DAVID HOGG vs FOX NEWS BULLY LAURA INGRAHAM (FIRE HER)

DAVID HOGG vs FOX NEWS BULLY LAURA INGRAHAM:

FOLLOWING HER PUBLIC ATTACK ON HOGG, INGRAHAM IS NOW LOSING SPONSORS.

WHY WOULD A GROWN, EDUCATED WOMAN ATTACK A 17-YR OLD TEENAGER WHO WITNESSED HIS FRIENDS DIE??

LAURA INGRAHAM SHOULD BE FIRED.

TIME FOR FOX NEWS TO CLEAN HOUSE.


Sources: Fox News, Yahoo News, CNN, PennLive, Youtube


****** How an ill-advised tweet became a nightmare for a Fox News show


A little over a month ago, David Hogg was like any other high school senior anxiously awaiting college acceptance letters.

Then, on Feb. 14, he witnessed the deaths of 17 of his classmates at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

Since then, he has graced the cover of Time Magazine, organized a march attended by hundreds of thousands of individuals demanding gun reform and gained a massive following of 667,000 on Twitter.

Despite becoming a household name pretty much overnight, Hogg is still a 17-year-old who plans to attend college.

According to an interview with TMZ on Tuesday, Hogg received rejection letters from the four University of California campuses where he submitted applications —UCLA, UCSD, UCSB and UC Irvine. He has a 4.2 GPA and an SAT score of 1270.

The following day, Laura Ingraham, host of Fox News’ evening program, “The Ingraham Angle,” retweeted a piece from the conservative news site, The Daily Wire, adding her own commentary — “David Hogg Rejected By Four Colleges To Which He Applied and whines about it. (Dinged by UCLA with a 4.1 GPA… totally predictable given acceptance rates.)”

The power of Twitter

Hogg, fully aware of how powerful he has become, has been encouraging his followers to tweet at brands that advertise on the show. And since Ingraham’s initial tweet, at least 16 companies have pulled their ads. Rachael Ray’s Nutrish was the first brand to sever ties. StitchFix (SFIX), Expedia (EXPE), TripAdvisor (TRIP), Wayfair (W), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), Nestlé USA (NESN), Hulu, Office Depot (ODP), The Atlantis, Paradise Resort, Honda (HMC), Liberty Mutual, Progressive insurance (PGR), Jenny Craig and the global investment group Principal followed suit.

On Thursday, after advertisers had already begun to distance themselves from the show, Ingraham issued an apology, retracting her original attack on Hogg: “Any student should be proud of a 4.2 GPA —incl. @DavidHogg111. On reflection, in the spirit of Holy Week, I apologize for any upset or hurt my tweet caused him or any of the brave victims of Parkland.”

Responsibility to share both sides of a story’
Hogg said he does not accept her apology. “She’s only apologizing after a third of her advertisers pulled out, and I think it’s really disgusting that she basically tried promoting her show after ‘apologizing’ to me. I think it’s wrong and if she really wants to do something, she can cover things like inner city violence and the real issues that we have in America. I know she’s a talk show host, but she also has a responsibility to show both sides of a story,” he said during an interview on CNN’s New Day.

“Atlantis does not support or agree with the recent comments made by television broadcaster Laura Ingraham. Although we are an organization that believes in freedom of expression, we do not condone discrimination, bullying, mockery or harmful behavior of any kind. As a result of these events, we have decided to remove all brand advertising tied to the program,” an official Atlantis spokesperson told Yahoo Finance.

Prior to the era of social media, brands would have had to release official statements on their websites and wouldn’t necessarily be subject to immediate criticism. That’s no longer the case with Twitter. Now, critical decisions made by companies can be discovered via one-off responses to everyday users.

StitchFix responded to a user who threatened to stop buying clothes from the monthly subscription program, saying “We appreciate our clients’ feedback on this, and we can confirm we’re no longer advertising on Laura’s show.”

Progressive watchdog Media Matters compiled a list of Ingraham’s 100+ sponsors, including Bayer, NutriSystem, Choice Hotels, Arby’s, Cars.com, DirecTV, Duracell, Esurance, Honda, IBM, and Kayak, to name just a few.

Are boycotts effective? It depends
“I think it’s great that corporate America is standing with me and the rest of my friends because when you come against any one of us, whether it be me or anybody else, you’re coming against all of us,” Hogg told CNN. “I think it’s important that we stand together as both corporate and civic America to take action against these people and show them that they cannot push us around, especially when all we’re trying to do here is save lives.”

“The issue needs to be gun violence in America, but what she’s trying to do is distract from that and I hate it,” he added.

This is not the first time Ingraham has been in hot water. Just last month, she faced significant pushback and criticism after she publicly said that Lebron James should stay out of politics and “shut up and dribble.”

Ingraham announced on her show Friday night that she would be taking a week off, with plans to resume on April 9.

The efficacy of boycotts against Fox News has had mixed results. While this movement is akin to the demise and ultimate cancellation of The O’Reilly Report last April, Bill O’Reilly had much graver problems than a single controversy. Nearly 60 companies withdrew their advertisements following a New York Times report on five sexual harassment settlements by O’Reilly and Fox News. While much of the momentum was on social media, it was much harder for the company to defend his egregious behavior than stand by an anchor for an offensive tweet.

Ingraham is likely hoping this movement would resemble the fleeting backlash against her colleague, Sean Hannity. Hannity endorsed Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore, who reportedly made several sexual advances toward underage girls. Many advertisers, including Keurig, Realtor.com and Volvo deleted tweets that stated they would be pulling ads.

As The Washington Post aptly pointed out, “At any given time, someone is probably trying to boycott a Fox News show for something.”

WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS' DINNER DISSED BY MEDIA MOGUL AND 45TH PRESIDENT DONALD J TRUMP (BRILLIANT)

WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS' DINNER DISSED BY MEDIA MOGUL AND 45TH PRESIDENT DONALD J TRUMP:

TRUMP SHOWS MEDIA HE WON'T KISS A&$ TO WIN THEIR FAVOR.

MEDIA STILL KEEPS TRUMP RELEVANT DESPITE HIS ABSENCE.


