Obama launches 2012 re-election bid with the help of Facebook, Twitter-PC Magazine

President Obama announced his 2012 reelection bid on Monday, and much as elections in 2008, social network tools front and center.

Obama campaign Web site, barackobama.com, encourages supporters to "Get in with Facebook." Using Facebook Connect, users can pledge their support via their Facebook Wall, and encourage friends to do the same. Obama's Facebook page has about 19 million fans.

Supporters can also say they are "in" via Twitter or email.

Obama said in a Monday e-mail, he is "focused on the job you elected me to do, and race may not reach full speed for one year or more, [but] the work forming the basis for our campaign must start today."

"In the coming days, supporters like you want to begin forging a new organization, which we will build together in cities across the country," he continued. "And I'll need you to help shape our schedule as we create a campaign that is longer to achieve, more focused and more innovative than anything we have built before."

Obama's 2008 election focused strongly on social networks, take advantage of Facebook and Twitter power to get the word out. Opponent John McCain, meanwhile, got some heat admits he was not the most tech-savvy person and run Democrats called a "modem campaign."

No Republicans have formally entered the race against Obama, although potential candidates include Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, Newt Gingrich, Sarah Palin, Tim Pawlenty and Michelle Bachmann, among others.

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