Even by Donald Trump’s standards, his latest swipe at Fox News reporter Megyn Kelly seems atypically mean-spirited. In a CNN interview Friday night, the GOP presidential hopeful spoke with Don Lemon about his brief dust-up with Kelly during Thursday’s much-anticipated presidential debate. Still seething over a particular line of questioning by the Fox reporter, Trump seemed to joke that the Kelly was in the midst of her menstrual cycle as she served on the moderators’ panel.
“She gets out and she starts asking me all sorts of ridiculous questions … You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever. In my opinion, she was off base.”
The Washington Post noted that Trump harangued Megyn Kelly’s abilities as a journalist, calling her “a lightweight” and “highly overrated.” He also criticized Kelly’s fellow debate moderators and Fox colleagues Chris Wallace and Brett Baier. He added that he may skip the next debate that will be hosted by Fox News, which is scheduled for January.
As previously reported by the Inquisitr , Megyn Kelly took issue with Donald Trump’s history of offensive comments about women during the debate, noting that he often uses dehumanizing and sexist language against his female detractors. For his part, Trump didn’t back down and didn’t offer an apology, ultimately chiding Kelly for asking the question.
“Honestly, Megyn, if you don’t like it, I’m sorry. I’ve been very nice to you, although I could probably not be based on the way you have treated me. But I wouldn’t do that.”
A counter-attack from Donald Trump’s supporters was mounted in the hours that followed and lasted well into the next day, with Trump himself stirring the pot by re-tweeting some of the most malicious comments about Megyn Kelly. Slate noted that Trump appeared to take a particular shine to a man who posted a number of tweets calling Kelly a “bimbo” and complaining about her “porn star makeup.”
Megyn Kelly has more than a few supporters in her corner, though. E! Online complimented her handling of The Donald, hailing the acclaimed Fox News personality as “the real winner” of Thursday’s debate. Politico noted that Kelly enjoys a “huge following” among Fox viewers, adding that Donald Trump’s continued haranguing of the reporter is likely to lend credence to claims that Trump and — and many men much like him — are engaged in a war on women.
Having shrugged off controversy over his inflammatory comments regarding Mexicans and war veterans, and sidestepping allegations of ties to organized crime , Donald Trump has proven himself to be a resilient candidate time and again in the early phases of his candidacy. But the billionaire-turned-politician won’t be able to win a primary — much less the presidency — without the support of a healthy amount of female constituents, and it looks like he can already strike the likes of Rosie O’Donnell and Megyn Kelly from that particular group.
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