Barack Obama: “The proven expertise and commitment of these individuals will be tremendously valuable to my administration as we work…”

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

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.

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.

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