April 2, 2016

What's really Trump's problem with Megyn Kelly?

"Trump's habit of trying to flatter his way into the good graces of female journalists is well-documented.... Kelly is an unattainable female quarry who bruised his ego...."

Says WaPo's Callum Borchers.

74 comments:

cubanbob said...

Trump's problem with Kelly is that she is a hack when it comes to Trump. Her gotchas are obvious and transparent. Shes full of herself and it shows.

RicVaDude said...

Go Megyn Go!! Bruise away!!

Trump is a vulgar, vile, arrogant, and egotistical SOB!! Just like Obama!!

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

She rented the condo in his head.

Michael K said...

Megyn acted like a high school girl running for student body president in that first debate. I lost all respect for her.

He responded to her insult as he always does.

mccullough said...

I doubt Trump personally cares about Kelly. But his core supporters are blue collar white men who have no use for her feminine hijinks

Hagar said...

Hey! Again, it is just showbiz; picking a fight with Kelly, if that is what it is, gets him free publicity.
Here we are, talking about him again.

mccullough said...

Also, Trump in a lot of ways is the anti-Romney. After Romney lost the debate to Candy Crowley and slunk away with his tail between his legs, many were disappointed that Mitt was such a wimp. Trump takes the opposite tact with both men and women.

Phil 314 said...

This reminds of the meme of Palin being inside liberals heads. Only now it's just one guy.

(or is it?....Yeah, I'm looking at you!)

Etienne said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
David said...

Kelly is a lot like trump. Big ego. Very skilled self promoter. Attractive. (Trump is old now but he was a good looking man. Now he's just a good looking old man.) Smart. Glib. Aggressive. Charismatic. I think they understand each other very well, and are each playing the role that suits them in this show at this time.

pm317 said...

Kelly is trying to prove that she does not need him for her show's ratings.

pm317 said...

She could very well have him and beat O'Reilly on the head with the additional ratings. That is where she is wrong.

Paddy O said...

They'll end up getting married by the end of the series.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

In an unexpected development, Megyn Kelly turns out to be the long lost granddaughter of the woman Trump tried to eminent domain.

Anonymous said...

Good for Kelly for sticking to her guns. Trump shouldn't be allowed to dictate or manipulate her. She was smarter and more principled than he from day one.

Anonymous said...

Most women clearly see Trump as the misogynist he is. No wonder he has a 70% disapproval rating among women in general.

Nyamujal said...

Masculinity is in crisis and Trump is the candidate of guys who feel threatened and emasculated by gains made by feminists over the past few years. Trump projects an image of a man's man, someone like Don Draper or Clint Eastwood who doesn't take shit from anyone and dislikes anyone who questions his self-anointed authority. That's why he hates Kelly.
I've been re-reading Martin Amis' "The war against cliche", and the first essay in his collection is on masculinity. I chuckle every time I read it because it's so relevant today:
http://www.lrb.co.uk/v13/n23/martin-amis/return-of-the-male
The last paragraph is particularly insightful:
"Feminists have often claimed a moral equivalence for sexual and racial prejudice. There are certain affinities; and one or two of these affinities are mildly, and paradoxically, encouraging. Sexism is like racism: we all feel such impulses. Our parents feel them more strongly than we feel them. Our children, we hope, will feel them less strongly than we feel them. People don’t change or improve much, but they do evolve. It is very slow. Feminism (endlessly diverging, towards the stolidly Benthamite, towards the ungraspably rarefied), the New Man, emotional bisexuality, the Old Man, Iron Johnism, male crisis centres – these are convulsions, some of them necessary, some of them not so necessary, along the way, intensified by the contemporary search for role and guise and form.
"

YoungHegelian said...

You know, sometimes, for relatively unpredictable reasons, two people just take a visceral dislike to each other. Haven't you had this happen between two of your friends, who you like both of them, but they loath each other?

Personality clashes, most often among people of the same party since they have to work together on a regular basis, drive an amazing amount of political chicanery.

traditionalguy said...

Kelley accepted the role at Fox for her employers Aisles and Murdoch to be their designated Trump Destroyer. She went in dressed as a simple woman who Bull Rushed Trump with an unanswerable 90% false charge that ended by saying, " How can you ever expect get out of this?" And he reversed it and destroyed her and Fox News Corp that she rode in on..

