Category: Conflict Averse

Trump Claims He Never Asked Megyn Kelly Removed As Moderator

If you read the news, Donald Trump’s boycott of the Fox News/Google debate is the result of his ongoing war with anchor Megyn Kelly.

Trump, however, says that’s not true. He says a biting Fox News release is why he pulled the plug.

“Well, I’m not a person that respects Megyn Kelly very much. I think she’s highly overrated. Other than that, I don’t care,” he told CNN an hour before the debate. “I never once asked that she be removed. I don’t care about her being removed. What I didn’t like was that public relations statement where they were sort of taunting. I didn’t think it was appropriate. I didn’t think it was nice.”

(h/t Politifact)

Reality

Donald Trump many times publicly demanded removal of Megyn Kelly as a moderator as a condition to attend the Fox News debate in Iowa.

Media

Full video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMSfucArxVo

 

 

Donald Trump Throws a Grand Old Party to Avoid a Debate

No one ever really doubted that Donald Trump could pull off a major counter-programing feat — even when competing with a GOP debate that was expected to draw millions of viewers.

He did it Thursday night, dazzling a crowd of hundreds of enthusiastic supporters by announcing that he had raised more than $6 million for veterans in one day — $1 million of it from his own checkbook. “We love our vets,” he said.

“You know, my whole theme is make America great again and that’s what we’re going to do — and we wouldn’t have even been here if it weren’t for our vets,” Trump said.

Even Trump seemed a bit surprised that he had pulled off his stunt: “Look at all the cameras. This is like the Academy Awards,” the real estate magnate said as he took the stage in an auditorium at Drake University about 20 minutes after the debate began a few miles away. “We’re actually told that we have more cameras than they do by quite a bit, and you know what that’s really in honor of our vets.”

The rally was a restrained performance by Trump standards. He dispensed with his usual riff about his poll numbers and mostly avoided jabs at his fellow candidates (with the exception of a “low-energy” shot at Jeb Bush).

Instead he delivered a speech mostly focused on the problems veterans have faced when returning from Iraq and Afghanistan — inadequate healthcare and housing, drug abuse, mental health issues and homelessness.

“Our vets are being mistreated. Illegal immigrants are treated better in many cases than our vets and it’s not going to happen any more. It’s not going to happen any more.”

Clearly enjoying his evening away from the debate, Trump also told the audience what could be another media sensation for his campaign: the fact that his daughter Ivanka is pregnant. “Ivanka, I said, it would be so great if you had your baby in Iowa. It would be so great — I’d definitely win!”

(h/t CNN)

Reality

Trump lost Iowa. He acknowledged that this event may have backfired. Voters in the Hawkeye State take their responsibly of being first seriously, and the debate that Trump skipped was the final, and critically important, debate ahead of the caucuses. “I think some people were disappointed that I didn’t go into the debate,” Trump said while in New Hampshire.

The fact is Trump did not attend the seventh Republican debate and instead hosted a rival event due to his intense fear of Megyn Kelly and the hilarious response by Fox News that mocked his inability to handle simple questions from reporters.

Trump was also criticized by also overselling the event and not managing it well. According to a statement by Drake University, the location for Trump’s Thursday night event, the auditorium is limited to a 700-person capacity, but the event had been “significantly over-ticketed by the Trump campaign.”

It is important to note that in 2012 when Michelle Bachmann skipped a debate hosted by Newsmax, someone had some choice critical words for her:

On the plus side, Trump raised a very impressive $6 million dollars for veterans. Or did he?

Media

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jWb1v8lnjw

 

Trump Blames Fox News For Skipping Debate

Bill O'Reilly attempts to convince Donald Trump to addend Fox News Iowa debate.

Fox News host Bill O’Reilly told Donald Trump that he’s making a “big mistake” by skipping Thursday’s GOP debate. But Trump is not budging.

O’Reilly pleaded with Trump to reconsider, even invoking Trump’s Christian faith and the tenet of forgiveness to say that Trump should forgive Megyn Kelly for tough questioning.

Trump responded by bringing up the “eye for an eye” principle.

The GOP frontrunner is planning to hold a “special event” to raise money for veterans at the same time Fox hosts the final primary debate before Monday’s Iowa caucuses.

“We’re going to have a tremendous event,” Trump said, adding that “a lot of money is going to be raised.”

O’Reilly seemed to be lobbying Trump on behalf of the network, even going so far as to say that “I don’t think not showing up for debate tomorrow is good for America.”

At the end of the conversation, he asked Trump to reconsider the 24-hour-old boycott.

“Consider it,” the host said.

