Jose A. DelReal and Jenna Johnson, Washington Post – March 25, 2016
The altercation underscores the striking nastiness of the GOP primary race and the uncomfortable gender politics surrounding Trump, who has a long history of making incendiary remarks about women and their appearance.
Callum Borchers, Washington Post – March 25, 2016
CNN anchor Kate Bolduan, who’s had an eventful couple days on the air, shook her head in dismay as Adriana Cohen, a Trump enthusiast, hijacked a live interview that also included former Cruz spokeswoman Amanda Carpenter and steered it straight into the gutter.
Emma Green, The Atlantic – March 24, 2016
The use of wives as proxies in the struggle between the two leading Republican contenders shows how much American conservatism has changed.
Brian Stelter, CNN Monday – March 24, 2016
Kelly, who rarely opines on Trump controversies, responded Thursday to a tweet by Trump that showed his wife Melania and Ted Cruz’s wife, Heidi, side by side. Kelly’s point of view was unmistakable. With her tweet, the Fox News anchor was speaking for many women — and men — who were repulsed by the GOP frontrunner’s online behavior.
Jay Newton-Small, TIME – March 24, 2016
The latest exchange is just another example of Trump’s small hands tizzy, says Kelly Dittmar, a scholar at Rutgers University’s Center for American Women and Politics. “Instead of responding to the attack on Melania from the anti-Trump PAC by calling it out for the misogyny it represents, Trump played into the same type of objectification of women by endorsing a response that placed his wife’s — and Heidi Cruz’s — value in appearance alone,” Dittmar said. “This back-and-forth is yet another display of both men seeking to reinforce their masculinity in different ways, whether by — in Trump’s case — competing to be the candidate with the hottest wife, or — in Cruz’s case — by embodying the role of protector and defender of his family.”
Aviva Shen, ThinkProgress – March 23, 2016
“Donald Trump has had several foreign wives,” Romney joked at the annual dinner for the National Republican Congressional Committee Tuesday night. “It turns out that there really are jobs Americans won’t do.” The joke may seem like a one-off, but it’s building off a strategy the anti-Trump coalition is trying out this week: slut-shaming.
Nick Gass, Politico – March 22, 2016
Donald Trump tweeted and then deleted a message Tuesday evening that threatened to “spill the beans” about Ted Cruz’s wife, Heidi. Then he tweeted again. “Wow @SenTedCruz, that is some low level ad you did using a picture of Melania in a G.Q. shoot.Be careful or I will spill the beans on your wife,” Trump tweeted, before deleting the message seconds later.
McKay Coppins, Buzzfeed – March 21, 2016
The group is running three ads: one that features Mitt Romney, one that emphasizes Trump’s past support for pro-choice policies, and a third that shows Melania Trump posing nude. The Melania ad, which is by far the most provocative, invites viewers to meet “your next first lady.” Mair said that one is being promoted on Instagram as well, but only to LDS women.
Daniel Marans, Huffington Post – March 19, 2016
Donald Trump said his wife Melania and daughter Ivanka have asked him to “act presidential,” but he is having trouble listening to them. “My wife and my daughter Ivanka said to me, ‘Act presidential! Act presidential!’” Trump told supporters at a rally outside Phoenix, Arizona on Saturday. “Like in the last debate, I acted presidential, OK? I didn’t hit little Marco and I didn’t hit lyin, lyin, lyin Ted.”
Michele Gorman, Newsweek – March 14, 2016
Many of the six presidential spouses remain out of the spotlight while on the campaign, often merely appearing onstage after a win to wave or shake hands with supporters and sometimes giving interviews to the media. (Bill Clinton is a big exception, of course.)