Fox Business host Stuart Varney took real issue with the rhetoric coming out of the Trump campaign.
Trump campaign press secretary Karoline Leavitt appeared on Varney & Co. on Thursday and was asked about the former president’s new nickname for California Gov. Gavin Newsom: “New-scum.”
“I’ve got a complaint,” Varney said. “I know the campaign wants to win over Nikki Haley’s voters, but I don’t think you do that with name-calling. For example, I take issue with Trump’s new nickname for California governor calling him ‘Newscum.'”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. I object to that kind of language. How about you?” he asked.
The clip caught the attention of the Biden-Harris campaign, which wasted little time using it to their advantage:
Fox host calls out Trump press secretary: You’re saying it’s okay to bring Trump’s demeaning language to a presidential campaign. I think your campaign has a problem with language. You think you’re going to win voters with language like that? Really? pic.twitter.com/Yjd682oovP
— Biden-Harris HQ (@BidenHQ) March 7, 2024
“Well, I think that what Governor Gavin Newsom has done to the great state — once great state of California is terrible,” Leavitt replied before Varney interrupted.
“Excuse me. Are you okay with that? Excuse me,” he asked as the Trump campaign official tried to complete her thought. “Are you okay? Are you saying it’s okay to bring that kind of language to a presidential campaign? Newscum? That’s okay?”
“I think the real problem here is the policies of the deranged Democrats, from Gavin Newsom to Joe Biden –” Leavitt began before Varney began talking over her again.
“I think your campaign has a problem with language like that. You don’t agree with me, but I think your campaign has a problem with language like that,” he said.
Leavitt replied that voters don’t necessarily agree with that assessment and tried to point out Trump’s “resounding” primary wins, but Varney was having none of it.
“You think you’re going to win over Haley voters with language like that? Do you win over moderates and women with language like that? Really?” he asked.
Leavitt would eventually manage to get in that “tough rhetoric” was required in the campaign, only to be rebuffed once again.
“Actually, it is not tough rhetoric,” Varney fired back. “It is obscene.”
Trump supporters were not too pleased with the segment… here’s a quick sampling of responses to the story from X:
Stuart is anti Trump and never hides it
— Debbie Barnett (@debbarnett) March 7, 2024
Fox just keeps losing viewers. Calm down @Varneyco .
Newscum is mild compared to what he’s done to CA.— AZSuburbs (@noprezzie2012) March 7, 2024
I will remind him of that when Biden yells how all maga people are extremist tonight. Democrats started the name calling, now they get to live with the consequences of it all. I don’t like any of it, however all’s fair is fair in love and war as the saying goes right?
— Melanie (@mefbama) March 7, 2024
Yeah it’s fine…do you hear how democrats talk about republicans…
— Ernie Gerbotski (@Gerbotski) March 7, 2024
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Tom Tillison grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills. Tillison also contributes to BizPac Review.
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