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| Donald Trump jab at Megyn Kelly may be beginning of end for GOP frontrunner | Donald Trump jab at Megyn Kelly may be beginning of end for GOP frontrunner |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| In a series of interviews on Sunday, Donald Trump insisted that he did not imply that menstruation caused Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly to question him aggressively during Thursday’s Republican presidential debate. | In a series of interviews on Sunday, Donald Trump insisted that he did not imply that menstruation caused Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly to question him aggressively during Thursday’s Republican presidential debate. |
| Related: Donald Trump and the 'war on women': GOP confident mogul will lose the battle | Related: Donald Trump and the 'war on women': GOP confident mogul will lose the battle |
| Trump declined any offer of a chance to apologize for the remark, and instead sought to focus attention on Jeb Bush, the establishment favorite, for remarks he made about federal spending on women’s health this week. | Trump declined any offer of a chance to apologize for the remark, and instead sought to focus attention on Jeb Bush, the establishment favorite, for remarks he made about federal spending on women’s health this week. |
| The latest Trump controversy began on Friday night, when he said in an interview with CNN that Kelly had “blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever” while she questioned him at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, on issues including his past statements about women. | The latest Trump controversy began on Friday night, when he said in an interview with CNN that Kelly had “blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever” while she questioned him at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, on issues including his past statements about women. |
| Speaking to CNN again on Sunday, the real-estate mogul and poll frontrunner recited his academic credentials and asked: “Do you think I’d make a stupid statement like that?” | Speaking to CNN again on Sunday, the real-estate mogul and poll frontrunner recited his academic credentials and asked: “Do you think I’d make a stupid statement like that?” |
| Most people did think so – and the comment prompted an immediate backlash on the right. The conservative radio host Erick Erickson revoked an invitation to appear at the RedState Gathering, a major conference of conservative activists in Atlanta. | Most people did think so – and the comment prompted an immediate backlash on the right. The conservative radio host Erick Erickson revoked an invitation to appear at the RedState Gathering, a major conference of conservative activists in Atlanta. |
| In a late-night interview on Friday, Erickson said that when he approached the Trump campaign for clarification, it “wouldn’t deny” that the comment was about menstruation. In Erickson’s opinion, the remark “crossed a line of decency no one running for president should ever cross, whether you are a professional or amateur politician”. | In a late-night interview on Friday, Erickson said that when he approached the Trump campaign for clarification, it “wouldn’t deny” that the comment was about menstruation. In Erickson’s opinion, the remark “crossed a line of decency no one running for president should ever cross, whether you are a professional or amateur politician”. |
| Trump has since strenuously denied that his comment was about menstruation. Appearing on NBC on Sunday, he said he had initially wanted to say blood was coming out of Kelly’s eyes and nose, but then decided he “wanted to move on to the next statement”, causing to say “her wherever”. | Trump has since strenuously denied that his comment was about menstruation. Appearing on NBC on Sunday, he said he had initially wanted to say blood was coming out of Kelly’s eyes and nose, but then decided he “wanted to move on to the next statement”, causing to say “her wherever”. |
| Asked if he even wanted to apologize to anyone who might have misconstrued his comment, Trump said: “I don’t want to say that. I apologize when I’m wrong.” | Asked if he even wanted to apologize to anyone who might have misconstrued his comment, Trump said: “I don’t want to say that. I apologize when I’m wrong.” |
| He then insisted his use of the blood metaphor was “a very common statement” and that anyone who construed it to be a reference to menstruation was “deviant”. | He then insisted his use of the blood metaphor was “a very common statement” and that anyone who construed it to be a reference to menstruation was “deviant”. |
| Rivals for the Republican presidential nomination disagreed. Former Hewlett-Packard chief executive Carly Fiorina, the only woman in the 17-strong field, told CNN: “Women understood that comment. And yes, it is offensive.” | Rivals for the Republican presidential nomination disagreed. Former Hewlett-Packard chief executive Carly Fiorina, the only woman in the 17-strong field, told CNN: “Women understood that comment. And yes, it is offensive.” |
| Bush, who trails Trump in the polls, told attendees at RedState on Saturday: “What Donald Trump said is wrong.” | Bush, who trails Trump in the polls, told attendees at RedState on Saturday: “What Donald Trump said is wrong.” |
| The question now is whether this marks the bursting of Trump’s bubble. He has risen to the top of the polls despite, or perhaps because of, a series of controversial remarks. | The question now is whether this marks the bursting of Trump’s bubble. He has risen to the top of the polls despite, or perhaps because of, a series of controversial remarks. |
| Trump kicked off his campaign by saying illegal immigrants from Mexico were rapists. He also said the 2008 Republican nominee John McCain, who was imprisoned and tortured in Vietnam for five and a half years, “was not a war hero” and gave out the personal phone number of a rival, South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham. | Trump kicked off his campaign by saying illegal immigrants from Mexico were rapists. He also said the 2008 Republican nominee John McCain, who was imprisoned and tortured in Vietnam for five and a half years, “was not a war hero” and gave out the personal phone number of a rival, South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham. |
