A Fox News columnist has declared the Miss America pageant a “Nasty woman contest” after the beauty contest took a turn against President Donald Trump during the current events portion of the competition.
Todd Starnes, a right-leaning commentator and host of the Todd Starnes Radio Show criticized the pageant for being biased against the president writing in an op-ed published on Fox News’ website, “”It was as if Elizabeth Warren and Hillary Clinton were sitting underneath the Atlantic City boardwalk, sipping Chardonnay and writing this year’s questions.”
During the question portion of the competition, contestants discussed current events like Hillary Clinton’s candidacy, the Charlottesville protests and climate change.
Most women tried to remain neutral in their answers, but two women, in particular, grabbed headlines for their criticism of President Trumppoliciess polices.
Cara Mund of North Dakota would got on to be crowned Miss America after answering a question about the United State’s decision to withdraw from the Paris climate accord.
“I do believe it’s a bad decision. Once we reject that we take ourselves out of the negotiation table and that’s something that we really need to keep in mind. There is evidence that climate change is existing, so whether you believe it or not we need to be at that table and I think it’s just a bad decision on behalf of the United States.”
.@MissAmericaND answers a question from @mariamenounos! #MissAmerica pic.twitter.com/RkK4j4ideZ
— Cara Mund (@MissAmerica) September 11, 2017
When asked about her opinion on President Trump’s response to the Charlottesville protests, Miss Texas Margana Wood didn’t hold back.
“I think that the white supremacist issue, it was very obvious, that it was a terrorist attack. And I think that President Donald Trump should’ve made a statement earlier addressing the fact, and in making sure all Americans feel safe in this country. That is the number one issue right now,” she said. Wood was fourth runner up in the Sunday event.
.@MissAmericaTX is up next and she will be answering a question from @MrJessCagle. #MissAmerica pic.twitter.com/WbSBx3c5Ul
— Cara Mund (@MissAmerica) September 11, 2017
“Nasty women” became a sort of rallying cry Hillary Clinton supporters during the 2016 election. During the final presidential debate, Trump interrupted Democratic nominee Clinton calling her, “such a nasty woman” as she answered a question on how she planned to raise taxes on the rich.
In the days and months that followed, high-profile female politicians and activists co-opted the term, repeating it as if it were more of a badge of honor than an insult.
“Get this Donald, nasty women are tough, nasty women are smart and nasty women vote,” Warren said at a Clinton campaign rally days after the debate, reclaiming the term.
Trump once owned the Miss Universe franchise, which includes the Miss USA, a competing beauty pageant to Miss America.
