(10-11-2017 05:58 PM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  

(10-11-2017 05:50 PM)tanqtonic Wrote:  

(10-11-2017 04:41 PM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  

(10-11-2017 03:01 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(10-11-2017 01:01 PM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  Obama's reelection campaign officially began in April 2011 when he filed his papers with the FEC, more than two years after he was inaugurated and about 1.5 yrs before the 2012 election.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/...b124a341c3

Trump declared for reelection on the day of his inauguration.

I would love to see campaigns be relegated to only the year in which the election occurs so that law makers don't waste so much time on the campaign trail.

"officially"? Quite a qualifier.

has Trump put in his papers with the FEC? If not, then he is not officially running yet.

Fact is, people start running way before it becomes official. Usually starts with an exploratory committee, and some fund raisers.

Yes, Trump filed on Inauguration Day. That’s why I explicitly stated “officially.”

So:
constant campaign mode early with filing == bad.
constant campaign mode early without filing == okay.

Got it.

Well, one of those is literally, like, your opinion, man.

Unless you can point me to an article that describes an Obama reelection campaign rally, I think there is a difference. The POTUS will always do some campaigning early in their presidency, but it's normally for things like increasing support for a legislative agenda, or for the party ahead of a midterm election. But you don't really see unapologetic and explicit reelection campaigns.

If you can point me towards an obvious, explicit reelection campaign rally that Obama held before he filed with the FEC, then I'll agree with you that he started actually campaigning before he filed. But until you do, it's your opinion, and I do think filing FEC reelection paperwork is important.

The most important aspect of filing at this point is the effect on opposition ads and opposition funding of those ads.

If Trump is "explicit[ly]" running a "re-election campaign" perhaps you can point out any specific re-election banners in his apparent "explicit reelection campaign rallies"? Or perhaps point out any phrases in the speeches that refer to the not-so-soon election of 2020?

I'll grant you Trump used the filing to do the first point in the post. But I dont see a hide's hair of difference between Trump and Obama first year rallies, one that is seemingly so clear to you.

I think both are rather grotesque, but you seemingly see a very stark and obvious difference.