Trump shot back that “you and I had an agreement that you wouldn’t ask me that.”

And he declined to reconsider. Then he plugged his 9 p.m. fund-raising event at Drake University.

He criticized Kelly on Fox just an hour before Kelly’s own show. “I have zero respect for Megyn Kelly,” Trump said. “I don’t think she is very good at what she does. I think she is highly overrated.”

O’Reilly did little to defend Kelly.

For days Trump has been calling Kelly “biased” and claiming she shouldn’t be allowed to moderate the debate. On Tuesday, after he taunted Kelly in an Instagram video and polled his Twitter followers about whether he should skip the debate, Fox fired off a statement that dripped with mockery.

He emphasized to Fox’s Bill O’Reilly that it was ultimately the network’s disrespectful statements that led to his decision:

“I was not treated well by Fox. They came out with this ridiculous P.R. statement, it was like drawn up by a child. And there was a taunt. And I said, you know, “How much of this do you take?” I have zero respect for Megyn Kelly. I don’t think she’s very good at what she does. I think she’s highly overrated. And, frankly, she’s the moderator, I thought her question last time was ridiculous.”

(h/t CNN)

Reality

The evidence has mounted and it is clear that Trump is avoiding Megyn Kelly. If it is out of fear or spite, doesn’t matter they are both unpresidential.

Media

http://video.foxnews.com/v/4725365820001

Links

The O’Reilly Factor Transcript

 

Fox News Mocks Trump’s Latest ’Twitter Poll’ With First-Rate Trolling

Fox News has issued a statement responding to Donald Trump‘s conduct on social media, calling The Donald out for his timidity with what can only be described as trolling of the highest order.

Trump has said that he might not attend Fox News’s GOP Iowa debate because, he says, co-moderator Megyn Kelly isn’t “fair” to him. He took his grievances to Twitter and Instagram Tuesday afternoon, asking fans, “Should I do the GOP debate?”

Fox News responded in a statement given to Mediaite, saying:

We learned from a secret back channel that the Ayatollah and Putin both intend to treat Donald Trump unfairly when they meet with him if he becomes president — a nefarious source tells us that Trump has his own secret plan to replace the Cabinet with his Twitter followers to see if he should even go to those meetings.

In a similar statement released Monday, a Fox News spokesperson said the network was “surprised he’s willing to show that much fear about being questioned by Megyn Kelly,” and suggesting that one day, the presidential candidate would have to learn that he doesn’t get to pick which journalists cover him.

Donald Trump tweeted his response later that afternoon, calling Fox News’s statement a “pathetic attempt” to build ratings:

(h/t Mediaite)

Reality

Trump has had an issue with Kelly since she moderated a Republican presidential debate in August. He accused her of being unfairly harsh on him by asking him valid questions about past sexist and misogynist comments. Fox News is standing by its anchor, calling the attacks on her “sexist verbal assaults.”

Trump Skips Iowa Debate

Donald Trump on Tuesday bowed out of the final Republican presidential debate before the leadoff Iowa caucuses, saying Fox News moderator Megyn Kelly is “a lightweight.”

With 48 hours to go before the faceoff, campaign manager Corey Lewandowski confirmed Trump’s decision Tuesday evening after a press conference in which Trump lashed out at Kelly and said she’d been “toying” with him.

“He will not be participating in the Fox News debate Thursday,” Lewandowski said immediately after the press conference.

Trump, who called his decision “pretty close to irrevocable” in the press conference, said he’d hold an Iowa event at the same time as the debate to raise money for wounded veterans. Iowa hosts the nation’s opening presidential primary contest on Monday.

“With me, they’re dealing with somebody that’s a little bit different. They can’t toy with me like they toy with everybody else,” he said. “Let them have their debate and let’s see how they do with the ratings.”

He added, “Why do I have to make Fox rich?”

Trump denied that he was afraid to debate, pointing out his participation and past performance, and reiterated his distaste for Kelly.

“This to me isn’t a reporter. This to me is just a lightweight. Megyn Kelly shouldn’t be in the debate. I don’t care about Megyn — when Megyn Kelly didn’t ask me a question, she made a statement last time, I thought it was inappropriate.”

On Tuesday night’s airing of her Fox News show, “The Kelly File,” Kelly said she’ll be at the debate, which will “go on with or without Mr. Trump.”

The Republican National Committee said the decision was up to Trump.

“Obviously we would love all of the candidates to participate, but each campaign ultimately makes their own decision what’s in their best interest,” said RNC chief strategist Sean Spicer.

