Former President Obama told Democrats on Thursday night that they are right to feel concerned about the state of the country under President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE’s leadership.

Obama made some of his most direct comments about the current administration yet at a Democratic National Committee fundraiser in Beverly Hills, Politico reported Thursday.

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“Do not wait for the perfect message, don’t wait to feel a tingle in your spine because you’re expecting politicians to be so inspiring and poetic and moving that somehow, ‘OK, I’ll get off my couch after all and go spend the 15–20 minutes it takes for me to vote,’” Obama said.

“Because that’s part of what happened in the last election. I heard that too much," he added.

The outlet noted that Obama never said Trump’s name in public but talked about his presidency.

“Fear is powerful,” Obama said. “Telling people that somebody’s out to get you, or somebody took your job, or somebody has it out for you, or is going to change you, or your community, or your way of life — that’s an old story and it has shown itself to be powerful in societies all around the world.”

“It is a deliberate, systematic effort to tap into that part of our brain that carries fear in it,” he added.

Obama said the majority of Americans want to see stories of hope and strength, rather than the country being divided.

“The majority of the country doesn’t want to see a dog-eat-dog world where everybody is angry all the time,” he said.

He added that Democrats and Republicans tell “different stories.”

“There’s a fundamental contrast of how we view the world,” Obama said. “We are seeing the consequences of when one vision is realized, or in charge.”

The former commander in chief also touched on the deadly shooting that happened Thursday afternoon at the Capital Gazette newsroom in Annapolis, Md., which left five people dead.

Politico reported that Obama said he was left “heartbroken” but hoped it would be a rallying call for gun control legislation.

Trump, who often has a combative relationship with the press, tweeted about the shooting on Thursday.

“Prior to departing Wisconsin, I was briefed on the shooting at Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland,” the president wrote. “My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. Thank you to all of the First Responders who are currently on the scene.”