In no particular order…

1. Jobs, Jobs, Jobs

We spent $820 billion to keep unemployment below 8%. The national unemployment rate hasn’t seen 8% in years. If we count Americans who gave up looking for jobs, unemployment would be near 11%. Barack Obama simply can’t defend his record on jobs.

2. ObamaCare

The legislation remains as unpopular as ever, if not more so. You have the wildly unpopular individual mandate, sure, but that’s just one element. How about the $500 billion (with a “b”) in cuts to Medicare? I’m sure seniors in Ohio and Florida would love to be reminded of that from now until, say, early November.

3. Lack of Leadership

This is something that hurts Obama with moderates. They see a president missing in action. I personally don’t care where he is and would actually prefer he golf more often, as he’d do less harm. But again, this one hurts him with moderates. Gotta find an effective way to formulate the idea into a thirty-second spot.

4. Scandals

Solyndra can and will hurt him more than many expect. It represents so many problems. Jobs supposedly created with that half-billion dollars? Gone. The lack of leadership on the issue when the company was folding? There was none. Plus the political corruption. Fast and Furious will help in pro-gun states, too.

5. Fiscal Responsibility

$15 trillion in debt and counting. Annual deficits repeatedly topping $1 trillion. And we have a president who wouldn’t understand the idea of fiscal responsibility if it stole his golf clubs. President Downgrade will face a difficult time explaining his record on this issue.