Posted on 10/28/2016 6:30:52 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Conservative talk show host Mark Levin on Thursday tore into Fox News’s Megyn Kelly over her contentious interview this week with Newt Gingrich.
Levin, who railed against GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump for months before grudgingly endorsing him in September, said on his radio show that Kelly was trying to impress executives at other networks because her contract is up next year.
"She is auditioning, in my opinion, for a bigger forum. That’s not exactly a state secret. ... Fine. But please don’t pretend you’re a journalist,” said Levin, who worked in Ronald Reagan’s administration.
Levin also blamed Kelly for "lighting the fuse" for Trump to be attacked over his behavior toward women.
During the first GOP presidential primary debate in August 2015, Kelly asked Trump about derogatory comments about women he made before his campaign. Trump responded by joking that they were all directed toward comedian Rosie O’Donnell.
“[Kelly] was so obsessed with Rosie O’Donnell and Donald Trump and things that were said back and forth, she set the stage for what became month after month of vicious personal, nasty attacks, and she’s doing it again,” Levin said.
Trump harshly attacked Kelly in the aftermath of the debate. They reached a truce in 2016, with Kelly even interviewing Trump for a Fox TV network special in May.
Kelly’s contentious interview with Gingrich on Wednesday night went viral after the former Speaker accused Kelly of being "fascinated with sex” regarding her coverage of Trump.
Kelly retorted that her show covered Hillary Clinton
scandals and substantive issues surrounding the election as well. Indeed, the segment after Gingrich’s interview featured Kelly exploring the latest WikiLeaks releases of emails from Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta.
“There was no news. There was regurgitation — 14 days before an election," Levin said of the interview.
"If this is the future of Fox, then Fox will be dead. Because this kind of National Enquirer stuff dressed up as journalism doesn’t fly.”
Kelly's representatives are seeking an annual salary of $20 million in negotiations with Fox, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
The 45-year-old former attorney is reportedly making $15 million in the final year of her contract, which expires next July.
21st Century Fox and Fox News Executive Chairman Rupert Murdoch told the Journal he is hopeful to nail down a new contract with Kelly "very soon."
“she set the stage for what became month after month of vicious personal, nasty attacks”
Levin attacks Kelly here for doing exactly what he has been doing to Trump for months now. Viciously attacking Trump. For a different reason, but the effect was the same. Wonder if Levin will shut up now, as he still attacks Trump, because the pendulum has now swung in the opposite direction, and Hillary is in the direct path of that pendulum. Clunk, another head wound.
Murdock: “15 is as high as we’lll go, period.”
Kelly: “Well...okay then.”
Murdock: “ Excellent. We are in accord. Wormtongue will prepare the contract at $15/hr, that’s actual on-air time only of course.”
Anderson Cooper will be packing his bags.
I can’t wait to hear poor Megyn’s tales of how she was victimized at Fox. Those brutes! They treated her like a news reader!
I just want you to know that calling Megyna Kelly a bimbo is an affront to all the honest hardworking bimbos out there who actually make a contribution to society.
Too old. Unless she’s gonna be real nice to the customers.
Real nice.
Cooper currently makes 11 mill / yr @ CNN. Can’t see them going crazy for tsalent that wants 20m/ yr.
I didn’t realize cable TV personalities like Kelly were making $15 million/year. No wonder Hannity can say he regularly tips at a 100% rate, and I believe him. But I’m sure Kelly doesn’t do that.
She’ll never bump coop out of his same time slot.
Coop has a loyal following built in.
It’s like football or reality shows or anything else, what they pay the talent is based on what they can charge for advertising that runs during that program. It’s that simple, whether it’s Megyn or Rush.
The big question seems to be, if they can afford $15 mil, why not 20? It’s a big deal to her obviously, but if (and I’m making this totally up) they can sell $50 million worth of ads in her show, it’s not like they can’t afford it. This is obviously her argument, just like an athlete or other performer.
If FNC with it’s higher ratings can’t justify paying 20, then how can CNN unless they think (mistakenly I’d say) that she would bring such star power that eyeballs would follow her to CNN that won’t watch on Fox. I don’t think so.
I was flipping channels and she had Michael Moore on her show... I think it was last night. Couldn’t flip past
fox News fast enough.
Same here
Like Murdoch said... “we have a large stable of talent. Many of whom would give their right arm for the 9pm slot.”
Any number of FOX’s talent could take over for her right now and immediately improve on her current ratings.
They should dump her and give Newt her slot. Hahaha!!
I don’t care what she does .. I still will not watch her program.
“I don’t know what in the world happened, over there.”
Ailes left. The inmates are now running the asylum.
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