Barack Obama: “As long as I'm President, we will make sure you and your loved ones receive the benefits you've earned and the respect…”

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.

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.

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