Hot on the heels of Jon Stewart's much-talked about segment last night with 9/11 First Responders check out this disheartening briefing room exchange between Jake Tapper and Robert Gibbs. Oof.

It will be interesting to see how the Obama administration spins this....and equally interesting to watch Fox News jump all over it.

TAPPER: Can you talk about the failure of the legislation for the 9/11 First Responders to pass? That was held up in the Senate, and I haven't really heard the White House say much about it.



GIBBS: Well, look, we -- look, I think the -- if I'm not mistaken -- is this for a vote today or a previous vote?



TAPPER: A previous vote.



GIBBS: Yeah, I think, if I'm not mistaken, Senator Reid has filed cloture on a number of things to vote on before the end of the year and before the end of the session. Obviously he filed a cloture on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."



TAPPER: Right.



GIBBS: That will be tomorrow, as will the DREAM Act, and, I believe, also the 9/11 bill. And the White House is supportive of all those pieces of legislation.



TAPPER: If I could just follow up --

GIBBS: Mm-hmm.

TAPPER: -- with you. I haven't really heard the White House say much about it, though. I know you've had a lot of other things that you're pushing in terms of the new tax deal, the omnibus bill, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," but is it --

GIBBS: I think -- let me check it out. I mean, I think we've set up a statement of support, a prior administration position, and we are supportive of the legislation.

(LATER)

TAPPER: Can I just do a quick follow-up? Apparently Reid is going to bring up the First Responders. It could come up as soon as Monday.

GIBBS: Yes.

TAPPER: And every time you guys have talked about -- every time you from the podium have talked about calls that the president is making on the tax bill or the DREAM Act --

GIBBS: I'll check -- let me check and see if he's made any calls.

TAPPER: -- you've never -- we've never been told that he's made calls on the first responders bill.

GIBBS: Well, until this morning, I hadn't been asked. But I will -- let me check and see. Let me go back and look through the call list and see if he has.