President Obama told a Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee fundraiser in New York tonight that he’s focused on legacy — in the “broad” sense.
Obama and DSCC Chairman Jon Tester (D-Mont.) raked in ticket prices from $10,000 to $33,400 at the apartment of advertising scion Drew Katz and his wife, Rachel.
The president made a relatively short speech to the donor, saying he preferred to spend most of his time there in off-the-record conversations.
“The reason I was able to accomplish what we have been able to accomplish was because in the first two years of office I had a Congress that actually wanted to solve problems. I had a Congress that was willing to do tough things,” Obama told the crowd. “…We had people in office, in Congress at that time who were willing to responsible things even when it wasn’t popular.”
“I’m an American, a father, a husband; there are a lot of titles I care about more than being a Democrat. And Democrats aren’t perfect. But I will say this, that we have consistently been willing to do the right thing even when it’s not expedient.”
Obama added that “when we have a Democratic Congress we make progress that ultimately benefits everybody — not just the folks who are down and out, not just the marginalized.”
“So I guess my pitch would be this. I will not be on the ballot again, and my wife is super happy about that. But I do care about legacy. And I mean that in the broad sense, not the narrow sense. I’m not talking about any particular program or particular initiative, and wanting to make sure that it continues. I think about it in terms of, are we leaving behind the kind of politics that continues to nurture the American Dream and gives everybody in this economy a shot,” he said.
“And to do that, we’ve got to have a Democratic Senate. We need a Democratic Congress to really do what we could accomplish in this country.”
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