Posted on 01/29/2016 8:10:02 AM PST by COUNTrecount
Fox News "apologized" to GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump for a press release the network released earlier this week mocking him, Trump said Thursday evening.
In an interview with CNN, Trump would not say who from Fox News called to apologize for the network's behavior. He said he was going to stick with his plans to hold an event to raise money for veterans instead of attending Fox's Thursday debate.
"I was treated very unfairly by Fox. Since then they've been excellent, they've been very nice, but it's too late," he told CNN's Brianna Keilar. "We have an event and we're going to make a lot of money."
Trump announced earlier this week he wouldn't attend the Republican debate, just four days before the Iowa caucuses. Instead, he planned to hold his own event to raise money for veterans. "The veterans have been treated horribly in our country," he said in the interview with CNN on Thursday. "We're going to take care of our veterans."
Trump said he might have considered attending the debate after Fox apologized if he hadn't already planned the rival event. He noted Fox News "could not have been nicer" in its attempts to get him to come to the debate. But at that point, it was too late.
The billionaire businessman has had an ongoing feud with Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly since the first GOP debate, held in August.
He told CNN he never asked that Kelly be removed as an anchor — although he added that he doesn't respect her and thinks she's "overrated."
Trump said a lot of people have told him they respect his decision because he "took on the establishment."
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
Fox News seemed to confirm Trump’s account, in a statement provided to CNN’s Dylan Byers:
[Fox News CEO] Roger Ailes had three brief conversations with Donald Trump today about possibly appearing at the debate — there were not multiple calls placed by Ailes to Trump.
In the course of those conversations, we acknowledged his concerns about a satirical observation we made in order to quell the attacks on Megyn Kelly, and prevent her from being smeared any further. Furthermore, Trump offered to appear at the debate upon the condition that FOX News contribute $5 million to his charities. We explained that was not possible and we could not engage in a quid pro quo, nor could any money change hands for any reason. In the last 48 hours, we’ve kept two issues at the forefront-we would never compromise our journalistic standards and we would always stand by our journalist, Megyn Kelly. We have accomplished these two goals and we are pleased with the outcome. We’re very proud to have her on stage as a debate moderator alongside Bret Baier & Chris Wallace.
The statement does not deny that an apology took place. It also appears to confirm earlier reporting that Fox had deliberately sought to provoke Trump into attacking the network rather than attacking Kelly.
Wonder if the folks who respect his decision respect his not supporting March for Life and support his “jokes” about sex with his daughter.
Stuff it troll.
Was that before or after they told The One they would not pay him $5 million dollars.
I don’t care if they apologized or not, it was really really funny.
This whole “fued” was a fabrication.
“Acknowledged his concerns.”
A non apology apology.
My favorite of those is, “I’m sorry you are upset.”
Not I’m sorry about my behavior. I’m sorry about your reaction to it, which may be your fault not mine.
The vest political non apology is, “Mistskes were made.”
Or the Obama rinse and repeat, “I found out about what my administration did when you did. I’m angry. I will get it fixed.”
If it was so important to Fox that Trump appear, they should have pulled Kelly and the other moderators could have pulled off the ambush they planned without her. But they see Kelly as a future gravytrain superstar, and clearly put her importance over that of Trump. Which is fine, they made the bed and now they can sleep in it.
I would not they didn’t raise much of a fuss at all when Rand Paul decided to skip the previous debate. I guess informing the voters is more important when it’s Donald Trump, or when there’s a lot of money at stake.
1A Trump “Conservative”
Dude has thinner skin than Obama.
Still laughing?
Trump maintains hefty lead over GOP field
Reuters ^ | 01/29/2016
Trump: 40%
Cruz: 15.2%
Rubio: 9.2%
Carson: 9%
Bush: 6.1%
Trump so made the right choice skipping last night’s debacle. Fox News has lost their minds. They put on the worst debates of any station. Its an attack fest not a debate.
I’ve been here almost 16 yrs. Hardly a troll.
Just a shocked real Conservative.
Since some Conservatives have walked away from principles and America has become so jaded we deserve Hillary or Trump. Makes no difference. It will end the same.
Sore Cruzerman alert. LOL!
“Dude has thinner skin than Obama.”
So he stands up for himself, unlike the “thick-skinned” George W. Bush....whom left office with a 26% approval rating.
Yeah “turning the other cheek” is such a successful method.
I hope you will be grown-up enought to pull the lever for Trump in the general election.
Otherwise, the other poster might be accurate.
Good point.
And last night's debate had half of the normal audience.
Ailes failed in his mission to placate Trump and to get him to the debates--Trump was not going to renege on the vets. Funny how Ailes said Trump could even be late, they would accommodate him.
This morning Ailes is signing credit memos to the advertisers who paid rates dependent on a much larger audience.
Kissing up only because they saw $$$$$$ following Trump out the door. Once again, Trump was right.
It’s the art of the deal.
“What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels in winning with ease.” Sun Tzu
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.