerry, George W. Bush, Al Gore, Bill Clinton, and anyone else in the running to become President of the United States is simply a wholly-owned subsidiary of the banks and global corporations who've ruined so many lives. He's precisely the kind of change they want. Change the window dressing, and hope the peons shut up and forget.

69GeorgeWBush69

There was an excellent opinion piece about this very same topic on the NYTimes last week. Basically, said that Obama did jack shit to reform Wall Street when he had the opportunity, likely because he is bought just like every other pol. Anyone know of any 3rd party candidates I should be looking at?

Guest

you don't vote for jobs. you apply for them and get them by having skills worth paying you for.

your comment reveals a grave misunderstanding about the conditions that precipitated your unemployment and the recession.

69GeorgeWBush69

Do you think there's some button on the President's desk that's labeled "Create Jobs" that he can just push to stimulate the economy and make everything great and prosperous? Why do people think the President is some magical wizard who can make the US into a utopia in a matter of 3 years. If you read the news over the last few months you'd notice the economy is on the upturn. As far as being unemployed, maybe you're not marketable?

unretrofiedforu

The economy is not on the upturn. NIce assumption; I hope others look at you with those type of eyes next time you apply for a job.

You can really pay half the poor to kill the other half, as evidenced by the above post.

JesseCal

You're Right! O-Ba-Ma wins. . . America Goes Bankrupt. . . and we all learn to speak either Chinese or Farsi! And the American People are numbed into silence by watching Dancing Wit' Starz. . . and American I-Doll ~~ And the Republican Party can't even field a candidate for the Presidency who has something on the ball !!
Thank goodness I lived a full life during what has turned out to be the Golden Age of America. . . and here I am- watching a 21st Century replay of the Fall of the Roman Empire! (My uncle Tony was 100% correct when he intoned his philosophy for living well here in America: "Rich or Poor. . . it's good to have money!")

BTW: If you find bold type too difficult to read. . . I suggest you use two fingers instead of just one!

unretrofiedforu

::facepalm:: - I hope you know how to use a gun and ride a horse. Keep spouting idiot sayins like that - you're gonna need it in the future.

JesseCal

Hey- If you liked that one: Here's another:
"It's alway better to be rich and health- rather than poor and sick!"

JesseCal

Obama- What a ZerO!

69GeorgeWBush69

go back to the nypost comments section

Guest

for reals.

JesseCal

A Political Neophyte-> turned Political Opportunist-> turned Political Hack! An 'Empty Suit' who has absolutely nothing to say but bumper-sticker slogans interspersed with clichés - but says it well. . . the man is a good speaker- at a time when America needs a great Leader!!

Ph

Yeah it's going to be funny when he gets re-elected too.

JesseCal

We'll see. . . I don't think the American People will 'get-it-wrong'. .
. twice in a row! However, it will be FUNNY if he does get
re-elected. . .but the joke will be on the American People!

In a message dated 4/5/2011 9:23:20 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
writes:

Ph wrote, in response to JesseCal:

Yeah it's going to be funny when he gets re-elected too.

Link to comment: http://disq.us/1lbwmy