Obama Launches 2012 Campaign

President Obama has become the first declared candidate in the 2012 race for president.

By filing his candidacy papers Monday with the Federal Election Commission, the president will be able to start raising money immediately for his reelection effort. He has already tapped a campaign manager, former White House deputy chief of staff Jim Messina, who is setting up the headquarters of Obama’s 2012 operation in Chicago.

But some Republicans are criticizing the president for starting his 2012 campaign while a potential government shutdown looms, unemployment remains near 9 percent and the president recently deployed U.S. forces to enforce a no-fly zone and arms embargo in Libya.

A fundraising appeal by the Republican National Committee asks conservatives to vote on whether golf outings, vacations, fundraisers or White House parties are the president’s top priority.

But, really, would there ever be a time the president could announce to applause from the GOP?

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.