Sources: The Blaze, Fox News, Twitter, Youtube


***** Gutfeld bashes White House Correspondents’ Dinner: ‘Trump Kicked the Media’s Rump’


On Saturday night’s episode of the “Greg Gutfeld Show” on the Fox News Channel, Gutfeld slammed the liberal media’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner and praised President Donald Trump for choosing to bypass the event, which is usually attended by presidents on both sides of the aisle.

“He’s like the cool outcast at school who tells the snotty, rich kids, ‘I don’t want to go to your stupid party, I’ll throw my own, thank you very much! And I’m going to invite all my friends!'” Gutfeld said.

Gutfeld called Trump’s decision to hold a rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, a key swing state for Trump, a “stroke of brilliance” and referred to the Correspondents’ Dinner as an “orgy of preening self-importance.”

Trump’s rally in Harrisburg attracted thousands of supporters, and the president used the opportunity to jab the media.

“As you may know, there’s another big gathering taking place tonight in Washington, D.C., did you hear about it?” Trump said. “A large group of Hollywood actors and Washington media are consoling each other in a hotel ballroom in our nation’s capital right now.”

“They are gathered together for the White House Correspondents’ Dinner without the president,” Trump said. “And I could not possibly be more thrilled than to be more than 100 miles away from Washington’s swamp, spending my evening with all of you and with a much, much larger crowd and much better people, right?”

Trump also took the opportunity to list the accomplishments his administration has achieved in its first 100 days.

“For the last 100 days my administration has been delivering every single day for the great citizens of our country, whether it’s putting our coal miners back to work, protecting America’s steel and aluminum workers or eliminating job killing regulations, we are keeping one promise after another and frankly the people are really happy about it,” Trump said.

BILL O'REILLY (FOX) vs EMILY STEEL (NYT), EMILY WON; O'REILLY FIRED

BILL O'REILLY (FOX) vs EMILY STEEL (NYT), EMILY WON; O'REILLY FIRED:

FIRST ROGER AILES, NOW BILL O'REILLY.

BILL DESTROYED BY NYT REPORTER HE THREATENED OVER SEXUAL HARRASSMENT.

END OF A MALE DOMINATED, BIASED ERA AT FOX NEWS.

WHO IS NEXT?


Sources: CNBC, MSNBC, NY Times, Think Progress, Youtube


***** Bill O'Reilly's Payout Could Be as High as $25 Million


The day after Bill O’Reilly was ousted from Fox News, aftershocks rippled through the network, with news of Mr. O’Reilly’s exit package spreading through the newsroom and some employees questioning how committed executives were to rooting out sexual harassment.

Mr. O’Reilly is receiving a payout of as much as $25 million, equivalent to one year of his salary, two people familiar with the matter said Thursday. That development was met with “outrage” and “disgust” among some employees and among critics outside the company, who said it sent a message that a powerful newsroom figure could profit even after multiple sexual harassment allegations had been made against him.

“It’s terrible,” said Lisa Bloom, a lawyer who represents two women who reported sexual harassment allegations against Mr. O’Reilly. “Most people would consider $25 million a huge lottery win.”

Mr. O’Reilly’s package brought the total amount of payouts related to sexual harassment allegations at Fox News to more than $85 million — paid by the network’s parent company, 21st Century Fox. The vast majority of that — as much as $65 million in exit packages — is being paid to the men who were ousted because of the allegations.

Mr. O’Reilly, 67, was forced out on Wednesday after the disclosure of several sexual harassment allegations against him and after an internal investigation found more women with complaints about his behavior. He was dismissed nine months after the network’s founding chairman, Roger E. Ailes, was ousted amid a sexual harassment scandal. Executives promised at that time that there was no room for “behavior that disrespects women or contributes to an uncomfortable work environment.“ Mr. Ailes received a $40 million package when he left.

On Wednesday, Rupert, Lachlan and James Murdoch, the top executives at 21st Century Fox, said in a memo announcing Mr. O’Reilly’s departure that they had a “consistent commitment to fostering a work environment built on the values of trust and respect.”

Since Mr. Ailes left, the network has made an effort to clean up its culture, dismissing some executives close to him, installing a new head of human resources and conducting a series of training and sensitivity sessions.

Some Fox News employees said Thursday that while the dismissal of Mr. O’Reilly was a step in the right direction, they remained skeptical that real change would occur. As examples of how the network had yet to change, the employees pointed to the fact that Bill Shine and Jack Abernethy, the network’s co-presidents and former lieutenants to Mr. Ailes, remained in their positions. Employees in the newsroom spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss delicate internal matters.

The network continues to face sexual harassment suits, including one from Julie Roginsky, a current Fox News contributor, who has asserted that she faced retaliation for rebuffing Mr. Ailes’s sexual advances and for refusing to disparage Gretchen Carlson, the former Fox News host who sued Mr. Ailes last summer. “Contrary to a new environment, it is an environment of cover up and protect,” Nancy Erika Smith, the lawyer for Ms. Roginsky and Ms. Carlson, said in an interview Thursday.

d that she had been contacted by other women who had complaints about sexual harassment at the network.

The abruptness of Mr. O’Reilly’s exit has created widespread uncertainty in the newsroom about the future of other executives, including Mr. Shine and Mr. Abernethy. But some people at Fox News said that it was unlikely that the Murdochs would allow a sense of capitulation to permeate the network and that keeping Mr. Shine and Mr. Abernethy in place would provide some needed stability at an anxious time.

Mr. Ailes and Mr. O’Reilly have denied the allegations of harassment.

Mr. O’Reilly’s ouster was a stunning reversal for 21st Century Fox, which had long stood by him even as allegations and settlements started to amass. Mr. O’Reilly, who started at Fox News in 1996, was considered the network’s top asset. His nightly program, “The O’Reilly Factor,” generated high ratings and pulled in hundreds of millions in advertising revenue.

But pressure mounted on the company to take action after a New York Times investigation early this month found that Mr. O’Reilly and the company had reached settlements with five women who had complained about sexual harassment or other inappropriate behavior by him. The agreements totaled about $13 million, the majority paid by him.

Earlier this year, the network extended Mr. O’Reilly’s contract by an additional four years. At the time, the company was aware of allegations of sexual harassment against him and had even reached two settlements involving such complaints. His previous contract had been set to expire this year.

But the new contract provided the company with some protections. Those included a provision that Mr. O’Reilly could be dismissed if the company was made aware of other allegations against him or if new ones arose, according to one person briefed on the matter. The contract also included provisions meant to get Mr. O’Reilly to address his behavior, the person said.

