Top Dem Strategist: Obama 'Should Take a Flamethrower to His Office'

A top Democratic strategist tells The Hill President Barack Obama “should take a flamethrower to his office,” clean house, and begin with new staff.

Democrats have struggled to defend and explain Obama’s plunging popularity–a trend that stands to threaten vulnerable Democrats in the upcoming midterm elections.

According to Gallup, Obama’s approval rating is down to just 39%.

“He needs dramatic change–it’s not even a debatable point,” a “prominent party strategist” told The Hill. “The general consensus [is] that the president is surrounded by people who do him more harm than good because they are more focused on pleasing him than they are challenging him or proposing a different course.”

Former Clinton staffer and Democratic strategist Karen Finney agreed: “Any time you bring in new blood, it’s a good idea.”

However, with Obama’s disinterest in management well-established Brookings Institution presidential scholar John Hudak said Obama’s unlikely to suddenly take an interest in management. 

“For a president so disinterested in management, it would be surprising to me if he suddenly became a proponent of better staffing and better management at the appointee level,” said Hudak.

Whether an Obama staffing shakeup will come before the midterm elections is presently unclear.

Voters head to the polls in 23 days.