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Fox News Channel host Megyn Kelly on Wednesday criticized Sen. Rand Paul’s (R-Ky.) media critics as “sexist,” arguing women reporters are fully capable of handling push-back from the GOP presidential candidate and don’t need male counterparts to come to their rescue.
In an occasionally contentious interview with Paul on Wednesday, the Fox News host told Paul he came across as “thin-skinned” during an interview with NBC’s “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie. The NBC interview went viral after Paul lost his cool over a question he believed was framed unfairly.
{mosads}The interview provoked some in the media to rehash an interview Paul did earlier in the year with CNBC’s Kelly Evans, in which Paul told her to “shush.” The Washington Post ran an article suggesting Paul has a pattern of talking down to women, and others warned Paul risked appearing sexist or condescending to women.
But Kelly saved most of her fire Wednesday for Paul’s critics.
“Chuck Todd came out and said you had to be careful because you attacked two prominent female interviewers. The Guardian said you were condescending to female reporters,” Kelly said. “I, as a female reporter, would say to Chuck Todd and The Guardian, we don’t need your help. Savannah Guthrie doesn’t need your help. Kelly Evans doesn’t need your help, and you are entitled to push back on the interviewer just as much as you would if you are a man.”
“These male commentators can butt out,” Kelly added. “We can give as good as we get. … To me, it’s ironic that these people trying to step in and protect these female interviewers are themselves being sexist, while they’re suggesting that you were being sexist because you didn’t kowtow, and you weren’t polite enough to a female interviewer.”
Paul has said throughout the day he’s also lost his cool with male reporters. He says interviews conducted remotely can be difficult because he’s unable to see the interviewer, and he generally wishes he’d handled some situations better.
Still, he argued the Guthrie confrontation was provoked by the “Today” show host, because she made a declarative statement he says was incorrect, rather than asking a question. Paul also said, “People want someone who will stand up and not just roll over and take it.”