In addition, though the contract was extended for four more years, it also modified the company’s financial commitment to Mr. O’Reilly if he was dismissed, so that he would receive a maximum of one year’s salary, according to two people. The people spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private negotiations.

The exact financial terms of Mr. O’Reilly’s exit package are not known, but it is expected that the company will disclose them in future regulatory filings.

In addition to Mr. O’Reilly’s payout and the settlements made involving him, 21st Century Fox has reached settlements with at least six women who accused him of sexual harassment, according to a person familiar with the matter.

One was Ms. Carlson, the former Fox News anchor. She sued Mr. Ailes last July and left the network with a $20 million settlement.

Last November, 21st Century Fox disclosed that for the three months that ended Sept. 30, the company had about $35 million in costs related to settlements of pending and potential litigation after Mr. Ailes was ousted.

SWEDEN'S IMMIGRATION CRISIS vs TRUMP (TRUMP IS NOT LYING, MEDIA IS)

SWEDEN'S IMMIGRATION CRISIS vs TRUMP (TRUMP IS NOT LYING, THE MEDIA IS):

SWEDEN'S RAPE & VIOLENCE STATISTICS DID INCREASE DUE TO IMMIGRANTS FROM SOME MUSLIM COUNTRIES.

MAINSTREAM MEDIA NEEDS TO STOP LYING AND STOP TRYING TO UNDERMINE TRUMP.


Sources: Fox News, Ann Horowitz, National Review, WND, YouTube


****** Rape and Violence on the rise in Sweden (TRUMP was right!)


In a disturbing new short video, Ami Horowitz examines an alarming trend: growing immigration to Sweden has coincided with an alarming uptick in rape and violence, and some areas of the country have become downright dangerous to visit.

Horowitz begins by reminding viewers that Sweden has always had a reputation of being a “harmonious and liberal society,” but in the past five years, rape has been on the rise. Why? One possibility that people are reluctant to talk about is Sweden’s growing population of immigrants from Muslim-majority countries with very different cultures from liberal Sweden.

A Swedish journalist in the video tells Horowitz that Sweden brought in over 190,000 refugees last year alone.

The video takes us to a northern suburb of Stockholm, Rinkeby — essentially now an immigrant enclave. Some police and journalists steer clear of the area, but Horowitz ventured in at his own risk.

Several residents he interviewed told him that they believe that Sweden has a responsibility to adapt to their more traditional culture, rather than the other way around.

After some time, Horowitz and his crew were threatened by residents and told to leave. He remained, with only audio equipment, and was then assaulted.

We then learn that immigrants are flowing to Sweden, in part, because the government benefits they receive there are all-encompassing — including housing, food, and education. In interviews, the immigrants say that in large part because of these benefits “life is good” for them in Sweden.

It ends with one woman saying there should be no limit to how many immigrants Sweden takes in.

Many on the Left might view Sweden as a compassionate template for the United States to follow in the midst of the refugee crisis abroad. Unfortunately, the consequences of such open-ended, welcoming policies would be disastrous here, just as they have been in Sweden. It’s a sad, and awful reality because so many innocent individuals are truly suffering — but there are ways we can help from afar, and these are worth pursuing.

At the end of the video, Horowitz speaks with Swedish citizens on the street, asking them if they think the uptick in rape and violence is in any way related to the influx of Muslim refugees. They seem to find the idea offensive, saying that there is no relationship between the two and that to say otherwise would be racist.

STACEY DASH TOO OLD FOR FOX NEWS OR WAS IT HER COMMENTARY?

WAS STACEY DASH TOO OLD FOR FOX NEWS OR WAS IT HER COMMENTARY?

BLACK DEMOCRATS WHO PRAISED OBAMA'S APATHY NOW CELEBRATE STACEY'S FIRING.

WHY IS THERE SO MUCH HATERADE TOWARDS BLACK REPUBLICANS?


Sources: NY Daily News, Fox News, YouTube


***** Stacey Dash fired from Fox News


Fox News has decided to part ways with the controversial Stacey Dash.

Dash has been a contributor for the network since 2014, but hasn't been seen on the air since last September. According to The Hollywood reporter,

Fox News made the decision not to renew Dash's contract last fall.
The "Clueless" actress has yet to comment on her departure, and her Twitter page still lists that she's a contributor for the network.


During Dash's time at Fox News, the 50-year-old often made headlines for her controversial remarks. In December 2015, she was temporarily suspended after she cursed on-air while sharing her thoughts on then President Barack Obama's speech on terrorism.

"I didn't feel any passion from him," she said. "I feel like he could give a s---, excuse me, he could care less."

Fox News' senior executive vice president Bill Shine said in a statement to Entertainment Tonight that Dash was suspended for two weeks for making comments deemed "completely inappropriate and unacceptable for our air."


Dash was completely unapologetic, tweeting after her suspension that she would "gladly" accept the consequences.

The actress also caused an outrage in January 2016 when she appeared on "Fox & Friends" and said we should not have channels geared towards African-Americans if we don't want segregation.


"We have to make up our minds," she said. "Either we want to have segregation or integration. And if we don't want segregation, then we need to rid of channels like BET and the BET Awards and the (NAACP) Image Awards where you're only awarded if you're black. If it were the other way around, we would be up in arms. It's a double standard."


During her spiel, Dash also suggested getting rid of Black History Month because "we're Americans. Period. That's it."

TRUMP WINS 2016 US PRESIDENTIAL RACE - IT'S A REFERENDUM ON CORRUPTION

DONALD J. TRUMP WINS 2016 U.S. PRESIDENTIAL RACE; HILLARY CONCEDES:

TRUMP'S VICTORY WAS A REFERENDUM ON CORRUPTION.


Sources: Bloomberg Politics, CNN, Fox News, Youtube


Donald Trump will become the 45th president of the United States, CNN projects, a historic victory for outsiders that represents a stunning repudiation of Washington's political establishment.

The billionaire real estate magnate and former reality star needed an almost perfect run through the swing states -- and he got it, winning Ohio, North Carolina and Florida.

The Republican swept to victory over Hillary Clinton in the ultimate triumph for a campaign that repeatedly shattered the conventions of politics to pull off a remarkable upset. Clinton conceded to Trump in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Speaking at a victory party in New York, Trump was gracious toward Clinton and called for unity.

