Rep. John Conyers said the president “called me and told me that he heard that I was demeaning him and I had to explain to him that it wasn’t anything personal, it was an honest difference on the issues.”
Conyers on Obama call: 'It was an honest difference on the issues'
David Shepardson / Detroit News Washington Bureau
Washington -- Rep. John Conyers told a Capitol Hill newspaper that President Barack Obama had recently taken him to the woodshed over comments he made.
Conyers, D-Detroit, who is chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, told The Hill newspaper Obama "called me and told me that he heard that I was demeaning him, and I had to explain to him that it wasn't anything personal. It was an honest difference on the issues," Conyers said.
"Calling in generals and admirals to discuss troop strength is like me taking my youngest to McDonald's to ask if he likes French fries," Conyers said.
The White House declined to comment on Conyers' remarks.
Conyers didn't offer much when asked about his comments today. Asked why Obama called him, he said: "You'll have to ask him what prompted his call. I don't know."
Told the White House wouldn't comment, Conyers said: "I better say the same thing if I know what's good for me."
The call was apparently prompted by coverage of Conyers' remarks on the Bill Press Radio Show.
"I'm getting tired of saving Obama's can in the White House. I mean, he only won (health care reform) by five votes in the House, and this bill wasn't anything to write home about," he said. "The public option is only available, which is the only way you manage cost and get some competition to 1,300 other health insurance companies, the only way he could have got that through is that progressives held their nose and voted for it anyway." He also said Obama's leadership was lacking.
"You know, holding hands out and beer on Friday nights in the White House and bowing down to every nutty right-wing proposal about health care, and saying on occasion that public options aren't all that important is doing a disservice," he said.
dshepardson@detnews.com (202) 662-8735
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