Donald Trump To Megyn Kelly — Why He Has Never Drunk Alcohol, His Tweets, And Running For President [Video]
Donald Trump was interviewed by Megyn Kelly last night in their first public get-together since he was angered by her questioning during a debate last August 6.
Back then, Kelly asked the presidential candidate about his treatment of women and how he has called them “fat pigs, dogs, slobs, and disgusting animals.”
“Only Rosie O’Donnell,” Trump said to a stunned audience.
She went on to ask him, “Does that sound to you like the temperament of a man we should elect as president?”
Trump blamed “political correctness,” then said of his comments, “Oftentimes it’s fun, it’s kidding. We have a good time. What I say is what I say. And honestly, Megyn, if you don’t like it, I’m sorry. I’ve been very nice to you, although I could probably maybe not be, based on the way you have treated me.”
But it wasn’t over. The next day, August 7, the Washington Post recalled that Trump said Kelly had “blood coming out of her wherever.”
Trump then taunted Kelly with Tweets, long after the August GOP debate.
I liked The Kelly File much better without @megynkelly. Perhaps she could take another eleven day unscheduled vacation!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 25, 2015
"@mstanish53: @realDonaldTrump @megynkelly The bimbo back in town . I hope not for long ."
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 25, 2015
Afterwards, Roger Ailes, head of Fox News, issued a statement defending her.
“Donald Trump’s surprise and unprovoked attack on Megyn Kelly during her show last night is as unacceptable as it is disturbing.”
Ailes called her questioning of Trump “tough but fair.”
He also said, “Donald Trump rarely apologizes, although in this case, he should.”
Trump skipped the next GOP debate hosted by Fox News in January, saying, “Megyn Kelly is really biased against me.”
But then, she went to meet with Donald Trump in the Trump Tower to patch things up. The result was last night’s prime-time interview on Megyn Kelly Presents on Fox.
Kelly Interviews Trump — Did He Apologize?
She began by asking him if there was a moment where he realized he might actually be the next president.
“Well, I really think the debates were a big thing, and — not to bring up an unpleasant subject,” Trump answered, “but that first debate was pretty amazing with 24 million people watching, a record on cable television.”
He added that he felt “very comfortable” in that format.
Kelly asked him about litigation, a hint at his penchant of threatening to sue others. Trump called it a “tactic” of his being a “successful businessman.”
She then asked Trump, “Have you made any mistakes in this campaign?”
Kelly mentioned his retweet of a controversial photo of Heidi Cruz, his then-rival Ted Cruz’s wife.
“I said I could have done without it,” he responded before adding, “But I guess you could say she’s fair game because she’s involved with the campaign.”
Kelly mentioned past controversial statements Trump has made, including about John McCain not being a war hero and saying “Look at that face” about then-rival Carly Fiorina.
“Do you regret any of those comments?” she asked.
“Yeah, I guess so,” Trump answered, “but you have to go forward. You make a mistake, you go forward,” adding, “I don’t think it’s healthy” to look back and regret past mistakes.
When asked about his brother Fred, who died many years ago, Trump said he was “devastated” by it.
“He had it all,” Trump said, but then he started drinking alcohol. “And he always said to me, ‘Don’t ever, ever drink, Donald,’ and I’ll tell you what, I’ve never had a glass of alcohol.”
“Never?” Kelly asked.
“I have other problems,” he said.
She then queried him about his two divorces and if he learned anything from them.
“I put so much into my business, I didn’t put enough into the relationships,” Trump answered.
Kelly asked if he had ever been bullied as a child.
He said, “No…You’ve got to get over it, fight back, do whatever you have to do.”
Kelly then probed deeper.
“Let me ask you about that, because most American parents try to raise their kids to not bully, to not name-call, to not tease, to not taunt. How can they effectively bring that message when the frontrunner for the Republican nomination does all of those things?”
“I’ve been saying this whole campaign that I’m a counter-puncher, you understand that,” Trump said. “I’m responding. I then respond maybe times ten. I don’t know. But I’m responding to what they did to me.”
At roughly the halfway point of the interview, Kelly said to Trump, “Let’s talk about us.”
.@realDonaldTrump: "I’m a counter-puncher." #MegynKellyPresents airs TONIGHT at 8p ET on the FOX Broadcast Network.https://t.co/dfTp32u9vf
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) May 17, 2016
Both agreed that until the August 6 debate, they were friendly. But that all changed when Kelly asked Trump the infamous question about his treatment of women.
“I thought it was a fair question. Why didn’t you?” Kelly asked.
“I thought it was unfair,” Trump said to Kelly, adding, “I didn’t think it was a question [but] more of a statement.”
He continued, “I don’t really blame you, because you’re doing your thing. From my standpoint, I don’t have to like it.”
Kelly then challenged Trump on his “anger” towards her for months afterwards, asking, “Was that real, or was that strategy?”
“Well, I’m a real person,” he said. “I don’t say, ‘Oh, Gee, I’m angry with you tonight, but tomorrow, you’re my best friend.'”
TV Ratings: Megyn Kelly's Fox Debut Brings 4.7 Million Viewers, 'NCIS' Dominates in Finale https://t.co/nwbvFxjYkA pic.twitter.com/vMvbgPek67
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) May 18, 2016
But Trump said he had “great respect” for Kelly for wanting to get together and talk, adding that he probably would not do that himself.
Kelly To Trump: Any Regrets?
Kelly asked Trump if, looking back on the last nine months to their Megyn Kelly Presents interview, “Any regrets?” The question presented an opportunity for Trump to apologize not just to Megyn Kelly, but to others whom he has hurt.
“Absolutely I have regrets,” he answered, “but I don’t think I want to discuss what the regrets are, but absolutely I could have done certain things differently. I could have maybe used different language in a couple of instances. But overall, I have to be very happy with the outcome. And I don’t think if I didn’t conduct myself in the way I did it, I don’t think I would have been successful.”
Did you watch Megyn Kelly Presents? What did you think of Donald Trump’s responses to her? Be sure to let us know in the comments section below.
[Photo by Darron Cummings/AP Images]
