Fox News host Chris Wallace suggested to Treasury Secretary Jack Lew on Sunday that President Barack Obama was purposely trying to "panic the markets" to damage the Republican Party.

"This week both you and the president seemed to be trying to panic the markets about both raising the debt ceiling and the government shutdown, saying that they should be more concerned," Wallace told Lew. "Aren't your efforts failing to try to use the markets to put pressure on Republicans to cave?"

"You know, Chris, it's my job to strengthen the economy," Lew sighed. "And I spend every day trying to do that. That's why it's so important for the government to act, to open up the government, to make sure we can pay our bills."

(h/t: Media Matters)