Barack Obama: “I don't accept second place for the United States of America.”

It is a basic principle of American democracy that the government can’t selectively target individuals simply because of their political beliefs or what they say.

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

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.

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.