We’re just days away from the Iowa caucuses, and two days from Thursday’s Republican debate, the last GOP get-together before Iowans begin voting. And as we’ve come to expect from The Donald, he’s throwing yet another Trumper Tantrum, threatening to boycott the confab… this time, over journalist Megyn Kelly’s role as co-moderator in this second Fox News debate. In case you missed the last meltdown, Mr. Trump dislikes Ms. Kelly. A lot.

And it went on. And on. And on. For. months. Why? Because in the first Fox-hosted debate Kelly had the unmitigated gall to ask Trump about his past personal attacks on women:

And boy did he. So now he’s calling for her removal:

Based on @MegynKelly's conflict of interest and bias she should not be allowed to be a moderator of the next debate.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 23, 2016

Conflict of interest? Bias? Ms. Kelly has never expressed support for any candidate, and she includes — sometimes to the chagrin of this blogger — both sides of the debate on every one of her nightly programs. The question was fair game, because it was in the news cycle at the time, and his history of adultery and less-than-flattering criticisms of various women could very well be a cornerstone of the general election in the battle for the women’s vote. He can bet that the Democrats, with Debbie Wasserman-Schultz leading the charge, will wage a full-on assault, with the War on Women onslaught lobbed from all angles. It’s what they do, and he should have been prepared for the question. But it’s not the first time Trump has attacked a media that’s dared to ask tough questions of him, criticized him, or held him responsible for the things he says. It certainly won’t be the last. His favorite targets are often those considered staples in conservative, alternative media. And what he doesn’t seem to comprehend is the more he insults trusted conservative media, the more he alienates people like me. From Mark Levin, give it a listen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLG9y_jCDkY

Who can argue with that? Here are a few of the “stupid issues” to which Trump repeatedly obsesses:

Seriously, why would anyone want a President who acts like this?
Donald Trump Calls Michelle Malkin A ‘Dummy,’ https://t.co/NhEbMt8Vnh

— Proud Conservative (@ProudConse) January 25, 2016

Incompetent @RichLowry lost it tonight on @FoxNews. He should not be allowed on TV and the FCC should fine him!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 24, 2015

Dude, it’s cable. Oh, and free speech!

National Review is a failing publication that has lost it's way. It's circulation is way down w its influence being at an all time low. Sad!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 22, 2016

.@EWErickson is a total low life— read his past tweets. A dummy with no “it” factor. Will fade fast.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 8, 2015

Word is that crying @GlennBeck left the GOP and doesn't have the right to vote in the Republican primary. Dumb as a rock.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 24, 2016

FYI: He’s crying for the imminent death of our Republic at the hands of progressives in both parties, Mr. Trump.

See the common thread here? There’s no substantive discourse on why his critics are wrong, or an offer to debate them on the issues, just juvenile personal attacks in the tradition of Saul Alinsky. As Levin asserts—and Trump doesn’t seem to grasp — vicious personal attacks on one of the most reliable conservatives in the nation, Ted Cruz, are personal attacks on principled conservatives in general. I don’t know about you, but I’m sickened by it.

Fox News would be absolute worms to cave in to Trump's demand for Megyn Kelly's removal, and Trump would be a fool to pull out.

— Jeff B/DDHQ (@EsotericCD) January 25, 2016

Agreed. If he can’t handle little ‘ol Megyn, how does he plan to handle a brutal dictator like Hassan Rouhani? Or Bashar al-Assad? How will he handle the constant media scrutiny if and when he is elected? Will he spend all of his time on Twitter hashtagging his critics? But the most disturbing thing? The masses of Trump supporters who clap and cheer-on his attempted crushing of free speech. It’s bad when Obama does it, yet acceptable when Trump does it? Gobsmacked. Note to Mr. Trump: We already have a thin-skinned, mini-despot running the nation, one who can’t resist repeatedly sticking his nose into every little faux outrage that crosses his Twitter feed. So here’s a hint, Donald: We’re not Russia. And you’re not Vladamir Putin. We don’t censor, or assassinate, journalists here. We have this little thing called the First Amendment. It protects our rights to unencumbered free speech, even speech that you—gasp!—dislike. It guarantees that the press is free to criticize and investigate any politician—that’s you!—it deems warrants scrutiny. So I’d suggest you get used to it, grow a thicker skin, and take a tip from George W. Bush:

That’s how you handle harsh media critiques, Mr. Trump. Duck and chuckle. Otherwise, you belong on the stage with the easily offended, scandal-plagued, tired old socialists-slash-communists over at the DNC.