Obama’s mission is to stiffen the resolve of his own party as he pursues an agenda that is consistent - creating jobs, overhauling health insurance, regulating Wall Street - yet is also cast in more personal, real-life terms.

So Obama offered specific tactical guidance to a room full of senators with decades of election experience, including a handful who face difficult campaigns this year and got most of the camera time with the president.

The president said lawmakers should do more business in the public eye; tell voters honestly that some problems will take a long time to solve; stop listening to cable TV shows that obsess about Washington’s politics; make a case for overhauling health care without getting bogged down by insider minutia; and call out Republicans when gamesmanship holds up votes.

Obama said he’s still confident the American people will reelect leaders who do the right thing and explain it well.