Donald Trump got another opportunity to pretend on Fox News that he was talking about Carly Fiorina’s “persona” when he suggested nobody would vote for her because of her face. Host Greta Van Susteren wasn’t buying it but she offered the gentlest of pushbacks.

A Rolling Stone article quoted Trump yesterday as saying about Fiorina:

“Look at that face!” he cries. “Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of our next president?!” The laughter grows halting and faint behind him. “I mean, she’s a woman, and I’m not s’posedta say bad things, but really, folks, come on. Are we serious?”

Yesterday morning, Trump told the three credulous hosts of Fox & Friends that he was talking about Fiorina’s persona, not her looks.

Clearly, Van Susteren wasn’t buying it. When Trump appeared later the same day on her show, On The Record, Van Susteren said she takes “personal issues” with his comments. “You wanna take this one back about Carly Fiorina?” she asked.

“No, I’m talking about persona,” Trump insisted again. “The only reason I even bring it up is, frankly, she hit me, she attacked me, and I therefore have to respond. …We’re really talking about not a physical thing. “

Just as clearly, Van Susteren didn’t want to be too argumentative with Trump – even though he has made a series of sexist attacks on Van Susteren's colleague, Megyn Kelly. “I don’t want to beat a dead horse but just so that I’m on the record, I don’t think you’re a first-time offender making a personal crack at a woman," Van Susteren said tentatively. "That’s the first thing. And the second thing is the remark was about her face and not about her persona but I don’t want to beat a dead horse." Could she have pussyfooted around (no sex pun intended) any more in this “challenge?”

Trump now argued that he was just being an “entertainer.” And, of course, he started bragging.

TRUMP: Many of those comments are made as an entertainer because I did The Apprentice, it was one of the top shows on television, I decided not to do it again because I wanted to run for president but some comments are made as an entertainer and as everybody said, as an entertainer is a much different ball game. So, you know, what can I say? I’m leading with the evangelicals, I’m leading with women. As you probably saw, I’m leading with African Americans with a very high number and I’m leading with Hispanics, which is very interesting. And I’m not surprised.

Van Susteren agreed he’s leading nationally and that he got a bump with women. She said nothing about his so-called lead with African Americans and Hispanics – probably because it’s not true. But, as a host, especially one that Fox touts as a liberal host, she should have noted that. I think we know why she didn’t.

“Nobody understands and nobody wants to do more for women,” Trump continued. “And as far as women’s health issues, which is a big thing, as you know… Nobody will protect women and nobody cares more about women or respects women more than I do, Greta.”

Van Susteren finally challenged him on that. She said women’s issues are “fair game.” She called it “low rent to take a swipe at her [Fiorina's] looks.”

But again, Van Susteren said she didn’t want to beat a dead horse. As if she needed to apologize for challenging Trump on such hateful remarks.

“This was the whole persona, this was not her looks,” Trump again insisted.

Van Susteren moved on.

Watch it below, from the September 10 On The Record.