"This is something that every president needs to go through," he says.

[The Straight Story]

Live-blogging the president's press conference

1:57 ET: That's the conclusion of the press conference. Thanks for following along here on NBC's First Read.

1:56 ET: When he talks to regular Americans, Obama says, "I always come away from those interactions feeling so much more optimistic about this country."

1:53 ET: Self-reflective Obama says he need to make sure that he gets out of the White House to reach the American public.

But he alludes to Reagan and Clinton, who stood at the podium two years into their own presidencies "getting similar questions."

"This is something that every president needs to go through," he says.

Although "I am not recommending that every president takes a shellacking like they did last night," he adds with a bit of a wry smile.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/11/03/5401983-live-blogging-the-presidents-press-conference-