"We owe (Clinton) a very major debt of gratitude to her for her service to our country," Trump said. "I say it is time for us to come together as one united people."

He added: "I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans."

Trump won with 288 electoral votes compared to 215 for Clinton, according to CNN projections.

Trump's supporters embraced his plainspoken style, assault on political correctness and vow to crush what he portrayed in the final days of his campaign as a corrupt, globalized elite -- epitomized by the Clintons -- that he claimed conspired to keep hard-working Americans down.

His winning coalition of largely white, working-class voters suggests a populace desperate for change and disillusioned with an entire generation of political leaders and the economic and political system itself.

Now, Trump faces the task of uniting a nation traumatized by the ugliest campaign in modern history and ripped apart by political divides exacerbated by his own explosive rhetoric -- often along the most tender national fault lines such as race and gender.

Trump is sure to follow his own playbook

Trump will be the first president to enter the White House with no political, diplomatic or military executive experience. His victory will send shockwaves around the world, given his sparse foreign policy knowledge, haziness over nuclear doctrine, vow to curtail Muslim immigration and disdain for US alliances that have been the bedrock of the post-World War II foreign policy.

His promises to renegotiate or dump trade deals such as NAFTA and to brand China a currency manipulator risk triggering immediate economic shocks around the globe.

Global markets already began tumbling late Tuesday.

Trump, 70, will be the oldest president ever sworn in for a first term and will take the helm of a nation left deeply divided by his scorched-earth campaign. His victory was built on fierce anger at the Washington establishment and political elites among his grass-roots voters, many of whom feel they are the victims of a globalized economy that has resulted in the loss of millions of jobs.

His victory ends Clinton's crusade to become the first woman to ever rise to the nation's highest office. It's a humiliating chapter in the long political career of Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton.

Trump's win also deals a painful rebuke to President Barack Obama, whom he pursued for years with his birtherism campaign built on the false premise that Obama was born outside the United States. Now Trump will have the power to eviscerate Obama's political legacy -- including the Affordable Care Act, the latter's proudest domestic achievement.

But there are deeper, more fundamental questions about Trump's presidency that will be key to his capacity to unify a deeply divided country and appeal to Americans who will feel outraged and disgusted by his victory.

He's got the attention of the whole world

Trump's campaign was built on rage, falsehoods and singling out culprits for the ills of modern America, including undocumented migrants, foreign nations such as China and Muslim immigrants.

He mocked a disabled New York Times reporter, vowed to use the power of the presidency to put Clinton in jail and pledged to sue women who accused him of sexual assault.

Trump has promised to build a wall on the southern border and make Mexico pay for it, and to deport undocumented migrants. He has vowed to reintroduce interrogation methods for terror suspects that are more extreme than waterboarding.

So the demeanor that Trump will adopt as president and the manner in which he will behave will be closely watched -- not just in the United States, but among nervous leaders abroad.

One of the many uncertainties about Trump's coming presidency is how his White House will interact with Republicans in Congress — and whether he and GOP leaders will heal their rift from the campaign.

Republicans repelled a Democratic bid to recapture the Senate, giving the GOP control over Capitol Hill and the White House.

That means it would fall to the GOP either to rubber stamp policies likely to mark a break from conservative orthodoxy or to provide a check on the power of Trump, who has shown every sign he will use executive power aggressively.

House Speaker Paul Ryan will face intense pressure from pro-Trump members of his own coalition to cooperate with the new president.

Senate Republicans, meanwhile, are likely to hold Trump's feet to the fire to ensure he lives up to his promise to appoint justices who could ensure a generational conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Clinton apparently failed to reassemble the diverse coalition that helped Obama win the presidency in 2008 and 2012.

The events of Clinton's terrible final week on the campaign -- the revival of her email controversy by FBI Chief James Comey and a damaging drip, drip, drip of revelations by WikiLeaks which her campaign says was orchestrated by Russian intelligence -- could have helped consign her to defeat.

There also is the question of Trump's temperament. Clinton repeatedly warned that he was unfit to control the nuclear codes because he could be baited with a tweet.

Obama passionately denounced Trump as intellectually and temperamentally unfit to succeed him in the Oval Office.

But now, he will be forced to greet his successor on the morning of Inauguration Day in January, and look on while he is sworn in as the 45th president of the United States.

TRUMP TAKES EAST COAST; WINS FIVE STATES (TRUMP IS 2016 GOP NOMINEE)

@realDonaldTrump

THE EAST COAST LOVES TRUMP. HE WINS FIVE STATES:

MARYLAND, PENNSYLVANIA, CONNETICUT, DELAWARE & RHODE ISLAND.

TIME FOR TRUMP TO CHOOSE CHRIS CHRISTIE AS HIS VP PICK.

TRUMP IS 2016 GOP NOMINEE. HE'LL DEFEAT HILLARY UNLESS OBAMA USES MORE DIRTY POLITICS.

Sources: Fox News, Youtube

****** Trump completes 5-state sweep; Clinton beats Sanders in most Super Tuesday III contests

Donald Trump completed a five-state sweep in Tuesday’s Republican presidential primaries, strengthening his shot at avoiding a contested convention – while Hillary Clinton scored convincing victories but was denied the same bragging rights of a primary sweep by a surprise Bernie Sanders win in Rhode Island.

Of the two front-runners, Clinton – who won four states Tuesday – remains closer to clinching the nomination. She now has nearly 90 percent of the delegates needed to secure the party nod, even as Sanders vows to keep fighting.

On the Republican side, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich still can potentially hold Trump under the 1,237 delegates he needs. But the billionaire businessman’s Super Tuesday III run-of-the-table reinforces his aura of invincibility going into the next round.

“I consider myself the presumptive nominee,” Trump said at Trump Tower, with ex-candidate and now-supporter New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie standing behind him. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s over.”

Trump said he has no plans to change his approach right now.

In their victory speeches, both Trump and Clinton clearly were looking ahead to a general election contest each expects will involve the other.

“We will beat Hillary so easily,” Trump said, nicknaming the Democratic front-runner “crooked Hillary” and declaring “the only card she has is the woman’s card.” He continued to taunt his GOP rivals, blasting their alleged “collusion” and asking of Kasich: “Why is he here?”

