Remarks by the President at the Installation of Attorney General Eric Holder

And we will zealously protect our Constitution — indeed, the very rule of law itself — from those who would force upon us the false choice between security and liberty, between safety and justice.

Now, during the eight weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to meet with a number of you and to thank you for your dedicated work for our department and for our nation, and for all that you all are so fortunately to serve. In the coming months I hope to meet many more of you and to talk about and refine the methods that we will use in our common cause. Please know that I consider it to be a special privilege, the highest honor of my life and of my career, to return to the Department of Justice that I love, for the last time, and to be given the responsibility to lead it. Please also know that I am very proud to serve with you.

This is our time. This is our time. When American generations look back now on the work that we will do, let us strive to ensure that they will say that we kept the faith and that we made a superb Justice Department even greater.

I thank you very much, my friends, and I look forward to working with all of you. (Applause.)

(Source: White House)