Barack Obama: “When you ask them, is that a recipe for long term economic growth their answer is going to be no.”

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

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

It is a basic principle of American democracy that the government can’t selectively target individuals simply because of their political beliefs or what they say.

When we choose, when we make that decision, I do believe – and there is evidence for this – that the world gets incrementally better, and that is a worthy goal and it’s worth fighting for.