title: Rush: Fox News Tried to Torpedo Trump, But Failed
authors: Sandy Fitzgerald
content: Fox News ' moderators , not the candidates , apparently got the orders from `` big-time Republican donors '' to take out Donald Trump during Thursday night 's GOP debate , talk show host Rush Limbaugh claims . `` We all made a mistake , '' Limbaugh said on his radio show on Friday . `` We assumed that the orders went out to the candidates . But the candidates did not make one move toward taking Donald Trump out . The broadcast network did ; the candidates did n't . `` On the day of the debate , Limbaugh talked on his show about an article on the DC Whispers website t hat claimed donors had contacted the candidates and put out an order to make Trump look bad during the debate.It was apparent that Fox News and its moderators got the order instead , Limbaugh said . `` I mean , let 's review , '' said Limbaugh . `` The first question from Megyn Kelly to Trump was , 'You 've called women fat slobs , pigs , whatever , ' and he said , 'No , just Rosie O'Donnell . ' '' The audience began laughing , and Kelly told Trump , `` No , its more than that , '' and then asked him if such statements belong in the White House , Limbaugh continued . `` Trump was clearly caught entirely off guard by it , and even today he said , ' I 'm not ... I do n't know when I 've ever said this stuff , ' '' said Limbaugh.Limbaugh said it 's doubtful Trump writes all the tweets that turn up in his Twitter account , but he does know that the frontrunner does not use a cell phone or email . `` You know , this is the danger that when you start going in the social media stuff and tweeting stuff and maybe you hire somebody to do it for you , '' said Limbaugh . `` My first question is , 'Does he write these tweets himself or does he have somebody on his staff doing it just because it 's hip and it 's hot and he wants a presence in it ? ' '' Limbaugh denied he is attacking Kelly for the question , but he said he knows `` full well '' nobody would dare ask a Democrat the same question or try to make Democrats justify their existence . `` The point is , if you 're going to enter this arena , you have to know that that 's what it 's going to be for you if you 're on the Republican side , and you ca n't complain , '' said Limbaugh , adding that Trump is n't complaining.He said he 's sure Trump regained his footing after that question , because he `` shines when he 's in control . `` Not one of the other nine candidates joined Kelly in taking the shot , Limbaugh said , while there were `` orders from Republican donors to take Trump out . And there were a couple of other instances when Trump restated his views . `` Trump was also cornered in the debate by demands that he prove the Mexican government was sending rapists and more to the United States . `` But I 've reported stories like the Mexican government is advertising in Mexico how to get on the American welfare rolls , how to get food stamps , '' said Limbaugh . `` The Mexican government is doing it all . Trump was right . `` The candidates were given more chances to pile onto Trump , but they did n't , even after Kelly 's question or on the topic of immigration . Some , like Ohio Gov . John Kasich , even praised Trump.And even while New Jersey Gov . Chris Christie and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul dueled over government spying , Trump was not targeted.Trump has said that the phrase `` illegal immigration '' would not have been a topic under so much discussion if not for him , and Limbaugh said that ca n't be denied . `` There is n't anybody in the political class that has been discussing illegal immigration and sanctuary cities and the criminal element that 's coming across the border , and nobody doing anything about it , in either party , '' Limbaugh said.Despite the efforts taken Thursday night , Trump still tops the post-debate online polls , showing he did not take himself out , Limbaugh said . `` Some in the Republican Party establishment might think so , but we 'll find out , '' he said . `` You know , it 's gon na be almost like one of these incidents we had with the illegal immigrant comment followed by the McCain comment . Remember the political class thought Trump ended it ? They 've been waiting for him to step in it and they thought he did , particularly with the McCain comment . It turned out he grew his support . `` Some think that after the Kelly question and his refusal to take a pledge about not running as a third-party candidate , Trump 's campaign is over , Limbaugh said . `` But they 're not gon na go out and brag about it right now in case they 're wrong . So time will tell on that . `` If Trump 's support stays steady or grows , Limbaugh concluded , `` you are gon na see a mainstream establishment that will not have any idea how to explain it . They will not believe it , and it might drive 'em nuts . ''
