Things like,
1. I would prefer that a Greek default not produce an international banking crisis or even an international economic slowdown that hurts the US economy. But it is possible (I guess.)
2. I would prefer that Iran peacefully gives up its nuclear program so that Israel doesn’t feel the need to strike Iran and set off a chain of events that at minimum reverse the current decline in oil prices and very likely has greater initial costs. But the formation of a national unity government in Israel combined with the political incentives being such that President Obama will feel more constrained from openly obstructing or condemning an Israeli strike during an election season makes me wonder if such an attack is more likely than not. I hope I’m wrong.
So why do I hope that these events that would hurt Obama are avoided? Because they would hurt me and the people I care about. They (and me!) are more important to me than Obama. And anyway, Romney has a decent chance of prevailing even if Obama (and the rest of us) catches some breaks on Greece and Iran.
One bit of bad news for Obama that I would like to see is the Supreme Court striking down the individual mandate.
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