The View

[Broadway]

The Donald is POd at Rosie

Rosie O'Donnell had some fiery words for Donald Trump on The View Wednesday morning, calling him a "snake-oil salesman" following his announcement that he would not fire troubled Miss USA Tara Conner.

After hearing about her comments, Trump fired back to PEOPLE, calling her "a woman out of control" and saying he planned to sue O'Donnell over her statements questioning his financial well-being.

"You can't make false statements," Trump tells PEOPLE exclusively. "Rosie will rue the words she said. I'll most likely sue her for making those false statements – and it'll be fun. Rosie's a loser. A real loser. I look forward to taking lots of money from my nice fat little Rosie."

The battle began on Wednesday's show, when a peeved O'Donnell said: "(He) left the first wife – had an affair. (He) had kids both times, but he's the moral compass for 20-year-olds in America. Donald, sit and spin, my friend."

O'Donnell, who impersonated Trump by deepening her voice and flipping her hair to one side, aimed her criticism at his comment from the Tuesday press conference that, "I've always been a believer in second chances. Tara is good person. Tara has tried hard. Tara is going to be given a second chance."

Conner, who just turned 21, will go to rehab but keep her crown, following reports of alleged drug and alcohol abuse. A grateful Conner apologized for her behavior at the press conference, and she thanked Trump for his compassion.

But O'Donnell was not as touched. After repeatedly saying she "didn't enjoy him," Rosie discussed Trump's finances – saying he went bankrupt, which Trump denies – and likened him to the "snake-oil salesman on Little House On The Prairie. This is not a self-made man," O'Donnell said.

And while O'Donnell and her View co-hosts discussed Conner's alleged drug and alcohol abuse, Rosie was dismissive, saying, "She went out and she was partying – doing what Paris and Lindsay do."

She also turned her wrath toward the Miss USA organization itself. "Miss America is the prestige," she said. "Miss USA is a different thing. It's basically a model competition. Let's be realistic."

Trump's response? "She talked about the Miss USA contest, which has terrific ratings on NBC. Miss America got thrown off of network television! It's (on cable), where nobody watches it," he said, countering her statements. "And my father never gave me tons of money."

He also thinks Rosie's rant against him was personal. Trump says he once sarcastically chastised Rosie about her "failed magazine" and "failed talk show." Added The Donald: "I think she's just terrible."

For her part, O'Donnell seemed to realize she was in for a fight after she criticized Trump, adding: "Here comes the lawsuit. Get ready. This is going to be good."

On Wednesday afternoon The View executive producers, Bill Geddie and Barbara Walters, issued a statement in support of O'Donnell – and Trump.

"Both Rosie and Donald are high-spirited, opinionated people. Donald has been a friend of The View for many years and Rosie, of course, is our enormously popular moderator. We cherish them both and hope the new year brings calm and peace."

[Google]

 

[Lois Lane]

At this point I have no love lost for either Rosie or The Donald. Let them tear each other up in the press. Get me some popcorn and I'm set!

[PhoneGrrrl]

I saw Trump on Entertainment Tonight going on about Rosie, how she's ugly inside and out and how he's going to sue her, I suppose for defamation, but who knows. Trouble is, I've got neither side to cheer for. I find them both abominable, albeit for different reasons. I think I'll join Lois Lane on the couch with some popcorn and watch the fight.

[prhoshay]

I anticipate an out of court settlement, and each having been ordered not to talk about the case. They always find a way to take all of the fun out of a case!

Got to give it to her, though...her impersonation of him was a scream!!!

[Amy Lee]

I can't stand him and his ego. "Im so great, my shows get all the ratings. Blah blah blah"

[VanJagSol]

What she said and did was pretty funny and true. I can't stand DT either. Rosie does say a little too much sometimes but you know everyone else is thinking it. I won't be surprised if Barbara will be back tomorrow for damage control.

Did you notice how for almost the entire time Hilary was being interviewed, Rosie didn't say a word?

[Broadway]

Dayum.... the only thing wrong with Rosie's below argument is... doesn't Wikipedia allow anyone to submit anything about a person?

Rosie responds to The Donald

The war of words between Rosie O'Donnell and Donald Trump continues to flare with a volley from her side posted on her blog.

In a new entry that went up on her personal Web site Wednesday night, O'Donnell reproduced a lengthy article from the online encyclopedia site Wikipedia about Trump's finances – in particular, his reported 1990 business bankruptcy and his being on brink of personal bankruptcy. (Through all his business ups and downs, he has never personally filed for bankruptcy.)

The entry is to help support her claim, made on The View Wednesday, that Trump has a shaky financial past – which he has threatened to use as a basis to sue her, because, he told PEOPLE, "You can't make false statements."

In her posting, O'Donnell adds in her blog's haiku style: "loving the wiki/i use it/do u."

As for Trump's threat that he's considering sending some of his friends to go steal O'Donnell's companion, Kelli Carpenter, away from "nice fat little Rosie," the View cohost also writes, "i will let u know if the donald sues me/or if kelli leaves me for one of his pals/dont u find him charming."

The clash between the two began when O'Donnell expressed fiery words about Trump on Wednesday's edition of her ABC show, on which she called him a "snake-oil salesman" following Tuesday's announcement that he would not fire troubled Miss USA Tara Conner.

After hearing about her comments, Trump fired back to PEOPLE, calling O'Donnell "a woman out of control" and saying he planned to sue her over the statements questioning his economic well-being.

[Lois Lane]

I'll bet some of you have 5-year-olds who're more mature than Rosie or The Donald. PhoneGrrrl, I'll bring the popcorn. Can you bring a box of Junior Mints?

I think what Wiki had posted is right this time...From what I remember (which may not be much!), The Donald's businesses filed for bankruptcy at some point but he himself never did. The courts may consider the difference to be semantics, though, since he's so identifiable with his businesses. Who knows? I'm sure this will all be settled out of court, too--and it's great publicity for her, him and the VIEW so I'm guessing everyone's happy. (Does anyone remember the impersonations of Trump on "Saturday Night Live" last season--where the one cast member imitates him saying, "Bah hah ha...ha ha" during a commercial during the Halloween episode? It was freaking funny!)

[Bearcata]

I was watching the news channel and heard Donald call her unattractive compared to Tara Connor. Boy, men always bring that up, as if he is a hunk, NOT. I don't like how he claims she is a loser and how her magazine failed and how her tv show failed. That is so untrue. Rosie is the one who should sue Donald for saying 'untrue' statements. Still here was Donald yesterday being called the bigger man giving Tara Connor a second chance and here he is acting like a 2 yr old having a hissy fit. The best thing to have done was to ignore Rosie. Rosie is just saying what a lot of people are thinking. Yes, I hate the way The Donald verbalizes, he does sound like a snakey used car salesman. See Rosie is not the only one who thinks so, she just happens to have a public platform in which to air her opinion. Trouble is this is going to be all over the cable news for the next couple of days as if it is really newsworthy. It is not. Its 2 children fighting in the sandbox.

[rt1ky]

I wonder if Barbara Walter is frantically making phone calls between the two to calm things down. I bet she wishes she was there to stop Rosie from saying it in the first place.