Barack Obama 2012 Campaign Officially Launches (VIDEO)

It's official: President Barack Obama will run for reelection in 2012.

The president's intention to seek another term was announced in a video sent to supporters via email and text message on Monday. Over the weekend, multiple outlets reported that the launch of Obama's reelection campaign was imminent.

By filing papers with the Federal Election Commission, the president can begin fundraising for his 2012 operation. In 2008, Obama secured a staggering $750 million in his bid for the White House. ABC News reports that some believe he "may cross the threshold and could become the first $1 billion presidential candidate" next year.

Jim Messina will serve as campaign manager for Obama's reelection effort. He worked as deputy chief of staff to the president for two years until last January. Chris Cillizza at the Washington Post notes that many of the names who helped Obama win in 2008 will be on board to advance his second presidential campaign.

The president's 2012 headquarters will be based at One Prudential Plaza in Chicago. The location sits just a few blocks away from where he gave his victory speech in 2008 at Grant Park.

On Monday morning the Obama For America website greeted visitors, "This campaign is just kicking off. We're opening up offices, unpacking boxes, and starting a conversation with supporters like you to help shape our path to victory." The site also includes a store with Obama-Biden stickers and apparel for sale.

FULL EMAIL SENT BY OBAMA FOR AMERICA:

Friend --

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:

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:

http://my.barackobama.com/2012

Thank you,

Barack

Comments

[Willow67]

03:12 PM on 05/16/2011

YES!!!!!!! The TIME IS NOW!!!!!!!!!!! STRANGE THINGS ARE HAPPENING!!!!!!!!!!! MAY IT BE!!!!! MAY IT BE!!!!! 2012 FOR AMERICA WITH BARACK OBAMA!!!!!!!!!! He has been given the GO AHEAD and HAS THE WORLD"S ATTENTION NOW!!!!!!!!!!! PATIENCE is NOW BEARING FRUIT, and the WINDS ARE CHANGING DIRECTION!!!!!!!!!! SO BE IT!!!!!!!!!!! SO BE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Winonaah]

07:19 PM on 04/07/2011

I’m EXCITED!! Who’s excited? I’m excited. I am in 100% and can’t wait to get it done, WHAT? Again!! Was he bold, dangerous, have all the answers? That is ol’ school. Obama is a millennial-age leader who uses his heart and brain instead of brass b’s and brawn. Did he undo in 36 months the mess it took 10+ years to make? I won’t lengthen this comment by trying to convince the blind of what Obama did accomplish. For some it is unfathomable that he is the POTUS and/or literally crazy-making. And for some of us it is miraculous that he was able to do anything in a culture of hate and with people who would rather sell their souls and the souls of their children and yours too, than see this country make a comeback under his watch (or at all). I look forward to doing twice as much as I did in ’08 to make sure that all the things the Republicans and their ilk (Tea Partiers and Corporate Persons) have done and plan continues to be what it is: a scary movie.
Obama ’12.

[utspartan]

02:16 PM on 04/05/2011

What more proof do you need that BOTH parties are the same...we just have a iberal and conservative faction of a power struggle. They both have the same agenda Bush is a war monger Obama is a war monger. Bush passed on tax relief to the wealthy Obama passed on tax relief to the wealthy. Bush chose Bernanke to head the fed Obama chose Bernanke to head the fed.

Dr Paul has a agenda BOTH liberty minded liberals and conservatives can embrace. End the war, End the fed, End the IRS, yu wanted change in 08...ive Dr Paul a hance...you will have REAL chnge we can believe in

[treadway123]

11:38 AM on 04/05/2011

We certainly did not deserve this good man. The way they have treated this President I would not have been surprised if he didn't run again! He waded through the hate of the Republicans every day,trying to take us above the meaness/anger an damage they threw at him--------Yet he dodged them with skill, cracked the smile an said,"I still know we can work together if we try". All the while he lead us through the steps of a new N.H Care bill, they repealed DADT, Got billions from BP the first of it's kind for the victims of the oil spill, Worked on woman right bill, drawed down thousands out of Iraq. Responded to the Egypt, Libya, Syria crisis an the humanitariam work needed for Japan Nuclear crisis. Few presidents in history has had so much success with the international nations an Nato as Obama.

