Barack Obama: “We both agreed that it's critical that not only does political reform proceed, but economic reform accompanies those…”

The full weight of the federal government is being brought down on a law-abiding elected official because she has dared to criticize the president.

Because if this becomes the new normal, there’s no reason to believe it will stop with her — or that future presidents, in either party, won’t do the same.

When we choose, when we make that decision, I do believe – and there is evidence for this – that the world gets incrementally better, and that is a worthy goal and it’s worth fighting for.

And I will fight for that, even if I don’t always think it’s going to win.