Obama video kicks off '10 election effort

President Barack Obama on Monday made a personal appeal to Democrats to work to keep Democrats in office in this fall's midterm elections.

In a new Web video this morning, the president announced the beginning of his "Vote 2010" initiative.

"A few months ago, we asked you to help us set our priorities for 2010, and let us know how you thought we could win elections at all levels of government," the president says in the new video.

"You told us your first priority was to make sure the same people who were inspired to vote for the first time in 2008 go back to the polls in 2010," Obama said. "So that's what we're going to do."

Obama touted his work on his signature healthcare and stimulus bills, but took aim at Wall Street and insurers in whipping up his supporters for the new effort.

The video kicks off what is expected to be a sustained effort by Democrats throughout the rest of this year to hold onto their majorities in the House and Senate, into which Republicans appear poised to make gains in November.

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) will reportedly spend as much as $50 million in their efforts, to pair with party committees' spending and the funds raised by individual candidates.

Obama's video targets in particular the millions of voters he brought out to the polls for the first time during his presidential campaign in 2008, urging supporters to work to ensure high turnout again in 2010.

"It will be up to each of you to make sure that the young people, African-Americans, Latinos and women, who powered our victory in 2008 stand together once again," he said. "If you help us do that — if you help us make sure that first-time voters in 2008 make their voices heard again in November — then together we will deliver on the promise of change, hope and prosperity for generations to come.”

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