It was the call of workers who organized; women who reached for the ballot; a President who chose the moon as our new frontier; and a King who took us to the mountain top and pointed the way to the Promised Land. Yes we can!

I believe we can keep the promise of our founders, the idea that if you're willing to work hard, it doesn't matter who you are or where you come from or what you look like or who you love. It doesn't matter whether you're black or white or Hispanic or Asian or Native American or young or old or rich or poor, able, disabled, gay or straight, you can make it here in America if you're willing to try.

There's no doubt that on the issue of abortion, oftentimes it's very difficult to split the difference, although we can agree on the notion that none of us are pro-abortion and all of us would like to see a reduction in unwanted pregnancies, for example, and we could focus on those issues.

America is not - and never will be - at war with Islam. We will, however, relentlessly confront violent extremists.

I want to be very clear: I will not sign on to any health plan that adds to our deficits over the next decade.

On every continent, there are girls who will go on to change the world in ways we can only imagine, if only we allow them the freedom to dream.

I'm not the strapping young Muslim socialist that I used to be.