He is now probably our President. Fox is still using her as point person/victimized sweetheart in going after Trump ever day with a symphony of hyped accusations.

And Trump will not apologize to her for being an overrated used woman. Now how can we see something bad in that????

mccullough said...

Women hate Trump, and men hate Hillary, especially her husband. Will be an amusing and entertaining general election.

Chuck said...

As a card-carrying Trump hater, these are the sorts of stories that interest me the least. I don't want to see a bunch of mainstream/liberal columnists going after Trump along the usual old p.c. lines.

My criticism of Trump (along with Steve Hayes, Ben Shapiro, George Will, Charles C.W. Cooke, Kevin Williamson and far too many others to list) is that he's a liar, an ignorant fabulist, a boor, and most of all that he's a phenomenally unreliable person on practically every issue that is important to conservatives.

I actually didn't understand why there would have been any great dispute between Megyn Kelly and Trump, until her show early this week when she returned from an Easter vacation with her kids, and she did a comprehensive rundown on the charges against Corey Lewandowski. It was simply a model of good journalism. And it stood in stark contrast to the Trump-bootlicking of Eric Bolling (filling in for the vacationing Bill O'Reilly) and Sean Hannity.

It all had nothing to do with gender. Just plain, straight journalistic choices. And Bolling and Hannity have made some weird ones. I'd be very, very uncomfortable if I were Roger Ailes, letting Bolling and Hannity do extended infomercials for Trump without a single hard question.

Chuck said...

traditionalguy said...
... She went in dressed as a simple woman who Bull Rushed Trump with an unanswerable 90% false charge that ended by saying, " How can you ever expect get out of this?" And he reversed it and destroyed her and Fox News Corp that she rode in on..


This is wrong in every way.

The first debate question from Megyn Kelly consisted of a series of quotes from Trump -- all his own words, and none of them misquoted -- and then a question to Candidate Trump about how he would deal with (inevitable) Democrat attacks and a debate stage shared with Hillary Clinton.

It was a very good question. A question that has only grown in importance, based on things that Trump has done and said on his own.

Trump's answer at the time, and his words and behavior since, didn't "destroy" Fox News. Trump has made a star out of Megyn Kelly.

vanderleun said...

I don't know. Maybe he's just tired of bimbos who rode up the media food chain on the back saddles of many suck-started Harleys.

Anonymous said...

"Women hate Trump, and men hate Hillary, especially her husband. Will be an amusing and entertaining general election."

Women dislike Trump more than men dislike Clinton

mccullough said...

Conservatism lost to progressivism in 1913. The only ting to argue about now is the tax rates. Dems want them slightly higher and GOP want them slightly lower. Guys like Will, Hayes, and the rest argue over trivialities and pretend they are talking about small government conservatism. Coolidge is dead and he was the last conservative president. The federal government started growing under Hoover and has never stopped. W grew the shit out of the government with the help of guys like Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell. And Paul Ryan is praised as some sort of conservative savant. The bullshit is unbelievable.

Achilles said...

Megan Kelly made herself the story.

She is not a reporter.

mccullough said...

Amanda,

You are arguing details. Your chart shows that women hate Trump and men hate Hillary. It doesn't matter if Hillary will win because more women hate Trump than men who hate Hillary. What matters is that it will be entertaining to watch because the spreads for both are really high. Our society is not only racially Balkanized and Balkanized by income/wealth, but is quickly becoming Balkanized along gender as well. Interesting stuff. A very divided country that continues to self segregate into enclaves. And violent crime is rising again in the urban areas where about 27% of the population lives.

buwaya said...

On this matter Amis is thoroughly mistaken.
These aren't "convulsions" along a path of progress.
The modern liberality, if that's what it is, is unsuitable to the human animal. These are just symptoms of decadence. They are just manifestations of a deadly decadence that is causing the generations to dwindle, imagination to wither, and economic paralysis.

rhhardin said...

Journalism is about selling out integrity for audience, Kelly included.

Trump has issues with her sellout.

It's not a strong woman thing at all. It's a woman who is not serious playing as if she's serious.

Milwaukee said...

