Barack Obama: “And while entertaining soldiers during World War II, she refused to perform for segregated audiences.”

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”.

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.

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

Because if this becomes the new normal, there’s no reason to believe it will stop with her — or that future presidents, in either party, won’t do the same.