Trump had suggested he might skip the Fox debate earlier in the day, drawing a sarcastic statement from the television network that “the Ayatollah and Putin both intend to treat Donald Trump unfairly when they meet with him if he becomes president.”

“A nefarious source tells us that Trump has his own secret plan to replace the Cabinet with his Twitter followers to see if he should even go to those meetings,” the Fox statement said.

A Fox spokesman did not immediately respond to Trump’s decision.

The New York real estate mogul’s presence has helped produce massive ratings in the previous six Republican presidential debates. His decision leaves seven candidates to share the primetime stage Thursday: Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul.

“Let them have their debate. I’m going to raise money during that period of time for the wounded warriors and for the vets. Let Fox play its games,” Trump said.

He added, “I don’t think Iowa’s gonna care.”

At the very least, the high-profile debate feud serves as a major distraction in the Republican contest just six days before Iowa voters cast the first votes in the 2016 primary contest.

Trump, now locked in a tight race with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, has proven to be a master of commanding media attention at key moments. Among other things, he has called for a temporary ban on all Muslim immigrants and later questioned Cruz’s presidential eligibility given that he was born in Canada.

The provocative declarations have often left little oxygen in the race for his opponents.

(h/t Yahoo News)

Reality

By skipping the debate Trump lost Iowa to Ted Cruz.

Trump has had an issue with Kelly since she moderated a Republican presidential debate in August. He accused her of being unfairly harsh on him by asking him valid questions about past sexist and misogynist comments. Fox News is standing by its anchor, with a statement calling the attacks on her “sexist verbal assaults.”

Fox, responded with another statement emphasizing Trump’s agenda against Kelly and alleging that Lewandowski had personally threatened the anchor:

“We’re not sure how Iowans are going to feel about him walking away from them at the last minute, but it should be clear to the American public by now that this is rooted in one thing – Megyn Kelly, whom he has viciously attacked since August and has now spent four days demanding be removed from the debate stage.”

It is important to note that in 2012 when Michelle Bachmann skipped a debate hosted by Newsmax, someone had some choice critical words for her:

Media

Trump’s Campaign Says He’ll Skip Iowa Debate

Moments after Fox News announced the lineup for Thursday’s Republican debate, Donald J. Trump said Tuesday that it was pretty “irrevocable” that he would skip the event, which takes place just days before the Iowa caucuses.

“Let’s see how much money Fox is going to make on the debate without me,” Mr. Trump said at a news conference here, where he continued to attack Megyn Kelly and the crew at Fox News, with whom he sparred at an earlier debate.

“It’s time that somebody plays grown-up,” he said.

Just after Mr. Trump started speaking, his campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, confirmed that he would skip Thursday’s event, saying, “He will not be participating in the Fox News debate on Thursday” and that “it’s not under negotiation.”

Mr. Trump’s absence would leave the main debate stage without the candidate who leads in national polls, one who has been a big ratings draw for past debates. Mr. Trump has threatened in the past to skip debates, but his remarks Tuesday night were his strongest statement yet that he would not participate.

Fox News said Mr. Trump’s refusal to debate his rivals was “near unprecedented.”

“This is rooted in one thing – Megyn Kelly, whom he has viciously attacked since August and has now spent four days demanding be removed from the debate stage,” the network said in a statement.

“Capitulating to politicians’ ultimatums about a debate moderator violates all journalistic standards, as do threats, including the one leveled by Trump’s campaign manager Corey Lewandowski toward Megyn Kelly,” the statement continued. “In a call on Saturday with a Fox News executive, Lewandowski stated that Megyn had a ‘rough couple of days after that last debate’ and he ‘would hate to have her go through that again.’ Lewandowski was warned not to level any more threats, but he continued to do so. We can’t give in to terrorizations toward any of our employees.”

The drama capped an increasingly heated war of words involving Mr. Trump, Ms. Kelly and Fox News as the debate neared and as Mr. Trump found himself facing the prospect of being questioned by her again before a national audience.

Mr. Trump had lashed out against Ms. Kelly back in August over her questioning of him at a debate, when she asked if previous remarks he had made were a “part of the war on women.”

The clash between Mr. Trump and Fox News reignited over the last few weeks, as the network set out to defend Ms. Kelly from the repeated criticisms of Mr. Trump.

Mr. Trump threw the first punch, tweeting that Ms. Kelly had a “conflict of interest” and “should not be allowed to be the moderator of the next debate.”

The network was quick to respond, saying: “Megyn Kelly has no conflict of interest. Donald Trump is just trying to build up the audience for Thursday’s debate, for which we thank him.”

He continued to accuse Ms. Kelly of journalistic malpractice and bias, before taking the criticisms personal in an interview with CNN on Monday.

