CNN's Kirsten Powers: Gingrich’s Fight With Megyn Kelly Shows That The Trump Campaign “Do[esn't] Understand Sexual Assault”

Powers: Contrary to Newt Gingrich's Argument, “It's Not About Sex. It's About Assaulting Women, And It Just Shows That They Still Fundamentally Don't Understand This Issue”

From the October 26 edition of CNN's At This Hour with Berman and Bolduan:

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JOHN BERMAN (CO-HOST): Kirsten, is there any bigger meaning here? Newt Gingrich may have been Donald Trump's running mate at one point.

KIRSTEN POWERS: Look, I think it's interesting because it's consistent with pretty much what we've heard Donald Trump saying, which is they don't understand sexual assault. The idea that because Megyn is asking him about allegations against Donald Trump of sexually assaulting women and then he says you're obsessed with sex, it's like -- it's not about sex. It's about assaulting women, and it just shows that they still fundamentally don't understand this issue. 

KATE BOLDUAN (CO-HOST): This is Newt Gingrich speaking to Fox News viewers and saying this. How is this helpful when you see a top surrogate like Newt Gingrich saying that? 

CARL HIGBIE: Well, I think what it is -- look, tensions are high. People have been not sleeping, I know I'm one of them, for like four weeks now and we are coming to the end. 

BOLDUAN: You're just blaming this on lack of sleep? 

HIGBIE: No. What I'm saying is Newt Gingrich right here is in a spot where he's sick and tired of the media's bias. And when he said sex, I don't know if he was talking about actual -- the act of or the entire thing of what's going on now with the sexual assault scandals, where they're getting debunked as fast as they're coming out. I don't know what he was talking about. But I do know the fact that he did point out there is acute media bias in this race, and that's what he's annoyed about. 

POWERS: They're not getting debunked. I just have to say that.

[CROSSTALK]

They're not getting debunked, and it's just not about sex. It's about sexual harassment and sexual assault, it's not about sex, it's about abusing women, it's about power. Let's just keep that clear, OK? 

HIGBIE: Well, if it was such a big deal why didn't they come out when it actually happened? 

BOLDUAN: We've talked about this, though, Carl, a million times. 

POWERS: That's not the way it works. 

BOLDUAN: This was triggered, these accusers say, from Anderson Cooper's question to Donald Trump during the debate about the Access Hollywood video. When he said I never did anything described in the video, these women say that is what triggered them, and that is what made them come forward, is when they heard this on a presidential debate stage. Just for the record. 

HIGBIE: That's fine. What I am pointing out here is two of the women who came out and said this happened, the events that they said it happened at never occurred. 

BERMAN: I'm not sure that's actually the case, but that's two out of 11. So there's nine more to go even by your math there.

Previously:

Fox Contributor Newt Gingrich Slams Fox News As A Partisan Outlet “Part Of The Establishment”

Trump Campaign Responds To Sexual Assault Allegations By Warning The New York Times And Accusers To “Lawyer Up”

Don’t Only Call Trump’s Comments “Vulgar” And “Lewd” -- He's Describing Sexual Assault