A new urgency has swept into President Obama’s campaign as disappointing fundraising numbers have emerged alongside the shaky economy as a major threat to his prospects for reelection.
While the president’s aides originally maintained they wouldn’t be moving from “zero to 60” when they launched their campaign in May, now, with less than four months until Election Day, it appears they’re pushing down harder on the pedal.
Since his Independence Day break, when Obama took a couple of days of downtime at Camp David, the president hasn’t let up, holding almost daily campaign events. There have been high-dollar fundraisers, a bus tour (complete with handshaking and baby-holding in restaurants, a farm stand and a bakery) and battleground rallies, all of which seek to control the national discussion.
There have been internal changes as well: A new traveling campaign press secretary now accompanies Obama on trips alongside White House spokesman Jay Carney to brief traveling journalists.
And Obama has canceled his annual Martha’s Vineyard vacation next month, likely to spend more time on the road.
A senior Obama campaign official said while there’s some concern about the amount of money being raised on the Republican side, especially by outside groups — including Karl Rove’s American Crossroads super-PAC — “it’s only natural that less than four months before an election … things are going to pick up dramatically for both sides.
“It’s July, and the election is in November,” the official said, comparing Obama’s new schedule to those of previous incumbent presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. “This is crunch time right now, because this is when people are tuning in.”
One former administration official agreed: “You can’t let all the airspace be occupied by the other side. Especially during this election.”
But the former official said the sea change, especially with the tidal wave of GOP cash, is palpable.
“There’s a very real sense of, ‘You can’t just sit back,’ ” the former official said. “There’s so much money on the other side, and we’re in unknown waters. If people are freaked out, I think they should be freaked out. After all, it’s the new reality of American electoral politics. And we’re venturing into the great unknown.”
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4 Responses
He might do better by trying to appear to be more interested in “being” President rather than in being a candidate. As anyone who has ever looked for a job will tell you, convincing the boss of your job skills is more important than convincing him of your interview skills.
your numbers are down and instead of trying to destroy America and put record numbers on benefits, food stamps, disability you should have done something to encourage growth instead of giving money to Solayndra, anf Fisker [who
are by building cars in Finland and another solar company in Mexico.you bow down to kings and SEIU leader which do nothing for the economy. Look at the states that have right to work rules, like Georgia and South Carolina where even AIRBUS is building a factory, to get away from the European
unions you are creating obstacle to force people to join union.
No previous president has ever spent this much time campaigning and fundraising.
Funny how he never passed up a vacation his first 3 1/2 years in office.