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Fox News
5 days ago
- General
- Fox News
Riley Gaines challenges ex-ESPN host to race after he says she was a 'worse swimmer' than she is 'MAGA stooge'
FIRST ON FOX: Riley Gaines clapped back at former ESPN and MSNBC host Keith Olbermann with an official challenge for charity on Wednesday after he said Gaines "was, somehow, a worse swimmer than she is a MAGA stooge." Olbermann, the ex-host of both MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann and ESPN's SportsCenter, quoted an X post of Education Secretary Linda McMahon telling Fox News' America Reports that Gaines "would have clearly won" her race if Gaines didn't have to compete against transgender swimmer Lia Thomas. "[Riley Gaines] finished 85th in the Olympic Trials," Olbermann posted to X. "She finished tied for 5th in the only race including a transgendered athlete. If there had been none she MIGHT have finished tied for 4th, or had 5th place to herself." The 12-time National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) All-American responded on X, noting she "placed 85th at Olympic trials when I was 15/16." "I was one of the youngest there," Gaines explained. "And I placed 5th *in the nation* in a sport measured in .01s of a second without going a best. Would you say the 5th best college football player is objectively bad at their sport?" The "Gaines for Girls" podcast host told Fox News Digital she is now officially challenging Keith Olbermann to a race for charity. The event would be a 200-yard freestyle at a location of Olbermann's choice sometime before August 31 of this year. The winner of the race will pick which charitable organization the proceeds would go to and the total wager to be donated would be set if Olbermann agrees. The 25-year-old University of Kentucky alumnus told Fox that Olbermann "could do a 150" yard freestyle, while she still swims 200 yards, if it incentivized him to compete in the charitable challenge. A spokesperson for Olbermann did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. While Gaines and Olbermann sparred on X, President Donald Trump blasted California governor Gavin Newsom earlier this week as the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) cleared the way for a transgender athlete to compete in a women's state championship track meet this upcoming weekend. "California, under the leadership of Radical Left Democrat Gavin Newscum, continues to ILLEGALLY allow "MEN TO PLAY IN WOMEN'S SPORTS.;" Trump posted to Truth Social. "This week a transitioned Male athlete, at a major event, won "everything," and is now qualified to compete in the "State Finals" next weekend." President Trump signed an Executive Order on Feb 5th in an attempt to outright ban men from competing in women's sports. Trump went on to explain that if the Golden State did not comply with this executive order, federal funding could be revoked. "THIS IS NOT FAIR, AND TOTALLY DEMEANING TO WOMEN AND GIRLS," the president continued in his post. "Please be hereby advised that large scale Federal Funding will be held back, maybe permanently, if the Executive Order on this subject matter is not adhered to." Newsom's office released a statement supporting the transgender athlete's participation in the upcoming state championship. Preston Mizell is a writer with Fox News Digital covering breaking news. Story tips can be sent to and on X @MizellPreston
The Herald Scotland
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Jake Tapper admits to apologizing to Lara Trump over 2020 interview
"She saw something that I did not see at the time, 100 percent," Tapper said. Biden's mental acuity while in office continues to be a lightning rod despite Trump taking office again in January. The focus on the former president's health was reignited by the promotional tour for the book and inflamed again when it was announced that Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. "You lectured her on how she was in no position to diagnose cognitive decline which you, which you guys do at length, including on page four of your book," Kelly said. What happened in 2020? Lara Trump had made disparaging remarks at a "Women for Trump" 2020 campaign event that were played by Tapper during the October 2020 edition of "State of the Union," saying, "Every time he comes on stage and they turn to him, I'm like, 'Joe, can you get it out. Let's get the words out.'" Tapper then asked, "how do you think it makes little kids with stutters feel when they see you make a comment like that?" Trump then responded that she did not know Biden had a stutter, which was a well-documented disability the then-presidential candidate has. "I think what we see on stage with Joe Biden, Jake, is very clearly a cognitive decline. That's what I'm referring to," Trump added. Tapper then shut down the interview, telling Trump, "I think you have absolutely no standing to diagnose somebody's cognitive decline." Tapper tell all takes heat Tapper, along with co-author Alex Thompson of Axios, has also faced criticism of the book from the center and left wings of political spectrum. Naomi Biden, the former president's granddaughter, called the book "political fairy smut for the permanent, professional chattering class," in an X post made Monday, May 19. Jon Stewart skewered the rollout of the book on the May 19 episode of the Daily Show, questioning why the authors held the information gathered for the book. "How (expletive) weird it is that the news is selling you a book about news they should've told you was news a year ago for free," Stewart said. Stewart also pointed out that the continued promotion of the book on CNN could be seen in poor taste. "It's just fun to watch them not only continue to push the book in light of this difficult news, but to actually frame this difficult news as perhaps even more of a reason to buy this book," Stewart said. Kieth Olbermann, the left-wing commentator and former MSNBC host, went further than his former cable rival on the May 19 edition of "Countdown with Keith Olbermann." "The car in which all of the Biden acuity truthers and reporters and book writers and finger-waggers and editors in Washington has just stopped suddenly." Olbermann said. "They have been ejected from vehicle from which they were climbing over each other to drive it faster and faster and you deserve it utterly, Tapper and Alex Thompson."
