Obama Tells Democrat Big Wigs To 'toughen Up,' Start Backing Candidates That Can Actually Win

Former President Barack Obama had blunt words for Democratic Party donors, telling them astatine a Friday fundraiser to "toughen up" and "stop looking for a speedy fix" aft nan Democratic Party became locked retired of powerfulness pursuing nan 2024 predetermination cycle.

"I deliberation it’s going to require a small spot little navel-gazing and a small little whining and being successful fetal positions. And it’s going to require Democrats to conscionable toughen up," Obama said astatine nan fundraiser, according to excerpts obtained by CNN. "Don’t show maine you’re a Democrat, but you’re benignant of disappointed correct now, truthful you’re not doing anything. No, now is precisely nan clip that you get successful location and do something."

Obama is not unsocial successful urging his chap Democratic colleagues to return a much fierce attack pursuing nan GOP's momentum successful 2024. The erstwhile president articulated that his position of becoming much fierce and toughening up intends opinionated up for policies and candidates that are unpopular, aliases that whitethorn make lawmakers consciousness uncomfortable, but successful nan extremity person nan champion chance to deliver. 

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Obama is not unsocial successful urging his chap Democratic colleagues to return a much fierce attack pursuing nan GOP's momentum pursuing 2024. Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and galore different high-profile Democrats person urged their colleagues to get much fierce successful countering GOP policies. (Getty Images; Fox News)

"Don’t opportunity that you attraction profoundly astir free speech, and past you’re quiet. No, you guidelines up for free speech erstwhile it’s hard. When personification says thing that you don’t like, but you still say, ‘You cognize what? That personification has nan correct to speak.’ … What’s needed now is courage," Obama added successful his remarks astatine nan fundraiser, which drew successful $2.5 cardinal and was hosted by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and his wife, Tammy Murphy, astatine their home. 

"Stop looking for nan speedy fix," he added. "Stop looking for nan messiah. You person awesome candidates moving races correct now. Support those candidates." 

The erstwhile president pointed peculiarly astatine nan upcoming elections successful New Jersey and Virginia. Later this year, Virginia will look a awesome gubernatorial conflict betwixt incumbent GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin's Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and erstwhile long-time Virginia Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va.

In New Jersey, Democrat Rep. Mikie Sherrill, who was reportedly successful attendance astatine nan Friday fundraiser, is moving for her state's unfastened gubernatorial spot against GOP campaigner Jack Ciattarelli.

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Rep. Mikie Sherrill said pinch reporters aft voting astatine Hillside Elementary School successful Montclair, New Jersey, connected Tuesday, June 10, 2025.  (Deirdre Heavey/Fox News Digital)

Both states will besides clasp caller authorities House elections and a slate of different section elections. In Virginia, location will besides beryllium a typical predetermination this twelvemonth to switch nan precocious Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va. 

Amid his remarks, Obama described Spanberger and Sherrill arsenic "powerful spokespersons for a pragmatic, commonsense desire to thief group and who some person singular way records of service." 

"Stop looking for nan speedy fix. Stop looking for nan messiah. You person awesome candidates moving races correct now. Support those candidates." - erstwhile President Barack Obama

"The astir important point you tin do correct now is to thief nan team, our campaigner to win," he said. "And we’ve sewage to commencement building up our coffers successful nan DNC."

Obama acknowledged nan party's expanding propensity to nominate progressive, far-left candidates, specified arsenic nan caller prime of Zohran Mamdani complete erstwhile New York Governor Andrew Cuomo successful nan New York City mayoral race, but based on that what they are promoting and what centrist Democrats are pushing are not mutually exclusive.

Member of nan New York House of Representatives, Zohran Mamdani attends an arena astatine nan National Action Network House of Justice successful Harlem, Manhattan, New York, United States connected June 28, 2025.  (Kyle Mazza/Anadolu)

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"There’s been, I gather, immoderate statement betwixt nan near of nan statement and group who are promoting nan quote-unquote abundance agenda. Listen, those things are not contradictory. You want to present for group and make their lives better? You sewage to fig retired really to do it," Obama said Friday.

"I don’t attraction really overmuch you emotion moving people. They can’t spend a location because each nan rules successful your authorities make it prohibitive to build. And zoning prevents multifamily structures because of NIMBY," he added, referring to "not successful my backyard" views by residents who reason improvement successful their neighborhoods. "I don’t want to cognize your ideology, because you can’t build anything. It does not matter."

Obama said that what was being asked of his chap Democratic Party leaders was to "make immoderate effort to guidelines up" for what they judge is right, moreover if it makes them a "little spot uncomfortable."

Fox News Digital reached retired to Obama's agency for remark but did not person an contiguous response.