A veteran state Democratic lawmaker did not appreciate a recent joke by House Speaker William G. Batchelder aimed at President Obama.

While introducing GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum at the Summit County Republican Lincoln Day Dinner on Saturday, Batchelder, R-Medina, told the audience of more than 1,000: “The liberals are asking us to give Obama more time. And I think 25-to-life would be a good start.”

Rep. Vernon Sykes, D-Akron, called for Batchelder to apologize for the “distasteful remarks.”

“The unprecedented disrespect we have seen for President Obama only serves to undermine and threaten our democracy,” Sykes said in a written statement. “I would expect my longtime friend, colleague and the speaker of the Ohio House to respect the office of the President of the United States regardless of party affiliation.”

Batchelder did not see the big deal.

“While some are trying to twist a harmless joke into an opportunity to attack me, make no mistake that I have deep respect for the presidency and the integrity of the office, regardless of who holds it," he said in a statement. "I will not apologize for the joke, but I will apologize to my friend and colleague who apparently considered it more than a joke. I will do my best in the future not to quote jokes previously delivered by Jay Leno and other comedians.”

Sykes and Batchelder are two of the longest-serving members in the legislature, and they currently co-chair the Ohio Constitutional Modernization Commission.