Politics
Election 2012: Obama launches re-election campaign
While Mr. Romney has yet to flesh out a detailed economic program, he and Republicans in Congress want to extend all the tax cuts enacted during President George W. Bush’s administration that are due to expire at year’s end. Mr. Obama and most Democrats want to let taxes rise for upper-income earners.
The president’s campaign chose Ohio State University and Virginia Commonwealth University for the back-to-back rallies. Mr. Obama won both states in his successful race in 2008, although both have elected Republican governors since, and are expected to be hotly contested in the fall.
Mr. Obama has attended numerous fundraisers this election year, but over the escalating protests of Republicans, the White House has categorized all of his other appearances so far as part of his official presidential duties.
The staging of Saturday’s events eliminated any doubt about his purpose. Official campaign rallies can free Mr. Obama up to take more direct aim at Mr. Romney.
He was introduced in Columbus and again in Richmond by first lady Michelle Obama, and walked in to the cheers of thousands, many of them waving campaign-provided placards that read “Forward.”
While the president is notably greyer than he was four years ago, he and his campaign worked to rekindle the energy and excitement among students and other voters who propelled him to the presidency in 2008.
“When people ask you what this election is about, you tell them it is still about hope. You tell them it is still about change,” he said. It was a rebuttal to Mr. Romney’s campaign, which has lately taken to mocking Mr. Obama’s 2008 campaign mantra as “hype and blame.”
