Obama’s 2012 Targets: Romney, Pawlenty, Huntsman

It’s clear whom President Barack Obama fears most in his campaign for re-election. That would be former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the GOP front-runner; former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty; and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman.

President Obama and Mitt Romney (AP photos)

Those are the only three potential Republican presidential nominees listed on the wall of Obama’s new campaign headquarters, The Hill reports.

Obama’s campaign and the Democratic National Committee are certainly keeping an eye on the other candidates as well.

But a Democratic aide told Politico the list indicates whom the Obama crew thinks it will face next November.

Those three are probably the most moderate of the Republican field, which presumably could give them a better chance to win the general election.

The three candidates have the potential to attract the independent voters that Obama will need to win the race, just as he did in 2008.