Obama says he bit his tongue

WASHINGTON, June 26 (UPI) -- Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama said he bit his tongue many times during his primary fight against Hillary Clinton, his colleagues say.

Two sources said Obama's comments came after Rep. Diane Watson, D-Calif., a Clinton supporter, told the Illinois senator the Democratic Party needs time to heal after the hard-fought primary, The Hill reported Thursday.

"I bit my tongue many times. Many times. I bit my tongue many times during this campaign," Obama told his colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus last week during a private meeting.

Some members of the Congressional Black Caucus have said the Clinton campaign used racially driven politics in its attempt to win the Democratic nomination.

In his response to Watson, Obama said if Republican John McCain is elected, he would "pick a Supreme Court that will roll back every gain women have made in the last 50 years."

A caucus source said Obama "can be pretty direct … It was a pretty lively meeting."