It's high time that Hillary Clinton settles on a message and unifying vision, Democratic strategist Morris Reid said Thursday.

"'I'm experienced, I'm ready' is not very aspirational. It's not a narrative," he told CNBC's "Squawk Box."

"She needs to figure out a narrative that brings people closer together."

The story lines that have worked best in the past have been inspiring or have spoken to anxieties Americans felt at the time, Reid said. Those include Ronald Reagan's "Morning in America" campaign, Bill Clinton's "It's the economy, stupid" message, and Barack Obama's narrative of hope, he said.