CHICAGO - US President Barack Obamaurged Democrats on Thursday to help him "finish the job" at the
first events of his 2012 re-election bid, appealing for highertaxes on the wealthy and a rejection of Republican budgetpolicies.Obama, seeking to reignite the energy of supporters thatpropelled his candidacy in 2008, said "extraordinary progress"has been made during his two years in the White House but"we've still got work to do."
"If you're just as fired up now despite the fact that yourcandidate is a little older and a lot grayer, then I have everyconfidence that we're going to be able to finish the job," hesaid.