http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=269549E8-C526-4E89-AA7B-E17DEB7744DF Jay Carney: Get past ‘phony scandals’
By: Tal Kopan
July 24, 2013 08:25 AM EDT
White House press secretary Jay Carney said the president’s speech on the economy Wednesday would be a chance for the White House to get away from “phony scandals” being pushed in Washington.
“The president will go back to Galesburg, Ill., today to deliver a speech about where we need to move the economy, what we should be focusing on here in Washington. And it shouldn’t be on the skirmishes that cause gridlock, it shouldn’t be on the phony scandals that have consumed so much attention here, all to come to naught,” Carney said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Wednesday.
The “phony scandals” line prompted host Joe Scarborough to interject, asking if Carney was saying the IRS targeting of political groups was “phony.”
“I think what we’ve seen is inappropriate activity that the president came out and forcefully said he would not tolerate,” Carney said. “What we have seen from Republicans is cherry-picked information, based on investigations, that turns out to be only one side of the story.”
When Carney tried to return the focus of the conversation back to the economy, Scarborough said he would get back to that, but wanted to press further on whether Carney’s statements at the beginning of the IRS scandal that the incident was isolated to the Cincinnati office were truthful in light of further information.
“I greatly appreciate that that is the line that is being pushed by Republicans who want Washington to be focused on scandals instead of the economy,” Carney said, setting Scarborough off.
“No, no, no, no Jay, that doesn’t work. Is that the truth or not, Jay?” Scarborough said. “Don’t give me talking points here, because that doesn’t work on this show.”
“When you get to the question I’ll answer it,” Carney said.
“Stop your games with me, we’ve known each other for too long, I’m not playing your games, I’m not someone you talk down to from your podium. Answer my question, Jay,” Scarborough said, raising his voice.
Saying there was no question activity at the IRS was “inappropriate,” Carney said the White House’s position on the issue had not changed.
“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.”
