Obama’s blunt message for Democrats: ‘Toughen up’
Obama’s blunt message for Democrats: ‘Toughen up’ | CNN Politics
“I think it’s going to require a little bit less navel-gazing and a little less whining and being in fetal positions. And it’s going to require Democrats to just toughen up,” Obama said at the fundraiser
This is one of those platitudes that is too vague to be of any real value.
It's like telling someone to be confident. "Just figure out what you need to do and do that thing!"
Yeah - the centrists and neoliberals will take this to mean “do more centrist and neoliberal things”; progressives will take this to mean “do more progressive things”; the DNC will take this to mean “give more money to centrist and neoliberal consultants and ignore what people are actually saying”. Not helpful in any sense.
So, in an unironic, but still very sarcastic and disappointed sense: thanks Obama 😒
Seriously, maybe tell the Democratic leadership to pull their head out of their ass and listen to people - as you did back in 07-08, which carried you to victory. And then gasp follow through on what they say, up to and including taking a page out of the GOP playbook - just do things that are helpful to normal people and say “fuck you, make me” when centrists and republicans try to stop you. We now have an imperial presidency, after all, so why not try to use it to do some good when (or if 😓) non-fascists get into power again.
This is exactly it. Unless we get really specific, this shit is more of the same middling platitudes, and different audiences will only hear what they want to hear. Seriously disappointing, and not at all helpful.
Ex-politicians like Obama (but not just him) need to shut the hell up unless they have PRACTICAL ideas that we can use. Someone like Obama should understand that his words have gravitas (love your username btw, fellow Banks fan I presume?), but his rhetoric goes straight in the garbage unless it’s backed by actionable ideas.
It’s a bitch-ass move. He needs to be calling out fascist pigs by name.
This motherfucker is half the reason we’re in the position we’re in. How many whistleblowers and journalists did he prosecute?
We see you
Dubba's third and fourth term.
It's kinda ironic, I don't know whether this reflects how the guy actually thought about his presidency, but when he was in office there was a lot of chatter about the kind of "legacy" his administration would have. I'm fairly certain now that he's gonna be one of those overlooked presidents, seen as a caretaker-administration to all the shit started by GW Bush and a preamble to a lot of what Trump has ran wild with.
Maybe the history books also mention he passed a healthcare bill inspired by the Heritage Foundation and insurance lobbyists.
Yup.
Mr. Obama, you caved on all of the major issues. You were a great candidate, an amazing speech giver, and a mediocre president. And that's OK -- we would be happy with mediocre today -- but you don't get to tell us what's good for the party when you are the perfect example of its biggest problem.
Obama promised to close Guantanamo if elected. He noped out of it almost immediately.
That is a bit of an exaggeration.
A-fucking-men!
"You have great candidates running races right now. Support those candidates,”
So he called out Cuomo by name? No? Who's the coward really? He's out there telling Dems/lefties to get shot in the face by "riot gear" his and his VPs admins put in the hands of police, and he can't even grow enough of a spine to tell Dems to honor their own primaries. What a disgrace. Apparently the protesters and activists are the ones he thinks need to toughen up, because he clearly doesn't think any specific politicians need to.
I noticed that, and that it's a private fundraiser. Ok. When will the DNC actually stop shutting out the voices of the ones who miss needed working hours to vote for your candidate--or not.
He's pleading with people to fund the DNC, when DNC-backed candidates are often the most useless losers on the ticket.
Honestly, I don't care too much about this kind of private fundraising. Do I wish we had a system that was different, yes, but he's not actually running for anything. He's getting money for the party in general. If people wanna pay X to have dinner with Obama, I'm pretty indifferent about it. It's like a rent party for people who have no community, no solidarity, and no sense. I wish they would donate directly to candidates that need the support because I don't trust the DNC to make any decisions, but they probably would not be donating to the people I want anyway.
I think town halls are important though and if a candidate only has time for fundraising and not to listen to their constituents then that's a problem. Unfortunately these kind of fundraising events are the way a lot of Dems get funding since they don't actually inspire people with their platform.
As Democrats debate who should lead the party, Obama encouraged them to channel their energy into the governor’s races in New Jersey and Virginia, saying the off-year elections could be “a big jumpstart for where we need to go.”
“Stop looking for the quick fix. Stop looking for the messiah. You have great candidates running races right now. Support those candidates,” Obama said, calling out the New Jersey and Virginia elections, according to the excerpts of his remarks.
