WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is picking up the pace of his jobs message and making a case that he can still be relevant to people struggling in the up-and-down recovery despite a divided Congress.

The push comes two weeks before his State of the Union address,

On Tuesday, Obama is meeting with his Cabinet to discuss measures that can help the middle class. On Wednesday he will go to North Carolina to draw attention to industry steps to increase high-tech manufacturing. On Thursday he has invited college presidents to discuss ways to improve workers' skills.

White House senior adviser Dan Pfeiffer writes in an email to be sent Tuesday morning to the White House list of supporters that Obama "won't be waiting on Congress to act."

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