During the July 22 edition of NBC's Nightly News, White House correspondent Chuck Todd said of a recent meeting between Congressional Budget Office (CBO) director Douglas Elmendorf and President Obama: “Republicans criticized the president, saying they thought he was trying to strong-arm one of the umpires in this game. The president and the White House claim they were simply on a fact-finding mission.” But Todd did not note that Elmendorf himself posted comments on CBO's Director's Blog that do not support the claim that Obama was “trying to strong-arm” him.

In his July 21 blog post, Elmendorf stated, “The President asked me and the outside experts for our views about achieving cost savings in health reform.” Elmendorf also stated, “Of course, the setting of the conversation and the nature of the participants do not affect CBO's analysis of health reform legislation.”

From Elmendorf's blog post:

I was invited to the White House to meet with the President, his key budget and health advisers, and some outside experts. The President asked me and the outside experts for our views about achieving cost savings in health reform. I presented CBO's assessment of the challenges of reducing federal health outlays and improving the long-term budget outlook while simultaneously expanding health insurance coverage -- just as we had explained these challenges in a letter to Senator Conrad and Senator Gregg last month. I also described CBO's view of the effects of the health legislation we have seen so far, as I did last Thursday in a hearing at the Senate Budget Committee and a mark-up at the House Ways and Means Committee. In addition, I discussed various policy options that could produce budgetary savings in the long run, drawing on CBO's Budget Options for Health Care released in December, our letter to Senators Conrad and Gregg last month, and my comments last Thursday. Other participants in the meeting expressed their own views on these various topics.

People have asked whether it was exciting to meet the President and be in the Oval Office: Yes, and my kids will be jealous when they get back from summer camp and hear about it. Of course, the setting of the conversation and the nature of the participants do not affect CBO's analysis of health reform legislation. We will continue to work with Members of Congress and their staffs, on both sides of the aisle, to provide cost estimates and other information as health reform legislation is considered.

From the July 22 edition of NBC's Nightly News with Brian Williams:

TODD: Last week, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office sort of turned this debate on its ear when they said that one of the House plans would actually increase the cost of health care. Well, the president called in the head of the CBO for a meeting. Republicans criticized the president, saying they thought he was trying to strong-arm one of the umpires in this game. The president and the White House claim they were simply on a fact-finding mission -- Brian.

BRIAN WILLIAMS (host): All right, Chuck Todd with our preview tonight from the White House. Chuck, thanks.