Obama, Dems to mobilize budget supporters

WASHINGTON, March 15 (UPI) -- Democrats are gearing up an extensive grassroots mobilization strategy to defend and advance U.S. President Barack Obama's budget proposals, sources say.

Obama's formidable grassroots campaign organization is being activated by David Plouffe, manager of the 2008 presidential race, to enlist and mobilize support for the administration's budget priorities and legislative agenda, an unnamed Democratic Party official told the Washington publication Politico Sunday.

The strategy is reportedly a successor to the party's recent efforts to target talk radio host Rush Limbaugh as the leader of the Republican Party and will tap the vast database of supporters and volunteers assembled by Plouffe during the campaign.

Starting this week, President Obama will also begin "engaging directly with Congress more, and speaking more forcefully on behalf of his budget," a top adviser told Politico.

The publication reported others involved in the planning include White House senior adviser David Axelrod; Democratic National Committee chairman and Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine and DNC Executive Director Jennifer O'Malley Dillon.