It’s no secret that Donald Trump has a bit of a problem with women. Misogynist slurs have pockmarked Trump’s surprise political campaign, like his entertainment/business “career” before it.
According to a CNN poll last week, 73% of women disapprove of Trump. And that poll was taken before Trump told MSNBC host Chris Matthew that women who get abortions should receive “some form of punishment” if the procedure is banned in the US (he later backtracked, saying a doctor who performed the procedure would be responsible).
Less has been said about the women who’re taking him on – including high-profile Republicans and leading conservative journalists.
Meet the five women who’ve had a gutful of The Trump:
1. Carly Fiorina, formerly Trump’s rival candidate
Carly Fiorina, the former CEO of Hewlett Packard, took on Trump online and offline last year, as a rival candidate for the Republican nomination. She dropped out of the race in February, and is now backing Ted Cruz for President. But her very public campaign against The Trump has only intensified, with Fiorina affirming, “I will spend all of my energy making sure that he is not our nominee.”
Things started boiling over last September when Rolling Stone asked Trump what he thought of Fiorina. As we all know, Trump is a congenial man who seriously evaluates his political rivals. So it won’t surprise you to hear that Trump replied, “Look at her face! Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of our next president?”
When Fiorina objected to her leadership potential being reduced to her bone structure, Trump made the logical and convincing argument that he was actually saying she had “a very beautiful face”. Because that’s how you compliment people, guys. Don’t you know about “negging”? Haven’t you read The Game?
Bitter twitter feuds ensued throughout November, and Fiorina has continued her war on Trump, referring to him as “a serial philanderer” on Monday. Florina yesterday declared Trump’s abortion comments were “outrageous” and said he’s “an entertainer” when what they country needs is a “principled leader”.
2. Michelle Fields, reporter assaulted by Trump’s campaign manager
Florida police have charged Trump’s closest political adviser with “battery” after he grabbed and shoved reporter Michelle Fields. Yes, battery. No biggie. Just your regular campaign professional, charged with battering a woman.
Despite the charge, based on surveillance footage, Trump is not convinced, saying, “I don’t know who created those bruises”.
In fact, Trump reckons his campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, was simply trying to protect him from Michelle, who he alleges continued to touch him when she’d been told not to.
He joked, “She’s got a pen in her arm which she’s not supposed to have and it shows that she’s a very aggressive person,” Trump said. “Maybe I should file charges against her.” Good plan, Trump. Good plan.
Fields had a rather different version of events from the deadly pen, explaining, “I was jolted backwards. Someone grabbed me tightly by the arm and yanked me down. I almost fell to the ground. I was shaken.”
Ted Cruz has insisted that Lewandowski should be fired, but Trump objects, because, wait for it, “he’s got a beautiful wife and children”.
3. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, highest-ranking GOP woman in Congress
Trump is now such a liability to the female vote that Republican women have begun publicly distancing themselves. Cathy McMorris Rodgers is the Conference Chair, making her the highest-ranking Republican woman in Congress. She told the New York Times, “I think his comments regarding women, and other comments, I find them inappropriate. I find them hurtful and I think they are hurtful to the party, a party that has been founded on equal opportunity for all.”
It’s not surprising that McMorris Rodgers would be offended, as a staunch promoter of women in politics, who juggles her party leadership role with being a mother to three children under 8.
McMorris Rodgers has spearheaded a proactive approach to changing women’s view of the Republicans, acutely aware of the threat posed by Hilary Clinton’s popularity with female voters. The ambitious campaign hopes to reach women through women’s media. They managed to crack Glamour, Elle, Marie Claire and Good Housekeeping – typically neglected campaign fronts.
But the Trump Menace could unravel all her work.
4. Stephanie Cegielski, former Trump strategist
Stephanie Cegielski was Trump’s strategist, until she resigned in disgust. She published a killer open letter this week, assuring his fans that he’s not up to the job of president and doesn’t want it, but “his ego has taken over.”
Cegielski never imagined that Trump would get this far. She originally signed up as the Communications Director enchanted by the idea of a protest candidate, who was not bought by corporations, and “wanted America to return to greatness”. She says that even Trump never anticipated his whirlwind rise to popularity.
Now, she’s determined to warn his fans that he’s not the real deal. “I respect Trump’s fans,” her letter begins. “That’s why I can no longer support the man himself.”
The powerful letter continues to paint a picture of a man in the grips of delusional hubris, who is fundamentally unprepared for the role he is chasing. As Cegielski writes, “What was once Trump’s desire to send a message to America and to increase his power as a businessman has nightmarishly morphed into a charade that is poised to do irreparable damage to this country if we do not stop this campaign in its tracks.”
5. Megyn Kelly, Fox News journalist
Donald Trump is kind of obsessed with Megyn Kelly, the Fox News journalist who he’s now insulted so many times it’s getting a little bit ridiculous. Things have escalated to the point where Fox News issued a damning statement last week, which said, “Donald Trump’s vitriolic attacks and his extreme, sick obsession with [Kelly] is beneath the dignity of a presidential candidate.”
The network said they would continue to “fully support [Kelly] throughout every day of Trump’s endless barrage of crude and sexist verbal assaults.”
Why does Trump call Kelly “Crazy Megyn”? Because she dared to ask Trump during a presidential debate about times he’s referred to women he didn’t like as “dogs” and “fat pigs”.
“Does that sound to you like the temperament of a man we should elect as president?” she asked.
Crazy Megyn, right?