If you can look back and say, "The economy's better. Our security's better. The environment's better. Our kids' education is better," if you can say that you've made things better, then considering all the challenges out there, you should feel good. But I'm the first to acknowledge that I did not crack the code in terms of reducing this partisan fever.
Barack ObamaNow is not the time to gut these job-creating investments in science and innovation. Now is the time to reach a level of research and development not seen since the height of the Space Race.
Barack ObamaUnder my plan of a cap and trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocketโฆ Because Iโm capping greenhouse gasses, coal power plants, natural gasโฆyou name itโฆwhatever the plants were, whatever the industry was, they would have to retro-fit their operations. That will cost moneyโฆthey will pass that money on to the consumers.
Barack ObamaI was pretty realistic to people about what we could get done, and the situation we were in, and trying to tamp down expectations. If you listen to my stump speeches, if you listen to what I said at Grant Park, I kept on saying, "Look, this is not just about me, this is not going to happen in one year, or one term, or even one presidency." And we tried to layer into everything we were saying a sense of hope, but also realism.
Barack Obama