Barack Obama: “This is a time to rise above politics for the good of the country.”

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.

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

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

If I had a blame pie for why politics is so polarised and why we're seeing a rise of populism in many places, it's because of that information that is going into our brains every day.