Former NBC host Megyn Kelly tore into ABC chief political analyst Matthew Dowd after Dowd sent a tweet wondering why Kelly and accused rapist Matt Lauer couldn’t just “fade away.”
Dowd, 58, was the chief strategist for President George W. Bush’s 2004 reelection campaign but has since largely denounced the Bush administration and is a vocal critic of President Trump.
In a since-deleted tweet, he wrote, “I really don’t want to hear from either Matt Lauer or Megyn Kelly. Can’t they just fade away and enjoy their large pot of money?”
Kelly, 48, shot back, “Yes, I could just sit back and ‘enjoy my money,’ @matthewjdowd, but instead I’ve chosen to speak up for women being harassed and abused who have been muzzled by NDAs. Sorry you find that so annoying.”
Dowd responded that he was “all for that,” but he went on to add, “However, did you stand up for Christine Blasey Ford, Anita Hill, and all the accusers of President Trump?” He also said Kelly was “blasting NBC” but said she wasn’t doing the same with Fox News.
Kelly pointed out that the upcoming movie Bombshell details how she and other women at Fox News worked to expose CEO Roger Ailes sexual harassment, ending in his 2016 resignation. She also noted how she “put Trump accusers on air” and that her job as a reporter wasn’t to “stand up” for Blasey-Ford, but rather to objectively report on the matter.
“You should try it sometime,” she added.
.@matthewjdowd – umm, there is a whole movie about me standing up for the women at Fox. & I put Trump accusers on the air. Also my job as a reporter was not to “stand up” for Blasey-Ford. It was to report fairly on her w/o taking a side. You should try it sometime. https://t.co/lLnOCSrm0I
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) October 19, 2019
Dowd then replied that he would “put his objectivity up against” Kelly’s “any day of the week” because she worked at Fox News.
“I think the words you’re looking for are ‘I’m sorry, I was wrong.’ Apology accepted!” Kelly responded.
I think the words you’re looking for are “I’m sorry, I was wrong.” Apology accepted! https://t.co/6YOOrDXqFo
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) October 19, 2019
Awhile later, and after much criticism, Dowd deleted his original tweet, saying there is “enough meanness and coarseness in the world today” and adding that he strives to do better. However, he never directly apologized for the tweet.
Kelly tweeted, “I’m all for less meanness in the world. We’re good.”
I am all for less meanness in the world. We’re good @matthewjdowd. https://t.co/ovF9XLyEo9
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) October 19, 2019
Kelly appeared on Fox News on Wednesday for the first time since leaving the network in 2017 and joining NBC’s Today, where she remained until the end of last year. During her appearance, she told Tucker Carlson that NBC had participated in “legal sleight of hand” by paying large severance packages to employees who claimed they had experienced sexual misconduct.
