Obama announced his Presidential re-election bid on Monday. The campaign launched with an email to supporters, mirroring the grassroots spirit of his 2008 campaign.
“We’ve always known that lasting change wouldn’t come quickly or easily,” Obama said in the email, showing that change remains 2012’s political catchphrase.
Despite the fact that Obama is the first “official” candidate for 2012, it is clear that the Presidential race is well underway on the Republican side. Last week, The Minaret examined the political strengths and weaknesses of four prospective Republican candidates. More analysis follows this week:
Michelle Bachmann
CNN reported in April that Tea Party favorite Congresswoman Michele Bachmann plans to form a presidential exploratory committee and line up campaign teams in early primary states.
Among Bachmann’s greatest strengths is her capacity for fundraising — she raised $1.7 million for her 2010 re-election campaign, and $2.2 million during the first quarter of 2011. Her political action committee, MichelePAC, brought in $500,000.
Bachmann founded the Tea Party Caucus in the House, which may provide challenges within her own party, if viewed antagonistically by more moderate Republican leaders.
She has also proved a tendency for historical gaffes, recently saying that the Founding Fathers “worked tirelessly until slavery was no more.”
In addition, Bachmann erroneously told a New Hampshire crowd in March that the state hosted the historical battles of Lexington and Concord, which actually occurred in Massachusetts.
Tim Pawlenty
Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty has long been rumored as a candidate for national office. In 2008, he was high on John McCain’s list of potential running mates.
Pawlenty has strong credentials as a Midwestern conservative, but his greatest challenge continues to be low name recognition.
A February NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll showed Pawlenty being trounced when matched against President Obama—50 percent to 31 percent.
Keep in mind that 61 percent did not recognize Pawlenty’s name.
Mike Huckabee
Former Arksansas Governor Mike Huckabee polls strongly in early primary states, due to exposure from his strong challenge in 2008, in which he won the Iowa Caucus, and as host of Huckabee on Fox News Channel.
Perhaps Huckabee’s greatest strength is his strong standing amongst Evangelical voters. Huckabee is an ordained Southern Baptist minister.
Huckabee has garnered controversy for gaffes, recently misstating that President Obama grew up in Kenya.
“[O]ne thing that I do know is [Obama’s] having grown up in Kenya, his view of the Brits, for example, is very different than the average American.” Obama was born in Hawaii, but spent part of his childhood in Indonesia.
Donald Trump
President Donald Trump? It’s possible. And apparently not out-of-the-question.
A March NBC/Wall Street Journal Poll showed Trump leading in preference among Republican voters, just ahead of perceived-frontrunner Mitt Romney.
Businessman Donald Trump of The Apprentice fame has hinted at the desire to run for President in 2012, beginning with a high profile appearance at CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) in February.
Much of his early polling is undoubtedly due to astronomically high name recognition, but Trump, a multi-billionaire, has business credentials that can’t be ignored.
Trump’s high profile does not make him immune to controversy. Trump recently sparred with Whoopi Goldberg on The View over President Obama’s status as a United States Citizen.
“There’s something on his birth certificate that he doesn’t like,” Trump said, which Goldberg called “the biggest pile of dog mess I heard in ages.”
Micheal Angelo Rumore can be reached at michealangelorumore@gmail.com.