Nyamujal said...
Masculinity is in crisis and Trump is the candidate of guys who feel threatened and emasculated by gains made by feminists over the past few years. Trump projects an image of a man's man, someone like Don Draper or Clint Eastwood who doesn't take shit from anyone and dislikes anyone who questions his self-anointed authority. That's why he hates Kelly.


How unfortunate that Donald Trump would become such an icon. I can understand one bankruptcy, maybe two, but 4? Real men pay their debts. Seemed to me his partners suffered greater losses than he did in all the bankruptcies. Donald had bragged about the women he has had sex with. How unfortunate that his moral compass is so wrong. We need moral and virtuous men, not big mouths. Mainly, Donald was born rich and has been pretending. One account said based on his 1980's claims of wealth, and current claims of wealth, that he would have been better off investing in indexed funds than speculating in real estate.

What is this 'politicians call me and say "I need help.", so I throw them some money. Then some day I call them up and say "Hey, I need some help." and they help me.' I suppose it isn't bribery since there isn't a defined quid pro quo, but hey, sure sounds like influence buying to me.

Chuck said...

Achilles said...
Megan Kelly made herself the story.

She is not a reporter.


Well you aren't much of a reporter either, sport. Because it's M-e-g-y-n. Lucky for you, I'm here to edit your mistakes. You're welcome.

MaxedOutMama said...

I don't think it's this. Sorry, but Trump seems happy and proud of what he's got at home already. He is not unconfident in this way.

Hagar said...

Van Susteren, O'Reilly, Kelly, and Hannity are not reporters; they are talkshow hosts.

mccullough said...

Amis is a British writer, like his dad, so his sensibilities are the same as most secular British men. They are beyond useless and are no match for the British Muslims who don't share his self loathing

iqvoice said...

I thought this was pretty obvious from the beginning, and Paddy O is the only one who seems to get it.

Donald Trump wants to have sex with Megyn Kelly, and this whole kerfuffle is about nothing more than that.

vanderleun said...

Actually, Megyn Kelly wants to have sex with Donald Trump, and this whole kerfuffle is about nothing more than that.

glam1931 said...

One account said based on his 1980's claims of wealth, and current claims of wealth, that he would have been better off investing in indexed funds than speculating in real estate.

Only if you consider just sitting on your ass making money on investments more of an accomplishment than actually building things.

rcocean said...

Trump has no problem with Kelly. She's been tasked by FOX to be the Trump Destroyer and Trump correctly wants no part of her. Funny that pointing out a "Journalists" bias is now considered irrational hatred.

Does the WaPo ever report anything straight? Every story is propaganda of some sort.

Fritz said...

I see it at the dog park all the time. Big tough bitch won't submit to the male who thinks he's top dog.

HoodlumDoodlum said...

No fair mccullough @12:25, no one is supposed to out-cynic me!
But also, sadly, yeah pretty much.

M Jordan said...

I think Trump's playing a psyche game with Kelly. The only trouble is, I have no idea what it is nor what his strategy is. I do know he's not winning it. Or is he? It's obvious Trump hates strong women except when he doesn't. It's even more obvious Trump has a thing for Kelly and she for him. Melania better keep an eye on the situation.

Over and out.

M Jordan said...

"One account said based on his 1980's claims of wealth, and current claims of wealth, that he would have been better off investing in indexed funds than speculating in real estate. Only if you consider just sitting on your ass making money on investments more of an accomplishment than actually building things."

I never bought that argument. Do you know how tough it is just to keep your wealth? Furthermore, maybe everyone would've been better off with their money in an index fund. It's always easier to make those assessments in hindsight.

Howard said...

Blogger Milwaukee said...
Nyamujal said...
Masculinity is in crisis and Trump is the candidate of guys who feel threatened and emasculated by gains made by feminists over the past few years. Trump projects an image of a man's man, someone like Don Draper or Clint Eastwood who doesn't take shit from anyone and dislikes anyone who questions his self-anointed authority. That's why he hates Kelly.

Blogger Milwaukee then said...
How unfortunate that Donald Trump would become such an icon.


1) The concept that masculinity is in crisis is pussy-thought. If you want to be a man, just do it. Quit your fucking bitching and stop being a worthless cunt. If you think someone is threatening your masculinity, that's ALL on YOU if, you know like, are a man. Do you get the point, sweetie?

