In the Roosevelt Room after the session, the Treasury secretary, Henry M. Paulson Jr., literally bent down on one knee as he pleaded with Ms. Pelosi not to “blow it up” by withdrawing her party’s support for the package over what Ms. Pelosi derided as a Republican betrayal.

“I didn’t know you were Catholic,” Ms. Pelosi said, a wry reference to Mr. Paulson’s kneeling, according to someone who observed the exchange. She went on: “It’s not me blowing this up, it’s the Republicans.”

Mr. Paulson sighed. “I know. I know.”

Office of the Press Secretary
September 25, 2008
PRIVATE CONSULTATION AMONG DEMOCRATS DURING RECESS FOLLOWING REPUBLICAN BAILOUT COUNTERPROPOSAL
THE ROOSEVELT ROOM
Partial Transcript.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MAJORITY LEADER NANCY PELOSI (D-CA.) [unintelligible]
SENATE MAJORITY LEADER HARRY REID (D-NV.) No, that was, that was fine, I thought
PELOSI I just feel like that could have been wittier.
REID [unintelligible]
SENATOR BARACK OBAMA (D-IL.) It was—I would say that was reasonably witty
REID It was very witty, I thought
PELOSI I didn’t want to say, you know, “Why, Hank, you know I’m a married woman.” I was pretty sure that wasn’t the thing to say.
OBAMA No, I don’t believe that would have gone over well.
PELOSI Yeah.
REID Yeah, it’d be like, “Hey, did you remember I was a woman?  Because I’m a woman.”
OBAMA There’d be a certain, um
REID “With great legs.”
PELOSI Yeah.  Yeah.
REID You did perfectly fine.
PELOSI [unintelligible]
REID I guess another option would have been, “I now dub you Sir Hank!” And touch him on the head with, with like an umbrella.
OBAMA [unintelligible]
REID “Sir Hank of the Bailout of, of Lehmania.”
PELOSI Too obvious.
REID You know what, I just don’t have it today.
OBAMA Alternatively, you could have said, “Hank, if you’re going to sell out your economic beliefs, and additionally ask me to sell out mine, along with the trust of those who appointed us to our respective positions—in my case a majority of Americans, in your case the President of the United States—all due to some last-minute Republican reneging—then you could at least go down on both knees.”
REID [unintelligible]
PELOSI That’s good.  That’s better than mine.  I knew there was a better one.
PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH I think it’s too bulky.
REID (agitated) Mr. President, you have to stop listening in on our huddles.

Tags: politics, barack obama, george w. bush, bailout, nancy pelosi, henry paulson, sir hank of the bailout of lehmania, harry reid, fake transcripts