AUGUST 10, 2015
In the most quoted line from the famed 1964 film “Becket,” King Henry II, frustrated with the pious interference by the Archbishop of Canterbury, cries out in frustration, “Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?”
I imagine that today, Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus feels much the same way about Donald Trump.
Shall we recap the wild weekend of this meddlesome billionaire?
- After criticizing Kelly’s “unfair” questions to him during Thursday night’s debate, Trump escalated his attacks on her all day Friday, culminating in this jaw-dropping quote during an interview on CNN:
“She gets out and she starts asking me all sorts of ridiculous questions. And you know, you could see there was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her…wherever.”
- After that remark, Trump was officially disinvited late Friday night from speaking at ultra-conservative Red State conference on the grounds that he was no longer “a legitimate candidate.”
- On Saturday, Trump’s long-time campaign manager Roger Stone departed the campaign. Stone claimed that he quit because Trump would not stick to the issues. Denying that there’s campaign turmoil, Trump, of course, said that he fired Stone.
- On this morning’s “Today,” Trump stated that one could make the case that Kelly is a “bimbo”, and on “Morning Joe,” he asserted that Kelly should be the one apologizing to him!
Poor Reince. If he had any hopes that Trump’s behavior would make him begin to go away, no such luck. In this weekend’s latest NBC poll, taken after the debate, Trump still maintains his double-digit lead over the rest of the field.
More troubling for the GOP, Trump’s misogynistic remarks ensure that the damaging charge that the party is waging a war on women won’t be going away soon.
But I have one question.
Is there a double standard in the GOP about the war on women? Let’s compare.
When Kelly asked Trump about his statements calling women “fat pigs, dogs, slobs and disgusting animals,” Trump said that was referring only to Rosie O’Donnell. Big laughs, huge applause.
When Trump implies that Kelly was menstruating when he was questioning him, the knives come out.
Is the war on women only a problem for the GOP if it’s a war on conservative women?
Just asking.
