The full measure of happiness.

"The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness."

--Barack Obama, Inaugural Speech, January 20, 2009 [Full Transcript]

"We know that five men don’t know better than women and their doctors what’s best for a woman’s health. We know that it’s about whether or not women have equal rights under the law. We know that a woman’s right to make a decision about how many children she wants to have and when--without government interference--is one of the most fundamental freedoms we have in this country. We also know that there was another voice that came from the bench--a voice clear in reasoning and passionate in dissent. The voice rejected what she called, quote 'Ancient notions of women’s place in the family and under the Constitution. Ideas that have long been discredited.' Unquote. One commentator called the decision in Gonzales, “An attack on Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s entire life’s work.” And it was. But we heard Justice Ginsburg and we know what she was saying. She was saying, 'We’ve been there before and we are not going back. We refuse to go back.'"

--Barack Obama, before Planned Parenthood, July 17, 2007 [Full Transcript]

"Many Americans see Barack Obama as a kind and compassionate candidate. However, Mr. Obama's compassion does not extend to our most vulnerable members of society--unborn children."

--Political writer Laura Echevarria