Clinton likewise kept her remarks Tuesday focused on a general election audience, vowing to “unify our party,” drawing sharp contrasts with Republicans, and taking on Trump.

“The other day, Mr. Trump accused me of playing the quote woman card,” she said in Philadelphia, which hosts the Democratic convention. “Well, if fighting for women’s health care and paid family leave and equal pay is playing the woman card, then deal me in.” 

When the dust settled on Tuesday’s contests, Trump was declared the winner in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware and Rhode Island, on the heels of his victory in New York state a week ago. His dominant showing in the Northeast gives him significant momentum heading into next week’s primary in Indiana. And he’s on track to win over 50 percent of the vote in Tuesday’s contests, a feat he has only achieved once before, in New York.

Meanwhile, Kasich was shaping up as the second pick of Northeast Republicans so far, projected to place second in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maryland and Delaware – leaving Cruz to finish third.

Clinton, meanwhile, was the projected winner in Connecticut, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware – while Sanders won Rhode Island.

Overall, Democrats were competing for 384 delegates in Tuesday's contests, while Republicans had 118 up for grabs (not counting 54 unbound delegates in Pennsylvania). 

With his five victories Tuesday, Trump will win at least 105 of the 118 delegates. And he has a chance to win a lot more. In Pennsylvania, Trump collected 17 delegates for winning the state. An additional 54 are elected directly by voters -- three in each congressional district. However, their names are listed on the ballot with no information about which presidential candidate they support.

Trump suggested they have a “moral obligation” to back him, though Cruz had worked hard to get allies elected in that group. 

Primary front-runners Clinton and Trump both were looking to Tuesday’s contests to bring them closer to clinching the respective nominations, or at least dispiriting the remaining competition. 

As of early Wednesday, Clinton had 2,141 delegates to Sanders’ 1,321; it takes 2,383 to win. The total includes so-called “superdelegates” who are not bound to primary results. On the GOP side, Trump had 950 delegates, followed by Cruz at 560 and Kasich at 153.

But on the GOP side, an energized Cruz held out hope that he and Kasich can still hold Trump back from the nomination. Speaking to supporters in Indiana, Cruz claimed the campaign was moving “to more favorable terrain” while calling Trump the media’s “chosen” candidate.

"Donald and Hillary, they are flip-sides of the same coin,” Cruz said. 

Kasich’s campaign also vowed to keep going, appealing for donations online and declaring on Twitter: “John Kasich will continue making his supporters proud.”

Whether Cruz and Kasich can prevent Trump from clinching the nomination remains to be seen. Both were also on defense after teaming up to try and hold Trump under that magic number. Kasich agreed to stand aside in Indiana to help Cruz, while Cruz agreed to stand aside in Oregon and New Mexico to help Kasich.

As Trump accused the two of “collusion,” Cruz countered in a radio interview that what they’re doing is “actually coalition-building.”

Still, Kasich appeared Monday to undercut their arrangement by urging voters in Indiana to support him anyway. And the campaign stumbled on a procedural issue in Oregon, missing the March deadline to submit information for a voter pamphlet the state distributes ahead of the May primary.

Kasich spokesman Chris Schrimpf stressed that Kasich nevertheless is on the ballot in Oregon.

Cruz’s best chances to undercut Trump might be in Indiana, which votes next week, and California, which votes in June.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., cast doubt Tuesday on whether a Cruz-Kasich alliance would do much good in his home state. Asked about their partnership, McCarthy told reporters he’s “not convinced” it will help in California.

On the Democratic side, Sanders also vowed Tuesday nightto keep fighting, casting himself as the candidate best-positioned to take on Trump or any Republican rival.

“This campaign is doing as well as it is with the extraordinary energy and enthusiasm we are generating across the country,” Sanders told a crowd in West Virginia, which votes May 10.

MEGYN KELLY INTERVIEWS KING OF MEDIA DONALD TRUMP (FOX BOWS AFTER NY WIN)

@megynkelly

@realDonaldTrump

MEGYN KELLY INTERVIEWS KING OF MEDIA DONALD TRUMP IN MAY:

AFTER TRUMP'S BIG NEW YORK WIN MEGYN HAD TO BOW.

Sources: Fox News, Youtube

**** Megyn Kelly will interview Donald Trump on Fox TV special

Fox News host Megyn Kelly will interview Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in a Fox TV special to air next month.

The GOP presidential front-runner will be a guest on "Megyn Kelly Presents," a prime-time special airing May 17 on Fox TV.

Extended portions of the sit-down interview will also appear on "The Kelly File" on Fox News Channel beginning on May 18.

The interview, which will take place in New York, marks the first sit-down between the two since the August 2015 presidential debate on Fox News Channel.

Kelly will explore how events unfolded with Trump after the August debate as one of the most prominent voices covering the 2016 presidential campaign of the front-runner, according to a statement from Fox News.

She will also examine Trump’s successful campaign for the White House to date and his role in one of the most historic presidential runs in modern times.

"Mr. Trump and I sat down together for a meeting earlier this month at my request. He was gracious with his time and I asked him to consider an interview. I am happy to announce he has agreed, and I look forward to a fascinating exchange — our first sit-down interview together in nearly a year,” Kelly said in a statement announcing the upcoming interview.

In addition to the Trump interview, “Megyn Kelly Presents” will feature a wide variety of notable guests from the entertainment world and other spheres of human interest to be interviewed by Kelly. The full list of guests will be announced at a later date.

FOX News Chairman & CEO Roger Ailes is the show’s senior executive producer, while broadcast veteran Bill Geddie serves as the executive producer.

DONALD TRUMP CREATES WINNING POLITICAL MOVEMENT; MEGYN KELLY THOUGHT HE WAS A JOKE

DONALD TRUMP CREATES WINNING MOVEMENT; MEGYN KELLY THOUGHT HE WAS A JOKE

Sources: ABC News, Fox News, Inside Edition, Syracuse.com, YouTube

Super Tuesday after winning three states the media feud between 2016 GOP Frontrunner Donald Trump and Fox News host Megyn Kelly reignited.

Megyn started this unnecessary feud when she attacked Trump during the first GOP debate last August with a slew of questions obviously designed to paint him as a Male Chauvinistic, Woman Hater. (He's not)

No doubt Megyn has a long term beef with Trump for whatever reason and now that she is in a position of POWER, she's chosen to use that POWER for Revenge.

