Speaking with Chuck Todd on NBC's Meet the Press, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) apologized for engaging in "irresponsible" rhetoric that may have disparaged anyone who was legitimately using government assistance programs.

"I think we have to recognize that we don't always get it right," Ryan said. "That our rhetoric can be irresponsible."

Ryan relayed a story of meeting a Democrat out on the trail who took issue with his "makers and takers" line. Ryan said the guy "read me the Riot Act about who is the taker:"

Who is the taker, the person who paid into Social Security who's collecting benefits now? The veteran who came back from war? I mean, they're getting more government assistance than they pay in. Are they a deadbeat?

"And it just occurred to me that wow, I think I was wrong in trying to broad brush characterize this," Ryan admitted.

Ryan then clarified his beliefs to Todd using less divisive words:

Ryan: What we're trying to discuss is, we don't want a dependency culture. We don't want a welfare state that takes able-bodied people and encourage them to lead a life of dependency. We want to get people up and on with their lives. But that there are people struggling and striving to make a difference in their lives and they may need assistance for some period of time and we shouldn't discourage that. We shouldn't disparage that. And our rhetoric does that sometimes. My rhetoric did. And so the point I make is that if you think you made a mistake, own up to it, and then fix it going forward.

Ryan was on the program pumping his new book The Way Forward: Renewing the American Idea.