Obama Launches Reelection Campaign

President Barack Obama kicked off his reelection campaign Monday with a video to supporters.

President Barack Obama launched his reelection campaign Monday morning with an e-mail to supporters and a video, It Begins With Us.

"We've always known that lasting change wouldn't come quickly or easily," wrote the president in an e-mail acknowledging that the 2012 race could take more than a year to reach fever pitch. "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."

The e-mail directed readers to a video on the campaign website, BarackObama.com. The video does not feature President Obama but includes the perspectives of supporters from around the country.

"Summoning the grassroots supporters who helped elect Obama in 2008, the two-minute video is an exercise in covering the bases, with backers young and old," reports Politico. "Four of the five people featured in the video come from battleground states, the fifth is a college student from New York."

A filing with the Federal Election Commission is expected Monday so that President Obama can begin fund-raising.