The Pledge of Allegiance reflects the truth that faith in God has played a significant role in America since the days of the founding of our country.
Used to be conservatives revered the Average American that Norman Rockwell oil painting of diner food humble faith honest toil and Capraesque virtue.
As crucial as religion has been and is to the life of the nation America's unifying force has never been a specific faith but a commitment to freedom - not least freedom of conscience.
That someone like Obama could be elected president of the United States - with its unrivaled power and prestige - has begun to restore the country's and the world's faith in America as the land of opportunity.
All great enterprises have a pearl of faith at their core and this must be ours: that Americans are still a people born to liberty. That they retain the capacity for self-government. That addressed as free-born autonomous men and women of God-given dignity they will rise yet again to drive back a mortal enemy.
In America now let us - Christian Jew Muslim agnostic atheist wiccan whatever - fight nativism with the same strength and conviction that we fight terrorism. My faith calls on its followers to love one's enemies. A tall order that - perhaps the tallest of all.
Our national motto is 'In God we Trust ' reminding us that faith in our Creator is the most important American value of all.
Workers have kept faith in American institutions. Most of the conflicts which have occurred have been when labor's right to live has been challenged and denied.
Our society is illuminated by the spiritual insights of the Hebrew prophets. America and Israel have a common love of human freedom and they have a common faith in a democratic way of life.
There is nothing wrong with America that faith love of freedom intelligence and energy of her citizens cannot cure.
This President takes his inspiration from the capitals of Europe we look to the cities and small towns of America. This President puts his faith in government. We put our faith in the American people.
It strikes me as odd that the free exercise of religious faith is sometimes treated as a problem something America is stuck with instead of blessed with.
My parents shared not only an improbable love they shared an abiding faith in the possibilities of this nation. They would give me an African name Barack or blessed believing that in a tolerant America your name is no barrier to success.
I think the greatest taboos in America are faith and failure.
I knew that there were several among African-American leaders who had been put out by me because of my failure or reluctance to endorse Sen. Kerry.
I've criticized President Bush for his failure to use his veto pen. There's plenty of blame to go around. The question is how to solve problems. It's not bailouts. What made America great? Free markets free enterprise manufacturing job creation. That's how we're gonna do it not by enlarging government.
American democracy must be a failure because it places the supreme authority in the hands of the poorest and most ignorant part of the society.
Our nation's Social Security Trust Fund is depleting at an alarming rate and failure to implement immediate reforms endangers the ability of Americans to plan for their retirement with the options and certainty they deserve.
America's most dangerous diseases have developed an immunity to politics. We suffer not from a failure of political organization or power but a failure of love.
In Britain by contrast we still think that class plays a part in determining a person's life chances so we're less inclined to celebrate success and less inclined to condemn failure. The upshot is that it's much easier to be a failure in Britain than it is in America.
America thinks of itself as a meritocracy so people have more respect for success and more contempt for failure.
Jobs for every American is doomed to failure because of modern automation and production. We ought to recognize it and create an income-maintenance system so every single American has the dignity and the wherewithal for shelter basic food and medical care. I'm talking about welfare for all. Without it you're going to have warfare for all.
The reason was the failure of both Japan and China to understand each other and the inability of America and the European powers to sympathize without prejudice with the peoples of East Asia.
Pharmaceutical companies are enjoying unprecedented profits and access with this Administration. Yet the Republicans' prescription drug plan for seniors has been a colossal failure and over 43 million Americans wake up every morning without health insurance.