The problem with all these tired excuses for inaction is that it suggests a fundamental lack of faith in American business and American ingenuity.

I believe, in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., that there is such a thing as being too late, and when it comes to climate change, that hour is almost upon us.

That's when America soars, when we look out for one another and we take care of each other, when we root for one another's success, when we strive to do better and to be better than the generation that came before us and try to build something better for generations to come, that's why we do what we do. That's the whole point of public service.

Love and hope can conquer hate.

n case you missed it, this week, there was a tragedy in Kansas. Ten thousand people died - an entire town destroyed.

The United States was proud to stand with the people of Germany as this nation and this continent reunited and rebuilt and reached for a better future.

What I remember thinking at that point, having gone through both the ups and downs of my first four years, and seeing the sea of people was, "What a remarkable country this is and how lucky am I that we live in a place where the son of a single mom, not born into any kind of fame or fortune, in a pretty remote state somehow can end up be in a position to - to make a difference."