Governors Trash Talk Each Other in Front of White House
It started as a Kumbaya moment of bi-partisanship: A group of Democratic and Republican governors gathered at the White House talking to reporters about "common goals" and "working together."
And then possible Republican presidential candidate Gov. Bobby Jindal, R-La., stepped to the microphones.
Jindal blasted President Obama for slow-walking a decision on the Keystone Pipeline and trashed his proposal to raise the minimum wage.
"This president and the White House seems to be waving the white flag of surrender," Jindal said, flanked by several Democratic governors. "The Obama economy is now the minimum wage economy. I think we can do better than that. I think America can do better than that."
With the gauntlet thrown down, the claws came out.
"That's the most insane statement I've ever heard," retorted Gov. Dan Malloy, D-Conn., who elbowed his way to the microphones to say he disagreed with Jindal on the minimum wage and the Keystone Pipeline.
"You just heard what I think just ended up being the partisan statement we heard all weekend," Malloy said of Jindal's comments.
That prompted Jindal to come back to the microphones to further criticize the president on health care. A few minutes later Gov. Martin O'Malley, D-Md., reminded reporters that Jindal had failed to pay his dues to the National Governor's Association.
Kumbaya no more.