The White House really did not see the onslaught coming, and they finally admitted as much on Thursday.

According to White House communications director Jennifer Palmieri while discussing the Democrats’ midterm losses, the White House was “braced for a bad night” and noted the losses incurred were “worse than we expected.” Palmieri also told MSNBC’s Alex Wagner Thursday “it was a very tough night” for the White House.

Wagner: In terms of the results on Tuesday night, as the president was watching what happened happened, was he surprised by how badly the Democrats did?

Palmieri: I’m not going to characterize the president’s personal reaction.

Wagner: Was the White House surprised?

Palmieri: Yes we were. We were braced for a bad night and the outcomes were worse than we expected and a lot of good Democrats who are currently in the Senate and have served the country and their states really well, Kay Hagan and Mark Pryor and Mark Udall lost their seats. It’s a big disappointment and loss, and then a lot of great gubernatorial candidates like Mary Burke in Wisconsin didn’t win, and it was a very tough night for us.

The president said he got the message from the voters who didn’t go our way and then, of equal concern people for the people that felt like they didn’t have enough stake in the elections to turn out. So the president’s message is I hear of these concerns like we’re buckling down and getting to work. We’re going to work with the Republican congress and do everything he can within his own power to make some progress.