2) Don Groper and Clit Eastwood are play-pretend cartoons. It is then no wonder that emasculated men would look to these false idols and their smarmy spokesmouth Dronald Drumpf as examples to expire to.

3) What real men (and strong women) are pissed about and think Trump (and also Sanders) is representing is the selling out (by both the Republicans and Democrats) of well paying, blue collar manufacturing to the turd world where OSHA and EPA don't make regulations and unions are illegal.

It's the third point that the country-club, checked pants chicken-hawk republicans don't get.

Nyamujal said...

@ Milwaukee, Most moral compasses point in a direction that's polar opposite of where Trump is.

@ M Jordan, he did lose a lot of money on some of his casinos. How do you lose money running a gambling business in which the house always wins? If business success counts, perhaps people should wish for a Bloomberg, Gates or Buffet presidential run.

Howard said...

vanderluan: you got it 180-degrees wrong. Trump has all of the stereotypical attributes of a woman. Illogical, superficial, vain, always changing his mind, petty, wanting everyone to like him, vengeful, bossy, etc. This is how the cliche "hell hath no furry like a woman scorned" applies the Donald, not Megyn whom I always thought was slightly manly. Not as manly looking as Ann ("Mr Ed") Coulter, but definitely more manly acting.

Nyamujal said...

@Howard, Automation is more of a risk to manufacturing jobs than outsourcing. Even if some of those manufacturing jobs come back, which they won't, they'll be replaced with robots. We need to think of better solutions to these problems instead of blaming the Chinese or the "establishment" for all our ills.

traditionalguy said...

Make up criticisms of Trump from ever tactic he uses that you cannot understand. But he remains off the chart masculine with a good understanding of female emotions learned in a lifetime of studying them with a mind that focuses on winning.

Nyamujal said...

@Howard, Also, if you're familiar with the debate over free or fair trade, you'll find that leftists have been arguing for years that free trade isn't really "free" and that the gains of it disproportionately go to those at higher ends of the income distribution at the expense of the working class here, and farmers or workers in the developing world. Now, if right wing populists were intellectually honest, they wouldn't just target free trade but also *trigger warning ya'll*, income inequality, and they'd come up with a re-distributive strategy. It's also important to form alliances with labor movements in the developing world and creating more equitable trade relationships. The TPP has some provisions in it that strengthen the hand of unions in SE Asia for instance. But that won't happen. So all this anger just comes across as ugly bigotry.

Howard said...

Nyamujal: If it were so, then why the outsourcing to the third world losing 1/3 of our manufacturing jobs in 15-years? Are those factory workers just meat robots in your mind? In any event, we are talking about the destruction of American manufacturing over the past, not some speculation about the future. I don't blame the Chinese, they gotta eat just like everybody else.

Howard said...

traditionalguy: Sorry, the play-pretend posturing of a Trump is anti-masculine unless you are a middle-eastern Muslim terrorist, then he is a macho-macho man to be admired.

Howard said...

Nyamujal: Playing the race card shows you and your one-way "free" traders have a weak hand. That's why you play with a stacked deck. Look at the pollution in India and China: it proves that free traders are environmental racists! See, we can all play that card.

Nyamujal said...

@Howard, I wasn't accusing you of anything. You can call me whatever you want, I don't really care, but take the example of a textile manufacturer that recently moved to the US from China because Chinese wages made it less profitable to continue manufacturing there. When they moved back, they didn't hire Americans for most jobs, they automated the manufacturing process. I'm familiar with some of the advances in AI and Robotics and I am convinced that at this point they're more of a threat to working class jobs. If the profits created from automation, which currently are reaped by a small number of people aren't equitably distributed in some way, nothing Trump or Sanders say or do will matter.

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

Megyn acted like a high school girl running for student body president in that first debate. I lost all respect for her.

He responded to her insult as he always does.


Let's hear it for Michael K, standing up for the candidate who can't get above a 30% approval rating among the nation's largest majority group - Women.

But Michael K's a white man, so obviously he knows what it's like to be a(n almost) majority demographic that won't take no crap from no one.

jg said...

