According to Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly on Friday, the Democratic primary race is a hyped-up media “mirage” and Hillary Clinton will almost certainly win the nomination. Appearing on Good Morning America, Kellly dismissed, “It seems to me like some sort of mirage. Because, you know, if you look at Clinton's long haul she's the favorite in every state after New Hampshire.”
Deriding the interest in the fight between the Democrats, she added, “And so, it almost feels like a bit of media magic that people are building this up into something.” Despite a new poll finding Clinton with a scant two point lead nationally, Kelly opined, “With all due respect to Bernie Sanders, he has little chance in the remaining states, if you look at the polling."
Kelly closed out by minimizing the Democratic race as merely “ fun to watch and speculate about.”
Earlier in the segment, co-host George Stephanopoulos pressed the Fox anchor about tangling with Donald Trump, wondering if she had “regrets” or thought “regrets “ or thought “you could have done anything differently.”
Kelly said no, but allowed, “I became the story and, you know, you never want to be the story when you're a news person.” This is good advice for Stephanopoulos, and certainly something he would know about. After all, Stephanopoulos came the story when it was revealed he secretly donated $75,000 to the Clinton Foundation without telling his bosses or viewers.
A transcript of the February 5 segment, which aired at 7:09am ET, follows:
GMA
2/5/16
7:09GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Here now with a woman who knows something about debates, Megyn Kelly, anchor of The Kelly File on Fox News. Welcome to GMA.
MEGYN KELLY: Hi. Thank you.
STEPHANOPOULOS: You saw Martha there. Any advice for her?
KELLY: Stand tall. Stay tough and have your facts at the ready. She doesn’t need advice from me, however.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Always have your facts at the ready. You are right. Of course, you famously tangled with Donald Trump back in August and he had some tough things to say about you after some tough questions, called you a “lightweight,” “unprofessional.” Tried to get you taken off the second debate and I was just wondering what that was like for you. Reporters aren't used to being the story.
KELLY: That was highly pleasant. I enjoyed that. No, it was bizarre because I became the story. He was so very focused on me that I became the story and, you know, you never want to be the story when you're a news person. You want to be covering the story so it was truly like an Alice through the looking glass experience.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Any regrets at all? Think you could have done anything differently?
KELLY: No. I still think it was a great question. I stand by every question I asked him and he was not the only one who had tough questions. He was the only one, however, who complained.
STEPHANOPOULOS: It comes with the territory right there. But I was surprised to see Hillary Clinton speaking out talking about you yesterday in People magazine. She says “The internet has become a refuge for vile commentary, a special amount of venomous commentary reserved just for women.” You think that’s right?
KELLY: Absolutely. Yes, I do. I mean, that's the problem with, you know, language like bimbo and so on because it gins up other comments along those lines which is diminishing, obviously, to not just the woman who is being attacked but women in general. So hopefully we can elevate the level of debate.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Well, we'll have that tomorrow night on ABC right here. I'm wondering what you make of the race right now? Of course, you've talked to just about all the candidates on The Kelly File. What we see happening coming out of Iowa Marco Rubio really moving up.
KELLY: Yep. And now he's got a big target on his back and all these other sort of establishment-leaning candidates deny they're coordinating, but clearly they are after him because somehow he emerged from Iowa as the guy at the top of there laen. This is it. New Hampshire is their last-ditch effort, rerealistically. They're under pressure from their donor, Jeb Bush and others to get ahead —
STEPHANOPOULOS: Jeb Bush made a call to Chris Christie.
KELLY: They deny that they're coordinating but the facts seem pretty obvious. They are gunning for Rubio and how.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Because, only one of those four is likely to make it out of New Hampshire.
KELLY: Right now it's obviously Trump, Cruz and somebody else who is going to be gunning for those two and the question out of Iowa was who would it be? You know, Jeb's poll numbers weren't very good. He wasn't expected to do very well in Iowa. But neither was Rubio and suddenly he comes with this third place finish that's almost a second place finish and he's got the momentum and these other guys perceive accurately that he's a threat. So now, he's the boy in the bubble. You know, whatever Christie said about him he's the one.
STEPHANOPOULOS: They are going to be gunning for him. You guys have another debate. I think it’s on March 3rd coming out of Tuesday.
KELLY: Yeah.
STEPHANOPOULOS: How many candidates do you think are left by then?
KELLY: That's a good question. The bigger question in my mind whether Donald Trump will be at that one. I think he will be. He hasn't committed yet, but he will show up at that one which is great because Brett, Chris and I will be moderating it. Bret Baier, Chris Wallace and myself and we will just move our Trump questions from the last debate over to this debate. Hope I get a chance to ask them.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Can you share one?
KELLY: Oh, God, no. You have to tune in March 3rd.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Meanwhile, we did see last night pretty feisty debate between Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton. Looks like he's going to take New Hampshire. Still has a pretty big lead right there. That could be a long slog.
KELLY: That's right. I mean, what do you think? You used to be in politics. Is New Hampshire— How New Hampshire, how important is New Hampshire do you think on the democratic and Republican side because, you know, the people who know what they're talking about say it's less important on the Dem side.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Well, this time. Because Bernie Sanders is from Vermont.
KELLY: Because he’s going to get it.
STEPHANOPOULOS: A lot are expecting him to win. If he were upset there, I think that would be game over.
KELLY: It seems to me like some sort of mirage. Because, you know, if you look at Clinton's long haul, she's the favorite in every state after New Hampshire and so it almost feels like a bit of media magic that people are building this up into something. Because, with all due respect to Bernie Sanders he has little chance in the remaining states, if you look at the polling. So it's fun to watch and speculate about. Now on the GOP side, it's a real race. And I think there's genuine mystery about who is going to get that nomination right now.
