Obama Accepts Lawmaker's Apology for Floor Remark

President Barack Obama accepted a South Carolina Republican's apology for shouting, "You lie!" during his speech to Congress, and House Democratic leaders showed no interest in sanctions against Rep. Joe Wilson.

Obama said Thursday that Wilson apologized "quickly and without equivocation" and the congressman told reporters the shout-out was "spontaneous."

"We all make mistakes," Obama told reporters, a day after Wilson stunned the president and his colleagues with his outburst.

Infuriated Democrats briefly considered sanctioning the four-term congressman, but decided early Thursday that doing so might distract lawmakers from getting an agreement to overhaul health insurance.

"It's time for us to talk about health care, not Mr. Wilson," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

Wilson's behavior generated plenty of talk.

Related

WATCH: Obama's FULL Health Care Address

WATCH: Joe Biden: Obama Re-Centered Debate

WATCH: Obama Speech Draws Laughter and Boos

He erupted after Obama stated that his health care overhaul would not "insure illegal immigrants."

"You lie!" Wilson shouted from his seat.

The House version of the health care bill explicitly prohibits spending any federal money to help illegal immigrants get health care coverage. The bill's exact language: "Nothing in this subtitle shall allow federal payments for affordability credits on behalf of individuals who are not lawfully in the United States."

But Wilson is far from alone in thinking that the prohibition in the House bill doesn't go far enough. For him and other Republicans, the problem is not what's in the bill, it's what the bill leaves out — namely a provision to enforce the no-illegals rule.

In the chamber at that moment, a stunned and angry Pelosi opted not to gavel down Wilson on the spot. Obama, she said, was right to pitch right back into his speech and not "give it any more attention than it deserved."

"It was spontaneous," Wilson said Thursday. "It was when he (Obama) stated, as he did, about not (health care insurance) not covering illegal aliens ... We need to discuss the issues and I'm happy to do that."