WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican
presidential candidate Donald Trump was dumped from a prime speaking
role to an important gathering of conservative activists on Friday for
his criticism of Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly after a combustible debate
performance.
Trump was scheduled to deliver the
keynote address on Saturday night at a conference in Atlanta organized
by Red State, an influential conservative group.
Red
State chief Erick Erickson said he had disinvited Trump from the event
because of what he described as "demeaning" remarks about Kelly who was
one of three moderators during the first major Republican debate on
Thursday night in Cleveland.
"While I have tried to
give him great latitude, his remark about Megyn Kelly was a bridge too
far," Erickson said, adding he had invited Kelly, one of Fox's
highest profile anchors, to attend his conference in Trump's place.
Trump was unbowed by the dumping.
"This is just another example of weakness through being politically correct," his campaign said in a statement.
"For all of the people who were looking forward to Mr.
Trump coming, we will miss you. Blame Erick Erickson, your weak and
pathetic leader. We'll now be doing another campaign stop at another
location."
During the debate, Kelly asked Trump to
respond to derogatory statements he had made in the past about women,
calling them "fat pigs" for example. Trump tried to wave off the
question and dismissed Kelly during a raucous debate performance.
"And honestly Megyn, if you don't like it, I'm sorry,"
Trump said. "I've been very nice to you, although I could probably maybe
not be, based on the way you have treated me. But I wouldn't do that."
Erickson said in a Facebook statement that in a CNN
interview Trump said of Kelly: "You could see there was blood coming out
of her eyes. Blood coming out of her wherever."
"His comment was inappropriate," said Erickson...
"It is unfortunate to have to disinvite him. But I just
don't want someone on stage who gets a hostile question from a lady and
his first inclination is to imply it was hormonal. It just was wrong,"
he said.
"He is not a professional politician and is
known for being a blunt talker. But there are even lines blunt talkers
and unprofessional politicians should not cross. Decency is one of those
lines."
A variety of Republican presidential
candidates have been speaking at the Red State gathering in Atlanta and
Trump was scheduled for a prominent appearance.
Shortly before Erickson's statement, Trump's campaign had just put out a
media advisory with the schedule for Trump's appearance.
The New York billionaire has been riding high in the polls in
recent weeks as Republican search for their nominee to face the
Democrats' choice in the November 2016 election.
Carly Fiorina, the business executive who is the only
woman running for the Republican nomination and who spoke to Red State
on Friday, applauded Trump's dumping.