Barack Obama pokes fun at own debate performance in celebrity-led fundraiser

President Barack Obama has poked fun at his 'poor' performance against Republican Mitt Romney last week.

Romney's strong performance at the debate on Wednesday has helped close a gap in the polls with the president.

Speaking at a celebrity-led fundraiser at the Nokia Theatre, Obama came on stage after performances by such singers as Katy Perry, Jon Bon Jovi and Stevie Wonder.

He told delegates: "They just perform flawlessly night after night. I can't always say the same."

Obama, whose campaign has said it would make adjustments as a result of the debate, noted his White House win four years ago had its own share of hurdles.

"Back in 2008 - everybody always remembers the victory, but they don't always remember the bumps in the road," he said.

He added: "Things always look good in retrospect. But in the middle of it... we made all kinds of mistakes.

"We goofed up. I goofed up. But the American people carried us forward."

Obama is holding a series of fundraisers in California in an effort to boost his campaign coffers for the final stretch of the race against Romney.

On Saturday, his campaign announced that it, along with Democratic Party allies, brought in a record $181 million in September.

Daybreak's Ross King reports;