2012

Obama Readies Campaign Start

As early as Monday, then fundraising trips.

Here we go. President Obama may officially start his 2012 reelection campaign as early as Monday, sources familiar with the decision tell The Wall Street Journal. After his announcement, Obama plans to head to Chicago for a fundraiser, then New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Obama's team also plans to hold “Gen44” events geared toward young voters. His decision to launch the campaign in the midst of budget negotiations and a potential government shutdown will likely irritate some Democrats concerned that he'll be too focused on crafting a 2012 strategy. It's already drawn fire from Republicans, with RNC communications director Sean Spicer attacking the president for working on his reelection “at a time when millions of Americans continue to be out of work.” Despite fundraising by former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and an exploratory committee by former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, no Republicans have officially entered the field.