Megyn Kelly recently shared her thoughts on Donald Trump's recent rally held at Madison Square Garden, which she described as both impressive and poorly executed by his team. Despite Trump’s strong performance, she expressed concerns about the event’s approach, highlighting its overwhelming ‘brotastic’ vibe which might not resonate well with female voters.
This weekend was particularly busy for Trump, who not only appeared at the rally but also featured on Joe Rogan’s podcast, drawing remarkable attention with over 30 million views on YouTube. For perspective, comparable shows, like Call Her Daddy, which hosted Kamala Harris, attracted only 600,000 views. This significant attention on Trump set the stage for his climactic campaign rally.
During the rally, Trump began with the pivotal question, "Are you now, or have you ever been, worse off than four years ago?" He seemed well-prepared, delivering engaging and meaningful points throughout his address. Kelly noted, “He was on message, he was entertaining, and he nailed it,” during this high-stakes political event. Despite his success on stage, Kelly argued he was not adequately supported by his team.
Critically labeling the rally as ‘too brotastic,’ Kelly pointed out Trump’s campaign struggles with female voters, emphasizing the necessity of modifying the event tone to be more inclusive. She raised questions about the lack of female advisors for Trump’s campaign and whether the dynamics around this event alienated moderate women, particularly those on the fence about supporting Republicans.
Kelly was not offended by the content presented during the event, but underscored its potential impact on others: “It was an effed up choice. They took what should have been an amazing night and gave themselves a big black eye.”
At the center of her critique was the choice of speakers. The comedic lineup leaned heavily toward men, delivering off-color jokes more suited to a bar than to the political arena. Kelly mentioned comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, acknowledging the comedic spirit but stating, “This was not the Comedy Cellar,” and expressed the need for decorum at political events.
This political assembly featured numerous male speakers, echoing sentiments and critique about other political figures, particularly Kamala Harris. According to Kelly, the mostly male representation set up “an exclusionary environment.” She remarked on the need for moderators who could create space for women and broader perspectives.
Kelly firmly felt the rally was laden with unforced errors, especially with Election Day approaching. She noted, “Who thinks it's wise to have the warm-up comic drive the news?” stressing this decorum is not the place for risk-taking. While she acknowledged enjoyment from some attendees, Kelly remained steadfast: the approach was misconstrued.
This reflection concluded with her urging for improvement. Kelly expressed hope for the Trump team to reassess their strategies as the election nears. Listeners could gain more insight from Kelly's full analysis via her podcast episodes available on various platforms.