Caught on Video: The Moment John Boehner's Spokesman Realized His Mic Was Still Hot

Michael Steel, a spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), lashed out on Wednesday as reporters grilled him on various riders — or policy provisions — tucked into Congress' $1 trillion spending bill.

“The way those questions were worded was horses**t,” Steel told one reporter.

CNN’s Dana Bash then stepped in and politely reminded Steel that his mic was hot, saying, “I’m trying to protect you from yourself.”

Watch the briefly uncomfortable exchange below:

Steel later jokingly blamed his profanity on too much coffee and DayQuil in a statement to Talk Radio News Service.

“I think that Sen. Reid’s responsibility for the breakdown in the Appropriations process is an important point, but I probably should have had a bit less coffee and DayQuil this morning,” he said.

As CNN notes, the riders in the bill “affect everything from campaign finance laws to financial regulations, marijuana possession and even the government's purchase of white potatoes.”

CNN has more details on the so-called "CRomnibus" (continuing resolution and omnibus) spending bill here:

(H/T: Mediaite)