WASHINGTON — Now that the reporters were gone, President Barack Obama had some private thoughts to share with about 50 donors.
The Thursday evening exchange at a Chicago restaurant did not stay private for long. A live audio feed mistakenly piped Obama’s off-the-cuff remarks all the way to the press briefing room of the White House.
Captured on audio by CBS News, the president cast himself as a tough defender of his health care law, fighting off Republican attempts to cut off some of its funding during negotiations to avert a government shutdown last week.
“I said, ‘You wanna repeal health care? Go at it. We’ll have that debate. But you’re not going to be able to do it by nickel and diming me in the budget. You think we’re stupid?’ “
The president, in remarks overheard by The Associated Press, also said he wanted a phone upgrade.
“The Oval Office, I always thought I was going to have really cool phones and stuff,” he said. “I’m like, ‘C’mon guys, I’m the president of the United States. Where’s the fancy buttons and stuff and the big screen comes up?’ It doesn’t happen.” The Assoicated Press