However it appears to have backfired.

Mr Trump is still hurt from that blind-sided incident and Megyn realizes she should not have opened Pandora's box for the sake of Revenge or Dirty Politics.

Prior to the first GOP debate perhaps Megyn viewed Mr Trump as a brash, celebrity reality tv show Joke versus seeing him as an Intelligent Billionaire who possesses years of great Business knowledge.

Trump has created a winning Political movement and he is going to be the 2016 GOP Presidential nominee.

It's time for Megyn Kelly to accept, adapt and adjust so the GOP can regain the White House.

***** Fox News' GOP debate canceled; Donald Trump won't face 'crazy' Megyn Kelly again

The next Republican presidential debate has been canceled.

GOP frontrunner Donald Trump was scheduled to face Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in a Fox News debate Monday night in Salt Lake City. Trump now says he will not attend, citing a scheduling conflict, and Kasich also bowed out.

"Nobody told me about debates. As you saw, I thought the last debate on CNN was the last debate," Trump said on "Fox & Friends" Wednesday morning. "I think it's enough."

Politico reports Trump said he'll instead speak at a conference for the pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC, adding that it had been "scheduled a while ago."

A spokesman for Kasich said he won't debate without Trump onstage.

Karen Boe, a spokeswoman for the Salt Palace Convention Center, confirmed to the Associated Press Wednesday that the Republican National Committee event was being scrapped. Cruz would have been the only candidate on stage, Fox 13 in Salt Lake City reported.

It would've been the first presidential debate held in Utah, according to the AP, and taken place a day before Utah's caucus and Arizona's primary.

Syracuse native and Syracuse University alumna Megyn Kelly was scheduled to moderate the debate, along with Fox News Channel personalities Bret Baier and Chris Wallace. Trump previously feuded with Kelly, calling her "dopey," "overrated" and biased after she asked him about alleged sexist remarks at the first GOP debate in August.

The billionaire-turned-politician refused to participate in another Fox News debate moderated by Kelly, but faced her again in the cable news channel's third debate earlier this month. He later said that skipping the second debate could have cost him Iowa, where Cruz won in January.

It appears unlikely Trump will face Kelly again anytime soon. He took shots at "The Kelly File" host again on Twitter as Super Tuesday results came in for North Carolina, Illinois and other states.

"Can't watch Crazy Megyn anymore," he tweeted. "Talks about me at 43% but never mentions that there are four people in race. With two people, big & over!"

Trump called Kelly "crazy" in several more tweets, and retweeted others' criticisms of her coverage on Fox News.

Kelly has not responded to Trump, but Fox News released a statement Wednesday afternoon:

"On Feb. 20, the Republican National Committee announced that a GOP presidential primary debate would be held on March 21 in Salt Lake City. They offered that debate to Fox News Channel to host, provided there were enough candidates actively campaigning. This morning, Donald Trump announced he would not be participating in the debate. Shortly afterward, John Kasich's campaign announced that without Trump at the debate, Kasich would not participate. Ted Cruz has expressed a willingness to debate Trump or Kasich -- or both. But obviously, there needs to be more than one participant. So the Salt Lake City debate is cancelled."

DETROIT GOP DEBATE WINNERS & LOSERS: (MY PICKS)

DETROIT GOP DEBATE WINNERS & LOSERS: 

Sources:  Fox News, YouTube

~ WINNERS: Trump & Kasich for Authenticity and Steadfastness.

~ LOSERS: Cruz & Rubio for Extreme Personal Attacks (against Trump) and for appearing super Desperate 

*** Note: Are Cruz and Rubio helping GOP Establishment leaders force a brokered convention in July 2016?

TRUMP WANTS TO MAKE DETROIT GREAT AGAIN......ROMNEY'S DISRESPECT

TRUMP WANTS TO MAKE DETROIT GREAT AGAIN......ROMNEY'S DISRESPECT

REMAINING GOP PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES FACE-OFF IN DETROIT.

Sources:  Fox News, ABC News, YouTube

It's Thursday, March 3rd and tonight in the historic city of DETROIT, 4 remaining GOP presidential candidates (Trump, Rubio, Cruz & Kasich) will face-off at the Fox Theatre.

This debate is sponsored by Fox News.

Super Tuesday winner and 2016 GOP Presidential Frontrunner Donald Trump is now being targeted by 2012 GOP Presidential nominee Mitt Romney.

Romney a Respected member of the GOP Establishment and a Michigan native, is demonstrating a great deal of Disrespect towards Trump by hurling insults.

Romney has even called Trump a "Fraud" among other very derogatory, negative demagogue.

Could it be that perhaps Romney is JEALOUS of Trump's glory and favorability with 2016 voters?

Regardless of Romney's JEALOUSY, 

does it make sense to help sabotage your own party's success which appears to be within close reach?

When will Romney and other GOP Establishment leaders line up behind Trump as the Koch Brothers have recently done, to help the Republican regain control of the White House?

Tune in tonight to the Detroit GOP debate at 9:00pm ET.

**** Trump answers Romney: 'Mitt is a choke artist'

Donald Trump answered Mitt Romney’s public indictment Thursday of his front-running Republican bid by skewering the 2012 GOP presidential nominee as a “failed candidate” who “let us down” with his loss to President Obama. 

“Mitt is a choke artist,” Trump told supporters at a pre-debate rally in Portland, Maine.

Trump went on to call Romney disloyal, claiming he begged Trump for his endorsement the last time around.

“You can see how loyal he is. … I could have said Mitt, drop to your knees, he would have dropped to his knees,” Trump said.

He spoke after Romney delivered a scathing speech at the University of Utah about the prospect of a Trump presidency, in what amounted to perhaps the most full-throated effort yet by a member of the so-called Republican establishment to thwart Trump’s march to the nomination.

The party’s 2012 presidential nominee issued a stark warning that Trump’s policies would lead to recession and “make America and the world less safe” -- and said the “only serious policy proposals” are coming from the other Republican candidates on the field.

“I understand the anger Americans feel today,” Romney said, but added: “Here's what I know. Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud. His promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University. He's playing ... the American public for suckers: He gets a free ride to the White House and all we get is a lousy hat.”

