two republican senators say he definitely did not. but just a couple of days earlier, both men claim they couldn't recall what the president had actually said. cnn's caitlin collins is in west palm beach, florida. the president can't escape these comments. >> reporter: no, he can't. and just yesterday he was denying that he's a racist, denying he's made that remark. and for his denial, he cited those two senators who said the president didn't make that remark. senators cotton and perdue both at the meeting at the white house. initially they said they didn't recall if the president had used that specific term when speaking about countries in africa. now they're insisting the president did not say that. however, they have not insisted that the president didn't express that sentiment about countries in africa, about haitians coming to the united states. and about how the united states should take more people from countries like norway. so it is important to keep that in mind as the president cites