* You’ve probably read the stories about Sen. Dick Durbin’s Sunday Facebook post…

Many Republicans searching for something to say in defense of the disastrous shutdown strategy will say President Obama just doesn’t try hard enough to communicate with Republicans. But in a “negotiation” meeting with the president, one GOP House Leader told the president: “I cannot even stand to look at you.”

* Republicans have flatly denied it happened, and so did the White House…

White House press secretary Jay Carney insisted that Durbin’s story just wasn’t true. “I looked into this and spoke with somebody who was in that meeting, and it did not happen,” Carney said. And Boehner’s spokesman, Michael Steel, said, “The speaker certainly didn’t say that and does not recall anyone else doing so.”

* But Durbin’s spokesman said the Senator stands by his claim…

Max Gleischman, a spokesman for Durbin, the Senate’s second-ranking Democrat, said, “Durbin stands by his comments.”

Even so, Durbin has so far refused to name the alleged insulter.

* And he’s even doubled down in a campaign fundraising letter…

Please, click here to send my campaign $16 — one dollar for every day of the reckless and irresponsible Republican Shutdown — or whatever you can afford.

There was one incident — largely unreported — that I cannot get out of my mind.

As Republicans went around the table telling the president their complaints and demands during a “negotiation” meeting, it came to a member of the GOP House Leadership who said these words to President Obama:

“I am so disgusted. I cannot even stand to look at you.”

I share this story because many Republicans searching for something to say in defense of the disastrous shutdown strategy will often say that the president just doesn’t try hard enough to communicate with Republicans.

Let me ask you: What are the chances of an honest conversation with someone who has just said “I cannot even stand to look at you”? […]

Please, click here to send my campaign $16 — one dollar for every day of the reckless and irresponsible Republican Shutdown — or whatever you can afford.

One dollar for every day that our federal employees sat at home wondering when they could get back to work.

One dollar for every day the reputation of the United States as a world leader was weakened by the Republican threat to default on our debt for the first time in history.

I really think that if you’re gonna make a comment like that, you have an obligation to name names once everyone in the room has denied such a thing was ever said - especially if you’re gonna try to raise money on it.

*** UPDATE *** Hat tip to some commenters for this report by Lynn Sweet…

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) told a gathering of Democratic senators that a GOP House leader said in a private meeting with President Barack Obama he could not stand to look at him–an exchange reported by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and denied by the White House.

The Huffington Post’s Jen Bendery and Ryan Grim confirmed this exchange with two Democratic senators at the meeting and two Senate Democratic aides. I confirmed this with one Democratic aide who told me about Reid’s remarks at a meeting with the Democratic senators last Tuesday. […]

The GOP lawmaker in question is Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas). His office is denying that he made the comment.

So, this makes it easy for Durbin. Just explain where you first heard it and say who it was about.

*** UPDATE 2 *** More damage control…

The White House is taking back Thursday a slam leveled at Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) by Press Secretary Jay Carney over an alleged insult to President Barack Obama by a GOP House leader.

A White House official told me “While the quote attributed to a Republican lawmaker in the House GOP meeting with the President is not accurate, there was a miscommunication when the White House read out that meeting to Senate Democrats, and we regret the misunderstanding.”

So, it was the White House’s fault?

*** UPDATE 3 *** Durbin has posted something new on Facebook…

I appreciate this clarification from the White House that explains recent conflicting reports on the GOP quote. It is important now to move beyond the unfortunate events of the last few weeks and work together constructively so that we’re not faced with another shutdown showdown or debt-ceiling debacle.