Barack Obama: “The drawdown that will take place will, ultimately, result in the removal of all U.S. troops by 2011.”

It is a decision about how do we face and embrace this finite amount of time we have on the planet.

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

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.

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”.