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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsFormer President Barack Obama tells Democrats "enough moping"
Beverly Hills, California (CNN) -- Former President Barack Obama, re-emerging into the political fray for a Democratic National Committee fundraiser here on Thursday, had a message for troubled Democrats: Do more than just mope.
Obama peppered his 45-minute appearance with subtle knocks for despondent Democrats, warning that it is not enough to lament Donald Trump's presidency or complain about the impact he is having on the country. Instead, a tie-less and visibly relaxed Obama urged Democrats to back up those concerns with action and avoid the belief that the party is bound to defeat Republicans in November.
"If what you are doing requires no sacrifice at all, then you can do more," Obama told the tony crowd at a sweeping multi-million-dollar Beverly Hills home. "If you are one of these folks who is watching cable news at your cocktail parties with your friends and you are saying 'civilization is collapsing' and you are nervous and worried, but that is not where you are putting all your time, energy and money, then either you don't actually think civilization is collapsing ... or you are not pushing yourself hard enough and I would push harder."
At one point, he turned to the crowd and declared, "Enough moping, this is a mope-free zone."
And the former President even suggested to the roughly 200 donors in attendance, who also enjoyed a performance from Christina Aguilera, that Democrats can't get fixated on the glitz and personality of politics.
"We shouldn't expect (politics) to be entertaining all the time -- and Christina Aguilera was wonderful -- but you don't need to have an amazing singer at every event," he said. "Sometimes you are just in a church basement making phone calls and eating cold pizza."
The fundraiser, the first Obama has done for the DNC this year, is a rare foray into electoral politics for a former president who has spent much of his time focused on two priorities: His forthcoming book, which he is writing by hand on a yellow legal pad, and The Obama Foundation, his non-profit that will eventually be housed in his Chicago library.
But Obama's message on Thursday, sitting in overstuffed armchairs across from DNC chair Tom Perez, was far more a call for Democratic self-reflection than the hope and change the launched him into the White House 10 years ago. At an event that included opening remarks from Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, Obama urged Democrats to not grow complacent and at times validated their fears about the last 18 months.
"This is a moment of great urgency and you are right to be concerned," he said.
At no point in the event did Obama actually say Trump's name. But he did sprinkle his remarks to ardent Democrats, some of whom spent thousands to see him, with plenty of knocks against the opposing party.
"They are mad even when they win," he exclaimed. "Have you noticed that? They don't look happy at all!"
https://www.kron4.com/news/national/former-president-barack-obama-tells-democrats-enough-moping-/1274770460
uponit7771
(90,347 posts)saidsimplesimon
(7,888 posts)Did the media ever spend as much time covering President Obama before, during or after his elections as they do every day on these trash talking members of the rump cartel?
"They are mad even when they win," he exclaimed. "Have you noticed that? They don't look happy at all!"
President Obama
Girard442
(6,075 posts)DeNiro wasnt too discreet to mention Trumps name.
BannonsLiver
(16,396 posts)Obama put his ass on the line for 8 years. Robert De Niro is an actor. Listen to yourself. Its utterly fucking ridiculous.
Response to BannonsLiver (Reply #7)
Name removed Message auto-removed
RandySF
(58,899 posts)Life is that easy.
JI7
(89,252 posts)just like i'm not running for office. i'm glad he said what he did but why compare him to Obama at all ?
Obama was President for 8 years . he put up with a lot of ugly bigoted shit from the right and the so called fuck up left which called him a piece of shit.
Cha
(297,295 posts)I'm betting De Niro would tell you the same thing.
BigmanPigman
(51,608 posts)and change the name and take credit for its success as long as he didn't destroy it.
****
During a question and answer session at a fundraiser with Democratic National Committee chair Tom Perez, Obama said he didn't have "pride of authorship" over the Affordable Care Act and would have been happy if Trump kept the program but called it something different.
"I said to the incoming president, 'Just change the name and claim that you made these wonderful changes and I would be like, "You go,"'" he said to laughs. "Because I didn't have pride of authorship, I just wanted people to have health care."
https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/29/politics/rename-obamacare-obama-trump/index.html
mr_lebowski
(33,643 posts)Really should've been 'Heritage Foundation Care' or 'Federal RomneyCare' ... aside from a few minor details, the whole fucking thing was a conservative idea, hatched up as a way to combat 'HillaryCare' in 1992, which would've been way more like Medicare for All ... regurgitated back up in 2009.
Not bagging on Obama ... he did what he could. I guess. Which was ... even with a Majority in both Houses ... get a Conservative idea passed as it was better than nothing.
Then ... NO REPUBS voted for it. Even though their conservative icons ... came up with the whole fucking plan. Pricks ...
Rhiannon12866
(205,467 posts)We've gone from "Hope!" to "Don't Mope..."
Hekate
(90,714 posts)...eating cold pizza? Telling these megadonors (and the rest of us!) that anxiety attacks from watching cable news are not enough?
I can translate more, if you want, but his words seemed pretty plain to me. He came of age as a community organizer, and he seems to be organizing that donor community, or more like, telling them to get organized.
And us -- telling us all to pull ourselves up by our socks and get the hell out of the house.
In other words: Don't mope.
Rhiannon12866
(205,467 posts)And I was quoting Bill Maher - who is a comedian.
