Report: Obama Offers Candid Criticism Of Paul Ryan

President Obama was caught on microphone Thursday night questioning Rep. Paul Ryan’s credentials as a deficit hawk.

While meeting with donors in Chicago, it appears as if a microphone in the room inadvertently fed audio from the closed-door conversation to the White House press room, where CBS Radio’s Mark Knoller was listening.

“This is the same guy that voted for two wars that were unpaid for, voted for the Bush tax cuts that were unpaid for, voted for the prescription drug bill that cost as much as my health care bill, but wasn’t paid for,” Obama said. “It’s not on the level.”

Ryan, the Chair of the House Budget Committee, crafted the Republicans’ 2012 budget plan, which Obama countered shortly after with his own proposal to reduce the deficit.

Obama was also overheard commenting on the 2011 budget negotiations between himself and House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio).

“I said, ‘You want to repeal health care? Go at it. We’ll have that debate. You’re not going to be able to do that by nickel-and-diming me in the budget. You think we’re stupid?’” Obama said. “Put it in a separate bill, we’ll call it up …but don’t try to sneak this through.”