A liability? President Obama's influence will be a mixed blessing for Democrats

President Barack Obama has promised to be an active participant in the presidential race this coming year, something he was not in the mid-term elections that saw Republicans gain power in Washington and elsewhere.

But will he be a plus or a negative for the Democratic nominee? Some argue that he will help bring out Democratic voters and tip the scales in favor of the party, whether it's Hillary Clinton in the driver's seat or somebody else.

Others believe that Obama's perceived weaknesses as a leader will help doom the Democrats to defeat. He especially has come under fire for his lack of responsiveness to the threat of terrorism. And there is always Obamacare for the Republicans to use as a sledgehammer against whomever the Democrats choose.

Whether Obama is a plus or a minus for the Democratic party may prove pivotal in November. But either way, the election will be viewed in large part as a referendum on his eight years in office.

Published in Editorials on December 30, 2015 11:24 AM