By In a candid and sharply worded address, former President Barack Obama called on Democrats to adopt a more combative posture against President Donald Trump’s political resurgence, chastising his party for what he portrayed as excessive introspection and timidity. Speaking Friday evening at a Democratic National Committee fundraiser hosted by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, Obama’s remarks, first reported by The New York Times, struck a tone of exasperation and urgency.
“It’s going to require a little bit less navel-gazing and a little less whining and being in fetal positions,” Obama said, calling for greater resolve within Democratic ranks. “And it’s going to require Democrats to just toughen up.” He expressed disbelief at what he sees as a retreat by former allies. “What I have been surprised by is the degree to which I’ve seen people who, when I was president, or progressives, liberals, stood for all kinds of stuff, who seem like they’re kind of cowed and intimidated and shrinking away from just asserting what they believe, or at least what they said they believe.”
Obama’s rebuke appeared aimed not just at elected officials but at the Democratic professional class. He accused elite law firms of betraying core values out of fear of alienating corporate clients. “Not because, by the way, that they’re going to be thrown in jail,” he said, “but because they might lose a few clients and might not be able to finish that kitchen rehab at their Hampton house. I’m not impressed.”
Evoking the moral example of South African leader Nelson Mandela, who endured decades of imprisonment, Obama urged perspective and courage. “Nobody’s asking for that kind of courage,” he said. But he emphasized that the party must stand firm—particularly on foundational principles like free speech. “Don’t say that you care deeply about free speech and then you’re quiet. No, you stand up for free speech when it’s hard.”
The former president’s remarks come as Democrats remain divided over how best to respond to Trump’s policy agenda and political dominance. Obama also warned against rhetorical fidelity unaccompanied by real-world results. “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.”
His critique touched off debate within Democratic circles and beyond. On ABC’s The View, a furious Whoopi Goldberg pushed back against the former president’s depiction, wrote The Daily Caller. “So, let me remind everybody who was out on the frontlines marching when we had the giant marches that went on,” Goldberg said. “It was the people. The people went out. They were not navel-gazing, it was older people who were saying ‘why are you touching my Social Security?’ It was not people whining, it was about people saying ‘why are you taking these rights from my child when my child was born here?’” She added, “I believe you are pointing the finger at the wrong person when you say Democrats.”
Fellow co-host Sara Haines struck a more policy-oriented tone, suggesting that Obama’s challenge could be met with substantive proposals—especially on immigration. “It would be a ripe time for some elected Democrat to come forward with a secondary plan that isn’t just march against ICE agents and sanctuary cities,” she said. “People want common sense solutions and no Democrat is coming out and saying ‘this is a decades-long problem, it crosses all administrations, but here’s what I’m proposing.’”
Despite his frustrations, Obama closed on a note of encouragement, singling out promising Democratic candidates such as Representative Mikie Sherrill and former Representative Abigail Spanberger. He urged donors to rally behind these nominees and help the party regain its footing. His message was clear: less hand-wringing, more action.
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