Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., says President Obama told him in 2013 that he doesn't want to talk publicly about the national debt in great detail because it would make people "scared" and forced them to "give up hope."

In an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, Johnson said he met with Obama in the White House in 2013, and asked Obama to talk more about the budget deficit and the national debt.

"He replied, 'Ron, we can't show the American people numbers that big. If we do, they'll get scared and give up hope,'" Johnson wrote.

Johnson said Obama also told him, "Besides, we can't do all the work. We have to leave some work for future presidents and future Congresses."

But Johnson said in the face of a $19 trillion national debt, it's time for the government to confront the problem.

"It should be at the forefront of every campaign and policy debate," he wrote. "Unfortunately, as Mr. Obama's comment illustrates, it is largely being ignored, along with a host of other problems."

Johnson also blamed Washington politicians for dodging real solutions to boost job creation and defeat the Islamic State.

"Witness how the recent ISIS-inspired attacks have failed to promote a serious discussion on how to defeat ISIS and Islamic terror," he said. "Instead, we've debated gun control."

Johnson is in a tough re-election race in his home state, and is behind former Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold in most recent polls.