Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Photo / AP
Donald Trump was not terribly happy with Megyn Kelly's questions Thursday night. Viewers nationwide saw that. A reminder:
KELLY: Your Twitter account has several disparaging comments about women's looks. You once told a contestant on Celebrity Apprentice it would be a pretty picture to see her on her knees. Does that sound to you like the temperament of a man we should elect as president, and how will you answer the charge from Hillary Clinton, who was likely to be the Democratic nominee, that you are part of the war on women?
TRUMP: I think the big problem this country has is being politically correct.
(APPLAUSE)
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. This country is in big trouble. We don't win anymore. We lose to China. We lose to Mexico both in trade and at the border. We lose to everybody.
And frankly, what I say, and oftentimes it's fun, it's kidding. We have a good time. What I say is what I say. And honestly Megyn, if you don't like it, I'm sorry. I've been very nice to you, although I could probably maybe not be, based on the way you have treated me. But I wouldn't do that.
After the debate, an even unhappier Trump seemed to have changed his mind about that last part. Reporters in the spin room saw that.
"I thought their questions to me were much tougher than to other people, and I respect that, but I really enjoyed the evening," Trump said. "The questions to me were far tougher, and that I supposedly - according to what everyone is telling me, and the call-ins and everything, I won. But the questions to me were not nice. I didn't think they were appropriate. And I thought Megyn behaved very badly, personally."...
"I thought it was an unfair question," said Trump in the spin room. "They didn't ask those questions of anybody else. So I thought it was an unfair question. But you know what? The answers were good, obviously, because everyone thinks I won."
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He wasn't done venting. Next up: after-hours Twitter. If Megyn Kelly found some elements of his Twitter feed objectionable before the debate, the post-debate edition probably didn't do much to change that opinion.
Trump tweeted - and retweeted other angry late-night Twitter users - more than 30 times between roughly 2:30 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. Many of those tweets mentioned Megyn Kelly or her debate co-hosts, along with Republican pollster Frank Luntz, who ran a televised post-debate focus group on Fox Thursday night. None of them were compliments.
A sampling:
"@RubenMMoreno: @realDonaldTrump The biggest loser in the debate was @megynkelly. You can't out trump Donald Trump. You will lose!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 7, 2015
"@timjcam: @megynkelly @FrankLuntz @realDonaldTrump Fox viewers give low marks to bimbo @MegynKelly will consider other programs!"
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 7, 2015
.@FrankLuntz is a low class slob who came to my office looking for consulting work and I had zero interest. Now he picks anti-Trump panels!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 7, 2015
"@FrankLuntz: I'm getting a lot of @MegynKelly hatemail tonight. 😆 #GOPDebate" She is totally overrated and angry. She really bombed tonite
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 7, 2015
"@FrankLuntz: I'm getting a lot of @MegynKelly hatemail tonight. 😆 #GOPDebate" She is totally overrated and angry. She really bombed tonite
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 7, 2015
.@FrankLuntz I won every poll of the debate tonight by massive margins @DRUDGE_REPORT & @TIME so where did you find that dumb panel.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 7, 2015
Wow, @megynkelly really bombed tonight. People are going wild on twitter! Funny to watch.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 7, 2015
.@FrankLuntz, your so-called "focus groups" are a total joke. Don't come to my office looking for business again. You are a clown!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 7, 2015
I really enjoyed the debate tonight even though the @FoxNews trio, especially @megynkelly, was not very good or professional!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 7, 2015
I really enjoyed the debate tonight even though the @FoxNews trio, especially @megynkelly, was not very good or professional!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 7, 2015
"@JetRanger69: @realDonaldTrump @FoxNews @megynkelly @BretBaier WAS A DISASTER ALSO."
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 7, 2015
"@Resi_Diederich: @PlatinumRosie @realDonaldTrump @FoxNews @megynkelly is that all you've got??? Haha."
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 7, 2015
"@Reid2962: @realDonaldTrump @FoxNews I expected better from @megynkelly, wondering what is her hidden agenda.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 7, 2015
"@Diplomtc_Immnty: @realDonaldTrump They tried to take you out & your poll numbers skyrocketed. Voters matter, not @FOXNews moderators.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 7, 2015
"@agcaddauan: @realDonaldTrump @DRUDGE_REPORT Megyn could have done a far better job*"
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 7, 2015
"@stinger_inc: @realDonaldTrump @megynkelly's behaviour at the #GOPDebate was astonishingly biased."
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 7, 2015
"@Diplomt: @realDonaldTrump is in a greater position w/ 52% to 12% @Drudge_Report even after @MegynKelly & @BretBaier tried to take him out.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 7, 2015
"@italy2320: @Reid2962 @FoxNews @megynkelly Tell me what I can do to help you. She really has made me want to never watch fox again"
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 7, 2015
"@joshuapantoja: @megynkelly @FrankLuntz @realDonaldTrump you tried to attack Trump, he took it and smiled. Trump will be the next president
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 7, 2015
"@CaptTimScrim: Dear @megynkelly , your attempted hatchet job on @realDonaldTrump was unbecoming & a total failure. @FoxNews
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 7, 2015
The final tweet of the wee hours drew some of the biggest reaction -- including a "won't someone think of the children?" moment.
@realDonaldTrump @ElvisFever @megynkelly @FoxNews Megyn owes an explanation to my 7 year old daughter who was watching.
— AJ (@AJ_ManaQi) August 7, 2015
With the morning, the feud shifted back to the Fox airwaves, with Trump expressing his irritation other debate questions as well -- including the first of the evening, which asked participants if they would pledge not to stage an independent run if they fail to win the GOP nomination:
.@realDonaldTrump: That [pledge] question was aimed at me, which I didn't think it was appropriatehttps://t.co/GWLg8BRcOc
— FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) August 7, 2015
"It was a little bit of a surprise to be standing up there having to justify everything," Trump said.
Noted: Donald Trump does not like surprises. Among other things.
Iran has vowed to respond, claiming its enriched uranium wasn’t destroyed.