Asked by David Axelrod, a former Obama chief strategist and current CNN host, whether Clinton needed an overarching economic message, the president said that message might have been lost when Clinton shifted her campaign to protect her lead rather than poach new voters.

"If you think you're winning, then you have a tendency, just like in sports, maybe to play it safer. And the economy has been improving," Obama said. "There is a sense, obviously, that some communities have been left behind from the recovery and people feeling anxious about that. But if she was looking at the campaign and saying 'OK, I'm winning right now' — and her economic agenda was in fact very progressive."

Pressed on the issue, Obama acknowledged that an economic message may have been more successful, but argued that may have been difficult against the unique candidacy of President-elect Donald Trump.

"Understandably, I think she looked and said well, given my opponent and the things he's saying and what he's doing, we should focus on that."