Earlier this evening, CNNs Don Lemon interviewed Donald Trump about the debate on Fox News Channel last night, and set off another Trump-related tempest. After noting that Kelly pushed Trump during the debate, and that she pushed a lot of people besides Trump, Lemon asked, What is it with you and Megyn Kelly? Trumps reply was, er colorful, to say the least [emphasis mine]:
TRUMP: Well, I just dont respect her as a journalist, I have no respect for her. I dont think shes very good, I think shes highly overrated. But when I came out there, you know what am I doing? Im not getting paid for this. I go out there, and they start saying this stuff [garbled]. But you know, I didnt know thered be 24 million people. I knew it was going to be a big crowd because I get crowds, I get ratings. They call me the ratings machine. So I have, you know, she gets out and she starts asking me all sorts of ridiculous questions, and you could see there was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever. But in my opinion, she was off base.
Kelly did ask Trump tough questions in last nights debate, but she asked tough questions of Marco Rubio on abortion too, and of other candidates on stage as well. As the front-runner, Trump should have expected tough questions, especially given his track record of supporting nearly every progressive idea at one time or another, including Hillary Clinton being President. Kelly also asked Trump about his remarks about women, which appears to have particularly rankled him and pushed him into validating Kellys premise in asking those questions in the first place. After all, its not often when a major party candidate takes a shot at a woman by reminding everyone of her menstrual cycle. Im certain that will really impress women about their place in the Republican Party.
Trump was scheduled to speak at the Red State Gathering tomorrow, in the final slot at the event. Not long after these remarks, event organizer Erick Erickson announced that he had withdrawn the invitation:
I have rescinded my invitation to Mr.Trump. While I have tried to give him great latitude, his remark about Megyn Kelly was a bridge too far
That will undoubtedly anger some Trump supporters, but after last nights debate performance and his thin-skinned whining afterward, I wonder if that group wasnt already in decline. This might fire up the die-hard Trump troops, but suggesting that a journalist went after his target-rich record only because she was menstruating should be a disqualifier for most voters. Its vastly worse than anything Todd Akin said, and will almost certainly have media outlets demanding responses from the other Republican candidates. Its practically tailor-made for Democrats to hoist up the Republican War On Women banner, especially Hillary Clinton.
Get ready for plenty of Team Trump dog-in-the-manger, sour-grapes quotes in the morning, if not overnight. There may be some legitimate anger among a small group of RSG15 attendees tomorrow who wanted to see Trump at this event, but Erick has a solid case for not wanting to have this overshadow the event tomorrow, with more presidential candidates on hand to make their pitches. Erick will almost certainly address this in the morning, and well see what the fallout is over the rest of the day.
Update: Carly Fiorina appears to be the first Republican candidate to respond to Trumps remarks, perhaps fittingly so (via Twitchy):
Thats interesting, because Fiorina actually deflected a Trump question at her presser today at RSG15 by asking why the media wasnt calling out Obama for his offensive comments about opponents of the Iran deal. Not this time, apparently.
But I also think that while Mr. Trump resonates with a lot of people with his bluntness, including me to a degree, there are just real lines of decency a person running for President should not trust.
His comment was inappropriate. It is unfortunate to have to disinvite him. But I just dont want someone on stage who gets a hostile question from a lady and his first inclination is to imply it was hormonal. It just was wrong.
I have invited Megyn Kelly to attend in Donald Trumps place tomorrow night.
Well, that would be interesting. Well see if she can swing that.
Carly Fiorina: "I'm the new rising star Lion-ess of GOP Presidential candidates!"
This broad Fiorina is a hologram. A fake. Wolf in sheeps' clothing. A hedge for Jeb. A totally manufactured candidate who is OBVIOUSLY following a script. She's just as manufactured a product as is the fake outrage against Trump. The Megyn Kelly-led "War on Women!" meme, and the un-holy matrimony of FOX News to the effete GOPe is now exposed to the world. How will Republican voters react to this manipulation?
Q: Is there ANYTHING that either FOX News or the GOPe do that isn't contrived, staged bullsh*t?? Their relationship isn't much different than the symbiosis of MSNBC and the Dem Party.
This broad Fiorina is a hologram. A fake. Wolf in sheeps' clothing. A hedge for Jeb. A totally manufactured candidate who is OBVIOUSLY following a script.
Lib, you.re usually on target. but this time you are dead wrong.
Lib, you.re usually on target. but this time you are dead wrong.
On Fiorina?
Gary, her past is subversive. Don't take my word for it, research it and the issues she's supported in the past. That she's already come out and dissed Trump was designed to portray her as the feminine voice of reason. She IS being supported behind the scenes as back up to Jeb.
Her NEW image, her NEW words of NEW wisdom are scripted and manufactured. Don't be fooled into buying the Fiorina Fenomenena. Yes, she sounds good...TOO good. Where's she been all this time?? She's a Trojan Horse.
Her NEW image, her NEW words of NEW wisdom are scripted and manufactured. Don't be fooled into buying the Fiorina Fenomenena. Yes, she sounds good...TOO good. Where's she been all this time??
Where's she been all this time?
Taking additional acting lessons. She's starting out her new acting talents with a new script in a role that offers her the opportunity to portray herself as president.
Taking additional acting lessons. She's starting out her new acting talents with a new script in a role that offers her the opportunity to portray herself as president.
Exactly. Carly Fiorina is ACTING.
GOPe's Hollywood Central called her in for a total "Make-Over." All she had to do they presumed was attend GOPe finishing-school to address her former looks, script, and role.