I don't think that's it. I think it's the fact that she attacks him.

traditionalguy said...

Howard...Have you ever seen leadership in action? It can be called "play pretend acting" by casual outsiders. But to the team members it is a communication of goals that motivate them to teamwork towards accomplishment expected by the leader's vision. That takes some big time play acting.

jg said...

Can anyone say something good about Megyn Kelly? As far as I can tell, she's a person who gets made up and talks on TV. Has she got any interesting ideas? What's her contribution, exactly? What I saw in that famous "Mr. Trump, why do you hate women?" debate was a pure malice.

Phil 314 said...

rhhardin, you get me.

A quieter, more sophisticated Shouting Thomas.

(with a dog)

Nyamujal said...

@Howard, More data from the Five Thirty eight guys: http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/manufacturing-jobs-are-never-coming-back/

Michael K said...

"Let's hear it for Michael K, standing up for the candidate who can't get above a 30% approval rating among the nation's largest majority group - Women.

But Michael K's a white man, so obviously he knows what it's like to be a(n almost) majority demographic that won't take no crap from no one."

MacDonald's shift over ?

I am not a Trump supporter but I don't have to be to see the campaign by the ruling class and its acolytes to keep the ball rolling, so to speak.

Breaking rice bowls and all that.

Howard said...

Blogger Nyamujal said...
@Howard, More data from the Five Thirty eight guys: http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/manufacturing-jobs-are-never-coming-back/

Here’s the problem: Whether or not those manufacturing jobs could have been saved, they aren’t coming back, at least not most of them.

Thanks for setting an example for keeping it civil and fact based. So the truth is Free trade deals caused significant losses in US manufacturing employment. Now, even if we can pull some of it back, most of the jobs are gone permanently. That sounds like the working class is getting boned twice, coming and going. I can buy that. However, shouldn't we work hard to get back all the manufacturing jobs that we possibly can?

The 538 dweeb thinks that patting workers on the head, saying "there, there take this service job pill" is a winner?

Folks that don't understand the Trump and Sanders appeal are completely disconnected from the core values and the salt of the earth of this country.

What has driven the American economy for generations is common sense and know-how. We still have a strong tradition of gear heads, hot rodders and fabricators. This type of vocation/avocation is slipping away. If we continue down this path, we will lose the backbone of this country. I'm not against these moneyball wiz kids who think they can know everything by crunching numbers, but we need the other end of the intelligence pool working at maximum capacity and innovating. The loss of a place and path for people who are hands-on intuitive geniuses who's lessons are payed in sweat, blood, aching joints and worse. You can't evolve as a human unless you are connected with, are part of the machine. This puts a big crack into our foundation as a nation and as the leader of the free world.

I don't think Trump or Bernie will stop promising they will fight for blue collar jobs, no matter what the pasty-faced, gym-toned, well hydrated number crunchers say.

Achilles said...

Trump pays women that work for him more as a percentage of what men that work for him than Obama pays women.

Trump pays women that work for him more than Hillary does.

And all the the women raped by Hillary's husband wont get intimidated and trashed by Trump the way Hillary went after Bill's rape and assault victims.

Achilles said...

When the SJW's made up the war on women and attacked Romney unfairly I jumped in to defend him.

When the SJW's make up a bunch of shit about Trump the Romney supporters jump right into the car with them even though they know the SJW's are coming for them next.

Trump having the same polls with women as Romney did are apparently the end of the world.

Romney supporters have proven to be raving hypocrites on more than a dozen occasions.

Paul said...

Trump really has no problem with Kelly.

It's all just a way to get free publicity.

Done all the time.

Do note, Megyn got a lot of publicity to at no cost.

Nyamujal said...

