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Hillary Clinton Won't Go on Megyn Kelly's Show But She'll Use Her Name for Political Purposes

Hillary Clinton
Hillary Clinton / AP
February 4, 2016

Hillary Clinton invoked Megyn Kelly as an example of a woman who is a victim of sexism in a People article published Thursday, but she's never agreed to be interviewed by the popular Fox News host.

People reported Clinton's remarks that there's a "special amount of venomous commentary" reserved for women, specifically mentioning Kelly:

"I think it's good that it's maybe off the main stage, but it certainly is still permeating in some parts of our political system in ways that are quite disturbing," Clinton says. "And some of the women reporters and commentators who have either read or said something to me find themselves, as Megyn Kelly has, drawn into the political arena, and not just for their professional behavior, opinions – and I think that's obviously fair game – but for their appearance, for what they say and do."

Kelly has been at the heart of Trump's feud with Fox News ever since she called out the GOP hopeful for his derogatory comments about women during a Republican debate in August. Trump responded by launching a months-long slew of attacks on Kelly, often targeting her gender, looks and sexuality. Most recently, he retweeted a fan who called her a "bimbo" for posing provocatively for GQ in 2010.

Clinton has done Fox News interviews in the past with such hosts as Bret Baier, Bill O'Reilly and Chris Wallace, but she's never agreed to a sit-down on The Kelly File, one of the most-viewed shows in cable news.

The Huffington Post reported in April that Kelly got indignant while arguing she should get the first Fox interview with Clinton after she announced her presidential candidacy:

"Bill O'Reilly -- what?" Kelly said. "She should sit with me and I'll tell you why, with all due respect to Bill. Because Bill -- and I love him -- does macro ... and I’ll go micro. And she needs to be asked the specific questions. You need to be able to go ten layers deep with her because that's the only way you get answers."

Napolitano argued back that while Kelly has the "legal knowledge" that O'Reilly lacks, O'Reilly has "the ability to terrify" Clinton.

"I can terrify!" Kelly shot back. "I don't want to terrify Hillary, I actually want to sit down and have a fair interview with her."

Kelly and Napolitano both agreed that they find it hard to imagine Clinton would go on Fox News at the risk of being pressed by Kelly.