There aren't a lot of situations where I look back and I say, The decision I actually made or the course we actually pursued was the wrong course.

I favor legalizing same-sex marriages, and would fight efforts to prohibit such marriages.

Those opposed to abortion cannot simply invoke God's will-they have to explain why abortion violates some principle that is accessible to people of all faiths.

Since taking office, I've made it clear that the United States was prepared to begin a new chapter of engagement with the Islamic Republic of Iran. We offered the Iranian government a clear choice. It could fulfill its international obligations and realize greater security, deeper economic and political integration with the world, and a better future for all Iranians. Or it could continue to flout its responsibilities and face even more pressure and isolation.

A lot of the issues that I see, it is not an either-or situation.

I was elected because I believed in what we call "grassroots politics," politics from the bottom up, not the top down.

It is in the interests of all of us - the United States, China and the rest of the world - to make sure that the rules of the road are upheld. These rules and norms are part of the foundation of regional stability, and they have allowed nations across the region, including China, to grow and prosper.