If there is anyone out there in today’s political scene who knows a thing or three about reality television, it’s Donald Trump. And because of his intimate, first-hand familiarity with that genre of pop culture, it’s a safe bet that he knows how to properly wield the phrase, “Oh no she didn’t!” Indeed, it’s a safe bet that the real estate mogul turned aspiring chief executive might have thought or even uttered that very phrase aloud when he learned that one of his GOP rivals recently likened him to reality television’s most flamboyant diva, Kim Kardashian .
While appearing on the Tuesday morning edition of Fox and Friends , Fiorina touched on a recent piece in Esquire suggesting that Donald Trump will fail to win the race for president in 2016. While noting that she does not consider the aforementioned magazine as an authority on political matters, she agreed with the fundamentals of the article’s assertions regarding her Republican rival.
“[T]here is no doubt that Donald Trump is an extremely divisive candidate. That is why he cannot win, that is why he cannot be our nominee. But honestly, Donald Trump reminds me of the Kim Kardashian of politics – they’re both famous for being famous. And the media plays along.”
Oh yes she did, Mr. Trump.
To be sure, Carly Fiorina is not the first person to draw comparisons between the notoriously coiffed billionaire and one of the most recognizable models in the world. Back in October, BuzzFeed compiled a list of tweets from both celebrities and presented them in a video entitled, “Who Tweeted It? Donald Trump vs. Kim Kardashian.”
Others in the Republican race have made mention of Trump’s celebrity status in unflattering terms, as well. According to Newsmax , Chris Christie derided Donald Trump as one of the “carnival barkers of today” and declaring that the country would not benefit by electing an “entertainer-in-chief.” Senator Rand Paul , who is now polling in the lowest tier of the Republican candidates, has attributed Trump’s appeal to America’s enduring “celebrity culture.”
Despite her differences with Donald Trump, Fiorina echoed some of the GOP frontrunner’s critiques of Hillary Clinton during her above-noted appearance on Fox and Friends . In particular, she expressed approval of Trump’s decision to bring old allegations regarding Bill Clinton’s infidelities back to the forefront of the present political discourse.
“Bill Clinton is fair game,” Fiorina said “He’s a former president. But elections are about the future, not about the past. And so this election is about Hillary Clinton and the way to beat Hillary Clinton is to talk about her complete lack of accomplishment, the fact that she’s gotten every foreign policy challenge wrong and the fact that she continues to lie to the American people. It’s the Clinton way; lie as long as you can as long as you can get away with it and say whatever you need to say so you can get elected.”
Donald Trump has not enjoyed a terribly congenial relationship with Carly Fiorina during the present election cycle, having openly made fun of her physical appearance during an incident that was publicized by Rolling Stone . But he probably does not mind the comparison to Kim Kardashian for what it’s worth, as he regards her as a “very nice” person according to a November item in Us Magazine .
Despite her spirited attempt to call out Donald Trump, Carly Fiorina might not get the opportunity to take Trump on face to face any time in the near future. Talking to the Fox and Friends gang, she acknowledged that she might be excluded from the main stage in the next debate due to low poll numbers. While facing a significant challenge by Ted Cruz in Iowa, Donald Trump is still leading in national polls of likely Republican voters according to data compiled by Real Clear Politics .
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