Obama Tells Senate Dems to Step Out of the ‘Echo Chamber’ (Update: Video)

President Barack Obama gave Senate Democrats a pep talk Wednesday, rallying the battle-fatigued and dispirited among them by reminding of the need to “finish the job” concerning health care and financial reform and recommending that they refrain from taking their cues from cable TV news and the blogosphere. Instead, Obama said, they would do well to get out and talk to ordinary Americans.  —KA

Los Angeles Times:

“There’s a mistake I made last year,” Obama said, “and that’s just not getting out of here enough.”

But even as Obama delivered the advice at an issues conference of the Senate Democratic Policy Committee, several lawmakers in danger during this year’s elections queued up at the microphone for a question-and-answer session that would make nice footage for campaign ads.

Fortunately for them, cable TV news was there to capture it all.

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AP / Pablo Martinez Monsivais

President Barack Obama answers questions at the Senate Democratic Policy Committee Issues Conference on Wednesday at the Newseum in Washington. From left are Sen. Charles Schumer, Sen. Patty Murray, Sen. Byron Dorgan, Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and the president.