OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn's office says Oklahoma's junior senator was "obviously joking" when he made a comment at a town hall meeting about carrying a gun on the Senate floor.

At a town hall meeting in Langley on Wednesday, the Tulsa World reported that Coburn said: "It's a good thing I can't pack a gun on the Senate floor."

The comments were condemned on Thursday by U.S. Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, D-N.Y., who described them as "outrageous and unconscionable." McCarthy is a proponent of stricter gun laws.

On Thursday, Coburn spokeswoman Becky Bernhardt says the senator was joking and "would be happy to personally apologize to any of his colleagues who were offended."

Coburn is speaking at a town hall forum Thursday night in Oklahoma City.