Obama to seek re-election; to have election office in Chicago

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama would seek re-election in 2012, one of his close aide has said, as media reports said that his re-election campaign would be based out of Chicago.

"I think it is likely that that's going to happen, obviously," White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters at his daily news conference when asked about a New York Times reports that Obama would be seeking re-election.

"I will say this. I think as the article says, the President is likely to file papers in the future that would officially make him a candidate. But I think it's safe to say, that the President -- we've started and we've made some progress on getting our economy back in order, and I think the President wants to continue to do that," Gibbs said.

The New York Times also reported that Obama has approved the decision to have his campaign headquarter in Chicago.

This is a rare move for a sitting President who normally has his campaign office in the beltway.

Obama has already made certain changes in his administration.

Many members of his administration are moving to Chicago to prepare for the re-election bid.

His Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina will serve as campaign manager, the daily said.

Two 2008 campaign deputies -- Julianna Smoot, the White House social secretary, and Jennifer O'Malley Dillon, executive director of the DNC -- will round out the campaign leadership team.

"White House officials said Obama will formally announce his candidacy around April when he files the official paperwork with the Federal Election Commission," The Washington Post reported on Friday.