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Hot mic catches Megyn Kelly’s post-debate panel making fun of Ron DeSantis

In a newly circulated clip, a male voice can be heard saying, "Look at that face. Looks like he shot his dog”

Senior Culture Editor

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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis looks on during the fourth Republican presidential primary debate at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on December 6, 2023. (JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis looks on during the fourth Republican presidential primary debate at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on December 6, 2023. (JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)

On Wednesday, Former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly served as a moderator for the fourth Republican presidential primary debate at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, presenting questions to candidates Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy and Ron DeSantis. The outcome of the GOP grudge match was plentiful in terms of soundbites and pull-quotes, but a real highlight came later via a hot mic slip-up courtesy of a panelist on her special SiriusXM wrap-up show.

In a newly circulated clip from that show, which can be heard below, an unidentified male voice from the panel comments on DeSantis' appearance after running back footage of him preparing to answer a question from Kelly about his poll numbers, saying, “Look at that face. He looks like he shot his dog." 

As of Friday evening, Kelly's panelists for the show in question — NewsNation politics editor Chris Stirewalt, “The Fifth Column” podcast host Michael Moynihan, RealClearPolitics co-founder and publisher Tom Bevan and Emily Jashinsky of the Federalist — have not fessed up as to who made the comment but, as The Independent points out, whoever said it is certainly not the first to find humor in DeSantis' awkwardness. 

By Kelly McClure

Kelly McClure is Salon's Senior Culture Editor, where she helps further coverage of TV, film, music, books and culture trends from a unique and thoughtful angle. Her work has also appeared in Vulture, Vanity Fair, Vice and many other outlets that don't start with the letter V. She is the author of one sad book called "Something Is Always Happening Somewhere." Follow her on Bluesky: @WolfieVibes

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