| Each controversy was followed only by an improved position in the polls, leading to Trump taking center stage at the Cleveland debate. | |
| Related: You're fired? Donald Trump and aide Stone at odds amidst Kelly controversy | Related: You're fired? Donald Trump and aide Stone at odds amidst Kelly controversy |
| However, his latest remarks, combined with turmoil within his campaign – on Saturday a key aide, Roger Stone, left Trump amidst confusion over who initiated the split – and a noticeable souring in his relationship with Fox News, signal that this could be the moment Trump’s candidacy does indeed start to implode. | However, his latest remarks, combined with turmoil within his campaign – on Saturday a key aide, Roger Stone, left Trump amidst confusion over who initiated the split – and a noticeable souring in his relationship with Fox News, signal that this could be the moment Trump’s candidacy does indeed start to implode. |
| This would please many in the Republican establishment. On Saturday, the strategist Liz Mair told the Guardian: “He has been a problem child as a Republican candidate and the faster he self-immolates the better for the party.” | This would please many in the Republican establishment. On Saturday, the strategist Liz Mair told the Guardian: “He has been a problem child as a Republican candidate and the faster he self-immolates the better for the party.” |
| The menstruation comment also raised eyebrows among activists. Several previously enthusiastic attendees at RedState were noticeably less so on Saturday. Such activists have long shared the billionaire’s concern about illegal immigration and disdain for the Republican establishment, but many felt his comment about Kelly was just too crass. | The menstruation comment also raised eyebrows among activists. Several previously enthusiastic attendees at RedState were noticeably less so on Saturday. Such activists have long shared the billionaire’s concern about illegal immigration and disdain for the Republican establishment, but many felt his comment about Kelly was just too crass. |
| Even Colby Delaney of Kennesaw, Georgia, who on Saturday night showed up in a Trump T-shirt emblazoned with the phrase “haters gonna hate”, wasn’t sure if he’d back the real-estate mogul any more. | |
| “He just needs to tone it down,” he said. | “He just needs to tone it down,” he said. |
| A Trump collapse, however, would create big issues for the Republican party. Trump has long toyed with a third-party run, which would divide conservative votes in a general election and make it far easier for Democrats to retain control of the White House. Furthermore, other 2016 hopefuls must take care to avoid alienating those fervent supporters Trump’s campaign has attracted. | A Trump collapse, however, would create big issues for the Republican party. Trump has long toyed with a third-party run, which would divide conservative votes in a general election and make it far easier for Democrats to retain control of the White House. Furthermore, other 2016 hopefuls must take care to avoid alienating those fervent supporters Trump’s campaign has attracted. |
| Ellen Carmichael, a Republican strategist who was a spokeswoman for the short-lived 2012 presidential campaign of businessman Herman Cain, said: “It’ll be important for the party to treat it like a prodigal son moment and not rub it in faces of those who have chosen to support Trump.” | |
| Carmichael also warned that if fans of Trump “feel like they are being shamed for their decision to support him, they are going to stay home”. | Carmichael also warned that if fans of Trump “feel like they are being shamed for their decision to support him, they are going to stay home”. |
| In the meantime, Trump presses on. He is wealthy enough that he does not need to worry about alienating donors and his celebrity ensures constant media attention. Not to mention that he possesses a self-confidence bordering on the megalomaniacal. | In the meantime, Trump presses on. He is wealthy enough that he does not need to worry about alienating donors and his celebrity ensures constant media attention. Not to mention that he possesses a self-confidence bordering on the megalomaniacal. |
| Related: Republican candidates struggle to duck Donald at RedState Gathering | Related: Republican candidates struggle to duck Donald at RedState Gathering |
| Bragging about his grades as a student at the University of Pennsylvania on Sunday, he told NBC’s Chuck Todd it was hard for others “to attack me on looks, because I’m so good looking”. | Bragging about his grades as a student at the University of Pennsylvania on Sunday, he told NBC’s Chuck Todd it was hard for others “to attack me on looks, because I’m so good looking”. |
| In several interviews Trump also attacked Bush, who “misspoke” at an event in Tennessee on Tuesday when he appeared to suggest that the federal government spends too much money on women’s health. | |
| Trump said Bush had “destroyed his relationship with women a couple of days ago”, and described the former Florida governor’s comments as “ridiculous”. He also said repeatedly that Bush’s stumble on women’s health would prove to be his “47%” moment, referring to the 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney’s infamous dismissal of that percentage of the electorate as reliant on government handouts and thus lost to any Republican ticket. | Trump said Bush had “destroyed his relationship with women a couple of days ago”, and described the former Florida governor’s comments as “ridiculous”. He also said repeatedly that Bush’s stumble on women’s health would prove to be his “47%” moment, referring to the 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney’s infamous dismissal of that percentage of the electorate as reliant on government handouts and thus lost to any Republican ticket. |
| Seeking to contrast himself with Bush, Trump, a presidential hopeful ensnared in a controversy over menstruation, insisted: “I’ve always had an amazing relationship with women.” | Seeking to contrast himself with Bush, Trump, a presidential hopeful ensnared in a controversy over menstruation, insisted: “I’ve always had an amazing relationship with women.” |