James Carville’s Advice for the President: “Fire. Indict. Fight.”

Earth to Obama: Time to Panic!

Commenter Janicen linked to this article by James Carville on the morning thread, but I thought it deserved a post. Carville’s advice sounds a lot like what I’d expect Hillary or Bill Clinton to say to Obama if they had the opportunity.

In his piece at CNN.com, Carville says things are not going well, it’s time for Obama to panic! It’s time for the President to completely change course! Carville:

Today I was mulling over election results from New York and Nevada while thinking about that very question. What should the White House do now? One word came to mind: Panic.

We are far past sending out talking points. Do not attempt to dumb it down. We cannot stand any more explanations. Have you talked to any Democratic senators lately? I have. It’s pretty damn clear they are not happy campers.

Carville thinks Obama should fire some of his advisers immediately–in fact he recommends firing a lot of people.

Mr. President, your hinge of fate must turn. Bill Clinton fired many people in 1994 and took a lot of heat for it. Reagan fired most of his campaign staff in 1980. Republicans historically fired their own speaker, Newt Gingrich. Bush fired Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. For God’s sake, why are we still looking at the same political and economic advisers that got us into this mess? It’s not working.

I would add that maybe Obama should find some economic advisers who actually know something about economics, and then try listening to them.

Carville further suggests that Obama’s Justice Department should get busy indicting the corporate malefactors who caused the economic crisis that is hurting the middle- and working-class voters who will decide the next presidential election.

Good luck with that. I doubt if Obama will turn on his corporate masters, even if it means losing in 2012.

Next Carville says Obama should start “mak[ing] a case like a Democrat.” Good luck with that one too. I don’t think Obama is capable of acting like a Democrat. But I’d love to be proven wrong.

Finally, Carville says that Obama needs to

Stick to your rationale for what has happened and what is going to happen under your leadership. You must carry this through until the election (never say that things are improving because evidently they are not).

And to sum it all up, Carville sounds the alarm about what we’ll be facing if Obama doesn’t wake up and smell the failed presidency:

As I watch the Republican debates, I realize that we are on the brink of a crazy person running our nation. I sit in front of the television and shudder at the thought of one of these creationism-loving, global-warming-denying, immigration-bashing, Social-Security-cutting, clean-air-hating, mortality-fascinated, Wall-Street-protecting Republicans running my country.

The course we are on is not working. The hour is late, and the need is great. Fire. Indict. Fight.

If only Obama would listen … but I’m not holding my breath.