Former Maryland Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley released a YouTube video Friday of him playing a few notes of “Hail to the Chief” on his guitar, the day before he is expected to announce his entrance into the presidential race.
In the 23-second video, O’Malley tunes his guitar, plays a few notes of the presidential anthem and then nods his head in the affirmative.
On Saturday morning, O’Malley will make an announcement at Federal Hill Park in Baltimore, the city where he was once mayor. He then flies to Iowa for an event later in the evening. On Sunday, O’Malley plans to campaign in several towns in New Hampshire.
In recent months, O’Malley, who left the governor’s office this year, has been taking positions to the left of Hillary Clinton, getting substantial media attention in the process. He has suggested that Clinton has been taking more liberal positions to pander to the party’s progressives.
“I believe that we are best as a party when we lead with our principles and not according to the polls,” the Democrat said in April when asked about Clinton. “And every election is about the future. And leadership is about making the right decision, and the best decision before sometimes it becomes entirely popular.”
But so far, O’Malley isn’t seeing results in the polls: the national Real Clear Politics polling average has him at just .8 percent, trailing Clinton, and other potential opponents including Elizabeth Warren, Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Jim Webb and Lincoln Chafee.