“I don’t like her. She doesn’t treat me fairly. I’m not a big fan of hers at all,” Mr. Trump said in the interview.

Fox responded, again defending Ms. Kelly: “Sooner or later Donald Trump, even if he’s president, is going to have to learn that he doesn’t get to pick the journalists — we’re very surprised he’s willing to show that much fear about being questioned by Megyn Kelly.”

But what seemed to really draw the ire of Mr. Trump was two statements put out by the network Tuesday morning. In one, Roger Ailes, the chairman and chief executive of Fox News, personally weighed in, saying in a statement that “Megyn Kelly is an excellent journalist and the entire network stands behind her — she will absolutely be on the debate stage on Thursday night.”

A statement from the network was even harsher, invoking President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and Iran’s supreme leader: “We learned from a secret back channel that the Ayatollah and Putin both intend to treat Donald Trump unfairly when they meet with him if he becomes president — a nefarious source tells us that Trump has his own secret plan to replace the Cabinet with his Twitter followers to see if he should even go to those meetings.”

Mr. Trump alluded to those two statements in a news conference on Tuesday before an event here, calling them “wise guy” and adding, “I said bye-bye.” He did not mention his decision not to attend the debate at his two rallies in Iowa.

Mr. Lewandowski said that instead of attending Thursday’s debate, Mr. Trump would hold an event in Iowa, raising money for wounded soldiers in the state.

Mr. Trump’s main rival in various polls, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, accused Mr. Trump of chickening out of the debate.

“If Donald is afraid to defend his record, that speaks volumes,” he said, before alluding to Mr. Putin: “I promise you, Putin is a lot scarier than Megyn Kelly.”

Mr. Trump made his remarks about skipping the event right after the Fox News debate moderator Bret Baier announced the debate lineup on the program “Special Report.”

Another of Mr. Trump’s rivals, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, will rejoin the top tier of candidates on the stage Thursday, Fox News said, meaning eight candidates qualified to share the stage for the prime-time debate. Mr. Trump was to stand in the middle because he leads in polls nationally and in New Hampshire, and he is battling for the lead in Iowa polls against Mr. Cruz.

For Mr. Paul, who chose not to participate in the undercard debate this month after failing to make the cut for the later debate, the return to the main stage reflects a recent rise in his poll numbers, particularly in New Hampshire. His campaign sought to capitalize on the good news, fund-raising on Twitter after his inclusion was announced on Fox News.

Rounding out the top-tier field on Thursday are Gov. John Kasich of Ohio, Ben Carson, former Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida and Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey.

(h/t New York Times)

Reality

It is important to note that in 2012 when Michelle Bachmann skipped a debate hosted by Newsmax, someone had some choice critical words for her:

Donald Trump Conducted Poll To Skip Fox News’ Debate

Donald Trump is polling his followers to figure out whether he should participate in Thursday’s Fox News debate.

Trump shared a Twitter poll with his followers asking if he should participate in the debate — considering that Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly will be one of the moderators.

In a corresponding Instagram video, Trump reiterated his criticism of Kelly’s supposed bias against him.

“Megyn Kelly is really biased against me. She knows that, I know that, everybody knows that,” Trump said. “Do you really think that she could be fair at a debate?”

Trump has participated in an on-again, off-again feud with Fox News and Kelly after she asked him a pointed question during the first GOP debate in August about his past comments directed at women. Trump suggested in a CNN interview Monday that he was unsure whether he would participate.

“I don’t think she can treat me fairly, actually. I think she’s very biased. And I don’t think she can treat me fairly. But that doesn’t mean I don’t do the debates. I like doing the debate. I’ve won every single debate, according to every poll,” he said.

Fox has brushed off Trump’s concerns, mocking the reality television star for his reluctance to participate in a debate moderated by Kelly.

In a statement to Business Insider, the network pointed out that the president needs to meet with world leaders who often do not treat the US fairly.

“We learned from a secret back channel that the Ayatollah and Putin both intend to treat Donald Trump unfairly when they meet with him if he becomes president,” a Fox News spokesperson said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. “A nefarious source tells us that Trump has his own secret plan to replace the Cabinet with his Twitter followers to see if he should even go to those meetings.”

On Monday, the network said it was “surprised” that the outspoken Republican front-runner appeared threatened by Kelly.

“Sooner or later Donald Trump, even if he’s president, is going to have to learn that he doesn’t get to pick the journalists — we’re very surprised he’s willing to show that much fear about being questioned by Megyn Kelly,” the Fox representative told Business Insider in a statement.

