In many ways [those middle-aged black ladies] my touchstone, because they are what I meant when I talked about the audacity of hope.

One of the things that you learn, having been in this [President's] office for four years, is the old adage of Abraham Lincoln's. That with public opinion there's nothing you can't do and without public opinion there's very little you can get done.

We must act, knowing that our work will be imperfect.

No matter how much you've done, or how successful you've been, there's always more to do, always more to learn, and always more to achieve.

I'd like to think that "President Obama believed deeply in this democracy and the American people."

Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges.

We have concerns whenever we see people who have large stockpiles of weapons, or appear to be in the process of accumulating weapons and ammunition.