The beauty of America is its freedoms and the promise that you can achieve your dreams, no matter your race, sex, country of origin, sexual orientation or gender identity. This is something we continue to strive toward and fight for.

We were founded on the idea that all people are created equal, and while that notion of who counts as a person - who deserves equality - has evolved over time, the point remains: America was founded as bastion of freedom, and equality. That is the America I know.

Avoidance and delays aren't neutral; they send a very clear message.

In 2005, I was asked to manage my first-ever political campaign.

One of the things that we do is we elevate people. We put them on pedestals, and people are flawed. No one is perfect.

As a former political analyst for MSNBC, I'm used to speaking extemporaneously. But there's one line I have memorized - my credentials. Here it is: I've worked on four presidential campaigns, served in the White House, run political campaigns and graduated from and teach at an Ivy League institution.