Richard Stevenson, writing...

...in the Times today, sums up nicely the political problems that President Obama faced in his first term (my emphasis): 

He and his team were soundly defeated in the messaging wars with conservatives when it came to his two signature pieces of legislation, the economic stimulus bill and the health care overhaul. In key battles, liberals faulted him as being too timid, moderates and independents as exceeding the mandate voters had given him. New slogans came and went with the seasons. 

The president even lost the ability at times to define himself on his terms, leaving him fending off accusations that he was foreign born, a socialist, a Muslim and an apologist for the United States. By turns pragmatic and ideological, he struggled to find a clear, coherent narrative to explain to the American people what he stood for and where he was leading them. 

I have no doubt that the stimulus, the auto bailout, the Affordable Care Act and the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform bill were all good initiatives that were horribly sold. (Ask yourself this question: How many of your friends and relatives think that requiring citizens to buy an insurance policy from a private company is somehow a "government takeover of health care?" It's astounding.) 

I also believe that, in the absence of an economic slowdown between now and November, the president will be handily reelected. But, he has to become a better salesman for his policies in a second term. 

(He could start by giving more speeches like the one above.)