Gibbs Backtracks From Comments Critical of Big Labor

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs attempted to backtrack from controversial remarks from an administration source about big labor's attempts to defeat Sen. Blanche Lincoln in the Arkansas Democratic primary.  The Chicago Tribune reports:

One of Super Tuesday's more surprising results was in Arkansas, where Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D) eked out a surprising victory in the primary runoff against Lt. Gov. Bill Halter (D). As the outcome became clear, Politico reported on the comments of a senior White House official who vented anonymously:

"Organized labor just flushed $10 million of their members' money down the toilet on a pointless exercise. If even half that total had been well-targeted and applied in key House races across this country, that could have made a real difference in November."

The $10 million refers to estimates of the money spent by organized labor in an effort to derail Lincoln, who has occasionally spurned the traditional Democratic ally on key votes. Their efforts boosted Halter to within just a few points of Lincoln in the initial May 18 primary after only a few months in the race, an outcome that union officials today say proves their effort was not in vein.

Robert Gibbs was asked about the comment at today's White House briefing, and he chose to distance President Obama from the criticism of a top aide.

"I don't think that the president would necessarily agree with that characterization," he said.

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