Reality

With 157,864 votes a majority of 56% said ‘yes’ to attending the GOP debate. Trump skipped the debate and lost Iowa to Ted Cruz.

Media

Should I do the #GOPdebate?

A post shared by President Donald J. Trump (@realdonaldtrump) on

 

Donald Trump is Scared of Megyn Kelly

Trump has been accusing Megyn Kelly of unfair treatment ever since he stepped off stage at the first Fox News debate in August.

But he’s ratcheted up those attacks in recent days in an apparent attempt to influence the Fox News moderators ahead of Thursday’s debate.

“I don’t like her. She doesn’t treat me fairly. I’m not a big fan of hers at all,” Trump said during Monday’s interview.

He also claimed that he “might be the best thing that ever happened to her,” because no one had ever heard of her before the August debate.

Trump also suggested he might skip the debate unless he was confident Kelly would treat him fairly, but then walked back those remarks:

“I’ll see. If I think I’ll be treated unfairly, I’ll do something else,” he said. “I think she’s very biased and I don’t think she can treat me fairly, but that doesn’t mean I don’t do the debate. I like doing the debates.”

And last week, Trump tweeted that Kelly “should not be allowed” to moderate the debate because of her “conflict of interest and bias.”

(h/t CNN)

Reality

Fox responded, “Sooner or later Donald Trump, even if he’s president, is going to have to learn that he doesn’t get to pick the journalists — we’re very surprised he’s willing to show that much fear about being questioned by Megyn Kelly.”

Trump’s indecision was echoed by Lewandowski, who told New York, “We haven’t said he’ll be there, and we haven’t said he won’t be there. The bottom line is Megyn Kelly shouldn’t be rewarded for her media bias.”

Media

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkIvptFT1mM

Trump Tweets Disappointment Megyn Kelly Will Moderate Debate

Twitter

Donald Trump retweeted several attacks on Megyn Kelly as a moderator of the Fox News/Google debate a few days before the event on Twitter.

“@Sharp_Trident: A huge disappointment to see @megynkelly constantly attack DonaldTrump. It has become almost unbearable to watch her show.”

Reality

Trump has had an issue with Kelly since she moderated a Republican presidential debate in August. He accused her of being unfairly harsh on him by asking him valid questions about past sexist and misogynist comments. Fox News is standing by its anchor, calling the attacks on her “sexist verbal assaults.”

 

Trump Rekindles Feud With Megyn Kelly Ahead of Fox News Debate

Trump’s feud with Megan Kelly has been one of the most memorable storylines of this raucous GOP primary. In recent weeks, it has heated up. In a lengthy Vanity Fair profile this month, Kelly boasted of writing the now-famous debate question about Trump’s history of misogynistic comments, which ignited the feud this summer. And last week, Kelly sarcastically brought up Sarah Palin’s Trump endorsement, as well as hosted National Review editor Rich Lowry to promote the National Review’s anti-Trump issue.

Trump’s campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, indicated that Trump could walk away from the debate if Fox won’t exclude Kelly. “Let’s see what happens,” he told me. “It’s fair to say Mr. Trump is a significant ratings driver for these debates. If we aren’t on stage for some reason, they wouldn’t have the record 24 million viewers and would be back with 1-2 million people.”

In the past, the Republican National Committee has banned media it deems unfair. It canceled a debate on NBC, and excluded the Manchester Union Leader and National Review after both outlets attacked Trump. But in this case, the RNC won’t be getting involved. “It’s up to Fox,” Sean Spicer, the Republican National Committee chief strategist, told me.

In a statement to reporters, Fox News spokesperson Irena Briganti said: “Megyn Kelly has no conflict of interest. Donald Trump is just trying to build up the audience for Thursday’s debate, for which we thank him.”

For Fox News chief Roger Ailes, Trump’s threat of a debate boycott raises the stakes in a war that Ailes has struggled to develop a playbook for. Historically, Ailes’s strategy in situations where his stars are attacked is to follow a version of the Powell Doctrine: Apply overwhelming force. But Trump’s popularity with the GOP base — that is, Fox viewers — has forced Ailes to make a choice between his audience and Kelly. In the wake of the first debate, Ailes was said to be rattled by the volume of anti-Kelly emails Fox News received from Trump supporters. Kelly told people she was receiving death threats, and Fox did not have a ready response. Ailes, who is less of a presence at Fox, now has to make another choice, which could result in the GOP front runner walking away.

Lewandowski, Trump’s campaign manager, told me Trump could stage his own televised town hall on Thursday night and let Fox’s rivals air it. “That would be a great idea,” he said.

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