I am here today to set this goal: We will devote more than three percent of our GDP to research and development. We will not just meet, but we will exceed the level acheived at the height of the Space Race, through policies that invest in basic and applied research, create new incentives for private innovations, promote breakthroughs in energy and medicine, and improve education in math and science. This represents the largest commitment to scientific research and innovation in American history.

"The losses that have been suffered in Haiti are nothing less than devastating, and responding to a disaster of this magnitude will require every element of our national capacity," Mr. Obama added. "For the sake of our citizens who are in Haiti, for the sake of the Haitian people who have suffered so much, and for the sake of our common humanity, we stand in solidarity with our neighbors to the south, knowing that but for the grace of God there we go."

I accepted Harry's apology without question because I've known him for years, I've seen the passionate leadership he's shown on issues of social justice and I know what's in his heart. As far as I am concerned, the book is closed.

I am less interested in passing out blame than I am in learning from and correcting these mistakes to make us safer. For ultimately, the buck stops with me. As president, I have a solemn responsibility to protect our nation and our people. And when the system fails, it is my responsibility. In the never-ending race to protect our country, we have to stay one step ahead of a nimble adversary.

When a suspected terrorist is able to board a plane with explosives on Christmas Day the system has failed in a potentially disastrous way. The bottom line is this: The U.S. government had sufficient information to have uncovered this plot … but our intelligence community failed to connect those dots. It is increasingly clear that intelligence was not fully analyzed or fully leveraged. That’s not acceptable, and I will not tolerate it.