Why the hell does Obama have to launch a 2012 campaign right now?

[LLStarks]

He needs to focus on jobs, Libya, and making sure the govt isn't shut down.

[Drunken Irishman]

1. And a year from now, he'll still have a shit load of everything piled on his desk...

So, I guess, under your logic, he won't be able to launch a 2012 campaign then, either.

[LLStarks]

4. It's incredibly selfish at this exact moment. I don't want "Winning the Future" to cloud everything.

[Drunken Irishman]

9. So when isn't it going to be incredibly selfish?

Please, tell me. Because since he's taken office, he's been pretty much busy with everything from Iraq and Afghanistan, to the economy and healthcare.

Do you believe that, six months from now, the clouds will open up and everything will be perfect, allowing him a chance to finally announce his candidacy?

So when do you think is a good time to announce? When unemployment is at a certain number? When Libya is under control (hopefully another nation doesn't seen a uprising!) or are you just going to find an excuse to complain about his announcing no matter when he decides to do it?

[walldude]

2. Because 6 months isn't enough

12 months isn't enough, 14 months isn't enough.. we need 18 MONTHS OF CAMPAIGNING. Just in case you are too dense to remember all the platforms that they already fit into 20 second sound bites.

[Zhade]

37. Given that he doesn't even stick to his platform, or worse violates it...

...six seconds would be enough.

[msongs]

3. which Obama the one that ran in 2008 or the one that has been president 2 years? nt

[jaxx]

15. There is only one Barack Obama.

[Davis_X_Machina]

5. Why am I sure....

...if he didn't, and lost, you'd be right back on here complaining about how his "Rose Garden strategy" cost him the election?

[Wilms]

6. Because he needs as much time as possible to convince Dem voters to get out of bed on election day.

:shrug:

[Drunken Irishman]

11. That must be it!

Forget that Republicans are already lining up to announce their campaigns (which means they can start fundraising)...Obama should wait. Maybe he should announce the week before the election! Yeah!

[Wilms]

18. Did I say the week before the election? No.

If I did, it would be easy to paint me as unreasonable.

What I did suggest, is that this is more of a Get Out the Vote issue. Given the 2010 "shellacking", a lesson should be derived.

As to the Republicans announcing their campaigns, it's well reflected upon in the accompanying cartoon. Obama is a two-term president. The Congress he'll be dealing with, whether one that is more able to support a progressive agenda, or one that makes more of the same more easy to blame on the other side, is what is most at issue.

Would you not agree?

[Drunken Irishman]

20. So when should he?

I still don't see where you posted a date.

Do you really think it's wise, knowing how much right-wing money will be thrown at him, that Obama wait months to announce his campaign? The second he announces, the second he begins raising money.

With the Citizen United ruling, it's going to take a lot of money to beat back the Republicans - who will be well-funded and ready to go.

Obama would be irresponsible to wait until the Republicans announce. Of even later.

[Wilms]

24. I still don't see where I argued about a date?

In fact, I still don't see where you've addressed what I actually posted on either of the two occasions you hit reply.

And I'm really not interested in arguing about a strawman you've defined.

I stand by the two remarks I made.

[Hutzpa]

7. I think i'll just put my feet up for this

:popcorn:

[Warren Stupidity]

8. Because this is the start of the 2012 presidential campaign?

He is supposed to be kept hostage in the white house while the republicans organize and finance their campaigns?

Seriously?

[alcibiades_mystery]

10. Oy vey

:eyes:

[Peacetrain]

12. Because this was when the campaign was planned to be launched..Oy

[former9thward]

13. The campaign cost $800 million in 2008.

It is expected to cost over a billion in 2012. It takes time to raise that much cash.

[ieoeja]

25. And you have to officially declare a campaign before you can raise money for it. nt

[shraby]

14. I believe that the jobs and making sure the gov't doesn't

shut down is up to congress. They have to come up with a budget for him to sign.

[BobbyBoring]

16. This is the fatal flaw in our entire system

We are governed by election cycles. Every act or lack thereof that a politician makes is based on whether it will be favorable or unfavorable with come election day. Nothing really gets done.

[sad sally]

23. And campaign money is the ruler.

The 2008 campaign was the costliest in history, with a record-shattering $5.3 billion in spending by candidates, political parties and interest groups on the congressional and presidential races.

That sum marks a 27 percent increase over the $4.2 billion spent on the 2004 campaign, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, which compiled the figures.

The amount spent on the presidential race alone was $2.4 billion when all candidates and related expenses are included, the center found.

The party presidential nominees – Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain – together spent more than $1 billion, also an unprecedented figure.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15283.htm?du

[JoePhilly]

17. Regardless of what he does, its not the "right time" ... so he might as well do it now.

And get the screaming over with.

[blondeatlast]

26. I think you've got it. nt

[JuniperLea]

29. Yep...

You'd think no one around here ever followed politics!

:rofl:

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

19. This is the "official" start of the campaign. He's been campaigning for president since 2004.

Almost all politicians campaign year around. Every decision is weighed politically.

Politics as usual.

[Scurrilous]

21. ROFL

:rofl:

[JuniperLea]

28. Seriously!

:rofl:

Must be slim pickins in the "I blame Obama" area of concern!

[ReggieVeggie]

22. because he's been running for re-election since day one

like every other first-term president we've seen

[in_cog_ni_to]

27. Chuck Todd says because of $$$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$$$ $$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$

he said they expect a BILLION $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ campaign. Need to start NOW to get the dough.

[JuniperLea]

30. Never followed politics before, eh?

:rofl:

Ah jeez... yes, it is super-silly season.

[Ezlivin]

31. Servicing all those corporate masters takes time

He can't raise $1,000,000,000 by bake sales.

[mcollins]

32. My only question is this:

Why doesn't he just donate his re-election campaign funds to the homeless? Let's say he gets his $1.something billion that some newspapers are spouting as fact and just announce he is going to donate it all to the poor in this country. Can you imagine the right-wing haters freaking out about it! Think of the PR win too.

Why spend a billion dollars on the media whoa re in the tank for the corporations when the President can do something wonderful for the country the right-wing can not even argue against?

[Solomon]

38. Yeah that's the ticket. Just buy the votes.

I can see the outrage now.

[Name removed]

33. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

34. Deleted message

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[Better Believe It]

35. Because he needs to raise a billion or so bucks from Wall Street and big corporate donors?

[Arkana]

36. Cause it really takes a lot out of him to file papers.

:eyes:

[undeterred]

39. Because it costs a fortune to run for president.

[Motown_Johnny]

40. Oh Please, you honestly believe he spent 10 minutes on this?

Please try to grasp reality


He has underlings dealing with all of this. They may mention the status of it now and then but he isn't dividing his focus.

[Canuckistanian]

41. So he can legally accept campaign money

Why else?

[Name removed]

42. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[joe_sixpack]

43. We should love campaigns by now.

That's when political sites get the most energetic, emotional and involved. It's during campaigns when we feel the most excited, positive and hopeful. And if our guy wins we can become downright rapturous and ecstatic.

It's that short period of time -and growing shorter every cycle - between campaigns when the actual governing is supposed to take place that becomes a bit of a bummer. So let's get those bumper stickers and buttons ready. Let's bring on the slogans and get ready to knock on doors and make some phone calls. That way we can forget for awhile the little bit that goes on between elections. Rah, Rah, Rah!