Independent Groups backing up Obama's re-elect

Democrats with strong ties to Obama are unveiling a double-fisted fundraising push to counter an expected tidal wave of money from independent GOP-leaning groups in the 2012 battle for the White House. Organizers say the two groups launched Friday, Priorities USA and Priorities USA Action,  aim to raise a combined $100 million to defend the president from what they say will be a flood of attack ads from similar independent groups on the Republican side.
"This is an effort to level the playing field. Americans deserve an honest debate about job creation, the economy, national security and education. That debate will never happen if only right wing extremists are engaged on the battlefield," says Sean Sweeney, one of the two organization's senior strategists.

While Republican-leaning groups took the lead in last year's midterm contests, Democratic-leaning groups appear to be catching up this year, with the recent creation of organizations to help defend the party's Senate majority and to help try and recapture control of the House.