Real estate mogul Donald Trump issued a character defense on Sunday, saying he would never make vulgar comments about a lady like Megyn Kelly because he is a Wharton man.
CNN host Jake Tapper asked Trump about his controversial comments that Kelly, who aggressively questioned Trump at the GOP debate on Thursday, had "blood coming out of her wherever," a comment many believe referred to her menstrual cycle.
Trump said that he meant to say that blood was coming out of Kelly’s nose and ears, which is physically possible but contextually improbable.
"Let me just ask you a question, sir. Do you -- I understand you're saying that you did not mean to suggest that Megyn Kelly was having her period," Tapper said.
"Of course I didn't! Jake, who would say that?" Trump said. "Hey Jake, I went to the Wharton School of Finance, I was an excellent student, I'm a smart person. I built a tremendous company. I had a show called "The Apprentice" that NBC desperately wanted me to do another season!"
"I'm familiar with your work," Tapper said.
"I do all this stuff," Trump said. "Do you think I make a stupid statement like that? Who would make a statement like that? Only a sick person would even think about it."
Earlier in the interview, Trump said that he "cherishes" women and would "do things for women that no other candidate will do" if elected president.
Trump did not specify what those things would be.
He has been accused of being a misogynist for his blunt comments that objectify women. A Washington Post article lists a 2012 tweet about Huffington Post founder Arianna Huffington as an example. In the tweet, Trump wrote that Huffington is "unattractive both inside and out. I fully understand why her former husband left her for a man — he made a good decision."