GOP unmoved by announcement

Yes, the president's re-election announcement was somewhat awkwardly timed -- four days before a possible government shutdown. But there is never a spot on the calendar without some drama and crisis.  Republicans are finding the moment less than transformative, calling it a case of misplaced priorities. Their own party's candidates have been slow to announce -- but not out of an excess of concern about the budget.

"What we're lacking is presidential leadership on this issue," Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas said on CNN. "Instead, you see the president really, you know, MIA, and you see him planning his announcement for his re-election bid ... and it's just, kind of, like, you know, where are your priorities?



"Rep. Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican, said on Fox News that "we don't need a good politician; we need a strong leader."

"I find it kind of ironic that the week we're trying to engage the president, the Democrats and the country with an honest debate about our budget, with real solutions to fix this country's problems and prevent a debt crisis, the president is launching his reelection campaign," Ryan said.  Obama's prospective opponents, meanwhile, also got in the game. Mitt Romney tweeted, "@barackobama I look forward to hearing details on your jobs plan, as are 14m unemployed Americans".

Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty released a 35-second video showing bleak images of homes in foreclosure, high gas prices, people in line for work and going-out-of-business signs.  "How can America win the future when we're losing the present?" Pawlenty asks, poking a sore spot in Obama's "Winning the Future" slogan.

The RNC responded with its own "Hope Isn't Hiring" campaign -- was that Joy Behar? -- asking supporters for contributions to defeat Obama's "billion-dollar campaign."

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