Posted on 08/08/2015 2:35:08 PM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
A major political strategist has left Donald Trump’s 2016 GOP presidential candidate, a new report says — but it’s unclear who severed the relationship.
Roger Stone is no longer aiding the outspoken billionaire’s quest for the White House, according to CNN.
Reports conflicted on Saturday over whether Stone’s departure was a firing or a resigning, the news outlet added.
“Mr. Trump fired Roger Stone last night,” a spokesperson for Trump’s campaign told CNN on Saturday.
“We have a tremendously successful campaign and Roger wanted to use the campaign for his own personal publicity. He has had a number of articles about him recently and Mr. Trump wants to keep the focus of the campaign on how to make America great again.”
Stone contradicted that version of events, CNN said, by providing the media organization with his resignation letter Saturday.
“Unfortunately, the current controversies involving personalities and provocative media fights have reached such a high volume that it has distracted attention from your platform and overwhelmed your core message,” the document says. “With this current direction of the candidacy, I no longer can remain involved in your campaign.”
“I care about you as a friend and wish you well,” Stone also reportedly tells Trump in the letter. “Be assured I will continue to be vocal and active in the national debate to ensure our nation does not again turn to the failed and distrusted Bush/Clinton families.”
Stone elaborated further on his exodus from the Trump political machine in a post on his Twitter Saturday afternoon.
“Sorry @realDonaldTrump didn’t fire me – I fired Trump,” he tweeted. “Disagree with diversion to food fight with @megynkelly away core issue messages.”
Trump inspired national shock by criticizing Fox News moderator Megyn Kelly on Friday evening, after a verbal exchange the night before.
Kelly, a moderator in the GOP’s first televised presidential debate Thursday, interrogated Trump over his past remarks towards women.
“You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her – wherever,” Trump told CNN host Don Lemon on Friday night.
Critics have since pounced on Trump’s statement as crude and demeaning.
It also got the reality TV star disinvited from the RedState Gathering, an annual conservative forum taking place this weekend in Atlanta.
The New York business mogul’s presidential campaign responded by defending its figurehead in a statement published Saturday morning.
“Mr. Trump made Megyn Kelly look really bad – she was a mess with her anger and caught totally off guard,” Trump’s political team said in a statement.
“Mr. Trump said, ‘blood was coming out of her eyes and whatever,’ meaning her nose, and wanted to move on to more important topics,” it said. “Only a deviant would think anything else.”
The GOP’s crowded 2016 field has since dogpiled on Trump, sensing vulnerability in the frontrunner for their party’s nomination.
Multiple Republican White House hopefuls have denounced the real estate kingpin’s rhetoric as an embarrassing gaffe.
- Updated at 3:44 p.m.
“Trump’s comments were a clever combination of “she was out for blood” and “she has PMS.” It was nothing but appropriate given the lame, distorted questions she asked him.”
For all we know, both are true. Has she offered evidence to contradict either assertion?
People come and go from campaigns all the time.
If the people want Trump, he is who they will have. Cheaters need to step aside.
Well said Ghost. The only blood in the water the clan is smelling is Megyn Kelly’s. Metaphorically she did have blood in her eye and nose, The Donald b**ch slapped her. Which can only happen when at least one of the two in question is a b**tch. In my humble opinion Donald is already winning in the court of public opinion where he will also need to win the election. People hate politicians but they hate the whore news media worse. He is seen as the outside warrior, fighting many Goliaths, Dems, GOP (supposedly his own party) Media, Mexico, ISIS, Taxes, etc. To me is he doing fine. He is better than what I have been offered in a very long time.
I wouldn't think so, especially one of low esteem as the deviant Roger Stone.
I'm not a supporter of Trump but I would vote for him over any Rat. If we end up with a GOP-e nominee and Trump runs as an independent I would vote for him, just because I am so fed up with the "do nothing, know it all's".
Exactly. Why the long personal, I will keep working for you explanation? Because the mole will do just the opposite. I hope Donald gave him a lot of bogus information to carry back to the viper den. Donald didn’t get to where he is today by being naïve and unprepared.
[their outrage over Trump’s out-for-blood-pms-megyn comment is what’s outrageous.]
They don’t have this outrage over the bloody baby organs from the
PP videos.
Forgot about this. Thanks.
Good point. Women say they want equality but then they cry when they get it.
I want to know when 18 year old women are going to have to register for selective service like men do. Or can men just claim to be women and thereby escape the requirement.
EXACTLY! What an upside-down world.
How can parting ways with that assclown Stone be called “losing”? Sounds like a win to me. He is and has always been a self-promoting schmuck.
I agree. She was obnoxious and objectionable - anything but professional. She deserved what Trump said about her.
But I think this was all part of a game plan. Get a woman to say obnoxious things to Trump so that he gives her what for, and then make his response all part of the “war on women.”
Kinda have to agree with you.
I have heard that many political strategists are the light in the loafers type. Have you heard this? If so, I wonder why.
Ghost, I can see that happening! All the men pretending to be women to avoid the draft. Actually, I always thought that something like this would happen - only not in such a weird way (sex change operations).
Trump's longest-standing team member quits/is fired.
"I support Trump because he's smart. That guy was a deviant. And probably a mole who infiltrated his campaign to make him look bad."
Consider if you will how far detached his lame comments were from something Ted Cruz or Scott Walker would say.
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