Oh, was that mic open?

The press has fallen for the old "open mic" trick again.  Day before yesterday, the President let fly some opinions that were picked up in an open mic, and he was probably just fine with that since it gave him the opportunity to get his "unscripted" remarks about how tough he is into the press cycle.

But after most of the press left, the mike was still live unbeknownst to the President. (Mark) Knoller heard Obama give his supporters a little partisan red-meat, which belies his usual above-the-fray public attitude.

"I said: 'You want to repeal healthcare? Go at it. We'll have that debate," Obama told them. "You're not going to be able to do that by nickel-and-diming me in the budget. You think we're stupid?'"

This happens all the time, incidentally.  "Oh, was that mic open?  Please, please, please don't pass around my totally unscripted and off-the-cuff remarks regarding the odious opposition and their plot to destroy America and All We Hold Dear."

So the President got his jab in, although his supporters might wish it were something a little pithier than "you think we're stupid?"

 

 

Comments

[Hypatia]

Following the speech, another attempt by Obama to shore up his base. It's a sign of the times that liberals are grabbing at such straws and cheering because a Democratic president says he's not in favor of disemboweling the social safety net, he just wants "reforms." Meanwhile, the whole argument takes place on the Republicans' turf and on their terms.

[John Petty]

Yeah, how does that happen anyway?