Barack Obama: “It comes from a strong and growing middle class and all those people who are striving and working to get into the middle…”

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.

I think when we act on that basis, it doesn't always work out, but over time things do get better.

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.