Barack Obama: “Cooperating on combating H1N1 is one of the ways we are implementing my administration's commitment to partnership in…”

People need to “rediscover what’s the story we tell about how we’re going to live together, and see each other, and recognise each other, and disagree, and yet, still care for each other”.

The fact that any president, or any administration, is willing to engage in such transparent efforts to intimidate someone should outrage all Americans, regardless of how they feel about Congresswoman Omar’s political views.

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.