[MadJayhawk]

09:24 PM on 04/05/2011

Oh come on. Wake up. You give him credit for undergoing partisan fault finding with a big old smile on his face? The media has given him a total pass. What Palin went/goes through is 100 times worst. What Bush went through is 1000 times worst.

How is anyone going to work with him? He has absolutely no idea what he is doing. He lies. He flipflops. No one trusts him including his own party. The number of people he has thrown under the bus is ridiculous.

On the international front Obama has been an abject failure. Our allies don't respect him. Even the liberal Brit newspapers mock him. He is not a leader. He talks and talks and talks and does nothing. Everyone but you know that. His reaction to BP was a total failure. After telling us he was going to work on the problem in the Gulf every available waking minute, we see pictures of him playing golf. What a leader!!! How long it did it take for him to meet with with the BP president? Everyone with half a brain would have met with BP executives the day after and put a presidential finger in their face and told them to "Fix it and fix fast and you will pay for everything." and then hold a joint press conference showing a prostrate BP president with a presidential boot on his neck.

He is not a leader. He is a total joke.

[sporkymullduggerr]

11:33 AM on 04/05/2011

I think it might be helpful if someone gave us some background on the different personalities Obama has manifested. So far, I'd say there seem to be three.

[sporkymullduggerr]

11:20 AM on 04/05/2011

Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man; and his number is six, six, six.

[garystartswithg]

02:12 PM on 04/05/2011

your tinfoil hat is obviously too tight.

[sporkymullduggerr]

12:00 AM on 04/06/2011

People who use tin foil don't know what they are doing. Unfortunately, the only real thing that works is peanut butter mixed with holy water and small cloves of garlic. If you want to throw in a few bit of crumbled saltines you’ve prayed over that’s ok too but not really necessary. It's very unpleasant, but it works when applied evenly about the head, face and shoulders, under-arms and private areas.

Tin foil is for hacks and posers.

[CAELadyJane50]

10:15 AM on 04/05/2011

I can't help but wonder what differences would have occurred if presidential terms were eight years instead of four years and allowed only to serve one term of eight years and not two?

[a okafor007]

09:56 AM on 04/05/2011

YES WE CAN!!!!!!!!!!! (continue Bush's legacy and not achieve real change that we campaigned on)
http://obamascandalslist.blogspot.com/2009/10/table-of-contents.html

[antonioninomillano]

09:26 AM on 04/05/2011

I wonder what obama is tryingto fool american people.Are you not ashame,give to orher democrats. Please go and enjoy your trillions sir.bye bye yooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

[utspartan]

08:44 AM on 04/05/2011

Obama lied abou the war
Obama lied about "special interests in the White House"
Obama has allowed the fed to go crazy with our economy
Obama Has lied about posting bills days before they are voted on so people may read them
Obama has lied about allowing citizens to "take part" in his administration's government

I offer the answer...all the democrats, republicans, independents here I ask that you consider congressman Paul. He is against the war, against the patriot act, is against the IRS and Federal reserve. There will be REAL reform...not just lip service like we got in 08...Paul has the 100% voting record to back him up...look through the lies and misrepresentations about him and you will see hat he is what we need right now

[jnratliff]

10:48 AM on 04/05/2011

You should love him then. He fits right in with everything your party stands for!

[sporkymullduggerr]

11:29 AM on 04/05/2011

You show me Obama's double, same face, same voice, everything. And I'd know it wasn't Obama. I'd know in my gut. And I'm telling you that 'thing' in the White House isn't my president. Now, I want you to tell me that you know for a fact that there's nothing wrong with him. You tell me for a fact that an exorcism wouldn't do any good. You tell me that!

