Pelosi Nearly Calls Obamacare Mandate a 'Tax' During Contentious Wordsmithing on 'Meet the Press

Democrats have a record of flubs on NBC's "Meet the Press" (see Joe Biden -- maybe). And Nancy Pelosi almost made one this past Sunday while trying to wordsmith her way around the Supreme Court upholding Obamacare as a "tax" while the Democrats work hard to say it is not and are thus keeping to their promise of no new taxes.

That's a hard task, as Pelosi found out. After host David Gregory pressed her on the issue, Pelosi started talking in circles and caught herself in an almost-awkward position. Politico reports:

"It's a penalty that comes under the Tax Code," Pelosi said on NBC's "Meet The Press" as host David Gregory pressed her to say whether she agreed with the Supreme Court, which deemed the law constitutional because the fee used to enforce the individual mandate amounts to a tax, or with President Barack Obama, who has maintained the fee is not a tax.

"It's a ta—; it’s a penalty for free riders," Pelosi said, nearly uttering the dreaded T-word before cutting herself off.

Watch Pelosi struggle to stay on message below:

The confusion continues.