As we celebrate this historic moment in which millions of Americans stand together to uphold our democracy, I'd like to thank so many who have my deepest gratitude for their patriotic acts in the last four years:

People from across the country who understood the threat of Trump and Trumpism and engaged civically like never before, giving of their time, resources and talents to the American cause;

Republicans and conservatives who put country over party to defend truth, decency and the constitutional order; Democrats who set aside partisan differences and welcomed partnership with disaffected Republicans in defense of the nation;

Journalists who doggedly pursued and reported facts despite general and personal attacks from the president and acts of violence by his supporters;

Conservative intellectuals and writers who sacrificed or risked their readerships and livelihoods in order to speak simple truths without equivocation or false equivalence;

Liberal intellectuals and writers who identified and built cross-partisan common ground around unifying American ideals, norms and institutions; Faith leaders who stayed true to their principles even while unpopular with their fellow believers;

Civil servants who did their jobs, defended the rule of law, and refused to become part of Trump’s corruption; Doctors and other medical professionals who risked their own lives to save ours even while our leaders failed to support them;

Immigrants and minorities who continued to fight for America even while living in fear of violence and while feeling unwelcome in their own country;

Women who would not accept dehumanization and being treated as second class citizens in their own country and who fought even harder for the republic when they were;

African-American men and women who ensured the nomination of a unifying alternative to Trump; Artists and creators who used their incredible talents to draw attention to corruption and injustice and to inspire real patriotism and unity;

Political philanthropists who set aside party interests or crossed party lines to build the coalition of the decent when so many others would not; Whistleblowers who risked their careers and personal lives to speak essential truths to the American people;

The very few Republican members of Congress who kept their oaths to defend the Constitution, even if it cost them their seats or support within the party;

Democratic members of Congress who worked to unify Americans across party lines and to hold the Trump administration accountable;

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for running a unifying campaign despite the climate of division pervasive throughout the country; Republicans and conservatives who crossed party lines to vote for unifying Democrats in the 2018 midterms and in 2020;

Democratic voters who supported Biden/Harris even though they’d preferred other candidates in the primaries; Conservative political consultants who risked or sacrificed their political careers in order to maintain their principles and defend the country;

Democratic operatives who redoubled their efforts to maintain party unity and mobilize voters new and existing; Immigration, civil rights, ethics and election attorneys who used their skills to defend the vulnerable and uphold the sacred institutions of American self-government;

Military, law enforcement and intelligence leaders who refused to allow the powers of their services to be used against the people; Parents who used the specter of tyranny to teach their children liberty and justice for all;

Servicemen and women who continued to serve selflessly while enduring the shameful disrespect of their commander in chief; Americans everywhere who maintained hope amid darkness, persistently seeking truth in the face of a relentless onslaught of lies; and many more, THANK YOU!

Having won this fight together, imagine how much more we can do for the nation. We must; we will!