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Even as President Barack Obama's re-election effort is powering toward an impressive early fundraising haul, campaign officials are trying to reassure donors who have concerns about a range of policy decisions and pace of change during Obama's first term.

Obama seemed to acknowledge the dampened expectations Thursday during a fundraiser in Philadelphia, telling campaign donors that he knew there would be setbacks in governing, just like he faced setbacks during his campaign in 2008. But he appealed to supporters to show the same vigor they did more than two years ago to send him to victory.

"I understand that sometimes generating the same energy is difficult," he said at an event later. "We've gone through two years of very difficult work." He then added, with a chuckle: "My hair is grayer. I'm not as young and vibrant as I was."

Obama's team hopes to raise $60 million for the campaign and the Democratic National Committee when the latest fundraising quarter ends Thursday. Obama and the Republicans competing for the GOP nomination will file quarterly reports that will be disclosed by mid-July, offering the first extended look at each campaign's financial health.

Obama is expected to demonstrate a whopping fundraising advantage over the entire GOP field, including former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who is expected to post as much as $20 million. But Obama's team is leaving little to chance, hoping to prove through fundraising success the president is strongly positioned for the campaign ahead.

"Come next fall, people might not remember this date — or make the connection between the strength of our campaign then and the steps we took in these early months," campaign manager Jim Messina told supporters in an e-mail. "But anyone worth their salt in politics knows (Thursday) is one of the most important tests we'll face as a campaign this year."

As it seeks both big checks and small donations, however, Obama's finance operation has had to mend fences with donors who are ambivalent or even angry about some policy matters.

The money raised this quarter will help jumpstart the Obama campaign's organizational efforts, which are seen as increasingly important as the economy remains stagnant and Obama's standing among some voting groups has fallen.

Obama's team has more than 300 so-called bundlers on its national finance committee who are being asked to raise at least $350,000 apiece for the campaign — a sizable increase from the $100,000 top donors were asked to raise in 2008. Several other potential bundlers are being recruited to join the team.

Chasing a broad donor base, the campaign said it had attracted more than 480,000 donors prior to Thursday's deadline.

First lady Michelle Obama also has hit the fundraising circuit, headlining three events in Los Angeles earlier this month, including one at the home of interior designer Michael Smith that raised more than $1 million. She was holding three DNC events Thursday in New England — a luncheon in Boston followed by a stop in Burlington, Vt., to attend a reception and dinner.

Other big events are on the horizon. Top donors say a large fundraiser in Chicago to celebrate Obama's 50th birthday on Aug. 4 is in the works, along with other events.


translation, the days of hopenchange and the novelty of obama, and the historic nature of it all has worn off, and now he has an abysmal record to run on. so in order to have a chance at re-election, he's going to have to buy his way back into office, but even that isn't easy, because of his abysmal record. so to raise the huge sums of money they need (remember he was supposed to raise a billion dollars, but they've since backed off of that) he's out campaigning more than any other president in recent history. jet setting all over the place at taxpayers' expense, because he throws in some official visit in between fundraisers. all i can say is, if he is going to have a chance, then he's going to HAVE to outspend the republicans. and since he can't run on his abysmal record, and because the country isn't all spellbound by his cult of personality anymore, this is going to be a very nasty campaign.

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Right on.  Obama cannot run on his record...at all.  So the only way he's gonna have a shot this time is to demonize the opposition.  And he'll likely spend tons and tons of money bombarding us with ads and mudslinging (similar to the ryan pushing the old lady off the cliff ad).  and yep...this campaign will likely get extremely nasty.  Already the media has attacked Bachman and she only just announced her candidacy!   Look for the Mormon issue to arise if Romney looks like he's gonna win.  They'll attack Herman Caine's intelligence.  If Gingrich is still around, they'll hit him for past affairs and his wife.

I'm really hoping Gov Rick Perry decides to run now.  They'll attack him for just being a Texan and try to link him to Bush.