Donald Trump first gained political prominence leading the charge for the so-called birthers. He promoted the racist lie that President Obama is not really an American citizen, part of a sustained effort to delegitimize America's first black president.

We've got to remain energy-independent. It gives us much more power and freedom than to be worried about what goes on in the Middle East. We have enough worries over there without having to worry about that.

Children today will grow up taking for granted that an African-American or a woman can, yes, become the president of the United States.

I think you have to take the man at his word [Donald Trump]. Is kind of an equal-opportunity insulter. He started by calling Mexican immigrants rapists and criminals. He moved on to denigrating John McCain's heroism during the Vietnam War. He has gone after people with disabilities. He has said Muslims should be kept out of our country. He certainly has gone after individual women in the media, in the political arena.

We finally need to pass a prohibition on anyone who's on the terrorist watch list from being able to buy a gun in America. If you're too dangerous to fly, you are too dangerous to buy a gun.

People sometimes ask me, "You're still in a primary - why are you criticizing [Donald] Trump?" It's because I don't want what he's saying to stand unanswered.

There cannot be true democracy unless all citizens are able to participate fully in the lives of their country.