Barack Obama: “So let's fight our way through the politics of the moment. Let's pass reform by the end of this year.”

I’m going to insist that we can do better than we’re doing right now.

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.

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.

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