President Obama formally launched his 2012 re-election campaign bid releasing a two minute video entitled "It Begins with Us" and by filing the necessary paperwork with the Federal Electoral Commission. The video is above all an appeal to the vast grassroots network that the Obama campaign built in 2007-2008 to rejoin the effort.

The video brings together five supporters from the first campaign, each representing a key component of the Obama coalition that helped to propel Barack Obama to the presidency. First off there is Ed, a white, middle-aged man from North Carolina that Obama narrowly captured in 2008, says that although he doesn't agree with Obama "on everything, I respect him and I trust him." Then there is Gladys, a Hispanic mother from Nevada, another key battleground state, who admits to being "nervous" but adds this is an "election that we have to win". The third Obama supporter is Katherine from Colorado, another state that Obama won in 2008 and would need to hold in 2012, who argues that "politics at the grassroots level is individuals talking to other individuals and making a difference. "

Representing the critical under 30 demographic is Mike, a student from New York, a state not likely to be a battleground, who resurrects the H-word saying "I just saw the energy and hope he had for this country. Even though I couldn't vote at the time, I knew that someday I'd be able to help re-elect him. And that's what I plan on doing." The last Obama supporter is Alice, an African-American from Michigan, a rust-belt state that continues to be battered by the economy, who makes the argument that this time around it's incumbent upon Obama supporters to get the President re-elected given that President has a job to do.

The video does not include Obama’s voice nor does it tout any of the President's accomplishments. However if there are takeaways to be gleaned, it seems clear that the President is going to run more on character and judgment than on his record and that women will be a key demographic come November 2012. In 2008, 56 percent of the female vote went to Obama, exceeding the usual Democrat gender advantage. And by choosing supporters in states like Nevada, Colorado and North Carolina, the Obama campaign is signaling that it intends to replicate some of the surprising if narrow wins in the states that normally vote GOP.

In conjunction with the video, the Obama campaign sent out an email to supporters. That email is below the fold.

From: Barack Obama
To: Charles Lemos
Sent: Mon Apr 04 06:50:48 2011
Subject: 2012

Charles --

Today, we are filing papers to launch our 2012 campaign.

We're doing this now because the politics we believe in does not start with expensive TV ads or extravaganzas, but with you -- with people organizing block-by-block, talking to neighbors, co-workers, and friends. And that kind of campaign takes time to build.

So even though I'm focused on the job you elected me to do, and the race may not reach full speed for a year or more, the work of laying the foundation for our campaign must start today.

We've always known that lasting change wouldn't come quickly or easily. It never does. But as my administration and folks across the country fight to protect the progress we've made -- and make more -- we also need to begin mobilizing for 2012, long before the time comes for me to begin campaigning in earnest.

As we take this step, I'd like to share a video that features some folks like you who are helping to lead the way on this journey. Please take a moment to watch:

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.

We'll start by doing something unprecedented: coordinating millions of one-on-one conversations between supporters across every single state, reconnecting old friends, inspiring new ones to join the cause, and readying ourselves for next year's fight.

This will be my final campaign, at least as a candidate. But the cause of making a lasting difference for our families, our communities, and our country has never been about one person. And it will succeed only if we work together.

There will be much more to come as the race unfolds. Today, simply let us know you're in to help us begin, and then spread the word:

http://my.barackobama.com/2012

Thank you,
Barack