Obama admits ‘enemies’ reference a mistake but says GOP using it against him unfairly

President Obama on Monday admitted he made a mistake last week when he referred to those who disagree with him as “enemies,” but argued that Republicans are misinterpreting his remark.

“I probably should have used the word, ‘opponents’ instead of enemies,” Obama said, during an interview with African-American radio show host Michael Baisden.

The president clarified his remark hours before House Minority Leader John Boehner, Ohio Republican, was set to use the comment as a centerpiece of his final speech of the 2010 campaign.

Obama implied that he felt Republicans were unfairly politicizing the comment.

“Now the Republicans are saying that I’m calling them enemies,” Obama said. “What I’m saying is you’re an opponent of this particular provision, comprehensive immigration reform, which is something very different.”

The president’s original comments came last Monday in an interview with Eddie “Piolin” Sotelo of Univision Radio.

“If Latinos sit out the election instead of saying, we’re going to punish our enemies and we’re going to reward our friends who stand with us on issues that are important to us, if they don’t see that kind of upsurge in voting in this election, then I think it’s going to be harder — and that’s why I think it’s so important that people focus on voting on November 2,” Obama said.

Even John Podesta, a strong ally of the president’s who runs the Center for American Progress, acknowledged Monday morning that the president’s comments were “a poor choice of words.”

NEXT: Full transcript of Obama's interview with Baisden