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By Linda Feldmann
Staff Writer

Four years ago, Barack Obama was the upstart freshman senator, off on a long-shot quest to become the most powerful man in the world.

Now he�s President Obama, The Man, the insider, the politician with the machine looking for four more years. Can he recapture the magic of his historic election 2-1/2 years ago? Does he need to?

The short answer, analysts say, is no and no. It�s well nigh impossible to capture lightning in a bottle twice, but that doesn�t matter. As the sitting president of the United States, Mr. Obama goes into his reelection bid � announced Monday morning via e-mail and Web video � with all the advantages and disadvantages of an incumbent.

�This is a very standard case of: �My agenda is not yet complete. In a second term, I�ll be able to do more great things,� � says Cal Jillson, a political scientist at �鶹�� in Dallas.

Instead of taking the field by storm, as he did in 2007, �this is more grind it out,� Mr. Jillson continues. �He�s already president of the United States. People already have formed opinions. It�s not hope and change anymore. It�s, can Obama�s program continue slowly to create economic recovery and get the country back on its feet and restore confidence.�

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