House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) took considerable exception to the idea that President Obama's inability to reach a grand bargain on debt negotiation had anything to do with not reaching out more to House Republicans.
Pelosi had to compose herself upon being questioned on the subject Thursday morning, taking a deep breath and placing both her hands on the podium before responding.
"This president has been so respectful and given so much time to the Republicans and their views, to the point that one time in one of our meetings I said to the president, 'Mr. President, I'm busy, and I don't have any more time for this,'" Pelosi said. "'You have to be the busiest person in the world. If and when they come up with a new idea, why don't we just call you back into the room.'
"Because he has tried so hard to listen, to accommodate, to be respectful of their points of view. No, I do not think this is why we didn't reach a grand bargain ... And I don't care what anybody else says about that."
[H/T Politico]