Barack Obama: “We must contain this spill and protect the Gulf Coast and the people who live there.”

Your task is not to impose litmus tests.

No one was more skilled at bringing people together and getting legislation passed.

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.

We’ve now fought a war, spent billions and billions of dollars, you know, put enormous strain on our military. A lot of people have died. And it feels like we’re back where we were before we started the war, except maybe a little bit worse…