It was kind of a forgone conclusion, but President Barack Obama made it official Monday when he filed his paperwork to run for re-election in 2012. Doing so, Obama becomes the first candidate to officially sign-up for next year's Presidential election in the United States. A little outside the purview and jurisdiction of Guelph Politico, I'll admit, but it's some worthwhile political news just the same.
The disturbing part in all this is that Obama's campaign is reportedly looking to raise $1 billion for his re-election fund. An astronomical number when you consider the ongoing financial situation in the States. And some people think the $300 million we spend here on our elections, across all political parties, is a tough number to swallow.
As for the candidate himself, he still has his well-wishers, but President Obama has been no where near as progressive as his supporters want him to be, and no where as liberal as his detractors accuse him of being. He's let the Republicans set the agenda, even when they're not in power, and has always tried to lead from a position of someone ready to compromise, even though the people he's negotiating with leave no room for compromise. It's a long road ahead, but in Obama's favour, his potential Republican competitors are either too far on the right (AKA: Tea Partiers) to be appealing nationally, or they lack the name recognition or general charisma to be viable on the stump.
Anyway, here's a letter from Obama announcing the kick-off of his campaign.
Today, we are filing papers to launch our 2012 campaign.
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. 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.
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 mobilizing for 2012, long before the time comes for me to begin campaigning in earnest.
As we take this step, I'd like to share a video that features some folks like you who are helping to lead the way on this journey. Please take a moment to watch:
Watch the video
In the coming days, supporters like you will begin forging a new organization that we'll build together in cities and towns across the country. And I'll need you to help shape our plan as we create a campaign that's farther reaching, more focused, and more innovative than anything we've built before.
We'll start by doing something unprecedented: coordinating millions of one-on-one conversations between supporters across every single state, reconnecting old friends, inspiring new ones to join the cause, and readying ourselves for next year's fight.
This will be my final campaign, at least as a candidate. But the cause of making a lasting difference for our families, our communities, and our country has never been about one person. And it will succeed only if we work together.
There will be much more to come as the race unfolds. Today, simply let us know you're in to help us begin, and then spread the word:
Thank you,
Barack
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