[utspartan]

11:59 AM on 04/05/2011

I am not holding water for any party...I couldnt stand Bush and my favorite president was JFK....fact is Dr Paul reminds me more of JFK than anyone I have seen since then...the guy wants to end wars, wants to bring down the fed, take on the CIA, and invest in defense NOT the military industrial complex....research for yourselves

[CapitalismIsCancer]

07:35 AM on 04/05/2011

It should be obvious change won't happen through this corrupt political system.

If we really want change, we have to fight.

[markie G]

03:37 AM on 04/05/2011

wha??----wha was dat?---did i hear someone say that barack W bush is running for a 4th term?......

[StrawHat]

03:29 AM on 04/05/2011

Well, we certainly don't deserve him -- we're the most pathetic and ungrateful pack of ruffians, cowards, crazies and bums the continent has ever seen -- but bless him for trying to help us change our ways and do better. One quarter of us want to turn the U.S. into a brutal, soulless and despicable oligarchy; one quarter of us want to turn the U.S. into a cross between a college freshman's fantasy of a socialist utopia crossed with an amusingly appointed gay spa; the rest of us are too busy watching drivel like Jersey Shore and Dancing with the Stars to pay attention as our nation circles the drain. What kind of man thinks we're worth serving and leading? I can't imagine what he sees in us that's worth the effort.

[MadJayhawk]

09:27 PM on 04/05/2011

Don't totally agree with you but love the way you say it. Nice writing.

[tc71087]

01:07 AM on 04/05/2011

I will vote for him again, I think he has been a good president against trying circumstances, and I think that he will lead America well.
Oh, and one more thing, I think we as Americans need to analyze how we view him regarding his race and how that impacts how we have and do view him.

[JRFrogman]

03:55 AM on 04/05/2011

That's right, that is the Cloward–Piven strategy.

[utspartan]

08:49 AM on 04/05/2011

I know personally I do not have any isses with his race. I could care less. I just see al the lies and do not think he is worthy of my vote. If we were out of Afghanistan, Out of Iraq, Out of allied countires (we have tons of troops in Itlay france, germany, england...etc just sitting around.) and he kept his promises about the special interests in the WH he may get some more considerations. However I have seen videos where in his campaign he has lied about 20 things in 5 minutes...thats just uncalled for.

[Tess41]

11:34 AM on 04/05/2011

If this was true, why did you bring up race?? Every time one of you bring up race, it just shows everyone else who the true racists are......

[treadway123]

11:49 AM on 04/05/2011

U followed Bush into Iraq an Afgasastan with out even bugeting it in! Bush gave Millions/Millions tax cuts for the Koch bro's & company! U followed him While he tortured prisoners/oust his own CIA agent! U followed Bush while Billions disappeared down their in Iraq were Halliburton was doing the work. U followed him while we lost 800,000 job, an while Wall st put us into a recession! Yet u all began to complain form DAY ONE as Obama drew us slowly out of the recession, took care of one crisi after another Bush left him, than the upheavel in the middle east.He stood tall an took one crisis after another. History will show him to be one of our best President in many years.

[kat momma]

12:57 AM on 04/05/2011

Things I hear from the bagers about Obama:

He is hiding something on his birth certificate.
He was not born in this country.
He is a socialist.
He has raised the national debt by trillions.
And on and on.

None of this muck convinces me not to vote for him again. However, I will not vote for him if he bombs Libya again or any other country.

[Razpooten]

01:28 AM on 04/05/2011

Just for the record; he didn't bomb Libya, it was a NATO resolution. We didn not join NATO just for those nice hors d' oeuvres they serve at meetings.

[JRFrogman]

03:57 AM on 04/05/2011

So you believe he didn't raise the national debt by trillions!!?!!? Isn't it a little soon to begin rewriting history. People have not had time to forget.