Overview

• At a private dinner in Red Bank, New Jersey, Obama helped raise $2.5 million for the Democratic National Committee.
• He urged Democrats to reduce “navel-gazing” and “whining” and to stand up for free speech even on issues they find difficult.
• Obama called on activists to channel their energy into the upcoming New Jersey and Virginia governor races as a momentum boost.
• He stressed that the DNC needs sufficient funding, expertise and data-driven social-media operations for the next campaign cycle.
• Obama noted that debates between the party’s left wing and advocates of an “abundance agenda” are complementary rather than contradictory.