Just prior to Tuesday’s main Republican presidential debate on the Fox Business Network, Kelly File host Meygn Kelly panned the moderators from October 28's CNBC debate and predicted that she’s “hoping that we are going to hear what we thought we are going to hear in the last debate, which is, you know, a robust, substantive exchange over one of the most important topics to the voters which is the economy.”
Appearing on the 8:00 p.m. Eastern edition of FBN’s Lou Dobbs Tonight, the eponymous host admitted to Kelly that “[w]e have got a barn burner of a debate coming up with these eight candidates” before wondering what she’s “thinking about as we get ready” to watch the main event.
Kelly was only given one chance to respond, but didn’t waste it as she blasted the moderators of the previous debate on CNBC and argued that the FBN moderators will turn in a performance that doesn’t belittle the candidates and turn away from substantive issues [emphasis mine]:
Well, I'm hoping that we are going to hear what we thought we are going to hear in the last debate, which is, you know, a robust, substantive exchange over one of the most important topics to the voters which is the economy and, you know, what became the headline after the last debate, which was the war between the moderators and the candidates completely wiped out any substantive exchange that we might have seen. There were a couple of them on the economy. People really do care, so I have complete trust in Neal and Maria to get to the bottom of that.
The relevant portion of the transcript from FBN’s Lou Dobbs Tonight - Special Edition on November 10 can be found below.
FBN’s Lou Dobbs Tonight - Special Edition
November 10, 2015
8:39 p.m. EasternLOU DOBBS: My next guest moderated the very first phase of the cycle on this election cycle on Fox News Channel. Joining us now, host of The Kelly File on Fox News, Megyn Kelly. Megyn, great to see you.
MEGYN KELLY: Hey, Lou.
DOBBS: We have got a barn burner of a debate coming up with these eight candidates. What are you expecting? What do you — what are you thinking about as we get ready to go into that debate?
KELLY: Well, I'm hoping that we are going to hear what we thought we are going to hear in the last debate, which is, you know, a robust, substantive exchange over one of the most important topics to the voters which is the economy and, you know, what became the headline after the last debate, which was the war between the moderators and the candidates completely wiped out any substantive exchange that we might have seen. There were a couple of them on the economy. People really do care, so I have complete trust in Neal and Maria to get to the bottom of that.
DOBBS: You bet. Neil Cavuto, Maria Bartiromo, and Gerald Baker of The Wall Street Journal. Megyn, we got to run and get ready for the debate and I know you do as well. Thanks for being with us.
KELLY: Thank you.
DOBBS: Megyn Kelly.
