In interviews conducted Friday in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Obama acknowledged being "humbled" by the challenge of "breaking through" in the complicated and emotional battle.

"I think there have been times where I have said 'I've got to step up my game' in terms of talking to the American people about issues like health care," he told George Stephanopoulos on ABC's This Week.

"I've tried to keep it digestible, you know; it's very hard for people to get their -- their whole arms around it. And that's been a case where I have been humbled and I just keep on trying harder, because I, I really think it's the right thing to do for the country."

Obama also said yesterday that he will remain skeptical about the need for more U.S. troops in Afghanistan until he is satisfied that the military has the right strategy.

But the interviews were devoted primarily to the battle over health-care reform. Obama voiced a desire for a more "civil" tone in the debate.

After Obama's appearance on NBC, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said the issue is not one of rhetoric or style.

"The president is selling something people aren't buying," Graham said. "He's been on everything but the Food Channel."

On Tuesday, the Senate Finance Committee is to begin action on a reform bill drafted by Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., and 564 amendments.

Several Democrats said they hope to change a provision in the Baucus bill that would impose a 35 percent tax on high-priced insurance policies provided through the workplace.

In the CNN interview, Obama downplayed the impact of the proposal and said he was talking with union leaders who fear their members could be hard-hit because their health coverage tends to be among the most generous in the U.S.

"I do think that giving a disincentive to insurance companies to offer Cadillac plans that don't make people healthier is part of the way that we're going to bring down health-care costs for everybody over the long term," he said.

On Afghanistan, Obama said his top generals have completed another review of that strategy and said that he will not send more U.S. troops until he is satisfied that the review has produced a winnable approach.

"What I'm not also gonna do, though, is put the resource question before the strategy question," Obama said on Meet the Press. "Until I'm satisfied that we've got the right strategy, I'm not gonna be sending some young man or woman over there -- beyond what we already have."