RTFA
I did read the article. I even quoted it. That absolutely does not address the fact that pouring money into races (which he said needs to be done in the article) is useless if the candidates don't actually help people. The NJ race features a 53 year old who's been an office holder since 2018. She's part of the "New Democrat" caucus who are pro business centrists.
He's calling for more of the same. He's not asking for "hope" or "change". I mentioned NY because that is an example of what the future of the party should actually look like.
Cuz the man who gave up Universal Healthcare to give us fucking Romneycare while having total control of the govt really knows how to play hardball.
I don't like Obama much - his drone strikes and war-hawkish policy nor bailing out the banks when he had them over a barrel, but i'm tired of this bullshit narrative.
House control: yes, no question.
Senate control: barely.
Obama would not have even been able to pass his bank robbery 'stimulus' without three Republicans crossing the aisle to vote for it in early 2009. Yes, very much a man with 'total control' of the government..
Obama had just 4 months with senate control, and that whole time it was on a knife edge. 60 (of 100) votes are needed to bring legislation to the floor to even be voted on without filibuster. So for 'total control' a party needs 60 seats/votes in the senate. The dems had 57 in Jan 2009 at the start of Obama's congress, with 2 independents (Bernie and Joe Liebermann) who caucused with them, taking them to 59. Republicans had 41.
That 59 included Ted Kennedy whom had a seizure during an Inauguration lunch of Obama's (he was privately dying of brain cancer) and he never returned to vote in the senate - dropping the number to 58. Also, Al Franken was not seated until july due to a very close election in his seat and multiple recounts - until then the number was 57.
Long story short by September 24th they finally had 60 seats.. But democrats are not a monolith. Just as there are Manchins and Sinemas and other 'Democrats' in recent memory that are barely left of Ted Cruz, there were several of similar ilk back then like Max Baucus, Kent Conrad, Ben Nelson - and their independent caucus member Joe Lieberman, mentioned earlier - who all fought against much of Obama's legislation, for example with respect to Obamacare they quashed any chance of a public option and single payer.
So did he have control: technically, briefly. Could Obama just run through any legislation he wanted during that time? Absolutely fucking not.
He's a fucking coward. First time in my lifetime that Democrats had a 60-40 majority, and he totally compromised.
The audacity of hope through the governing of what’s possible.
Yeah, that'll get the neoliberals fired up. Jesus Christ.
Bring back the Bull Moose party. We need FIGHTING progressives. I’ll do it if no one else will
Post the website when you're done.
coming from the guy who helped to pay the way into trumpism... yeah they should "toughen up" but it should've come already in his tenure.
Literally the guy who said "we need to look forward, not backward" when it came to prosecuting the Bush admin for fucking war crimes of all things and then expanded, codified, and legalized the mass surveillance and the drone wars... Which are now all being used against US citizens.
That is rich coming from him.
yes, its the navel gazing voters who are to blame here:
128 Dems shot down the trump impeachment push recently. https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-impeachment-aoc-al-green-democrats-vote-b2776294.html
16 Senate Dems Join GOP to Advance Crypto Bill—A Gift to Trump’s ‘Reeking Corruption’ https://www.commondreams.org/news/senate-democrats-genius-bill-advance
A Tale of Two Resolutions: 75 Dems Join GOP in Resolution Praising Trump’s Mass Deportation Regime https://jonathancohn.medium.com/a-tale-of-two-resolutions-75-dems-join-gop-in-resolution-praising-trumps-mass-deportation-regime-15cf590770ea
Democrats join Republicans in sanctuary city crackdown https://www.usconstitution.net/why-some-democrats-joined-republicans-in-a-sanctuary-city-crackdown/
Dems join Republicans to boost defense spending in Trump agenda bill https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/04/29/congress/dems-join-gop-to-boost-defense-spending-00317618
Texas Democrats join Republicans to place citizen voting requirement on statewide ballots in 2025 after blocking the amendment in 2023 https://news.ballotpedia.org/2025/05/16/texas-democrats-join-republicans-to-place-citizen-voting-requirement-on-statewide-ballots-in-2025-after-blocking-the-amendment-in-2023/
7 Democrats vote for GOP resolution condemning LA protests https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5373771-la-riots-gop-resolution-democrats/
Four Democrats join Republicans to pass SAVE Act bill that requires proof of citizenship to vote https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/house-vote-save-act-voter-id-b2731102.html
