Washington ( CNN ) -- With a short video on BarackObama.com , the sitting president of the United States has launched his bid for re-election . Using what apparently will be one of his campaign slogans , `` It begins with us , '' the campaign has told supporters that the kickoff of the campaign has started and that means the race for contributions is on . The familiar-looking blue `` O '' over red and white stripes is back again for 2012 . And at the bottom of the website , the candidates ' names are clearly identified : OBAMA-BIDEN -- for Vice President Joe Biden . Shortly afterward , Obama sent an e-mail to supporters to say he will also file papers Monday with the Federal Election Commission . `` We 've always known that lasting change would n't come quickly or easily . It never does . But as my administration and folks across the country fight to protect the progress we 've made -- and make more -- we also need to begin mobilizing for 2012 , long before the time comes for me to begin campaigning in earnest , '' Obama said in his e-mail message . He is expected to host his first re-election fundraiser in Chicago on April 14 , according to the sources . The president is making his campaign official slightly earlier than is typical for an incumbent so he can get a jump on fundraising in a season that 's likely to shatter all records . Obama 's team has been asking campaign bundlers to raise $ 350,000 each , no easy task since campaign finance laws limit gifts to $ 2,500 per donor . Two sources tell CNN the campaign team hopes that in total its bundlers will raise $ 500 million , leaving the campaign to raise another $ 500 million and amass a record-breaking $ 1 billion war chest . According to these sources , the president has made calls to top donors , and conference calls are planned this week to supporters and key Democratic groups . Biden is already planning to be in New Hampshire on Monday and will meet with key supporters in that crucial early voting state . For the past few weeks , Jim Messina , who will manage the campaign , and Patrick Gaspard , executive director of the Democratic National Committee , have been flying around the country meeting with frustrated donors working to get them re-engaged . So far no Republican contenders have formally announced . But these days , the likely Republican presidential contenders are making endless visits to key early voting states and meeting with supporters across the country . One top Democrat says , `` The Republicans are out there day in and day out beating up on the president -- they 're basically running without filing . So to say we 're going first is n't totally fair . '' This person adds , `` No one wants to start running now . The president is engaged in the country , this is about getting ( campaign ) staff up and running . '' Additionally , top Democrats say two former White House staffers are likely to set up a third-party outside spending group . Former deputy press secretary Bill Burton and Sean Sweeney , former aide to then-Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel , have been approached by Democratic donors who are concerned about countering the influence of Karl Rove and the Koch brothers in the upcoming 2012 election . CNN 's Sam Feist also contributed to this report .
NEW : Obama says he will file papers Monday . NEW : Obama : We need to mobilize `` long before '' the time to seriously campaign . He is making his campaign official slightly earlier than is typical for an incumbent . New York Times reports that Obama has been in Washington since Tuesday, and plans to return on Wednesday morning.