Obama's re-election: 6 obstacles he must overcome

The president officially announces his re-election bid Monday. But if he wants a second term, commentators say Obama will need to leap some major hurdles

Obama opens his reelection campaign Monday.
(Image credit: CC BY: The White House)

President Obama has officially kicked off his re-election bid with a low-key campaign ad designed to stir up the grassroots advocates who helped him win the presidency in 2008. (Watch the video below.) In an email to supporters, Obama said he did not want "expensive TV ads or extravaganzas," but only to start a conversation with ordinary Americans. It's clear that Obama's path back to the White House won't be an easy one. His poll ratings are at a record low, and Republicans have been surging since 2008 — although no clear front-runner has emerged from their presidential pack. Here, a look at six of the key obstacles Obama must overcome to persuade the electorate to give him another four years in charge:

1. Lousy poll numbers

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