I believe voting in this election is as consequential an act as voting in 1860, 1864, and 1932. For in each of those elections, the question posed on the ballot was this: We have a republic; will we keep it?
Yesterday, I went to vote early on the first day of voting in DC. I wanted to take a photo of the ballot, and I asked the young man who was the poll worker if I could. He said the law forbids it, so I didn't. Because, you see, we are a nation of laws and not whims, and I was there to shout into the wind, "We must not lose this thing. Everything we love about being American is at gravest risk." It would have done your heart good. The place was hopping. Just hopping. I brought a 25-year-old African American male with me. He got on his phone and encouraged his girlfriend to do the same. The ballot I cast was for Hillary, of course.
I want to tell you this. If I am run over today, my life is complete. The most important thing I have ever done or I will ever do, I did last evening. As the President says, "Democracy is on the ballot." As the First Lady says, decency is on the ballot. My friends, the republic is on the ballot.