Six U.S. House Dems join GOP in condemning Harris, Biden administration over border policy https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2024/07/25/six-u-s-house-dems-join-gop-in-condemning-harris-biden-administration-over-border-policy/
15 Democrats Join House GOP to Pass ‘MAGA Assault’ on Nonprofits https://www.commondreams.org/news/hr-9495-passed
Some Democrats join Republicans in voting to strike down Biden’s EV mandate https://walberg.house.gov/media/in-the-news/fox-news-some-democrats-join-republicans-voting-strike-down-bidens-ev-mandate
Most Senate Democrats Join Republicans in Calling for Corporate Tax Break https://itep.org/most-senate-democrats-join-republicans-in-calling-for-corporate-tax-break/
Sen. Elissa Slotkin is lone Democrat to cross party lines in vote to revoke California’s EV emissions waivers https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/elissa-slotkin-california-ev-vote-senate/
8 House Democrats join Republicans in voting to strike down California’s electric vehicle mandate https://www.foxnews.com/politics/house-democrats-join-republicans-voting-strike-down-californias-electric-vehicle-mandate
Full List of Democrats Voting to Block California Ban on Gas-Powered Cars https://www.newsweek.com/full-list-democrats-block-california-gas-car-ban-2066890 https://www.splinter.com/35-house-democrats-join-republicans-in-declaring-themselves-enemies-of-climate-progress
Democrats join GOP to kill air pollution, appliance rules https://www.eenews.net/articles/democrats-join-gop-to-kill-air-pollution-appliance-rules/
House Democrats bash Senate colleagues for backing GOP spending bill: ‘Huge slap in the face’ https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5194414-house-democrats-senate-spending-bill/
10 Democrats join with Republicans to censure Rep. Al Green for Trump speech protest https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/06/politics/al-green-censure-trump-protest-house
Senate Democrats join Republicans to gut Dodd-Frank banking regulations https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2018/03/16/dodd-m16.html
62 DEMOCRATS JOIN 207 REPUBLICANS IN VOTE TO CONCEAL GAZA DEATH TOLL https://theintercept.com/2024/06/27/congress-gaza-death-toll-democrats/
81 Democrats Vote With GOP for Military Budget Barring Gaza Death Toll Citation https://truthout.org/articles/81-democrats-vote-with-gop-for-military-budget-barring-gaza-death-toll-citations/
16 Democrats join most Republicans to force administration to send arms to Israel https://jewishinsider.com/2024/05/16-democrats-join-most-republicans-to-force-administration-to-send-arms-to-israel/
Over 20 Democrats join Republicans in House censure vote of Rashida Tlaib over Israel-Hamas war comments https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-live-house-democrats-hold-news-briefing-after-censure-of-rep-tlaib-over-comments-on-israel
‘Deep sense of outrage and betrayal’: House Democrats react to Schumer announcement https://www.npr.org/2025/03/13/nx-s1-5327600/house-democrats-outrage-spending
Can't forget all the votes to confirm trump appointees
Not one single Democrat should EVER vote for ANY MAGA sponsored legislation.
We need Democratic leaders who will resist the MAGA Nazis at every opportunity, and deliberately create more opportunities to resist them, just to antagonize them. Leadership should warm their people before every vote, that Dem crossover voters will be harshly punished. Then DO IT.
The Dem leadership in the Senate, House, and DNC needs to be purged, and replaced with Democratic Warriors. If you aren't willing to go to war against the MAGA Nazis, then you must resign, and make way for someone who will fight.
While I agree I don't think you'll get many Democrats who are willing to put their necks out to stop him now that it's open season for hunting Democrats. What would you do if you were in the Senate or Congress? Would you vote to impeach the Orange Julius Caesar and have your family at the top of every crazy MAGA supporters hit list or are you going to stay quiet, stay low, and don't bring any attention to yourself until you can lose your seat to a republican. One option your kids are targets of domestic terrorists, the other you get to collect a fat paycheck.
Cause if you think the last set of Democrats who were murdered will be the only ones, you're nieve.
yes, its the navel gazing voters who are to blame here:
He was speaking at a private fundraiser, I don't think he was talking about the voters. It was about the party looking around for a strong leader and doing nothing while ignoring the various races that were actually going well against the right.
I don't think we need to hear from the Signature Strike, Surveilance State, and gross expansion of executive power guy right now
Obama, just like the Republican Party is no more under Trump, the Democratic party is no more under Pelosi and Schumer.
