From Portsmouth to Belgrade to Grand Junction, President Obama hit the road last week, bringing the case for health reform directly to the American people.

Hitting back against some of the more offensive lies about health reform, Obama used the forums to define the debate on his own terms. He focused on individuals, using their stories and struggles to illustrate how health reform will benefit all Americans. This more personal focus has been hammered home, from the president's Saturday address to his op-ed in The New York Times this past weekend:

There are four main ways the reform we're proposing will provide more stability and security to every American.

First, if you don't have health insurance, you will have a choice of high-quality, affordable coverage for yourself and your family -- coverage that will stay with you whether you move, change your job or lose your job.

Second, reform will finally bring skyrocketing health care costs under control, which will mean real savings for families, businesses and our government. [...]

Third, by making Medicare more efficient, we'll be able to ensure that more tax dollars go directly to caring for seniors instead of enriching insurance companies. This will not only help provide today's seniors with the benefits they've been promised; it will also ensure the long-term health of Medicare for tomorrow's seniors. [...]

Lastly, reform will provide every American with some basic consumer protections that will finally hold insurance companies accountable. A 2007 national survey actually shows that insurance companies discriminated against more than 12 million Americans in the previous three years because they had a pre-existing illness or condition. The companies either refused to cover the person, refused to cover a specific illness or condition or charged a higher premium.

Obama's refocused message reflects the concurrent shift from policy to politics in the health reform debate. Just a month ago, the president was writing about the need to "lower the health-care costs that are driving us into debt," and enact "health-care reform that controls costs while ensuring choice and quality."

These statements are still true. But Congress is in recess, and the passions of the American people are not ignited by budget scores and MedPAC reports. They need to know how health reform will affect them. The president's op-ed, like his town hall performances, have reflected that need and done much to address concerns. But it can't stop there. Not when everyday it seems there is new ad campaign to battle or a new rumor to fact-check. Proponents of health reform should follow the president's lead, defining the debate on clear terms, dispelling rumors, and forcing opponents confront the realities of the status quo. Failure is not an option.