Romney also claimed Trump, if nominated, would enable Hillary Clinton to be elected president.

The speech comes ahead of the Fox News Republican primary debate Thursday night at 9 p.m. ET in Detroit, the candidates' first showdown since Super Tuesday.

Trump swiftly responded to the ex-GOP nominee, taking to Twitter to claim he’s the “only one who can beat Hillary Clinton” and recalling Romney’s record in the presidential elections so far.

Later at his rally in Maine, despite claiming he wouldn’t spend much time responding to Romney’s “irrelevant” remarks, Trump delivered a point-by-point rebuttal to many of Romney’s charges.

To Romney’s criticism of his business record, Trump said, “I made so much more money than Mitt,” and pointed to his successful ventures across New York City. 

He also said Romney begged him for his endorsement in 2012 – but Romney later tweeted that if Trump had said the things he’s saying today, he would not have accepted that endorsement.

The address earlier Thursday amounted to an astonishing full-court press by Romney to stop Trump from winning the party’s nomination. Until now, Romney has mostly criticized Trump via Twitter and media interviews, but this is his most robust effort yet to rally the party and primary voters against the GOP front-runner.

Romney cast his alarm-bell warnings Thursday in dire terms, suggesting nothing less than the character of the nation is at stake, and saying Trump’s “brand of anger” has led “other nations into the abyss.” He said Trump “lacks the temperament to be president,” rebuking him for “bullying” and “greed” and “misogyny.” He borrowed a phrase from Marco Rubio, calling Trump a “con man” to boot. 

On the sidelines, the party’s 2008 nominee also seemed to join with Romney in expressing concerns.

“I share the concerns about Donald Trump that my friend and former Republican nominee, Mitt Romney, described in his speech today,” Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said in a statement, urging voters to “think long and hard about who they want to be our next Commander-in-Chief and leader of the free world.”

2016 candidate Ohio Gov. John Kasich also gave Romney a Twitter thumbs-up, tweeting “well said” after the speech.

Romney has not yet endorsed a candidate in the race, or moved any closer publicly to reconsidering a run himself. Romney weighed another White House run at the beginning of 2015 before deciding against the move, reportedly after being out-raised by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush -- who has since suspended his campaign.

MIKE HUCKABEE SCHOOLS MEDIA ON FAIR COVERAGE & HELPING THE POOR (LIVE IN IOWA)

MIKE HUCKABEE SCHOOLS MEDIA ON FAIR COVERAGE & HELPING THE POOR (LIVE IN IOWA):

Almost immediately after participating in the Undercard Debate in Iowa, 2016 GOP Presidential candidate MIKE HUCKABEE kindly granted interviews with members of the Media.

Surrounded by a sea of Journalists and Media reps, I was finally able to get close enough to capture 3 minutes of Gov Huckabee discussing his campaign receiving unfair air time and the best strategy for helping lift Poor people out of Poverty.

Sources:  Fox News, Google, Youtube

DONALD TRUMP REMAINS FOCUS OF IOWA GOP DEBATE IN ABSENTIA (HELPS FORGOTTEN VETS)

DONALD TRUMP REMAINS FOCUS OF IOWA GOP DEBATE IN ABSENTIA:

TRUMP USES HIS INFLUENCE TO HELP FORGOTTEN VETS.

DES MOINES REPRESENTS THE VOICE OF MIDDLE AMERICA.

Even after pulling out of the GOP Iowa Debate, 2016 presidential Frontrunner Donald Trump remains the focus of Thursday night's event.

Instead of participating in the 2016 Iowa GOP debate, Mr Trump will host another event to raise a ton of money to help our nation's Wounded VETS.

Since no one else seems to care about our nation's VETS, it's nice to see a busy Business Mogul such as Donald Trump choosing to use his influence to help VETS.

I support Mr Trump's decision not to attend the Iowa debate because his absence is helping to revise the Political process as it relates to electing a new president.

American voters are tired of Status Quo Politics which is controlled entirely by super Wealthy donors.

By refusing to play old Political games, Mr Trump is forcing both the Republican and Democrat parties to return the election process back into the hands everyday American voters as mandated by the U.S. Constitution (12th amendment; article 2).

For example:
Everyday hardworking people like the citizens of DES MOINES, Iowa.

Sources: CBS News, Youtube

2016 GOP PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE - IOWA EVENTS CENTER (LIVE COVERAGE)

@Iowa

2016 GOP PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE - IOWA EVENTS CENTER:

LIVE COVERAGE, FOX NEWS NETWORK, 7PM & 9PM ET

Hosted by Fox News & Google


*** UNDERCARD DEBATE LINE UP:

7pm ET (6pm CT, 5pm MT, 4pm PT)

MODERATORS: Martha MacCallum and Bill Hemmer

CANDIDATES: Fiorina, Huckabee, Santorum, Gilmore

**** PRIMETIME DEBATE:

9pm ET (8pm CT, 7pm MT, 6pm PT)

MODERATORS: Bret Baier, Megyn Kelly and Chris Wallace

CANDIDATES: Trump*, Cruz, Rubio, Carson, Bush, Christie, Kasich, Paul


*Trump has stated he will not participate in this debate.


Sources: Fox News, US Presidential Election News

TRUMP TO SKIP FOX NEWS IOWA DEBATE

@FoxNews

TRUMP TO SKIP FOX NEWS IOWA DEBATE:

Post Sources:  CNN, YouTube

Tuesday evening during a rally in IOWA after an Endorsement from Arizona Sheriff JOE ARPAIO, 2016 GOP presidential Frontrunner DONALD TRUMP announced he will skip the Fox News IOWA debate.

Trump states he will instead attend an event to raise money for Wounded VETS.

Trump also mentioned how the Democrat presidential candidates have completed all their debates and that "it's time for the GOP to grow up and stop playing games with endless debates".

CHARLESTON GOP DEBATE: DEMOCRATS ARE REALLY IN TROUBLE (WINNERS)

CHARLESTON GOP DEBATE, DEMOCRATS ARE REALLY IN TROUBLE:

WINNERS: TRUMP, CARSON, RUBIO, KASICH, HUCKABEE, SANTORUM, FIORINA

THIS TIME THE GOP IS PREPARED TO WIN.

~ 6 Takeaways From The Republican Presidential Debate

Donald Trump and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz dropped their buddy-buddy act -- trading blows in explosive exchanges over Cruz's Canadian birth and his denunciation of Trump's "New York values."