There is no true two party anymore. There’s simply the fascists and the enablers.
says the asshole who started the drone war in Yemen
says the asshole who let McConnell and the GOP steal his supreme court seat
I'm sure Chuck Schumer will have a strongly worded letter for this. Wait what am I thinking, Obama is on their side, they'll completely destroy him for this.
“There’s been, I gather, some argument between the left of the party and people who are promoting the quote-unquote abundance agenda. Listen, those things are not contradictory. You want to deliver for people and make their lives better? You got to figure out how to do it,” he said.
“I don’t care how much you love working people. They can’t afford a house because all the rules in your state make it prohibitive to build. And zoning prevents multifamily structures because of NIMBY,” he said, referring to “not in my backyard” views. “I don’t want to know your ideology, because you can’t build anything. It does not matter.”
Claims that leftists and abundance Dems need to work together, then immediately starts promoting the abundance agenda. What a transparent shill.
yeah! what Obama should have told people was that they should ban all muslims and start tariff wars, ya know, like any smart politician would say!
then commit felonies and start a insurrection. Why obama whyyyyyy cant you be perfect!? Why would you enact the ACA-a republican invented idea--then turn around and on us poors!? This is why after my 3rd ex wife left me for (reasons) I decided to burn down the garage move to spain! Damn you Brandy, you tranparent shill who just wanted me to not be a douche!
Right. So, my point was that, while calling for unity between leftists and centrists within the party, Obama is actively promoting the centrists' abundance platform, which makes that call for unity ring hollow. And your point is..."yeah, but orange man bad!"
Well, thank you for that contribution. It's given me a lot to think about.
Is the Hope and Change guy back again?
Haven’t seen him since Jan 21, 2009
“There’s been, I gather, some argument between the left of the party and people who are promoting the quote-unquote abundance agenda. Listen, those things are not contradictory. You want to deliver for people and make their lives better? You got to figure out how to do it,” he said.
“I don’t care how much you love working people. They can’t afford a house because all the rules in your state make it prohibitive to build. And zoning prevents multifamily structures because of NIMBY,” he said, referring to “not in my backyard” views. “I don’t want to know your ideology, because you can’t build anything. It does not matter.”
O noes bougie lib has a points! Quick, blame something on that centrist think tank that went bankrupt in 2011!
“I don’t want to know your ideology, because you can’t build anything. It does not matter.”
Dag, yo.
Thanks Captain Hindsight! Nothing can go wrong with openly opposing a newly minted and poorly organized fascist upstart with a well funded secret police.
Sorta off topic, but ive been playing the game We Happy Few recently, and I want so badly for them to make an America DLC where you grow up going through American public school and being taught you live in the greatest nation on earth, then you stop taking your Joy and the disillusionment sets in.
Jesus. You know it's bad when even a spineless centrist like Obama is calling them on their shit.
"Stop whining and Vote Blue No Matter Who"
"Great, I'm voting for Mamdani for Mayor"
"WHOA! WHOA! WHOA! Not like that!"
Exactly like that. Quit your bitching and vote for Mamdani.
I don't really remember Obama as spineless lol what is he spineless about?
Look he's a politician they suck but acting like Obama wasn't one of the best presidents we had in like 40 years is silly.
Remember how he ran on hope and change? How he presented himself as a progressive? Then how he failed to close Guantanamo, never even tried to codify abortion rights, didn't bother prosecuting the Bush administration for their war crimes, did a bunch of war crimes himself, and expanded the surveillance state? Because I do.
And like the other commenter said, he completely capitulated to the Republicans when they invented some bullshit about how outgoing presidents aren't supposed to appoint justices or whatever.
You seriously don't remember when Obama went the pro-corporate road at the expense of the American people, or even the globe itself? Really?
The Affordable Care Act. The bailout. The housing bubble collapse. The drone strikes. Letting the courts get stacked. The continued wars in Iraq and Afghanistan... My god, that's like every major issue, isn't it?
Of course he wasn't alone. I'm not blaming him as the only person responsible. But he was responsible, he was a lackluster president at best, and he spent eight years pushing the country towards where it is right now. Millions of us were saying that at the time, and we still are today. If you weren't listening, that's your own fault. If you didn't believe us, that's your own fault.
Supreme Court Justices among other things.
Bailouts, not ending the wars, gave up his SCOTUS pick without even the slightest hint of a fight.
Goldman nutsSachs
Both hin and Biden were actually really good. The main difference is they weren't always hogging the limelight.
During the Reagan administration, Obama would have been Republican.