Kellyanne Conway Gets Pilloried for Threatening Reporter in Stunning Phone Call: ‘Really Covering Herself in Glory’

Joe DePaoloOct 24th, 2019, 5:25 pm

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Kellyanne Conway, counselor to the president, has been the object of much ridicule on Thursday afternoon, following the release of a stunning phone call in which she threatened a reporter and bashed her husband.

The Washington Examiner released audio and published the transcript of Conway speaking with journalist Caitlin Yilek.

“So, listen, if you’re going to cover my personal life, if you’re going to cover my personal life, then we’re welcome to do the same around here,” Conway told Yilek. If it has nothing to do with my job, which it doesn’t, that’s obvious, then we’re either going to expect you to cover everybody’s personal life or we’re going to start covering them over here.”

The White House counselor went on to get a shot in at her husband, George Conway.

“Let me tell you something, from a powerful woman,” She said. “Don’t pull the crap where you’re trying to undercut another woman based on who she’s married to. He gets his power through me, if you haven’t noticed. Not the other way around.

Fifty-three minutes after the publication of the Examiner’s story, Mr. Conway cryptically Tweeted the following:

I’ve learned a lot about narcissism over the past couple of years that I didn’t know previously. In fact, I didn’t know it had a label, although I had seen it without knowing it.

— George Conway (@gtconway3d) October 24, 2019

Here’s a sampling of the other notable reactions, as Conway has gotten widely pilloried:

Kellyanne really covering herself in glory here https://t.co/p4jI7E4RPf

— Rosie Gray (@RosieGray) October 24, 2019

The Kellyanne call is mostly embarrassing and sad. But it's also a senior official threatening to investigate the private lives of journalists who dare ask questions – from a White House with no scruples, facing impeachment for seeking dirt on an opponent's son.

— Jon Lovett (respookted on BOOth sides) (@jonlovett) October 24, 2019

This is about power… It's about powerful people (like Kellyanne) trying to push around and intimidate people they perceive to be less powerful. https://t.co/MECJVMm1uY

— Matt Lewis (@mattklewis) October 24, 2019

in which Kellyanne Conway goes into detail on the attack at a reporter with the lead-in: "nobody read your story" https://t.co/Hz885ibS5N

— Edward-Isaac Dovere (@IsaacDovere) October 24, 2019

my favorite part is when Kellyanne says “nobody read your story” — in the middle of a 7+ minute call belittling the reporter for that story.

— Jesse Lehrich (@JesseLehrich) October 24, 2019

Kellyanne Conway going off-the-record to verbally abuse a reporter? You don’t say. https://t.co/doGSzsJ5qP

— Scott Bixby (@scottbix) October 24, 2019

honestly this is an insane rant even by kellyanne conway standards https://t.co/6oqZtGtRqK

— Alex H. Kasprak (@alexkasprak) October 24, 2019

Kellyanne Conway cannot remember that the president of the United States attacked her husband by name. https://t.co/t3q0UIdMd9

— David Frum (@davidfrum) October 24, 2019

It is good to know that Kelly Anne’s values are both personally and professionally aligned. https://t.co/ChxazTRFQW

— Matthew Dowd (@matthewjdowd) October 24, 2019

This is so much of “off the record” conversations with the powerful. It’s used to badger the reporter into not writing the story. So it goes! You just don’t usually get to print it. https://t.co/paA8qKSa3Q

— Matt Peterson (@mattbpete) October 24, 2019