Newt Gingrich Erupts at Megyn Kelly: ‘You Are Fascinated With Sex!’
Sometimes folks on television break away from their carefully cultivated images to reveal themselves as far less appealing than they might care to appear. That’s what happened to Newt Gingrich Tuesday night on The Kelly File. Host Megyn Kelly announced the segment as a discussion about polls indicating the Democrats may pick up some congressional seats. It ended with Kelly suggesting to an overheated Gingrich that he “take [his] anger issues and spend some time working on them.” Whew.
Gingrich told Kelly that all the polls she was citing were “alternate universe” stuff, and that America was going to elect Donald Trump. Kelly said it was too bad Trump had brought a lot of trouble upon himself with his recent remarks about the women who’ve come forward with accusations of sexual assault. She connected some percentage of his falling poll numbers to this and the Access Hollywood tape. Kelly started to articulate her argument: “If Donald Trump is a sexual predator—“ “He’s not a sexual predator!” Gingrich interrupted. “You could not defend that statement!”
Gingrich jabbed a finger at Kelly. “I’m sick and tired of people like you! Using language that’s inflammatory that’s not true.”
“Excuse me, Mr. Speaker, you don’t know that that’s not true or not,” said Kelly. And besides, she said, “I’m not taking a position on that.” “When you used those words, you took a position. I think that is exactly the bias people are upset by,” said Gingrich. Ah, so it was the phrase “sexual predator” that bent Gingrich’s nose, eh?
“I think that your defensiveness on this may speak volumes, sir,” said Kelly quietly, firmly.
Hoo boy, that really revved him up: “You are fascinated with sex and you don’t care about public policy! That’s what I get outta you watching you tonight.”
“I am not fascinated by sex,” said Kelly, “but I am fascinated by the protection of women and understanding what we’re getting in the Oval Office.”
That set off Newt anew. He executed a Clinton pivot: “And so we’re gonna send Bill Clinton back to the East Wing of the White House.” Gingrich then smirked and made a demand of Kelly: “I want to hear you use the words, ‘Bill Clinton, sexual predator.’ I dare ya.”
“He’s not on the ticket,” said Kelly. “He’ll be in the East Wing,” said Gingrich. It was the verbal equivalent of nyah-nyah, I’m rubber, you’re glue!
Kelly wrapped up the segment by shutting Gingrich down. “We’re going to have to leave it at that, and you can take your anger issues and spend some time working on them.”
I would venture that that interview didn’t turn out the way either Kelly or Gingrich thought it would, but it certainly demonstrated Newt’s thought process to a very large Fox News audience.
The Kelly File airs weeknights at 9 p.m. ET on Fox News.
