Barack Obama: “For millions of Americans, my mother's story is all too familiar.”

I think when you understand the complexities of America and the contradictions of America, I don’t think it makes you love it less. I think it makes you love it more.

And there’s no reason to suggest that we can’t get through this one either.

The essence of Prop. 50 is to say that if you are going to play that game, then we are going to try to counteract that abuse of the system.

They're meant to remind us of who we can be, to remind us of what's possible, so we can forge ahead.