CBS News reporter Mark Knoller captured

the open mic audio (Photo: CBS)



Jake Tapper and Sunlen Miller:

President Obama had a candid, private conversation with campaign donors last night in Chicago. Except, as it turns out, it wasn't so private. The microphone in the room that was on for the part of his remarks that reporters were allowed to listen to was accidentally kept open.

Mark Knoller of CBS listened to and recorded the remarks, but if this was indeed a classic open mic incident, it sure was a convenient one. I'll put it this way: I don't know if the audio was left on intentionally or not, but there's no a chance in hell Fox News is going to do much reporting on what President Obama said, because what he said about Republicans was tough as nails.

Via Tapper and Sunlen, here's a selection of what Obama said,

What he told GOP hostage-takers during budget battle: "I said to them, let me tell you something: 'I spent a year and a half getting health care passed. I had to take that issue across the country and I paid significant political costs to get it done. The notion that I’m going to let you guys undo that in a 6 month spending bill?' 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?'"

"I said to them, let me tell you something: 'I spent a year and a half getting health care passed. I had to take that issue across the country and I paid significant political costs to get it done. The notion that I’m going to let you guys undo that in a 6 month spending bill?' 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?'" On putting GOP on defense over Planned Parenthood defunding: "As soon as we started advertising that a spending bill might end up being a women’s health bill, and the scrutiny started pouring in, you noticed they backed off pretty quick.

"As soon as we started advertising that a spending bill might end up being a women’s health bill, and the scrutiny started pouring in, you noticed they backed off pretty quick. He expects GOP to continue trying to take hostages: "We’re going to see this again. We’re going to see this on the debt limit vote. This is going to be the strategy going forward. Trying to do things they can do legislatively under the guise of cutting spending."

"We’re going to see this again. We’re going to see this on the debt limit vote. This is going to be the strategy going forward. Trying to do things they can do legislatively under the guise of cutting spending." What he told the GOP on Planned Parenthood defunding: "You guys want to have this debate? We’re happy to have that debate. We will have the debate on the floor of the Senate or the floor of the House. Put it in a separate bill. We'll call it up. And if you think you can overturn my veto, try it. But don't try to sneak this through."

"You guys want to have this debate? We’re happy to have that debate. We will have the debate on the floor of the Senate or the floor of the House. Put it in a separate bill. We'll call it up. And if you think you can overturn my veto, try it. But don't try to sneak this through." On the decline of social wedge issues: "I think there’s a generational change taking place in part where people say, 'You know what, we may have disagreement about his, but this is not what we’re worried about. We’re not worried about the gay family next door. We’re not worried about what women are doing in terms of maintaining their health. We’re trying to figure out how to move America forward.'"

"I think there’s a generational change taking place in part where people say, 'You know what, we may have disagreement about his, but this is not what we’re worried about. We’re not worried about the gay family next door. We’re not worried about what women are doing in terms of maintaining their health. We’re trying to figure out how to move America forward.'" He hasn't forgotten Paul Ryan's fiscally irresponsible track record: "When Paul Ryan says his priority is to make sure, he's just being America's accountant and trying to you know be responsible, 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. So it's not on the level."

Update: Join the discussion in blue aardvark's recommended diary on this.