Kyl jokes about Obama drowning

Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) got a big laugh on Saturday at a National Republican Senatorial Committee retreat, but his joke definitely wouldn't be funny to some people.

According to a source who attended the meetings, Kyl told the assembled crowd a political version of the classic three-people-in-a-boat joke: "So [President Barack] Obama, [House Speaker Nancy] Pelosi [D-Calif.] and [Majority Leader] [Harry] Reid [D-Nev.] are in a row boat, and it springs a leak and starts to sink. Who gets saved?"

Answer: "The American people."

But love it or hate it, it wasn't even Kyl's own joke. The senator poached it from late night TV host Jimmy Kimmel, according to a source.

Kyl's office declined to comment on the quip, which was made during a closed-door strategy speech in Austin, Texas.

The White House also declined to reply to a request for comment.