[Our troops in Iraq and Afganistan] does give us the ability to make sure that we are strengthening those folk who are interested in building up their countries rather than destroying them, and doing so in a way that is sustainable and doesn't put a constant burden on the amazing men and women that we've got in uniform.

When our interests and values are at stake, we have a responsibility to act.

Reality has a way of asserting itself.

This union may never be perfect, but generation after generation has shown that it can always be perfected.

Perfect is unattainable. Better is possible.

Well, I think that when you think about the challenges we face, these are challenges that require us to look forward and not backwards. When it comes to the economy I think we have to recognize that we are now in a global economy. And that the measure of our success is: how well are we training our workers? How well are we investing in the new energy economy?

Democracy demands that the religiously motivated translate their concerns into universal, rather than religion-specific, values.