CBS: In what he thought was a private chat with campaign donors Thursday evening, President Obama offered the most revealing behind-the-scenes account to date of his budget negotiations with GOP leaders last week.
CBS Radio News White House correspondent Mark Knoller listened in to an audio feed of Mr. Obama’s conversation with donors after other reporters traveling with the president had left the room.
In the candid remarks, Mr. Obama complains of Republican attempts to attach measures to the budget bill which would have effectively killed parts of his hard-won health care reform program.
“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?'” recalled the president of his closed-door negotiations on the bill to fund the federal government until September.
…Mr. Obama bemoaned GOP leaders’ attempts to attach a measure to the budget bill which would have cut funding for Planned Parenthood.
“Put it in a separate bill,” the president said he told Boehner 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.”
…The president told his backers Thursday night that he expects Republicans to continue using that process to enact their political agenda under the guise of cutting spending. He specifically called into question the sincerity of Budget Committee Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan…
“When Paul Ryan says his priority is to make sure, he’s just being America’s accountant … This is the same guy that voted for two wars that were unpaid for, voted for the Bush tax cuts that were unpaid for, voted for the prescription drug bill that cost as much as my health care bill – but wasn’t paid for,” Mr. Obama told his supporters. “So it’s not on the level.”
Full article here
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Sneaky work by Mark Knoller …. but the President’s comments were sublime
The Obama Diary 
Good for you Mr. President. Don’t let those Republicans think they can walk all over you. OH NO! NO! NO!!!
Blunt, forceful, direct, and to the point. PBO is the man!!!
President Obama knows his remarks would get out. Remember the “clinging to guns and religion” fiasco from the 2008 primaries – he would have undoubtedly have learned his lesson. You speak like every word will be reported and recorded. This is simply to get these points out and then being able to say “it was at a political fundraiser where cameras/recording was not permitted” to separate it away from his day job duties.
My thoughts exactly! They think he is naive, too funny!
i’m loving it. The republiCONS are whining and crying foul. i guess they’re finding out that the Commander-in-Chief has a rather like pair. He took their best shoots for over two years and now its their turn.
I’m thinking this was the clean version of what was said and what happened. LOL I have followed President Obama since his days as State Senator in Ill. He is not soft. And he is a hard negotiator. He will not play his hand out in public like the PL or the News Media want him to do. He have proven time and time again that he leave his card close to his chest until the last hand is dealt. They can continue to underestimate President Obama at their own peril. The only way President Obama can lose this next election is if Democrats ,Independents.Youth, Blacks and Hispanics don’t get out there and vote. We see where the Republicans want to take this country (back to the 1800’s) we can’t let that happen.
Martin Bashire just played a clip of what the president said about Paul Doomesday Ryan and it was hilarious. Plus, I heard that PBO invited Ryan and several other repugs to his speech on wednesday and purposefully put them in the front seat, right in front of him, just so Ryan could hear everything PBO was saying crystal clear so there was no misunderstanding! I love PBO, he’s such a cutie patootie 🙂 he’s my type of guy.
Lol, yeah I guess he realized very early on, that he must play *CHESS* as they play Checkers. Poor Baby, they have called him *EVERYTHING*, huh, they even called him *MOSES*, and really that’s about the most decent name, that he’s been called.
Look, this Is a man that came up with a tiny bit of confusion as a Child, but got some good love and good education which was taking seriously along the way. He got a chance to peek at and live on the other side of the World. So I would say that he had a little this, and a little that. He has a Unique story, which hasn’t been always good. He’s had some great opportunities, he took the advantage of what was offered to him, but for a moment there, he had to figure out who he was or Is, and I think It caused him to remember a lot of his Mom’s teachings, and passions. It caused him to be HUMBLE. In other words, PBO has been playing *CHESS* for a long time. Hehehe, but that’s our President, and I say this with *LOVE*, *PRIDE*, and *GRATEFULNESS* You GO *OBAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA* 🙂
Shirley, I admire President Obama so very much for doing what we all have a responsibility and an opportunity to do. To become our best. Wisely, President Obama recognizes the importance and responsibility of self-reliance, but equally important, our inter-relationship to each other and the larger world. He is an AMAZING human being. And to all those who loved, supported, guided and influenced him along his journey, I say Bless you! And that includes all that continue to see and believe in, and will support him and his leadership, now and into the future. We are all in this together.
Does anyone think it was dirty to report on a private conversation? Mark Knoller is creepy and when he is in the Press briefing room he is always making notes in his tiny little book. He is freaky and in my opinion dangerous. I know the WH is not alarmed but I personally didn’t like the leak….
It was intentional.