Democrats counting on President Barack Obama simply to pass the torch to Hillary Clinton in 2016 may be in for a letdown, if one Washington political expert's analysis is correct. With the commander-in-chief's approval rating below 40 percent, voters may not be so quick to embrace the former first lady and secretary of state, considered in many circles to be the presumptive Democratic nominee in the next presidential election. That's according to Greg Valliere, chief political strategist at Potomac Research and a respected voice in analyzing what happens at the intersection of Wall Street and Washington. He sees Democrats viewing Clinton as not only the likely nominee when Obama's term expires but also his anointed successor, an impression he believes is mistaken.

Hillary Clinton Adam Jeffery | CNBC