It's The Misogyny Stupid

[kpete]

Political pundits on TV and Twitter tied themselves in knots Tuesday night trying to decipher Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from Thursday's GOP debate, the last debate before Monday's Iowa caucuses. Many deemed it a power play, a strategic decision aimed at exerting power over Fox News and his Republican rivals. Others wondered if it was just another in a long line of knee-jerk reactions from Trump. But no one seemed to point out the obvious.

It's about misogyny.

Trump is boycotting the debate at least in part because it's co-moderated by Megyn Kelly, a Fox News anchor he feels personally slighted him in the first Republican primary debate in August. Kelly's crime? She asked Trump to account for his temperament, given his practice of condemning women with whom he disagreed as "fat pigs, dogs, slobs and disgusting animals."

A subsequent months-long meltdown ensued – Trump lashing out and stomping his feet in protest that a woman had the gall to publicly reference his previous disparaging attacks against women. (Let's pause for a moment and savor how Trump's incessant whining serves only to verify the sexist nature he's so desperate to deny.)


MUCH MORE:
http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/opinion-blog/articles/2016-01-27/misogyny-is-behind-donald-trumps-boycott-of-fox-debate-with-megyn-kelly

[zazen]

1. abusers will NEVER allow themselves to be called out by abused

They will do anything to avoid having to be accountable.

The idea of standing in front of millions of viewers and having a woman call him out publicly for his behavior is terrifying to this little, little man.

I feel so bad for the women lured into marrying him. Can you imagine? Ugh.

[BillZBubb]

2. It's really sad to see so many on DU defending a FAUX propagandist.

Who cares what Trump says about Megyn Kelly. It's not like she's a feminist leader or even a strong defender of women in general. She's a right wing mouthpiece.

[Quantess]

3. Megyn Kelly may be a despicable person, but she is sharp as a tack.

There is a lot you can say about her, but she's not dumb, she's not a bimbo, and her questions were perfectly reasonable. Even republican women should be chafed at Trump. Nobody should put up with that jerk.

[BillZBubb]

4. To the contrary, she is not particularly bright.

No one that right wing is particularly smart. If you listen to some of her arguments, it is clear she's driven primarily by ideology and not reason.

Her questions might have been reasonable but her tone and the general tenor of the debate made it look like trump was the only candidate getting grilled. jeb?, cruz and the rest of the loonies only had softball questions thrown their way.

[Whiskeytide]

10. You're right. If you already thought Trump was an ass ...

... it may not have seemed that way (something about positive reinforcement of preconceived views). But (trying) to be objective about it, it was pretty clear to me that back in August Kelly and Fox generally had little respect for Trump, thought he was a joke/flash in the pan, and figured they could take him down and clear the way for the more established players in the field. That vibe came through clearly in the way she questioned him. I don't think they ever thought he'd actually call them out on it, and I think it even further surprised them that their loyal viewers agreed with him on the call out.

Not defending Trump or saying he has been justified in any way, but Faux knew exactly what they were doing, and it blew up in their face.

[ProfessorGAC]

5. I'm With Bill, On This

I don't see the "sharp" you do. There is a huge gap between drooling idiot and "sharp as a tack". She's neither, but that's not exactly high praise.

[Quantess]

6. Well, I think she's good at what she does, the way a fox is good at raiding henhouses.

Or the way Ted Bundy was a skilled serial murderer. She's smart and intimidating as a FAUX mouthpiece.

Yes, there are wicked-smart republicans. That doesn't mean they are nice or good people, but there are some clever ones. Denying so is foolish.

[ProfessorGAC]

12. Maybe So

But, we'll disagree that she's one of them

[smirkymonkey]

8. She may not be that sharp, but her questions were perfectly legitimate and an immature,

bloviating pig like Trump deserves to be called out. I can't believe he's throwing this little temper tantrum. He makes W look like an elder statesman.

[ProfessorGAC]

11. OK By Me

I'm not supporting Trump in any way. Just agreeing that there is a difference between being dumber than dirt and sharp as a tack.

[yewberry]

7. The two are unrelated.

I can be utterly unimpressed with Megyn Kelly while at the same time believe that Trump is motivated by misogyny. It's not a stretch.

[LanternWaste]

9. One may criticize an action regardless of who that action may be targeted against

One may criticize an action regardless of who that action may be targeted against. Hence, it would appear that Ms. Kelly is not being defended, but rather his actions criticized.

It seems irrational to believe otherwise.