BARACK Obama has wheeled out a lean and punchy prototype for his second-term presidency, his purpose clarified by the voters who re-elected him a week ago.
In his first post-election news conference, Obama was a man in a hurry as he faces a year-end fiscal showdown with Republicans and anticipates the ebbing power that afflicts all second-term presidents.
During his first four years, Obama, although Washington's dominant player, often came across as an almost passive observer of his own presidency.
Not so on Wednesday, as he ditched his former professorial pose to hit the same point over and over again.
"I've got one mandate. I've got a mandate to help middle-class families and families that are working hard to try to get into the middle class," Obama said.
"That's what the American people said."
This was not the drained figure who trudged through the last year before putting in a listless convention speech and sleepwalking to disaster in his first debate against Republican foe Mitt Romney.
Since that debacle in Denver, Obama has pioneered a more concise style of argument, seeking to express focus and resolve.
With his job in peril, this no-nonsense Obama showed up when he directed the relief effort during superstorm Sandy.
He described the federal relief effort as "aggressive and strong and fast and robust, and a lot of people have been helped because of it".
"That's a pretty good metaphor for how I want the federal government to operate generally," Obama added.
The president, whom foes deride as arrogant, took pains to avoid hubris, despite being clearly energised by his election win.
"I'm more than familiar with all the literature about presidential overreach in second terms. We are very cautious about that," he said.
His message was simple and oft-repeated: Republicans must accept the verdict of voters and allow tax cuts for the rich, which were passed by George W Bush, to expire to permit deficit reductions that do not hammer the middle class.
Obama's demeanour suggested that unlike his first term, which began with massive expectations and an almost messianic zeal to forge "change", his second four years will be characterised by action on a few major issues.
If Obama is as punchy, passionate and nimble after another year waging war with Republicans in the gridlocked US capital, he will confound his critics.
The president signalled that after a hoped for deal with Republicans to avert the "fiscal cliff" he would proceed quickly to immigration reform.
"We need to seize the moment," he said.
In the past, Obama often raised expectations of action on sweeping and historic reforms - some of which passed, and some of which foundered, causing disappointment.
But the new Obama took care to lower expectations on one huge issue - global warming - following predictions he would take another shot at passing comprehensive legislation limiting carbon emissions.
He made it clear that if tackling climate change distracted from his central purpose he was not on board.
"If the message is somehow we're going to ignore jobs and growth simply to address climate change, I don't think anybody is going to go for that. I won't go for that," he said.
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