Christine O'Donnell Walks Out on Piers Morgan Tonight

Tea Partier refuses to answer questions about gay rights and splits on CNN.

Ms. O'Donnell is set to appear on Piers Morgan's show tonight promoting her new book, "Troublemaker". The interview was taped earlier this evening, and it ended a lot earlier than Morgan wanted it to. He asked about her views on gay marriage, which she didn't like. When he pressed it she told him he was being rude. Morgan pressures, O'Donnell deflects, saying she only wants to talk about topics "in the book." O'Donnell says,"I don't think it's relevant. It's not a topic I choose to embrace, it's not what I'm championing right now." She says she's "been there, done that, gone down that road." She's trying to "promote a book that I hope to be a very inspirational to people that are a part of the tea party movement to bring America back to the second American revolution." When Morgan asks her about repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell, she tells him to ask the candidates running for office.

She says he is being rude for not sticking to the topics of her choice, to which Morgan subtly reminds her he's the one doing the interviewing, and says he thinks he's being "charming and respectful." Morgan disagrees again that he should only talk about the topics she agrees to: the ones in her book. "These issues are in your book," Morgan says. That's when an O'Donnell aide stands in front of CNN's camera, and O'Donnell says she has to leave. Morgan tries to keep her without conceding his point, but she persists on leaving. It's bizarre television.

The interview with Morgan will air at 9 p.m. on CNN. Morgan tweeted this was his first walk off in an interview in his 25 years working. Fox News' Chad Pergram tweeted he spotted O'Donnell walking around Manhattan promoting her book prior to arriving at the CNN studios. She was barefoot. Video via Brian Stelter.