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POLITICO Playbook: OBAMA'S REELECTION CAMPAIGN TO BE RUN FROM CHICAGO & SENATE 2012 (307 hits)

by: Molly Ball and Carol E. Lee

"Never in modern history has a U.S. president attempted to win reelection with a campaign operation based beyond the Potomac. But that's what President Barack Obama is apparently proposing to do. It's a daring move that strategists hope will enable him to recapture some of his 2008 magic. {President} Obama's top advisers have concluded that potential drawbacks to locating the headquarters in his home base of Chicago are outweighed by the benefits they anticipate from a break with precedent. And with Republican contenders already circling, there's a sense of urgency toward beginning to set up the reelection effort. ...

George W. Bush's 2004 campaign, Bill Clinton's 1996 campaign, George H.W. Bush's 1992 campaign, Ronald Reagan's 1984 campaign, Jimmy Carter's 1980 campaign, Gerald Ford's 1976 campaign and, of course, Richard Nixon's infamous Committee to Reelect the President were all based in suburban Virginia or Washington. ... The bifurcation of the campaign and White House locales creates the potential for communication difficulties, but that's less of a concern in the Internet age. And advocates point to Plouffe and Axelrod's long-time working relationship as evidence that the two-headed beast will be of one mind." http://bit.ly/eHPxmS

SENATE 2012 - "GOP candidates rush to get into Senate races: "Less than two months after voters gave Republicans six more Senate seats and control of the House, the GOP is lining up candidates for 2012, well ahead of the pace of previous election cycles. Looking to ride what they hope will be a continuing Republican wave, nine potential challengers, including two each in Missouri and Virginia, already have said they are weighing bids for the U.S. Senate. ...

'I want to do my part in fighting for America's future. That's why I have decided to run for the United States Senate,' Republican Sarah Steelman said in announcing her challenge to Missouri Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill. Former Sen. Jim Talent, too, is weighing a rematch against McCaskill. The two faced off in 2006 and McCaskill won in that Democratic wave.

"Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos has visited Washington to talk about his expected Senate bid against Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson, who won a second term with 60 percent of the vote in 2006. George LeMieux, who filled the last 15 months of Republican Mel Martinez' term through an appointment, might also seek Nelson's seat. ...

Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska, who won by 28 percentage points four years ago, drew an early challenger in state attorney general Jon Bruning just days after last month's election. In Montana, first-term Democratic Sen. Jon Tester has drawn GOP businessman Steve Daines as a challenger. Republican Marc Scaringi has announced a campaign against Democratic Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, another 2006 winner expected to face a tough re-election bid. ...

In Virginia, Democratic Sen. Jim Webb could face a rematch against former Sen. George Allen. Webb inched out Allen in 2006, but Allen has been building buzz for a return to Washington with speeches to tea party groups and less-than-subtle hints he is weighing another campaign." ," by AP's Philip Elliott http://bit.ly/fc4LNh

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