John King of CNN sees Obama as a very negative influence in Democrat Party influence.

When Obama took office Democrats held:

• 58 Senate seats but caucused 60 – a super majority. It is 51 now (plus two independents who align mostly with the Democrats).

• 257 seats in the House of Representatives – another super majority.  It is 190 now (there are also three vacancies for seats last held by Democrats).

• 29 of the 50 governorships. It is 20 as of the disastrous 2010 mid-term elections.  

• 4,073 state legislative seats. It is 3,319 now.

• Lost 736 local and states legislative seats nation wide in 2010. 

Source: John King/ J Smithson

Four years ago, it was a groundbreaking victory for the first African-American to win the presidency. Now, to win four more years, it is a less glamorous but still significant barrier in his way: only Franklin Roosevelt was re-elected with unemployment this high. . . . . . 

You may want to read the full John King article at CNNPolitics