Obama getting a late start on campaign season

Then Sen. Barack Obama campaigns in this 2008 file photo

/ AP

President Obama has yet to launch his first official campaign swing, and his advisers say they may wait until later this spring, a move that would mean he will embark on his re-election tour at a later stage than President George W. Bush or President Bill Clinton.

The main reason being that Republicans have yet to decide on a nominee and the Obama team doesn't want to interfere in the bitter Republican family feud.

According to records by CBS' Mark Knoller, Mr. Clinton began campaigning early in the year. His first official campaign swing, on February 2, was a two-day trip to New Hampshire, with stops in Manchester, Concord, Nashua, Salem and Merrimack - even before Republicans had started their nomination contests.

In 2004, Mr. Bush got a later start, waiting until after Sen. John Kerry was declared the presumptive nominee, but he still didn't wait as long as Obama plans to. He held his first campaign rally in Orlando, Florida on March 20 and started attacking Kerry right out of the gate. "My opponent clearly feels strongly about each of these issues," he said, "so strongly that one position is never just enough."

And although Mr. Obama has made a few, indirect, swipes at Mitt Romney lately - on housing, the auto industry and the poor -- his team is happy to stand back and let the Republican candidates duke it themselves. They're hoping the fight goes as many rounds as possible.

"Clearly the [Republican] primary could go on for some time," said one of the president's closest political advisers, "and the shorter the campaign the better."

While the Chicago operation waits to engage, they will instead focus on stockpiling cash. And back at the White House, the president will continue to travel the country doing official events centered on his jobs agenda.

Still, even come April, Mr. Obama won't be able to devote himself to the full-time stump.

"He has a day job," said campaign manager Jim Messina in January, "his schedule just doesn't allow him to do very much fundraising."

[HarryOrielly]

The incredible Obama HOAX- the only president in history to hide his past history- he even surrendered his LAW license to avoid investigation of his past- and the only president with an alias name- "BARRY SOETORO" is NOT an honest man but a master swindler- because he has the backing of super-rich power moguls who control the newsmedia and spent millions in covering up his past and keep his criminal past history out of yhe newmeedia- Obama is a FRAUD who has deceived America-

[lovethiscountry]

This must have been a White House Press Release! Too funny!!

[RobAla]

President Obama has been in campaign mode since he entered office. He has bashed one group of Americans after another since day one, even the Supreme Court. Politicians are famous for telling lies while in campaign mode. Right after taking office, February 2009, President Obama promised to cut deficit spending in half by the end of his first term. Now, that was a whopper. Instead, President Obama ramped up federal deficit spending to historic levels. Politicians are famous for making false promises to give people things. President Obama promised his stupid and bogus stimulus spending would ensure that unemployment never got as high as 8%.

He has never stopped campaigning. Give me a break.

[wfw3536]

The person who wrote this headline should be ashamed of themselve, as Obama is out campaigning just about every week. How sad it is that we really do not have many reporters who actually have a mind of their own, instead they are satisfied with reporting the Obama party line each day.

[gep1955]

What utter nonesense. He's been capaigning since 2007. That's all he knows how to do. Given the state of the country his knowledge about being a president is supect.

[raymailhot]

Has he ever stopped!

[thekywoman]

Yeah, right. He has appeared on every news and talk show that will have him over the last few months. NBC in particular is nosing so deep that it is sickening.

[AngryBob86]

This is the smartest strategy yet. Let the Republicans destroy each other before taking on the winner. The candidate's superPACs have been doing a great job of showing how unelectable the candidates really are. Moreover, regardless of who the nominee is, the other candidates will have provided plenty of ammunition for Obama and his superPAC to use against him in the fall. The SCOTUS gave them unlimited funds to destroy themselves. What a hoot! Republicans should have been careful what they wished for.

[AngryBob86]

This is the smartest strategy yet. Let the Republicans destroy each other before taking on the winner. The candidate's superPACs have been doing a great job of showing how unelectable the candidates really are. Moreover, regardless of who the nominee is, the other candidates will have provided plenty of ammunition for Obama and his superPAC to use against him in the fall. The SCOTUS gave them unlimited funds to destroy themselves. What a hoot! Republicans should have been careful what they wished for.

[jt92202]

He hasn't stopped Campaigning since 2008!!! We the taxpayers are just footing the bill now!!!

[Scott3]

Yeah I saw that on Fox News too.

[raymailhot]

He is so political in all his actions, America gets the feeling he never stopped campaigning!