U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro knew former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi had invited a “surprise guest” to an event for freshmen Democratic House members hosted at DeLauro’s home, but she says she didn’t know who it would be until just a few hours in advance.

“The speaker wanted it just to be private meeting, without a lot of fanfare around us,” DeLauro, a Democrat who represents Connecticut’s 3rd Congressional District, said Wednesday.

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The surprise guest, as DeLauro would learn shortly before the gathering began, was former President Barack Obama, speaking at this sort of event for one of the first times since leaving the White House nearly a decade ago.

During the meeting, which occurred Nov. 19 and was first reported by Politico the following day, Obama encouraged Democrats to remain hopeful amid President Donald Trump’s tenure and listen genuinely to what constituents care about.

“He said, listen to your constituents,” DeLauro recalled. “Don’t talk at them, but listen to what they’re saying about what their lives are about.”

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Politico reports Obama urged the room to avoid cynicism, noting that in 2004 Democrats lacked control of the presidency, the House of Representatives and the Senate but by 2008 had won back all three. 

“I get feeling discouraged sometimes,” Obama said, according to Politico. “I get feeling worn out, tired, and embattled. But in our second term, Denis McDonough, my chief of staff, used to pass out stickers based on a conversation that he and I had had that talked about, ‘we do not succumb to cynicism — cynicism is our enemy.’ And it’s pervasive in this town.”

The former president reportedly took five questions from new House members, including about what he learned from his efforts to pass the Affordable Care Act.

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Obama, who remains highly popular among Democrats, has increasingly sought to counsel younger members of the party, saying in one recent interview that he hoped to “move from player to coach.” While he has not frequently weighed in publicly on major news stories, he has regularly campaigned for Democrats and sometimes reached out to rising figures within the party. 

DeLauro praised Obama’s work during his presidency passing the ACA, which Democrats are now seeking to defend against Republican cuts, and called him a “great presence” at the meeting with new lawmakers.

“He’s so articulate and thoughtful,” she said. “It wasn’t this kind of fast-talking, it was very thoughtful reflection of his time and the work that he accomplished in a difficult environment, and just admonishing people to seize the moment of what you can do.” 

DeLauro said she hosted the event for new lawmakers at the request of Pelosi, who had been to her home and thought it would be a good setting for the conversation.

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At 82 years old, DeLauro is the oldest and longest-tenured member of Connecticut’s congressional delegation, running for reelection next year to a 19th term in her seat. She stands as the top Democrat on the powerful House Appropriations Committee and would likely chair the committee if Democrats retake the House next year.

Asked her role as an elder statesman in the party, DeLauro said she has tried to help newer lawmakers understand the importance of the appropriations process. She expressed optimism about Democrats’ future, noting a string of electoral victories earlier this month, including in Connecticut. 

The most important thing for the party, DeLauro said, is “walking in people’s shoes, understanding what their lives are about.”

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“That is what is so critical today, and I think that’s critical going forward in the coming months,” she said.