Posted on 08/07/2015 7:46:03 AM PDT by GoneSalt
GOP presidential hopeful Donald Trump and his supporters are crying foul over what they consider to be tough treatment by Fox News and in particular Megyn Kelly at Thursday night's debate. They are calling for a ban on Kelly at future GOP showdowns.
For anyone who watched even the first few minutes of the first 2016 Republican presidential candidate debate Thursday night, it was clear that Fox News was out to sandbag Trump. Taking to social media after the debate, it was clear that "The Donald" was far from pleased with the conservative news network.
When the highly anticipated debate of the crowded field of Republican presidential hopefuls began, the first question, asked by the team of Fox News personalities who acted as the evening's moderators, was clearly aimed at one of the ten contenders on stage.
"Is there anyone on stage, and can I see hands, who is unwilling tonight to pledge your support to the eventual nominee of the Republican Party and pledge to not run an independent campaign against that person," asked Fox News' Bret Baier.
The lone hand that went up was that of frontrunner Donald Trump, who is enjoying a double-digit lead in the polls. Trump's move prompted both cheers and jeers from the audience in Cleveland and gave his challengers their first opportunity to jump on the billionaire former TV reality show star.
"Maybe he runs as an independent," said Sen. Rand Paul, who is trailing Trump by 20 points. "He's already hedging his bets."
"That question -- statement was absolutely aimed at me," Trump said during a phone interview on "Fox and Friends" Friday morning, adding "I didn't think it was appropriate, but that's OK."
The second obvious slam to Trump came from Fox's Megyn Kelly whose question was neither about policy nor politics, but about the thrice married businessman's history of calling women he doesn't like "fat pigs, dogs, slobs, and disgusting animals." Kelly further noted an instance on Trump's reality show "The Apprentice" where he alluded to seeing a female contestant on her knees.
Seriously?
So now the new threshold is whether or not you stand there and just take it?
And image you are the guys that bitch about the GOPe not taking the gloves off or playing by Queensbury Rules? I suppose when candidate (X) that you are supporting starts getting those retarded questions, then you will start “whining”, huh?
Instead we got tabloid journalism.
Good thing all the other so called “debates” (question and answer sessions) will be on Liberal/Very Liberal/Socialist networks and will not ask anyone a hard or leading question ... soft balls are only for Republicans and all the hard balls will be for the Democrats ... Trumpophiles rejoice! Hillary will soon be in your future!! And the big bonus will be Bill again! Oh lord this is so sweet. Wait! there’s more, yes, you asked for it, and here she is Chelsea Clinton, the once and future queen!
Good makeup?
Those phony eyelashes reminded me of Tammy Faye Baker.
Indeed it was. Wallace's expression on the BK questions was peachy as well.
And the audience appeared stacked for Kasich.
Agreed. Trump knows that FOX is as friendly
a venue as Republicans are going to find
but the big, tough business magnate still plays
the victim card. Hell, we’re talking about a
DEBATE, not an impromptu ropeline press
conference. Did he listen to his prep people?
I love that Trump is not PC. But, there times
as a president where you have to be cool, calm,
and presidential. Trump failed to keep his cool
in the debate and too many Trumpettes want to
blame FOX instead of him.
GOPe out in force in this thread.
The same people who excused the corrupt media’s biased, slanted attacks on Palin obviously rushing in here to excuse the totally unprofessional, agenda-driven Fox News debate “moderators.”
Disgraceful.
If he was smart about it, that’s the question he would have answered - after rephrasing it as such.
Kelly’s over the top lead in was nothing but an editorialized question. It should have been framed more like some have complained about your commentary about women. No, she wanted to do a hatchet job with the question...kind of like when did you stop beating your wife style.
Assuming she was not prompted to go this route, her demeanor was one out to get Trump, perhaps because she is a feminist? Typical, throw out the knives but when they bounce back retreated to the hurt woman defense.
Ha! My husband said the same thing..”what’s up with all the war paint & lashes”
Yes. They want to destroy him.
Just local Gopee personnel and their families get tickets to this type of event
Not people that represent us
We need competence more than anything else. I have no doubt Trump would assemble a first rate team to address foreign policy, national defense, and domestic issues. He would expect results. And I think he would work well with Congress striking deals, some of them we may not like as conservatives, but unlike the current occupant, he would be about making America great again. America needs a competent leader with passion who can engage our country emotionally as well as substantively. Trump will be America’s chief cheerleader.
FAUX’s new CNN’s Candy Crowley (Romney) and John King (Gingrich) !!!
>> Your wife needs to remember what Trump is up against <<
If I should ask her, I think she’d say she doesn’t particularly care. She knows that she won’t support a guy who comes across as grouchy and mean. And I suspect she’s typical of many, many voters — especially the swing voters and independents who will decide the next election.
“If Trump is whining about a beat down from Megyn Kelly how is he going to stand up to someone like Putin?”
By not bowing before his vagina.
I am going to post this comment in a number of post "debate" threads, because the points made are significant to the cause of actually winning:
I will state my impressions, and then make tactical suggestions.
From a debate standpoint, there was virtually no debate. The Fox crew were on some sort of mission, if not an outright ego trip. They hogged much of the airtime, by directing often long queries against carefully isolated two-somes; obviously with greater hostility towards some candidates than others.
From the standpoint of oratorical techniques--I am a lifelong student of oratorical techniques--Rubio & Huckabee used their time rather well; so to a slightly lesser degree did Cruz & Carson. But none of the candidates had sufficient opportunity to show their rhetorical abilities, because of the ego or mission trip of the "moderators."
Also, for reasons of the same constraints, none of the candidates had much of an opportunity to develop any points with meaningful clarity--None!
Now, my personal bias from the start was in favor of Cruz and Trump, so I certainly appreciate Donald's ire at the way he was handled. But he needs to master two arts, which have served successful candidates throughout American history.
He needs to know when to use ire as an effective weapon & when to hold back an open display and effectively understate his displeasure with the choice of words that show he also has grace. (This can often be a very effective way to actually transfer the ire that you feel to a listener or supporter, who will feel the anger that you are suppressing by the understatement. Hollywood uses this concept endlessly to create emotional impact in movie dramas.)
Secondly, Donald needs to get a bit of Celtic lilt into his remarks, coupled with a Reaganesque smile. Again, this is a technique for stroking emotions. It is important, because ultimately most politics is driven by emotion.
Donald is completely right that there is no time to be "politically correct"; but for the same reason, it is essential to be as effective in reaching a multi-faceted, mnulti-emotion driven, audience, as possible.
Trump did keep his cool and he didn’t exceed his time limits. The moderators lost their cool. I can recall Wallace pressing Trump on his bankruptcies with two or three follow-ups (no other candidate received that many). Wallace didn’t seem to understand that the bankruptcy laws are meant to help businesses survive. Or that lenders make mistakes and must suffer the consequences—unless bailed out by the USG.
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