Barack Obama

“ Through the ages, Abraham Lincoln calls us to take a renewed devotion to the unfinished work remaining before our Nation—joining together across all divides to ensure that ‘‘government of the people, by the people, for the people’’ endures in our time. ”

“ President Lincoln reminded us in his Inaugural Address that America's Union was much older than the Constitution itself, and that our national fabric had been stitched together by shared memories and common hopes. As we observe the 150th anniversary of his Inauguration, we reflect on his unceasing belief and our enduring faith that we remain one Nation and one people, sharing a bond as Americans that will never break. ”

“ Our revered 16th President taught us that we are more than North and South, black and white—we are one, and we are all Americans. The forces that divide us are not stronger than the forces that unite us, and the ‘‘new birth of freedom’’ President Lincoln called for still echoes in each of our hearts. ”