Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson said on CBS’s “Face the Nation” that there “may be a difference between political correctness and, you know, courteous speech – there is a difference”, implying that Trump had crossed a line.
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This time Trump, who has made inflammatory statements against Mexicans crossing the border illegally and Vietnam War veteran Sen. “Only a sick person would even think about that”.
Following the debate on 6 August, Trump took to Twitter to retweet comments against Kelly, adding, “I really enjoyed the debate tonight even though the @FoxNews trio, especially @megynkelly, was not very good or professional!”
‘As much as I do personally like Donald Trump, his comment about Megyn Kelly on CNN is a bridge too far for me, ‘ said conservative pundit Erick Erickson, editor of RedState blog and organiser of the event.
“I think every candidate should treat everyone with civility and respect” says Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz.
Trump’s comments against Kelly led him to be banned from a key gathering of conservatives in Atlanta. “She asked me a very, very nasty question”. “And I have many executives that are women”.
Afterward, Frank Luntz hosted a panel of Fox News viewers who gave Trump disapproving grades for his performance.
Making the rounds on Sunday talk shows after losing his top campaign aide, Roger Stone, and getting booted from Erick Erickson’s RedState forum over the “blood” remarks, Trump went on the offense against his critics.
Condemnation was swift from other Republicans.
“It sounds like Republicans want to cherry-pick someone as the nominee”, said Jane Sacco of New Port Richey, Florida, who was angry at Erickson’s decision to dump Trump. “Blood coming out of her wherever”, Trump said.
“You’ve called women you don’t like fat pigs, dogs, slobs”, Kelly said.
Fellow Republican candidate Ben Carson also lambasted Trump, and said his remarks were simply uncourteous.
Erickson said in a Facebook statement that in a CNN interview Trump said of Kelly: “You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes. Women understood that comment, and, yes, it is offensive”, she said.
On Saturday, Jeb Bush told the Red State gathering which disinvited Mr Trump: “Do we want to win?”
Former tech executive Carly Fiorina, the only woman among the Republican contenders, tweeted: “Mr. Trump”.
“I cherish women”, the billionaire real estate mogul said in one of several television interviews. “Do we want to insult 53% of our voters?”
Erickson read aloud some of the emails he had been getting from Trump supporters to protest his move, saying it appeared the Trump campaign had made his email address available to them.
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Trump was referring to President Barack Obama’s 2012 Republican rival Mitt Romney’s comment at a private fundraiser that “There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what”.
