Tipsheet

Obama Launches Re-Election Effort

In a widely-expected move, President Obama officially launched his re-election effort in a relatively low-key way. With an e-mail to his e-mail list, a revamped version of his website and a video, the Obama drive for 2012 is officially underway.

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.

Not that his organization is "new," but it highlights the difference between the President and the rest of the Republican field. Not a single GOP candidate is 'officially' in the race, and the only candidates with exploratory committees are Herman Cain and Tim Pawlenty, with the possibility of Newt Gingrich and Donald Trump getting into the mix.

It's not exactly an electric field on the GOP side right now. Obama's probably thinking he'll sail through 2012.