Sep 10, 2009 4:30 pm US/Eastern
Obama Accepts 'You Lie' Apology
S.C. Rep Joe Wilson, R-S.C., Heckled President Obama During Address To Congress
WASHINGTON (AP) ―
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Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) and President Barack Obama.
Chip Somodevilla/Jason Reed/Getty Images
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President Obama addresses a joint session of Congress on his embattled healthcare reform plan Sept. 9, 2009, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.
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President Barack Obama shakes hands with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi before Vice President Joe Biden prior to Obama's address on his embattled healthcare reform plan on Sept. 9, 2009, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.
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The children of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, from left to right, Teddy Kennedy Jr., Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., and Kara Kennedy, listen as President Barack Obama addresses a joint session of the U.S. Congress on Sept. 9, 2009, in Washington, D.C.
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President Barack Obama accepted a South Carolina Republican's apology for shouting, "You lie!" at the president during his speech to Congress Wednesday night, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said there should be no sanctions against the lawmaker, Rep. Joe Wilson.
Obama said that Wilson apologized "quickly and without equivocation."
"We all make mistakes," Obama told reporters after meeting with his Cabinet Thursday.
Infuriated Democrats briefly considered sanctioning the four-term congressman, but decided early Thursday to look beyond the incident to prevent it from derailing any momentum Obama may have generated for the health care bill.
"It's time for us to talk about health care, not Mr. Wilson," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi replied, when asked Thursday what decision she had made about a punishment. "Let's not spend time on that."
Pelosi, though stunned and visibly furious at the interruption, said she opted not to gavel down Wilson on the spot. Obama, she said, was right to dive right back into his speech and not "give it any more attention than it deserved."
Wilson told reporters Thursday morning he was "very grateful" to have been able to have the talk with the White House. He said officials there voiced an interest in "a civil conversation" and said he agreed with that.
"It was spontaneous," he said of the floor remark. "It was when he (Obama) stated, as he did, about not covering illegal aliens ... We need to discuss the issues and I'm happy to do that."
(© 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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