that statement as a challenge to the authority of the court system but asked today if the president misspoisspoke. the white house press secretary said president obama was only misunderstood because as a law professor, he was speaking in shorthand. >> the premise of your question suggests that the president of the united states, in the comments he made monday, did not believe that the supreme court could rule on the constitutionality of legislation, which is a preposterous presence. >> my committee joins me. each writer for president clinton with me in new york, leslie sanchez in washington. michael, as you said, these are the moments we live for in our industry. >> i think he was talking in shorthand, but what he was saying broadly was that it's very unusual, really extraordinary, for an economic measure like this to be struck down by the supreme court. believe it or not, there is actually a famous footnote -- i said i would get this footnote on television. ly, we want them to defer to congress given, and i think that's what the president was saying. it's a big issue and i'm actually glad