The Fox Princess Knocks Out the King

I apologize if you’re getting tired of political commentary. But 2016 is a presidential election year in the United States and the stakes have never been higher.

For better or for worse, America is the leading nation in the world economically, militarily, and spiritually. We are also a nation in agonizing decline.

But three times in American history, God has brought revival to this nation to renew the culture and bless the world. I’m praying for another one, and for godly political leadership to arise from it.

Enter Megyn Kelly and Donald Trump.

This week the Fox princess knocked out the king.

For those not familiar, let me introduce you to Megyn Kelly, a rising-star on the Fox News Channel. Fox News is the most watched cable station in the United States.  It was started by Roger Ailes nearly twenty years ago as an alternative to the liberal mainstream media in the US.

Fox’s oft-repeated goal is to be “fair and balanced”–bringing healthy debate from all sides of the political spectrum (while supporting traditional or Judeo-Christian values).

I’ll never forget turning on Fox years ago and watching Michael W. Smith sing an entire song live about the supremacy of Jesus Christ on an evening news broadcast.  

I’ve been committed to watching ever since.

Megyn Kelly is a young, vivacious news anchor who hosts “The Kelly File” every weekday night at 9 pm (EST). Her juggernaut program is now second only to Bill O’Reilly’s “The Factor” as the most watched cable news program in the country.

Megyn Kelly is not my favorite broadcaster–though  she’s smart, talented, has a great sense of humor, and seems to care about people and issues.  She’s strong on three areas of public policy:  the military (fighting evil in the world), the Constitution (she’s a lawyer who believes in Lex Rex) and free markets (the Good News applied to economics).

She is weaker on the moral or social issues of the day–where I take issue with her. She also comes across at times as what Rush Limbaugh calls a feminazi. 

A bit too strong for me.

But overall, she’s a young, refreshing voice in the media who generally points her audience toward the truth.

She is, at the present time, the princess of Fox News.

As many of you know, in August of 2015 during the first Fox Republican debate, Megyn Kelly served as a moderator and asked a pointed question of GOP front runner Donald Trump.

Here it is:

“Mr. Trump, one of the things people love about you is you speak your mind and you don’t use a politician’s filter. However, that is not without its downsides, in particular, when it comes to women. You’ve called women you don’t like ‘fat pigs,’ ‘dogs,’ ‘slobs’ and ‘disgusting animals.’ …

Your Twitter account has several disparaging comments about women’s looks. You once told a contestant on ‘Celebrity Apprentice’ it would be a pretty picture to see her on her knees.

Does that sound to you like the temperament of a man we should elect as president, and how will you answer the charge from Hillary Clinton, who was likely to be the Democratic nominee, that you are part of the war on women?”

Strong question. Fair question (he had said all the above). She and the other moderators asked equally hard questions of the other candidates.

But Donald Trump took offense, denounced Megyn Kelly, and began a five month feud in which he added her to his childish hit list.

She didn’t back down.

Fast forward to tonight.

When this article is sent to your e-mail box, it will be one hour before the second Fox News debate–taking place four days before the Iowa caucuses when the first votes for the 2016 presidential election will be cast.

Megyn Kelly, Bret Baier, and Chris Wallace will again be moderating.

Donald Trump won’t be there.

He said this week he wouldn’t come because of his grudge against Megyn Kelly and Fox News (those aren’t his words, but that’s the reality). Up to this point, Donald Trump has soared as a political bully on the American stage who takes on the establishment, conventional wisdom, and every perceived grievance of the electorate.

But in this fight between little Megan Kelly and the The Donald, there’s only one winner:

The Fox Princess has knocked out the king.

He’s a no-show.

She will question the other candidates and Iowans won’t get to hear Donald Trump live in debate.

No matter how you spin it, I believe Trump’s “I’m taking-my-toys-and-going-home” tantrum is a mistake. It’s thin-skinned, petty, mean-spirited, narcissistic, and un-presidential. Will he do the same thing when he’s offended by Vladimir Putin or Ayatollah Khamanei?

Time will tell if other American voters agree with me.

I am constantly reminding myself that good governmental leadership boils down to character, competence and public policies.

• To what degree is the prospective leader’s character Christ-like, selfless and steady?
• Is he or she experienced in life, decision-making, running an operation and/or governing?
• Do the leader’s policies protect God-given rights and promote freedom and blessing?

On these three counts, Donald Trump is suspect on point one. He doesn’t appear to have the character and integrity that all great leaders possess.

So why is he soaring in the polls and even being endorsed by evangelical leaders ( e.g. Robert Jeffers and Jerry Falwell Jr.)?

Because the American people are looking for a king.

Some of Trump’s kingly traits are admirable. Tough. Strong. Non-PC. Anti-establishment.

But we better look deeper.

Many Americans are mesmerized by Donald Trump because of his king-like stature. We’re being betrayed by our current leaders, wimps on the world stage and robbing us economically. Many think Donald Trump is the only candidate who can turn the ship of state in the right direction.

But here’s the rub. Many are also smitten by three secular idols that make up the aura of Donald Trump: Money – he’s a billionaire. Sex – he’s married to a former super model. Entertainment – he’s a media star.

If Donald Trump were poor, married to the girl-next-door and camera-shy, do you think he’d be drawing thousands of people to his rallies? (Only Bernie Sanders fits that bill because he promises to give everybody free stuff).

The answer is no.

Yes, he has some populist qualities but he’s also the secular embodiment of greatness. And like the Israelites of old, be careful when you ask for a king. He may be a “head taller” than the rest, but his character weak.

You may get Saul when you really need David.

As to point three on the leadership test, no one has cautioned us better about voting for Donald Trump than Dr. Everett Piper, president of Oklahoma Wesleyan University.

Here are his recent words: 

“Anyone who is pro-abortion is not on my side. Anyone who calls women “pigs,” “ugly,” “fat” and “pieces of a–” is not on my side. Anyone who mocks the handicapped is not on my side. Anyone who has argued the merits of a government takeover of banks, student loans, the auto industry and healthcare is not on my side.”

“Anyone who has been on the cover of Playboy and proud of it, who brags of his sexual history with multiple women and who owns strip clubs in his casinos is not on my side. Anyone who believes the government can wrest control of the definition of marriage from the church is not on my side. Anyone who ignores the separation of powers and boasts of making the executive branch even more imperial is not on my side.”

“I’m a conservative. I believe in conserving the dignity of life. I believe in conserving respect for women. I believe in conserving the Constitution. I believe in conserving private property, religious liberty and human freedom.”

“I believe in morality more than I do in money. I hold to principles more than I yearn for power. I trust my Creator more than I do human character. I’d like to think that all this, and more, makes me an informed and thoughtful citizen and voter. I’ve read, I’ve listened and I’ve studied and there is NOTHING, absolutely nothing, in this man’s track record that makes Donald Trump ‘on my side.'”

“I refuse to let my desire to win ‘trump’ my moral compass. I will not sell my soul or my university’s to a political process that values victory more than virtue.”

Call that another knock-down.

Then go watch the Fox princess and her cohorts grill the other contenders for president of the United States.