this post was submitted on 16 Dec 2025
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"The short-term strategy is, win the House of Representatives," stated the former president, garnering applause. "Because that's going to be the circuit breaker that will give us control of one major component of the federal government. With that as a bulwark, we're now able to block some of the worst impulses that are coming out of this White House."

The former president laid out a two-pronged strategy for Democrats: to reclaim a House majority next year, and to work on honing the party's messaging in the coming years.

"Long term, let's tell a story, a better story about who we are as Americans and what we share," Obama said, according to excerpts shared with CBS News. "We have to tell the story that makes people who feel outside that process, we've got to bring them back in."

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[–] NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io 73 points 2 months ago (17 children)

Again with the messaging. The problem isn't "messaging" it's that you and your ilk insist on leaving the working class out to dry you capitalist ghoul.

[–] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 12 points 2 months ago (1 children)

It doesn’t matter what they say because I know they’re not gonna do it and make excuses.

But it’s not like I have anyone else I can vote for.

[–] FlyingCircus@lemmy.world 7 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Political power is not something that can be given in a ballot box, it must be taken. Too many people believe that their only political outlet is voting. Join a community organization and start fixing the problems you see instead of listening to politicians who tell you to wait for 4 more years until the “good guys” get back in power.

[–] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 8 points 2 months ago (1 children)

BRB, headed to Sunbelt to rent some cones and a road painting kit.

I’ll finally get that bike lane!

[–] FlyingCircus@lemmy.world 8 points 2 months ago

Honestly, guerrilla infrastructure construction might just be what we need.

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[–] N0body@lemmy.dbzer0.com 58 points 2 months ago (3 children)

It’s good that Obama is stepping back into the spotlight. He still resonates with people as the last president we had before the world went insane.

He also reminds anyone wanting to run Trump in ‘28 that he would have another two-termer to contend with.

Barring that, he is still a unifying figurehead in the short term, while everyone watches Trump’s rapid decline.

[–] NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io 16 points 2 months ago

It’s good that Obama is stepping back into the spotlight.

It is, in fact, very bad. As is obvious from his long list of broken promises, Obama is part of the problem, and any advice he gives—indeed, the advice he's now giving—won't address what really needs to be done.

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[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 31 points 2 months ago (6 children)

A major reason shit is so fucked right now is when Obama won he just ignored the DNC for 8 years running his own campaigns and not helping out state parties with fundraising.

Which lead to a 2016 DNC funded and controlled by Hillary and trump becoming president.

The time for him to have done something was 17 fucking years ago

[–] Hackworth@piefed.ca 33 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Nah, I'm not going to unironically "Thanks Obama" for shit being so fucked up right now. Trump did not get elected either time because of anything Obama did or didn't do.

[–] latesleeper@lemmy.world 27 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I'd argue the racist backlash from having a Black Man in Charge might've worked for Trump.

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[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 18 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

All he had to do was appoint a non biased DNC chair and we'd have easily had Bernie 2016-2024...

Which would have prevented trump. Even Biden beat trump, Bernie would have sent him home with his tail between his legs.

Do you really need someone to explain how 8 years of Bernie would have solved all of this shit?

Quick edit:

To bring it full circle, Obama didn't support the state parties either, which is why Republicans held onto the House in the first place, which is what he's complaining about now.

He literally created this problem.

[–] Hackworth@piefed.ca 12 points 2 months ago (2 children)

The DNC chair is appointed by a committee of over 400 people with no obligation to follow the President's recommendation (though they usually do). The DNC is a private organization with no obligation to the people. The responsibility of electing our leaders comes down to us. And as a populace, we looked at Clinton and Trump and chose Biff Tannen with the golden toilet. It's not like America didn't know who Trump was when they elected him... both times. This is a problem with our culture and our people, not something we can comfortably pin on old leaders or outside forces. You think the country that re-elected a felon would have given Bernie 8 years?

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 17 points 2 months ago (6 children)

The DNC chair is appointed by a committee

And when a Dem wins the presidential election they nominate a chair and the DNC vote is performative...

Obama could have named anyone, going off memory but the first time he didn't nominate at all, and the second time was for the neoliberal who gave 2016 to Hillary, likely at Biden's recommendation.

And you're making my point, trump couldn't have beaten anyone in a fair election, the only two times he's won and when Dems had rigged primaries to force historically unpopular candidates.

Biden even managed to beat him, like 40 years after his first disasterous primary. That's my point, Bernie would have stomped trump.

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[–] favoredponcho@lemmy.zip 19 points 2 months ago

Obama also helped discourage other democrats from running in 2016. He also pushed Biden in 2020. He’s part of the reason we are in this mess. Establishment Dems think they know better.

[–] minorkeys@lemmy.world 10 points 2 months ago

Maybe some of those insider trading dems could have ponied up some cash instead of relentlessly begging working people for money to lose against Donald fucking Trump, twice.

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[–] lightnsfw@reddthat.com 29 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Seems like a faster resolution would be to hold people accountable for their crimes and treason. That'd eliminate most of the big problems.

[–] tmyakal 16 points 2 months ago

I mean, the guy who perfected drone strikes on American citizens was never going to suggest that.

[–] TheDemonBuer@lemmy.world 28 points 2 months ago (4 children)

work on honing the party's messaging in the coming years.

I think focusing on the message isn't going to help all that much. I think most voters have become desensitized to political messaging. Obama's own "hope and change," message helped with that desensitizing, after people felt that in the end they had neither.

