Former President Barack Obama said that Democrats need to "toughen up" as they face the Trump administration and the Republican Party ahead of 2028. Joel Payne, the chief communications officer at MoveOn, breaks down the party's current struggles.

Washington

Former President Barack Obama has encouraged Democrats to "toughen up" in response to challenges from the Trump administration and the Republican Party. Speaking at a Democratic National Committee fundraiser, Obama emphasized the need for the party to take a stronger stance.

Joel Payne, Chief Communications Officer at MoveOn, analyzed the party's current situation, highlighting the early preparations of several prominent Democrats for potential presidential runs. Payne categorized potential candidates into groups such as established winners, energetic newcomers, and non-traditional figures, noting that the party must balance calls for toughness with the desire for fresh voices and new strategies.

Obama says Democrats need to "toughen up"

Former President Obama has some harsh words for his party as Democrats struggle to rebrand. According to excerpts of his remarks at a DNC fundraiser last week, Mr. Obama called on Democrats to take a stand against President Trump, saying in part, quote, "'It's gonna require Democrats to just toughen up.'" Meanwhile, several high-profile Democrats, including Governor Gavin Newsom and Pete Buttigieg, are already laying the groundwork for potential White House runs in 2028. Joel Payne is the Chief Communications Officer for the Political Action Committee MoveOn and a CBS News political contributor. You should recognize him by now. He's been around for a while. He joins us now. Joel, good morning to you. Help us understand why this moment is so important for so many of the notable and recognizable names within the Democratic Party. Well, Errol, now is the time that you're doing some of the pre-work. You're building relationships, building networks, securing staff, securing funding, and starting to project to people if you plan on running and how you're gonna do it and what your messaging's gonna be. Actually, Errol, I have this kind of broken out into like five different buckets. I have your winners, your people like Governor Beshear of Kentucky, Governor Shapiro of Pennsylvania, people who've demonstrated they can win in tough environments, your grinders, the Ro Khannas, the Chris Murphys, the Rahm Emanuels, the people who are going everywhere, the archetypes, the Gavin Newsoms, the J.B. Pritzkers, the Cory Bookers, the people who, for all intents and purposes, look like they should be a president or look like they should be a viable candidate. You have your athletes, and I think this is the group that excites people the most on the Democratic side. It's the people like Pete Buttigieg. It's the people like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Wes Moore, people who can perform public service and who can draw a crowd and hold a crowd. And then I've got a non-politician's bucket, whether it's a Stephen A. Smith, a John Stewart, a Mark Cuban, someone who's a disruptor and who does not come from a traditional political lane. So I think you're gonna see representation from all five of those buckets, now pretty much up to the primary period for Democrats, starting to pop their heads up and starting to make themselves known, make it known that they're interested and show what their value proposition would be if they decide to run. Stephen A. Smith loves that he's in one of your buckets, let me tell you. But very interesting strategy as you break down the possibilities here. What do you make, then, of former President Obama's advice at this DNC fundraiser to really buckle up and toughen up and get to work, I guess? Well, President Obama's not wrong, and I would not be a person to sit here and tell Barack Obama that his political analysis is right or wrong. I would tell you, though, look, the setting of this matters is a DNC fundraiser. He is propping up some of the party's establishment candidates like Abigail Spanberger and Mikey Sherrill, gubernatorial candidates in Virginia and New Jersey, respectively. This is a very establishment kind of status quo audience that he's talking to. I think he's right, but I also think that Barack Obama and other establishment Democrats have to understand that the energy at the grassroots of the party, yeah, they want people to toughen up, but they want fresh new voices and they want fresh new approaches, and they don't want the status quo. They don't want the same old, same old. And so I think Obama's message of getting tough is right. It's gotta be met with Democrats being willing to find new voices, try new things, and not be wedded to old orthodoxy. Really interesting. Great to see you, Joel. Appreciate your time this morning.

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Breakdown