I don't even doubt that her PTB-GOPe handlers believe they've found their new "star." She apparently passed the audition with flying colors when she lectured the "Neanderthal" Trump while siding with innocent, delicate flower, Megyn Kelly. Ergo Fiorina's feminist bonafides were reinforced and established in this fake "war against women." Best of all -- now (phew!!) the GOP has a woman in their race, proving that it's not the establishment Republicans that hate women -- only the kooky, newbie conservative wing.
Best of all -- now (phew!!) the GOP has a woman in their race, proving that it's not the establishment Republicans that hate women -- only the kooky, newbie conservative wing.
You Trumpsters, following Teh Donald's lead, have made Megyn Kelly the litmus test.
We'll see how that works out for you.
Trump has lost all his media contracts and his Trump ties deal with Macy's and other connections he had developed over the years. He probably feels he has nothing left to lose now.
I haven't found out if Kelly took Trump's spot at RSG (which I doubted) or who they did get to make the big Saturday evening keynote address for them after they disinvited Trump.
Not really. A financial magazine a couple of weeks ago put his actual net assets at between 2 and 3 billion.
Nothing to sneeze at for sure,but Trump is the only one claiming 10 billion,and he does that by tricks like claiming his name alone (Brand/Trademark) is worth $4 billion.
The Donald can't move his lips without lying. He is such a narcissist that he makes Bill Clinton look shy and modest by comparison.
You just say stupid shit that isn't true all the time. Because you think you are clever.
Trumps words moved and he said he wouldn't run third party if he won the nomination. You called that a lie. Which shows you are quite the fool
We know you're lying when your fingers are typing. Example. You said you were going to vote for Bernie Sanders. Then you lied and said you didn't say that.
Trumps Triumph: Billionaire Blowhard Exposes Fake Political System
by Mike Whitney August 7, 2015 Counterpunch
Last nights FOX News GOP Presidential Debate Extravaganza featured the most riveting two minute political exchange ever heard on national television. During a brief colloquy between Republican frontrunner Donald Trump and Fox moderator Brett Baier, the pugnacious casino magnate revealed the appalling truth about the American political system, that the big money guys like Trump own the whole crooked contraption lock, stock, and barrel, and that, the nations fake political leaders do whatever theyre told to do. Without question, it was most illuminating commentary to ever cross the airwaves. Heres the entire exchange direct from the transcript:
FOX News Brett Baier (talking to Trump): Now, 15 years ago, you called yourself a liberal on health care. You were for a single-payer system, a Canadian-style system. Why were you for that then and why arent you for it now?
TRUMP: As far as single payer, it works in Canada. It works incredibly well in Scotland. It could have worked in a different age, which is the age youre talking about here.
What Id like to see is a private system without the artificial lines around every state. I have a big company with thousands and thousands of employees. And if Im negotiating in New York or in New Jersey or in California, I have like one bidder. Nobody can bid.
You know why?
Because the insurance companies are making a fortune because they have control of the politicians, of course, with the exception of the politicians on this stage. (uneasy laughter) But they have total control of the politicians. Theyre making a fortune.
Get rid of the artificial lines and you will have yourself great plans
BAIER: Mr. Trump, its not just your past support for single-payer health care. Youve also supported a host of other liberal policies .Youve also donated to several Democratic candidates, Hillary Clinton included, and Nancy Pelosi. You explained away those donations saying you did that to get business-related favors. And you said recently, quote, When you give, they do whatever the hell you want them to do.
TRUMP: Youd better believe it.
BAIER: they do?
TRUMP: If I ask them, if I need them, you know, most of the people on this stage Ive given to, just so you understand, a lot of money.
TRUMP: I will tell you that our system is broken. I gave to many people, before this, before two months ago, I was a businessman. I give to everybody. When they call, I give. And do you know what? When I need something from them two years later, three years later, I call them, they are there for me. And thats a broken system.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What did you get from Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi?
TRUMP: Well, Ill tell you what, with Hillary Clinton, I said be at my wedding and she came to my wedding. You know why?
She didnt have a choice because I gave. I gave to a foundation that, frankly, that foundation is supposed to do good. I didnt know her money would be used on private jets going all over the world. It was.
BAIER: Hold on ..Were going to were going to move on.
There it is, two glorious minutes of pure, unalloyed truth on national television. How often does that happen?
How often does a fatcat billionaire-insider appear on TV and announce that the whole system is a big-fat scam run by crooks and patsies?
Never, thats when. But thats what Trump did last night. And thats why the clatter of ruthless miscreants who run the system behind the smokescreen of fake politicians are sharpening their knives right now before Manhattans rogue elephant does even more damage to their precious system.
Just think about what the man said. He not only explained that the whole system is rigged (Baier: And when you give, they do whatever the hell you want them to do. TRUMP: Youd better believe it.), he also said that the politicians will do whatever theyre told to do. (TRUMP: Well, with Hillary Clinton, I said be at my wedding and she came to my wedding. You know why? She didnt have a choice because I gave.)
Doesnt that confirm your darkest suspicions about the way the system really works, that money talks and that elections are just a way to get the sheeple to rubber-stamp a corrupt, fraudulent system?
Of course, it does.
So, lets summarize: Moneybags capitalist loudmouth explains to 80 million dumbfounded Americans watching prime time TV, that the system is a total fraud, that the big money runs everything, and that even he thinks the system is broken.
How do you beat that? Seriously, my wife and I were laughing and high-fiving and like we just won the lottery.
And the magazine's guess would be better than Trump's... why?
Because they not only sift through public records to determine net worth,but they also have no reason to lie about it.
What magazine? And the public records of an organization like Trump's can only be guestimated from the public records. The magazines have to swag it. Trump has the real numbers.