Hekate
(90,714 posts)Cha
(297,295 posts)YES! Mahalo, Hekate
I'm not moping I'm Pissed!
elmac
(4,642 posts)or pay medical or homeless, its hard not to give up, say fuck the system that got us here. We need more leadership then "stop moping". our party needs to stop acting like a war hasn't been declared on us and our fucking lives aren't in danger.
RandySF
(58,899 posts)Theses people chose to lead.
The group is planning a Day of Action on June 29, even though President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday to end family separations.
Lawyer Moms says the executive order is silent on the status of more than 2,345 immigrant children who are already separated from their families, and the group is urging they be reunited. And the group is concerned about families being held indefinitely in what could amount to internment camps.
Lawyer Moms also points to an escape clause in the executive order allowing separation of immigrant children if remaining with families would pose a risk to their welfare. If detention facilities are substandard, housing children with parents could meet the definition of a risk to welfare. And it is unclear whether families can remain together for more than 20 days if the courts refuse to modify a settlement agreement requiring the release of children or a transfer to licensed facilities after that time period, the group says.
http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/how_lawyer_moms_of_america_quickly_gained_10000_members_to_oppose_family_se
mr_lebowski
(33,643 posts)I think it's not unjust to consider these comments from Obama on his long-awaited return to 'politics' ... a bit sadly underwhelming, and dare I say .... a little tone-deaf in a sense?
Lets just say ... many of us were hoping for something more ... inspirational? Something a little less ... measured?
Doesn't denigrate the need for people to do more on their own, as you suggest ... but these are two separate points.
treestar
(82,383 posts)Why sit there like a victim - so many people have not done that in the past!
Tatiana
(14,167 posts)"Ready to do something about it? Vote Democrat."
No, we don't need to mope. Yes, we need to act. But this shit is depressing and many are still in the grieving stage. Getting mad, angry, pissed off can help people move beyond the paralyzing feeling of being helpless to change things.
Cha
(297,295 posts)and he's just getting started. He was talking to wealthy donors.. the people with the money that is necessary to fight the unending wealth of Fascists.
Thank Goodness we have people with lots of money who do care about our country and her people.
mr_lebowski
(33,643 posts)Tatiana
(14,167 posts)You're right -- that's a good message for them.
I don't think it's necessarily the best message to motivate our base to get out and vote.
treestar
(82,383 posts)as being mad does in fact motivate you to do things. We can't let them! That's why Donald of Orange pulls one outrage after another.
DFW
(54,403 posts)He is so right--Republicans remain angry even when they win (see Mr. Scorpio's post for a few extreme examples).
And it's good to see he still has a bit of community organizer in him. We could use some of that right around now.
Hekate
(90,714 posts)LisaM
(27,813 posts)Last edited Sat Jun 30, 2018, 06:46 PM - Edit history (1)
lots of special elections, while he's been writing his book by hand. The difficult part is keeping the momentum going.
I know it's not his style, but I wish he'd make more zingers like the "angry even when they win" remark. He's good at it, and that's a line people can actually use.
BannonsLiver
(16,396 posts)I think hes made the calculation that for the good of the party new leadership needs to emerge, and that cant happen if hes casting his shadow over it.
And I dont care if hes writing his book in squid ink with a hot dog bun, its his right to do what he wants.
LisaM
(27,813 posts)when a lot of people clearly aren't.
mr_lebowski
(33,643 posts)Also it wasn't 'they lose' it was 'they win' ... check your post above
LisaM
(27,813 posts)treestar
(82,383 posts)We all have different points of observation.
Cha
(297,295 posts)has talked to have been down. I know he didn't make that up out of thin air.. that's not his style.
I don't think he's talking about the elections we have won like Doug Jones, Conor Lamb and Judge Rebecca Dallet in Wisconsin.. I bet he's talking about the Kids(I can imagine that's the Highest Priority on his list) that have been taken from their parents by the Fascist Fraud and Anthony Kennedy retiring so the Fraud can appoint his own SCOTUS.. hoping that will give more votes to Reds in the Midterms.
The KIDS being taken has had everyone down who cares about humanity.. The Protests tomorrow should be brilliant!
Dopers_Greed
(2,640 posts)+1000000000
Since the election, my Trump-humping acquaintances have DOUBLED down, and have become even more militant.
I think they know things aren't going well for the Repukes. But aren't willing to admit it yet.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)What more do they want? I just think these people are eternally miserable and won't be happy until all their enemies are dead or imprisoned. They are a sadistic, hateful group of people.
John Fante
(3,479 posts)That is the essence of the right-wing nut job.
JI7
(89,252 posts)work because most of us do not vote for the same reasons they do.
blue-wave
(4,356 posts)Your words need to be said over and over at the moment. Too much despair out there from what I see. It is time to lift ourselves up and fight like we have never fought for each and every vote. There is no alternative.
BeyondGeography
(39,374 posts)Never will be.
Personally, I think he needs to update the schtick. Democrats ARE motivated. They have blown away turnout numbers in many primaries, won special election after special election. Stop moping? We dont need to be scolded. Keep it going and fuck the Republicans before they bury your future is more like it, fierce-urgency-of-now guy.
dalton99a
(81,515 posts)EffieBlack
(14,249 posts)treestar
(82,383 posts)Now that he is not in office, he says what he really means! We can't sit around any more! The next two elections are critical!