Trump dumped from conservative gathering over remarks about Megyn Kelly
Donald Trump has made offensive comments before that have riled up his critics, so it's never safe to say he's gone too far.
But this time he may have.
Trump's jaw-dropping comment Friday night that Fox News' Megyn Kelly had “blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever" has sparked a backlash that will only build in the coming days.
Already, Trump has been disinvited from a prominent speaking gig at the main Republican event this weekend, the RedState Gathering in Atlanta.
"There are bounds of what’s acceptable in our discourse and they’re not different for you, or me, or someone else. I’m not going to have a guy on stage with my wife and daughter in the crowd who thinks a tough question from a woman is because of hormones," RedState organizer Erick Erickson, a prominent conservative voice, told the Washington Post.
Erickson has invited Kelly, who asked tough questions of Trump and has been attacked by him for it, to speak in his place.
And Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina, the lone woman in the GOP field, tweeted around midnight Friday twice in reference to the matter.
"Mr. Trump: There. Is. No. Excuse," Fiorina wrote.
Mr. Trump: There. Is. No. Excuse.
— Carly Fiorina (@CarlyFiorina) August 8, 2015
"I stand with @megynkelly," she then wrote.
I stand with @megynkelly.
— Carly Fiorina (@CarlyFiorina) August 8, 2015
Early Saturday, Trump attempted to clarify his comments and dismiss the issue as a whole.
So many "politically correct" fools in our country. We have to all get back to work and stop wasting time and energy on nonsense!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 8, 2015
Re Megyn Kelly quote: "you could see there was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever" (NOSE). Just got on w/thought
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 8, 2015
In addition to Trump's own attempt to clarify, his campaign issued a statement echoing his sentiments regarding the decision to remove him from the RedState lineup.
"This is just another example of weakness through being politically correct. For all of the people who were looking forward to Mr. Trump coming, we will miss you. Blame Erick Erickson, your weak and pathetic leader," according to a campaign statement.
The Republican National Committee, treading carefully about the current front-runner for the 2016 nomination, had called on Trump to "immediately clarify" his comment and said it would "highly inappropriate" if Trump stood by his remarks.
This will certainly not be the last thing Fiorina, or many others, have to say on the matter.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this story.
