[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfUmqbtItTE]President Obama and Russian President - Caught on Open Mic !! - YouTube[/ame]
Reporters at the Nuclear Security Summit overheard Obama asking Medvedev Monday to tell incoming President Vladimir Putin on all these issues, but particularly missile defense, this, this can be solved but its important for him to give me space.
This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility, he added.
So what do you think? Big deal? Not important? Business as usual? It will almost certainly surface in the coming months of the Presidential campaign.
Reporters at the Nuclear Security Summit overheard Obama asking Medvedev Monday to tell incoming President Vladimir Putin on all these issues, but particularly missile defense, this, this can be solved but its important for him to give me space.
This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility, he added.
So what do you think? Big deal? Not important? Business as usual? It will almost certainly surface in the coming months of the Presidential campaign.
After meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Monday, Obama was caught asking the departing Russian leader to convey a message to incoming Russian President Vladimir Putin: On all these issues, particularly on missile defense, this, this can be solved but its important for him to give me space," he said.
On Tuesday, Obama said his comments, though not intended for public consumption, were "not a matter of hiding the ball -- I'm on record" about wanting to reduce nuclear weapons stockpiles. Though he spoke bluntly to Medvedev, Obama insisted that the thrust of his remarks was in line with what he said in his Monday speech at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and in other public statements.
Obama's remarks -- in response to a reporter's question -- came after a string of Republicans attacked him on Monday.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said it was "an alarming and troubling development" that Obama told the Russian president he could be more flexible after November. Later, he told told Hugh Hewitt: "I dont think he can recover from it." Though the media "may try and put this to bed, but were going to keep it alive and awake."
Before the president offered his clarification on Tuesday, he wanted to make sure his comments were being recorded. "First of all, are the mics on?" he asked.
Obama explains Medvedev open mic incident - POLITICO.com