The two stole the show the Fox Business Network debate in North Charleston, South Carolina, where Republicans met for their second-to-last debate before the Iowa caucuses.

"I guess the bromance is over," Trump told CNN's Dana Bash afterward.

Here are six takeaways from Thursday night's debate:

Cruz was ready to attack Trump over the real estate mogul's assertion that Cruz's Canadian birth (to a U.S. citizen mother) makes him vulnerable to accusations he is ineligible for the presidency, pointing out that Trump said in September that Cruz is, indeed, on solid legal footing.

"Since September, the Constitution hasn't changed. But the poll numbers have," Cruz said.

He said following Trump's logic to the furthest possible extent, Trump's own qualifications could be questioned due to the businessman's Scottish-born mother.

As Cruz rebutted Trump for raising the issue -- effectively winning the moment -- Trump essentially held his hands up and said he's not the one who's concerned.

"I'm beating you," Trump said. "I think I'm going to win fair and square."

And he succeeded in keeping the question alive -- a loss, in and of itself, for Cruz. Trump asked: "If you become the nominee, who the hell knows if you can even serve in office?"

That's the point Harvard law professor Laurence Tribe, the legal source Trump has cited and Cruz has dismissed as liberal, made on CNN after the debate. "If he did put it to bed, he's certainly sleeping alone," he said.

Trump seemed genuinely taken aback by Cruz's insult of his "New York values."

Cruz explained that jab, saying: "Everyone understands that the values in New York City are socially liberal, are pro-abortion, are pro-gay marriage, focused around money and the media."

That led Trump to launch into a lengthy, emotional defense, pointing to New York City's response to the September 11, 2001, terror attacks.

He said that "the people of New York fought and fought and fought, and we saw more death -- the smell of death was with us for months."

"We rebuilt Downtown Manhattan, and everybody in the world watched and loved New York and loved New Yorkers," he said.

Trump's response was moving, but to Cruz it was also predictable. That Cruz stuck with his "New York values" criticism anyway highlights his strategy as the campaign enters its final days: Cruz is heavily courting the evangelicals who dominate the GOP contests in Iowa and South Carolina.

Trump and Cruz were at the center of the night's most memorable exchanges, but Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie traded blows as well.

Rubio accused Christie of supporting Common Core education standards, gun control laws and Planned Parenthood. Christie, echoing a Rubio comeback against Jeb Bush at a debate last fall, accused the senator of attacking him because he was advised it would work politically.

Later, Christie interrupted a wonky tax policy exchange between Cruz and Rubio by shifting the discussion toward entitlements -- and swatting down Rubio's attempt to interject, saying: "You already had your chance, Marco. You blew it."

That Christie was even a target suggests he has a leg up on the two other governors in the race -- Ohio Gov. John Kasich and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush -- for the lone ticket out of the New Hampshire primary, which looks likely to winnow the "establishment" crowd.

The debate raised a question: If Bush had a good night but no one paid attention, did he really have a good night?

He hit Trump over his ban-all-Muslims proposal and trade, but Trump wouldn't talk policy and dismissed him with a line that demonstrated why he's so often gotten the best of the former Florida governor, saying: "We don't need a weak person as president of the United States, OK? ... That's essentially what we have now, and we don't need that."

Kasich, meanwhile, got the most engagement of the night from 89-year-old former Democratic Rep. John Dingell, who tweeted: "John Kasich tells more "back in my day" rocking chair stories than me or anyone I know, and I was born during the Coolidge administration."

Cruz thanked Rubio for "dumping your oppo-research book on the debate stage" -- and that's exactly what Rubio had just done.

More than two hours into the debate, Rubio saved what had been a mostly lifeless night by unloading a combination of punches on Cruz.

He hit Cruz on immigration, trade and voting against Department of Defense funding -- and in doing so, he alluded to a potentially damaging theme against Cruz: That he's willing to say and do anything to win.

"That is not consistent conservatism, that is political calculation," Rubio said.

Cruz fought back, arguing that Rubio had distorted his record at every turn and saying Rubio had allied with Democrats like Sen. Chuck Schumer while he sided with Republicans like Sen. Jeff Sessions on immigration.

An NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll out Thursday showed exactly why the two are fighting. In a two-way race between Trump and Cruz, Cruz wins, 51% to 43%. But in a three-way race, Trump wins, with 40% to Cruz's 31% and Rubio's 26% -- suggesting that the two can't co-exist.

It's probably not surprising two days after the State of the Union address, but President Barack Obama was at the center of the debate.

The first question from Maria Bartiromo invited Cruz to take a shot at Obama's management of the economy -- and the Texas senator decided to also take a swipe at the President over Iranian TV pictures of the captured US naval crew on their knees with their hands on their heads.

Cruz and Christie subsequently both described the President as "a child."

There's no reason to expect the Obama talk to subside between now and November.

With his approval ratings in the mid-40s, Republicans think he's unpopular enough to be a liability for Democrats, especially when they mention him with Hillary Clinton in the same sentence. 

But at the same time, his high popularity among Democrats means that barring a huge slump in his favorability ratings, there's good reason for the eventual Democratic nominee not to run too far away from him either.

No, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul didn't change his mind and show up for Thursday's 6 p.m. undercard round.

But skipping the debate worked for him.

Over the past couple of days, Paul appeared on CNN, Fox News and MSNBC. 

He was interviewed on "The Daily Show" and "The Dr. Oz Show." He held a live Twitter town hall from the social media giant's New York City offices. He Periscoped for 20 minutes during the debate. He appeared on Glenn Beck and Laura Ingraham's radio shows.

It was a lot of exposure, and he didn't miss much -- the undercard debate with Carly Fiorina, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum felt like a non-event with three candidates whose moments have come and gone.

Still, if the undercard did nothing to change those candidates' trajectories, skipping it likely did little to help Paul's. It was the best option he had, but his message with the free airtime was mostly to complain about not having been invited to the prime-time debate.

"If you're designated as someone who is not in contention, that is very disruptive to a campaign that is about three weeks out," he told CNN's Alisyn Camerota on "New Day" Thursday. "There's only one debate tonight. Let's be honest about this."

Sources: CNN, Fox News, TIME, Youtube