President Barack Obama bluntly criticized congressional Republicans and candidly assessed his own policies and the performance of federal workers in a meeting with campaign donors late Thursday in Chicago.
Apparently unaware that a microphone was still on, Obama said he essentially dared Republicans to try to repeal his health-care law during the recent budget negotiations. "I said, 'You want to repeal health care? Go at it. We'll have that debate. You're not going to be able to do that by nickel-and-diming me in the budget. You think we're stupid?' "
The exchange was overheard by "CBS Radio News" reporter Mark Knoller, who had been listening from the White House to an audio feed of Obama's public remarks before the private meeting.
The White House regularly provides a feedback to Washington from public events across the country. Normally, a staffer traveling with the president will turn off the feed, but in this case no one did, and Knoller kept listening after reporters traveling with Obama left the room.
Later in the discussion, Obama said he told Republicans that they should try to pass a stand-alone bill to defund Planned Parenthood, rather than attach it to the broader budget bill.
"Put it in a separate bill," Obama said he told House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and his staff. "We'll call it up. And if you think you can overturn my veto, try it. But don't try to sneak this through."
White House press secretary Jay Carney on Friday dismissed any potential concerns with the comments. "He was taking questions from supporters," Carney said. "But there's nothing - nothing he said that contradicts anything he said in public."
In the conversation, Obama also weighed in on the performance of rank-and-file federal employees, saying it is "striking ... how generally smart and dedicated" federal workers are, according to Knoller.
But Obama added that some government workers "are slugs and not trying to do their job."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TQvuTU5HVc&feature=related
While in Chicago for a fundraiser, President Obama was caught on tape making comments after reporters had left the room. The president is heard here discussing the Emir of Qatar advocating democracy everywhere but in his own country.
Posts
