House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D., Md.) was called out Wednesday by CNBC host Brian Sullivan for placing all of the blame for the failure to pass a federal budget on Republicans, noting that Democrats share the blame.
Hoyer was talking with another host first about comments by former Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner, who said there has been a "scary erosion of the pragmatic center."
"Congressman, yeah, I mean, listen, I think if we put a Republican on, you know, he or she would probably say the same about you guys because it seems like every time we talk about anything, it’s pointing a finger at the other party," Sullivan said.
Hoyer immediately protested Sullivan’s statement.
"No! No! No! Hold it! Hold it! Time out! No! Time out!" Hoyer protested.
"I mean, in the first answer, in your first answer, you slam the Republicans, in your first sentence," Sullivan said.
"John Boehner did too when he resigned," Hoyer said.
"I agree with that, sir, but don’t you think it’s that type of rhetoric just inflames things further?" Sullivan said.
Hoyer denied that and blamed the House Freedom Caucus for Congress’ woes and continued on to the prior topic of Geithner’s comments.