Health & Human Services Secretary Tom Price joins NBC's Chuck Todd, who tries to get him to bad-mouth the president.



The 'Meet The Press' host asks Price an emotionally loaded question about the president's tweets: "As a father, if your son tweeted about a woman like that, what would you say to him?"



Todd brings up the issue after a few minutes of legitimate questions about health care reform: "Let me ask you about the tone of the president's tweets. Many Republicans in the Senate condemned the personal attack on Mika Brzezinski and attacking on her looks. You have Lindsey Graham saying it was "beneath the office." Ben Sasse, "This isn't normal." Jeff Flake, "Beneath the dignity of the presidency." Susan Collins begging, "This has to stop." Lisa Murkowski begging, "This has to stop." Does his behavior bother you?"



Price delined to take the bait: "Well, what I'm concentrated on is the job that he's given me. And that is to make certain that we fulfill the mission of the Department of Health and Human Services, which is to improve the health, safety, and well-being of the American people. And there are a whole array of activities that we're undertaking. One of them is this piece of legislation that's in the Senate right now. But my job is consumed by making certain that we fulfill the mission at the department."



Todd follows up, trying an emotional angle: "I'm just asking you as a father. If your son tweeted about a woman like that, what would you say to him?"



But Price will not be tricked, and fires back, taking the high ground: "Chuck, you know, this is really remarkable. You've got incredible challenges across this nation, incredible challenges around the world. The challenge that I've been given is to address the health care issues. And your program, a program with the incredible history of Meet the Press, and that's what you want to talk about?"



"I don't," the host lied.



Price continues: "Let me suggest to you that the American people want to talk about the challenges."



"Mr. Secretary, I don't," Chuck Todd protested. "Mr. Secretary, with all due respect, you're blaming me for what the president of the United States has spent his entire week focused on?" Several tweets is not the entire work week of a president.



"No," Price said firmly. "Listen to me, with all due respect. The American people are concerned about a health care system that is not providing choices, where premiums are going up, where insurance companies are vacating markets all across this land. And that's what they want us to concentrate on. And that's what they want us to fix. And that's what I and the president are working on."



Chuck Todd tries yet again to lead Price into madmouthing the president: "Why isn't the president as devoted to this as you are?"