content_original: Fox News' moderators, not the candidates, apparently got the orders from "big-time Republican donors" to take out Donald Trump during Thursday night's GOP debate, talk show host Rush Limbaugh claims."We all made a mistake," Limbaugh said on his radio show on Friday . "We assumed that the orders went out to the candidates. But the candidates did not make one move toward taking Donald Trump out. The broadcast network did; the candidates didn't."On the day of the debate, Limbaugh talked on his show about an article on the DC Whispers website t hat claimed donors had contacted the candidates and put out an order to make Trump look bad during the debate.It was apparent that Fox News and its moderators got the order instead, Limbaugh said."I mean, let's review," said Limbaugh. "The first question from Megyn Kelly to Trump was, 'You've called women fat slobs, pigs, whatever,' and he said, 'No, just Rosie O'Donnell.'"The audience began laughing, and Kelly told Trump, "No, its more than that," and then asked him if such statements belong in the White House, Limbaugh continued."Trump was clearly caught entirely off guard by it, and even today he said, 'I'm not... I don't know when I've ever said this stuff,'" said Limbaugh.Limbaugh said it's doubtful Trump writes all the tweets that turn up in his Twitter account, but he does know that the frontrunner does not use a cell phone or email."You know, this is the danger that when you start going in the social media stuff and tweeting stuff and maybe you hire somebody to do it for you," said Limbaugh. "My first question is, 'Does he write these tweets himself or does he have somebody on his staff doing it just because it's hip and it's hot and he wants a presence in it?'"Limbaugh denied he is attacking Kelly for the question, but he said he knows "full well" nobody would dare ask a Democrat the same question or try to make Democrats justify their existence."The point is, if you're going to enter this arena, you have to know that that's what it's going to be for you if you're on the Republican side, and you can't complain," said Limbaugh, adding that Trump isn't complaining.He said he's sure Trump regained his footing after that question, because he "shines when he's in control."Not one of the other nine candidates joined Kelly in taking the shot, Limbaugh said, while there were "orders from Republican donors to take Trump out. And there were a couple of other instances when Trump restated his views."Trump was also cornered in the debate by demands that he prove the Mexican government was sending rapists and more to the United States."But I've reported stories like the Mexican government is advertising in Mexico how to get on the American welfare rolls, how to get food stamps," said Limbaugh. "The Mexican government is doing it all. Trump was right."The candidates were given more chances to pile onto Trump, but they didn't, even after Kelly's question or on the topic of immigration. Some, like Ohio Gov. John Kasich, even praised Trump.And even while New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul dueled over government spying, Trump was not targeted.Trump has said that the phrase "illegal immigration" would not have been a topic under so much discussion if not for him, and Limbaugh said that can't be denied."There isn't anybody in the political class that has been discussing illegal immigration and sanctuary cities and the criminal element that's coming across the border, and nobody doing anything about it, in either party," Limbaugh said.Despite the efforts taken Thursday night, Trump still tops the post-debate online polls, showing he did not take himself out, Limbaugh said."Some in the Republican Party establishment might think so, but we'll find out," he said."You know, it's gonna be almost like one of these incidents we had with the illegal immigrant comment followed by the McCain comment. Remember the political class thought Trump ended it? They've been waiting for him to step in it and they thought he did, particularly with the McCain comment. It turned out he grew his support."Some think that after the Kelly question and his refusal to take a pledge about not running as a third-party candidate, Trump's campaign is over, Limbaugh said. "But they're not gonna go out and brag about it right now in case they're wrong. So time will tell on that."If Trump's support stays steady or grows, Limbaugh concluded, "you are gonna see a mainstream establishment that will not have any idea how to explain it. They will not believe it, and it might drive 'em nuts."