Republican frontrunner Donald Trump unleashed a sexist broadside on a female debate moderator Thursday night in one of the first eyebrow-raising exchanges in the Fox News Republican primary debate in Cleveland.
Trump was asked by Fox News's Megyn Kelly about his history of disparaging comments about women who he's worked with, including some on his popular Twitter feed. Trump, Kelly noted, has called calling women fat pigs, sluts and dogs.
Trump's be-nice vow over in first answer to Megyn Kelly q about the way he describes women— Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) August 7, 2015
Trump disagreed with Kelly's characterization.
"Only Rosie O'Donnell," Trump said.
“For the record, it was way beyond Rosie O’Donnell," Kelly fired back.
O'Donnell herself later tweeted:
try explaining that 2 ur kids— Rosie (@Rosie) August 7, 2015
Online, Trump's comments were trashed as below the belt and as a sexist response to a fair question about the way he talks about women, who make up half the population of the United States.
Trump's snark directed at Megyn Kelly was classless and childish. Not very smart either.— Matt Rooney (@MattRooneyNJ) August 7, 2015
Trump said he didn't have time for "political correctness."
"I think the big problem this country has is being politically correct," Trump said. "I’ve been challenged by so many people and I don’t, frankly, have time for total political correctness. And to be honest with you, this country doesn’t have time, either."
Then he attacked Kelly's treatment of him, suggesting that she hadn't been "nice" enough.
"What I say is what I say. And honestly Megyn if you don't like it, I'm sorry," Trump added. "I've been very nice to you although I could probably not be based on the way you've treated me but I wouldn't do that."
.@Reince do you support @realDonaldTrump threatening Megan Kelly? #FOXNEWSDEBATE— Melissa Byrne (@mcbyrne) August 7, 2015
Watch the full exchange here: