August 9th, 2015

Trump supporter Omarosa Manigault: “…it’s so clear to me that Megyn Kelly has a bone to pick with Donald Trump. Everybody saw it. They’re calling it ‘hard-core journalism’. I call it very, very personal.”

 

Today on CNN’s Reliable Sources, former The Apprentice contestants, Omarosa Manigault and Katrina Campins, joined host Brian Stelter to discuss whether GOP presidential primary candidate Donald Trump has a “woman problem”, if Fox News’ Megyn Kelly’s questioning of Trump was fair, and if Trump has damaged his campaign with his own comments.

Reliable Sources airs Sundays, 11 a.m. to noon (ET).

Video & Text highlights and a full transcript from the show are available below.

MANDATORY CREDIT for reference and usage: “CNN’s RELIABLE SOURCES”

VIDEO:

Omarosa: Kelly practiced “the lowest form of journalism”

TEXT HIGHLIGHTS:

Katrina Campins on Trump’s response to the question of whether he will run as an independent candidate: “….that would absolutely be detrimental to the Republican Party. But then I found out after the fact that allegedly three of the Republican candidates threatened to boycott the debate if Trump were involved. Now, what would your reaction be? You know, so it makes sense in context now, looking back, to why he had that stance. If that is indeed true.”

Omarosa Manigault on whether Donald Trump has a “woman problem”: “Donald Trump does not have a woman problem. I think this is the equivalent to going through somebody’s trash and cherry-picking the things you think will bring down his campaign. Going through comments Donald Trump has made in the last 30 years, is just the lowest form of journalism. Yes, he’s said things off the cuff, but to take them and use them and try to apply them to all women, just because he doesn’t like Rosie O’Donnell, doesn’t mean he hates all women. I think it’s ridiculous to paint with such a broad brush. He does not have a woman problem.”

Katrina Campins on Donald Trump not having a problem with women: “I have to say that I have a great working relationship with Trump to this day — for over a decade. …it’s important to note that I think he has great potential to really reform the political corruption that we have in our system now because he is independent from lobbyists and special interest groups. So, because of that, I think he struck a chord with so many Americans. As far as his comments about Rosie O’Donnell — that feud goes so far back…. But as a woman who still works with him today, I don’t think Donald Trump has a problem with women, as Omarosa stated. I think it’s petty and I think that focusing on this is really losing sight of so many of the other important issues that we should be discussing, like health care and immigration and other things that are more important to the American people.”

Omarosa Manigault on Megan Kelly asking Trump unfair questions: “Look, it’s so clear to me that Megyn Kelly has a bone to pick with Donald Trump. Everybody saw it. They’re calling it hard-core journalism. I call it very, very personal. Donald Trump is really good about reading people’s intentions, and her intentions was not to give him a fair chance of showing where he stands on women’s issues. If she wanted to know where Donald Trump stood on women’s issues, she would ask about reproductive health, she would ask about how to make the minimum wage work for women who are in the workplace. But asking about his comments about Rosie O’Donnell didn’t give him an opportunity to show on where he stands on the real issues that affect women.”

FULL TRANSCRIPT:

THIS IS A RUSH FDCH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

BRIAN STELTER, CNN HOST: Welcome back.  This morning, Donald Trump said here on CNN that he cherishes women.  But it was pretty clear on Thursday’s debate and subsequent interviews, that he does not like answering questions about the comments he makes about them.  When Megyn Kelly challenged him about calling specific women in the past fat pigs and other kind of nasty words and languages, well, it left Trump fuming, and fuming at Megyn Kelly and at Fox News.  It’s left many people wondering if Donald Trump, to be frank, has a woman problem, if he is sexist in some way, and what his attitude is around women.  People are even asking if it will be his campaign’s downfall.

So let’s hear from two women who I think support Trump.  I want to know what they have experienced with him, because they used to be stars on The Apprentice.  Joining me from Miami, first season Apprentice contestant and Trump International Realty employee, Katrina Campins, and from Los Angeles, three-time Apprentice contestant, Omarosa Manigault.  Thank you both for being here.

KATRINA CAMPINS, FORMER APPRENTICE CONTESTANT:  Thank you, Brian.

OMAROSA MANIGAULT: FORMER APPRENTICE CONTESTANT:  Thanks for having us.

STELTER:  I think you were roommates in season one.  Is that right?

MANIGAULT:  We were.

CAMPINS:  We were.

MANIGAULT:  We go way back.

(CROSSTALK)

STELTER:  Omarosa, I heard you on cable news here this weekend saying you think Trump did a great job at the debate.  Speaking bluntly here, does he have a woman problem?

MANIGAULT:  Brian, first of all, Donald Trump does not have a woman problem.  I think this is the equivalent to going through somebody’s trash and cherry-picking the things you think will bring down his campaign.  Going through comments Donald Trump has made in the last 30 years, is just the lowest form of journalism.  Yes, he’s said things off the cuff, but to take them and use them and try to apply them to all women, just because he doesn’t like Rosie O’Donnell, doesn’t mean he hates all women.  I think it’s ridiculous to paint with such a broad brush.  He does not have a woman problem.

STELTER:  Was Megyn Kelly’s question fair on Thursday, then?

MANIGAULT:  Look, it’s so clear to me that Megyn Kelly has a bone to pick with Donald Trump.  Everybody saw it.  They’re calling it hard-core journalism.  I call it very, very personal.  Donald Trump is really good about reading people’s intentions, and her intentions was not to give him a fair chance of showing where he stands on women’s issues.  If she wanted to know where Donald Trump stood on women’s issues, she would ask about reproductive health, she would ask about how to make the minimum wage work for women who are in the workplace.  But asking about his comments about Rosie O’Donnell didn’t give him an opportunity to show on where he stands on the real issues that affect women.

STELTER:  Katrina, you work for one of Trump’s companies now.  Have you ever hear Trump talk in a way about women that’s made you uncomfortable?

CAMPINS:  I have to say that I have a great working relationship with Trump to this day, you know, for over a decade.  With Trump and with his children.  And I say first and foremost, it’s important to note that I think he has great potential to really reform the political corruption that we have in our system now because he is independent from lobbyists and special interest groups. So, because of that, I think he struck a chord with so many Americans.

As far as his comments about Rosie O’Donnell, I mean, that feud goes so far back.  And when he commented on Rosie O’Donnell, let’s not forget that he was an entertainer, he was on reality television.  But as a woman who still works with him today, I don’t think Donald Trump has a problem with women, as Omarosa stated.  I think it’s petty and I think that focusing on this is really losing sight of so many of the other important issues that we should be discussing, like health care and immigration and other things that are more important to the American people.

STELTER:  That’s fair.  But I do wonder if Trump sets himself up for this sort of thing by making comments like he made to Don Lemon on Friday night.  I know he didn’t refer to Megyn Kelly’s period specifically, but by saying wherever, it sure set him up, I think.  Omarosa, don’t you think he puts his foot in his mouth, sort of, and damages his own campaign in moments like that?

MANIGAULT:  Brian, let’s reflect over what’s really happened this week.  He was uninvited to an event that I thought first of all, basically I think Erick made a big mistake.  Donald Trump pulled 24 million viewers to a debate, and you uninvite him to an event?  It’s ridiculous.  And he is dominating the headlines.  Regardless of what he said and how he said it, you all are talking about him this morning, and in my book, that’s a win.

STELTER:  That’s a win, says Omarosa.  Do you agree?

CAMPINS:  Another thing, to that — to that point, I think something else that’s interesting is he is getting a lot of grief in the media for raising his hand.  And as a Republican — of course you don’t want to hear that–

STELTER:  Saying he might run as an independent.

CAMPINS:  — because an independent run would absolutely be to the detriment — correct.  And that would absolutely be detrimental to the Republican Party.  But then I found out after the fact that allegedly three of the Republican candidates threatened to boycott the debate if Trump were involved.  Now, what would your reaction be?  You know, so it makes sense in context now, looking back, to why he had that stance.  If that is indeed true.

STELTER:  Katrina, Omarosa, thank you both for sharing your point of view with us this morning.

MANIGAULT:  Thanks, Brian.

###END INTERVIEW###