Here at NewsBusters, we usually reserve popcorn-popping for times when Democrats are scrapping among themselves. But in this strange political season, it looks like we could be in for some Orville Redenbacher moments among Republicans, too.
On today's Morning Joe, Joe Scarborough mentioned having watched some of Megyn Kelly's Fox News show last night, and claimed that Kelly was "vicious" in going after Donald Trump. In the unkindest cut of all, Scarborough said Kelly "sounded like Rachel Maddow." View the video of Scarborough's statement, followed by clips from last night's Kelly File. You'll see that Megyn doesn't crack the slightest smile when Steve Hayes describes Trump as akin to "a dog with diarrhea." And a skeptical Kelly is all over Roger Stone when he attempts to defend Trump.
Note that in a parting shot, Kelly notes that even Trump-defender Stone quit the Donald's campaign out of distaste for his tactics.
JOE SCARBOROUGH: Right now it is likely that Donald Trump continues to do very well. And Mika, I saw Megyn Kelly last night for a few minutes. She sounded like Rachel Maddow, attacking Trump. I mean it was vicious. And then you have Bill Kristol saying he will never vote for Donald Trump. A civil war is coming in the Republican party if this continues and I think that's the most likely scenario.
From last night's Kelly File on FNC.
MEGYN KELLY: Joining me now, Steve Hayes, Fox News contributor and senior writer for the Weekly Standard, and Roger Stone, who's a former Trump campaign political adviser and former adviser to President Nixon. Good to see you both. Steve, how would you describe this series of events?
STEVE HAYES: Well, look. We have a joke at the Weekly Standard that fact checking Donald Trump is like picking up after a dog with diarrhea.
. . .
KELLY: Roger, are you telling me that motion he did with the hands was not an attempt to mock a reporter whO's covered him for 20 years with whom he's on a first-name basis?
ROGER STONE: Look, I very clearly when Barack Obama went on with Jay Leno and made fun of kids in the Special Olympics.
KELLY: It's not about Barack Obama. It's about Donald Trump!
STONE: But you didn't have this kind of media uproar. I think what's happened here is that Trump has scared the daylights out of the ruling elite --
KELLY: That's a dodge --
STONE: -- and by the major media, and therefore --
KELLY: Why don't you stay in the ring? Stop getting out of the ring. Stay in the ring! Was he mocking that reporter or wasn't he?
STONE: I don't think he was.
KELLY: Really?
STONE: I was around Trump in the '80s and '90s when Kovaleski said he covered him for the Daily nNews. I have no memory of him. Trump has said he doesn't know him.
KELLY: Trump says he has the most wonderful memory in the world! The most wonderful memory in the world. In his statement where he did the physical imitation, he said, look at him! And he described him as nice! Look, look: you're telling me that's not --
. . .
KELLY: You might be inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt if he hadn't done this so, so often. Where he said something controversial and you look at him and you say I understand what you're saying. And he says, you're a deviant if you think that. Where he says: Carley Fiorina, look at that face, and then he says, it's not her face, it's her persona. Or he says I never would have said Afghanistan was a mistake and then you look back two weeks later to the same show and he's saying Afghanistan was a mistake. On and on it goes: I could give you five more.
STONE: Okay. Let's go back to the larger question, which is whether or not there are Muslims in this country who celebrated the attack on America on 9/11. I believe there are.
KELLY: How is that the larger question? That's a dodge! That's not what's at issue!
STONE: Because that's what the story is about.
KELLY: What this story is about is whether the front runner on the GOP side for president is an honest person. That's what we're discussing!
. . .
KELLY: Roger also separated from the Trump campaign after he felt that Mr. Trump was getting too close to the personal attacking line of presidential campaigning and not substantive enough. So that should be mentioned as well.