I think most Americans are now looking more for a real, material plan for improving things. And I don't think the problem is that no one has a plan, plenty of politicians do, but I think Americans just aren't sure which plan will work. It's the perfect environment for political grifters who are able to convince people they have a plan to help them, even though they have no such thing. One thing I think most Americans were pretty confident about was that the plan that establishment Democrats put forward of "nothing will fundamentally change," was not appealing. When the people are absolutely desperate for positive change, that's the last thing they want to hear.

[–] brotato@slrpnk.net 22 points 2 months ago

100%. I think Biden’s “status quo” messaging only worked because of the chaos that was Trump’s first term and COVID. That is not a platform to run on when Trump pushed the country into full-blown fascism. The pendulum needs to swing in the other direction. The only thing I fear is that those in charge of the DNC have proven they are not interested in supporting social democrats or democratic socialists for the presidency. We sorely need a third party that is taken seriously.

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[–] resipsaloquitur@lemmy.world 28 points 2 months ago (3 children)

They’ve been “working on messaging” since Hilary lost in 2016.

Maybe, I don’t know, have a platform and message that helps everyday people instead of telling people everything’s fine, stop complaining.

[–] Washedupcynic@lemmy.ca 7 points 2 months ago (1 children)

The message never really evolved past, at least we aren't trump. The working class and hard leftists are fucking pissed with milquetoast centrist democrats. They spend all their time trying to win over republicans than holding on to their core fucking base. I voted for Hillary and Kamala because, at least they weren't trump, but I wasn't fucking happy that those were my choices.

[–] resipsaloquitur@lemmy.world 8 points 2 months ago (3 children)

They’re also absolute liars. They’ll say primaries are the time to disagree then vote blue no matter who in the general, but you see how they tried to sabotage Mamdani.

They expect progressives’ votes but won’t throw us the smallest fucking bone while in office — instead they pass legislation written by The Heritage Institute and tell us to eat our vegetables.

Socialism for the rich, rugged capitalism for the poor.

And they’re doubling down on THE SAME BROKEN GAMEPLAN AGAIN.

Liberals gave us Donald.

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[–] TankovayaDiviziya@lemmy.world 7 points 2 months ago

And Dems should stop with "voting for lesser evil". Are they saying they're still evil? I mean, sure, on presidential elections, do that if there are no better alternatives to neoliberal Democrats running. But in the meanwhile, there should be grassroots attempt to primary progressives in local elections and then work their way up to federal level. The left used to be good at organising. And now modern day Americans will have their ancestors, who ended the gilded age and elected the two Roosevelts, rolling in their graves for passivity and being brainwashed by corporate media to accept breadcrumbs because "perfect is the enemy of good" thought terminating cliché that most Americans accept.

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[–] Archangel1313@lemmy.ca 28 points 2 months ago

In other words..."vote blue, no matter who"...unless they're a progressive. Then, vote for the newly "independent" corporate Democrat that just lost the primary.

[–] cheese_greater@lemmy.world 27 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Thats right DNC/Establishment: hold your nose and stand by support the Mandamnis taking over, time to actually produce something of value and benefit to the People or get off the damn pot

[–] sin_free_for_00_days@sopuli.xyz 15 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I agree with your sentiment, but that's not what I got from the article.

[–] cheese_greater@lemmy.world 16 points 2 months ago (2 children)

They tried it their way, now they need to start learning from their mistakes. I know what Obama's saying but that logic applies entirely to Mandamni's case and theres zero reason why it always needs to be red Democrats

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[–] RalphFurley@lemmy.world 25 points 2 months ago (9 children)

The man in the high castle that coordinated all the candidates to drop out behind Biden in order to crush Bernie says this huh

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[–] Ryanmiller70@lemmy.zip 23 points 2 months ago (2 children)

"Blue no matter who" doesn't work and it's time they realize this shit and either start putting forward actual good candidates instead of piles of human excrement like Newsome and Harris or dismantle the party and allow an actual leftist party to take its place.

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[–] sin_free_for_00_days@sopuli.xyz 21 points 2 months ago

Former President Barack Obama urged Democrats to "meet the moment" at a Los Angeles fundraiser with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries

There are a couple of things that I have issue with here. Fundraisers in general, with regard to politics. The old guard saying what should be done. Hakeem Jeffries who didn't have the morality or values to endorce Mamdani. Unless people not invested in the status quo vote in the primaries, nothing will change and the machine will keep chewing us up.

[–] billwashere@lemmy.world 18 points 2 months ago (2 children)

I totally agree with this strategy. However if the democrats are unwilling to do anything about it does it even matter? Checks and balances require the checks part.

Get the majority and then START using it. Be aggressive to fix this shit and start actually doing something.

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[–] Pacattack57@lemmy.world 18 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Why do the people have to compromise with the democrats? How about the democrats REPRESENT THE PEOPLE.

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[–] minorkeys@lemmy.world 12 points 2 months ago (1 children)

You assume the other branches will listen to the house or that democrats won't continue to be out maneuvered or betrayed by their own party members.

[–] Archangel1313@lemmy.ca 14 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (2 children)

He's actually encouraging that. His messaging here is, don't be picky about who the candidate is...just vote for them. In theory, that means gaining as many seats as possible. In practice, it means many of those seats won't be representing their constituents...only their corporate donors.

Democrats need to start being pickier about who they elect. If there's even a whiff of corporate money on them, they need to be primaried.

[–] minorkeys@lemmy.world 11 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Blue no matter who didn't work last time either.

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[–] SulaymanF@lemmy.world 11 points 1 month ago (5 children)

The Centrist Democrat is saying we should support centrist Democrats?

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[–] daannii@lemmy.world 10 points 2 months ago (15 children)

Nope. Too many blue maga.

We are going to be more selective.

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[–] Formfiller@lemmy.world 7 points 2 months ago

Focus on your corruption problem. Insider trading and money from Israel

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