Obama unleashes frustration over political gridlock

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Despite the sting of a Democratic revolt over his trade policy, President Barack Obama is raising political money for lawmakers who voted against him.

But first, Obama planned to address the U.S. Conference of Mayors and encourage their work to raise the minimum wage, offer paid sick leave and promote early childhood education -- priorities the president has pushed but that Congress has declined to advance.

The president complained at a fundraiser Thursday night that Congress "doesn't work the way it should."

Democrats are trying to block Obama's ability to negotiate a trade deal with 11 Pacific nations. He's hoping a rare alliance with Republican leaders who support the pact can save it.

"The problem is that too often the political system doesn't reflect the common sense and decency of the American people," Obama said Thursday night during a fundraiser at the Beverly Hills home of filmmaker Tyler Perry.

The event was one of four fundraisers with tickets as high as $33,400 that Obama is headlining over two days in California. On Friday night, he planned to appear with House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi at a fundraiser in her San Francisco district, awkwardly coming as the two remain opposed over the trade legislation that is a top priority for his second-term agenda.

The fundraiser with Pelosi is expected to draw more than 50 donors to the Sea Cliff home of retired hedge fund billionaire Tom Steyer. The two other fundraisers were smaller discussions with about 30 donors each, closed to the press.

Obama did not mention the trade debate at Perry's house, attended by about 250 donors, including "Mad Men" creator Matthew Weiner and star January Jones, former NBA basketball player Jason Collins, former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos.

Instead he told of a Colorado man who wrote him a letter listing all that had not been accomplished during his presidency. Obama said the man wrote that he voted for him twice but was "deeply disappointed."

"He thought that when I got to Washington I could bring people together and make them work more effectively, and the fact of the matter is that Washington is still gridlocked and still seems obsessed with the short-term and the next election instead of the next generation," Obama said. "And on that issue, I had to tell him, `You're right. I am frustrated and you have every right to be frustrated because Congress doesn't work the way it should.'

Before leaving Los Angeles, Obama sat in comedian Marc Maron's garage studio for an hourlong podcast interview that will be available Monday. Obama then planned to spend Father's Day weekend in Palm Springs, a favorite golf destination, while his wife and daughters are in Europe.