Rep. John Boehner, the House Minority Leader, was asked today if there was any truth to something Rep. Barney Frank, a Democrat, told reporters, that House Republican leaders wanted Rep. Joe Wilson to apologize to President Barack Obama on the House floor for calling the president a liar Wednesday night but that Wilson refused.

House Republican leaders Reps. John Boehner and Eric Cantor.
Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Photo

House Republican leaders Reps. John Boehner (r) and Eric Cantor reportedly wanted Rep. Joe Wilson to apologize on the House floor for calling President Barack Obama a liar at the joint session of Congress.

Boehner didn't confirm the story but, tellingly, he also didn't deny it. Here's his exchange with reporters:

REPORTER: Mr. Boehner, Mr. Frank just told a group of reporters that the last vote was held open because you and Mr. Cantor were trying to convince Congressman Wilson to publicly apologize on the House floor, but he refused. Do you want him to go to the floor and apologize?

REP. BOEHNER: There were a lot of reasons why the last vote was left open. I did have a conversation with Mr. Wilson. I'm not going to relay the — the contents of my private conversation with him. You'll have to talk to him.

REPORTER: Are you disappointed he won't apologize on the House floor?

REP. BOEHNER: You'll have to talk to him.

 

REPORTER: Mr. Leader, so as leader of your party, are you embarrassed by this kind of behavior, or are you encouraging it?

REP. BOEHNER: I think that Mr. Wilson made it clear that he said his behavior was inappropriate. And he apologized for it, and I'm glad he did.

REPORTER: But I want your personal feeling about — as leader of your party, does this embarrass you?

REP. BOEHNER: I think that Mr. Wilson summed it up best, when he said his behavior was inappropriate.