An interview with White House spokesman Jay Carney Wednesday on "Morning Joe" became heated Wednesday when host Joe Scarborough tried to move the topic from the economy to the IRS scandal.
When the MSNBC host asked Carney about whether the IRS scandal reached into Washington, instead of being limited to the IRS' Cincinnati office, the White House spokesman dismissed the remark as "the line pushed by Republicans who want Washington to be focused on scandals instead of the economy."
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But the combative Scarborough wouldn't allow Carney's non-response to his question.
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"No, no, no, no, Jay, that doesn't work. Is that the truth or not, Jay? Is that the truth or not? You said, Jay, "This was limited to Cincinnati. That wasn't true."
When Carney again tried to shift the conversation to the economy, Scarborough again pressed for an answer.
"Don't give me talking points because that doesn't work on this show," said Scarborough. "I gave you the question, and you decided to fight me, Jay. Stop your games with me. We've known each other for too long. I'm not playing your games. I'm not somebody you talk down to from your podium."
Carney finally answered Scarborough question: "There is no question that activity that occurred at the IRS was inappropriate and the president made clear that he wanted to take care of it, and he appointed somebody who's doing that. And what we said all along was based on the IG's report, which said that the activity was in Cincinnati. And the IG report and every bit of evidence that has come out since then makes clear that no one at the White House was involved at all or even knew about what was happening, and that has not changed, Joe."
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Later in the show, after the Carney segment ended, Scarborough noted, "What I learned, Jay Carney fella, he has a really short fuse. You wonder how he gets to where he gets. Wow, kaboom. Spontaneous combustion."