Barack Obama: “Will we meet our responsibilities or shirk them?”

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

I’m going to insist that we can do better than we’re doing right now.

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.