Obama admits Democrats can be a ‘buzzkill’ and urges better messaging

Barack Obama in April this year. He told Pod Save America: ‘How is politics even relevant to the things that I care most deeply about?’ Photograph: Carolyn Kaster/AP

Barack Obama acknowledged Democrats can be “a buzzkill” with their abstract campaign messaging and could better connect with voters by emphasizing what constituents feel in their day to day lives.

During an interview on Pod Save America, released Friday, Obama acknowledged that he “used to get into trouble” when he appeared too professorial, including by standing behind a lectern and talking about policy in theoretical ways that didn’t directly connect with voters.