@Howard
"We still have a strong tradition of gear heads, hot rodders and fabricators. This type of vocation/avocation is slipping away. If we continue down this path, we will lose the backbone of this country."
I like that and agree with it. Let me bring up another example in that vein. Some companies like Whirlpool and Caterpillar are bringing back manufacturing jobs, but in right to work states. Jobs are created, but they aren't jobs of the old that paid really well and allowed a large number of Americans without a college education a ticket to the middle class. These jobs don't pay really well and in some cases people would be better off taking service sector jobs that pay slightly better.
Now GM on the other hand moved back about 2000 jobs, but those jobs are unionized, pay very well and include a profit sharing program. They're training people without college educations to do them. To quote someone who works there: "“Working at the plant has just allowed me to come out of this hole that I was in, in life, going absolutely nowhere, not advancing in anything,” she told me. “Now I’ve bought a house, I drive a brand-new vehicle.”"
Such stories highlight the importance of unions and other policies that people often associate with the left. That's why I find Trump's popularity with some in the working class hard to understand.
If you want to raise revenue you need to raise taxes and cut unnecessary spending or reform entitlements. If you want more stable, good jobs you need some sort of union/employee protection and lower corporate taxes (provided some tax loopholes are closed). In a globalized world we need free trade and a way to compensate the people adversely affected by it. Bernie and Trump are promising that you can only do one of each of those prescriptions and help the working class. So, they're basically selling us snake oil...

Brando said...

All I can say is, total winner--real alpha male stuff here. Way to show her, you winner you.

Sadly he still has fans but I guess that's how it goes in these times of sad folk.

Paul said...

"If you want to raise revenue you need to raise taxes and cut unnecessary spending or reform entitlements."

Nyamuhal,

Raise taxes will depress the economy far more than any revenue brought in. It's like saying the beatings will continue until moral improves. You CUT TAXES, CUT SPENDING, and then reform what you call "entitlements."

Deaf

Bruce Hayden said...

Trump really has no problem with Kelly.
It's all just a way to get free publicity.
Done all the time.
Do note, Megyn got a lot of publicity to at no cost.


I do think that this is good part of it. Kelly is in it for the money, and has made her bones by taking on big fish on both sides, but esp. Republicans. Not that she usually leans left, because she doesn't, and her normal targets seem to be on the left. But, we all know that when she goes up against Trump, there are going to be fireworks, and that means ratings. I don't think that there is anyone else who can do it as well with him. How does she beat O'Reilly for the number one slot? Just watch how differently they handle Trump. She is beautiful, skilled, aggressive, articulate, etc., but maybe most importantly, she is the Fox star who is, right now, the most driven. Ultimately, I do think that she will overtake O'Reilly for just that reason - she is still hungry, and he is not.

Darrell said...

RhythmicBallSucker and Amanda--the commenter formerly known as garage mahal-- should hook up. A post-intellectual love story for the ages.

Humperdink said...

It is interesting the Amandas, Alley Oops and the Ritmos on this blog continue to change their names. Is it insecurity? Is it the quest to mask their identity? Are they in the witness protection program?

Darrell said...

Are they in the witness protection program?

Witless.

Fred Drinkwater said...

M Jordan: If everyone kept their money in index funds instead of risking it on other ventures, those index funds would be non-existent or worthless. It's high-risk investing and high-risk work which eventually are winnowed down to a pool of low-risk investments.

RBE said...

Kelly, a powerful media personality, used her first debate question to Trump as a pre-planned attack on him. He saw it as such and attacked back. The moderators wanted to destroy him that night and get the credit. She thought she could get away with it and that he wouldn't lash out against her because she was a woman...wouldn't be chivalrous. Feminists always want it both ways...all equal but then play victim even if they strike to kill first...no way a man can fight back with their rules. Kelly now wants to improve her street cred beyond her FOX viewers and I think she has succeeded in that way. Don't forget, Republican viewers really wanted to see a good first debate with interesting questions that showcased the candidates...not the usual liberal gotcha questions. That is why her question was shocking. Even if Trump hadn't contributed to the firestorm, she started it and her reputation has suffered with many loyal FOX News viewers.

Howard said...

Blogger Nyamujal said...

All the pols sell snake oil. Bernie and Trump are at least catering to the working class that has gotten the shaft over the last 50-years.

My older brother was a union rep for his firefighter local. 90% of the firefighters are republicans, yet all the gains their union saw was from democrats. Republicans want to get photo ops with firemen, but they won't give their union the time of day.

As long as the power elite can keep the masses convinced of the myth of rugged individualism, their divide and conquer strategy will eventually eliminate the middle class hoisted on their bourgeois pride.

HL King said...

Could be he's terrifically annoyed that her name is a reference to her crotch.