Donald Trump latest's close-up is coming from the unlikeliest of magazines: Rolling Stone. 
 
 When the magazine's cover story came out on Wednesday, the most-talked-about passage was a Trump comment about rival Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina. 
 
 According to writer Paul Solotaroff, he was sitting with Trump watching a newscast when a video clip zoomed in on Fiorina. 
 
 "Look at that face! Would anyone vote for that?" Trump said to Solotaroff. "Can you imagine that, the face of our next president." 
 
 Trump added, "I mean, she's a woman, and I'm not s'posedta say bad things, but really, folks, come on. Are we serious?" 
 
 Solotaroff continued his cover story (headlined "Taking Trump Seriously") by saying: 
 
 "And there, in a nutshell, is Trump's blessing and his curse: He can't seem to quit while he's ahead. The instincts that carried him out to a lead and have kept him far above the captious field are the same ones that landed him in ugly stews with ex-wives, business partners, networks, supermodels and many, many other famous women." 
 
 The quotes stirred controversy on Twitter Wednesday evening. A spokeswoman for the Trump campaign declined to comment. 
 
 But Trump said on CNN's "New Day" Thursday morning that he was talking about Fiorina's persona, not her physical traits. 
 
 "The fact is that Carly Fiorina has had a terrible past," he said, citing criticisms of her time as a CEO. 
 
 For her part, Fiorina sidestepped questions about Trump during an interview on Fox News on Wednesday night. "I think those comments speak for themselves," she told Megyn Kelly. 
 
 Fiorina said "I have no idea" what Trump meant, but "maybe, just maybe, I'm getting under his skin a little bit, because I am climbing in the polls." 
 
 On CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360," Republican strategist Ana Navarro predicted that at next week's primary debate, "she's going to look Donald Trump right into his face and say to him, 'Really, Donald? Really? You think you can criticize my looks?'" 
 
 Republican commentator Ken Cuccinelli, a former Virginia attorney general, said Trump's barb directed at Fiorina is "going to cause him problems, as it probably should." 
 
 That said, Trump has proven uniquely able to withstand periods of outrage over controversial comments in the past. 
 
 The Trump interview and cover shoot with Rolling Stone was arranged back in August. It came as something of a surprise because the magazine is well known for its progressive bent. Its publisher Jann Wenner is a staunch supporter of Democrats. 
 
 A spokeswoman for the magazine said the issue -- dated September 24 -- will hit newsstands on Friday. 
 
 Solotaroff's cover story also reveals that Trump has not totally moved on from his well-documented feud last month with the Fox News Channel. 
 
 Most recently, he was absent from the network for two weeks after criticizing prime time host Megyn Kelly. 
 
 While spending time with Solotaroff, Trump handed the writer a copy of a New York magazine article titled "How Roger Ailes Picked Trump, and Fox News' Audience, Over Megyn Kelly." 
 
 It was the same article he handed to New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd when she visited him a couple of weeks ago. 
 
 "I don't start these fights, but I sure as hell win them," Trump told Solotaroff. ||||| "Look at that face," Donald Trump said of Carly Fiorina, while talking to Rolling Stone's Paul Solotaroff. "Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of our next president?" As Trump spoke, his yes-men looked on; in his entourage, disagreement is intolerable, dissent akin to disloyalty. Even in private, Trump's dictum is clear. The most experienced political advisers, if consulted in confidence by Trump, would do well to recall what Archie Bunker said to Edith: "Stifle yourself." Otherwise, they might be told, "You're fired." 
 
 Trump would help himself, perhaps even get the nomination, if he retained his most intense critics among seasoned political strategists and incentivized candor. To paraphrase an old saying, a candidate who is his own campaign strategist has a fool for a client. But Trump, "rich, really rich" is "smart, really smart." 
 
 If Trump is undone, this will be it. (a) He has no one around like his former political consigliere Roger Stone who might tell him what he needs to hear and who could debrief him daily; (b) he does not recognize the need to be so challenged and believes, if it (he) isn't broken, don't fix it (him); and (c) he will not grow as a candidate to demonstrate a temperament not consumed by ego; and (d) unless Trump somehow changes, people at some point will have a revelation -- they will fear a president who keeps his own counsel on everything, takes action unilaterally, and appears imprudent and impulsive. 
 
 The nation does not want a chief executive to make monumental decisions involving foreign policy and national security out of ego and pride, anger or pique. All this discussion about temperament and humility is too bad, in a way. Because Trump raises serious and important issues, even if he does not offer series and important remedies. 
 
 Solotaroff reported the Fiorina episode last week in the magazine's profile of Trump. Normally, Trump would defend by offend. He would note Rolling Stone's money problems and staff cuts and say the magazine is desperate. He might next attack Solotaroff, a credible journalist twice nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, perhaps implying that Solotaroff is part of a conspiracy, maybe of hedge fund managers afraid of Trump's tax plan. Given the women's angle, one might even have expected Trump to pivot and bring up the politically correct Sabrina Erdely, who wrote the long and detailed Rolling Stone piece about the gang rape at the University of Virginia. The rape never occurred, the discredited article was retracted, but it did win an award from the authoritative Columbia Journalism Review as "The Worse Journalism of 2014." 
 
 Instead, Trump -- trying to save face -- and as the man who says what he means and means what he says, noted implausibly he was talking not about Fiorina's face, but her persona. Yet, many admire Fiorina who has shown persistence and competence in an uphill campaign. Her performance in the wannabee first debate was stellar, nonetheless she had to confront the CNN bureaucracy for her much-deserved placement in the main event Wednesday at the Reagan Library. Her appeal is summed up by what one high propensity voter said to me: "They ask her a question, and she answers it." Indeed, she does so directly, concisely, unambiguously. 
 
 Enter into this controversy Fiorina herself -- speaking before the ideal forum, the National Federation of Republican Women. "This is the face of a 61-year-old woman," she said to rousing applause in a clip aired repeatedly on the networks. "... I am proud of every year and every wrinkle." And in a separate interview, Fiorina showed class and grace, as she did not reply in-kind to Trump who, she said, apparently found her competitive. 
 
 All this was good for Fiorina. 
 
 Now, Fiorina is out with a new ad "Look at this face" which begins, "Ladies, look at this face... and look at all of your faces," and then shows faces of women -- young and old. Fiorina's voiceover continues -- "the face of leadership in our party... in our community" and moves toward "we are not a special interest group, we are the majority of the nation." 
 
 This widely heralded ad, actually created and funded by Fiorina's SuperPAC, Carly for America, is getting mountains of free play on the network, and the media treat it as an official Fiorina ad, part of the whole confusion between official committees and SuperPACs. And, with current trends reducing paid television ad expenditures and relying on viral Internet pickup, and the network news programs rerunning it or lifts from it, it gets plenty of notice. 
 
 Regardless of who sponsors it or how it gets out, this ad keeps the controversy alive. It appears to set up an anticipated Fiorina-Trump confrontation, almost, possibly, to eclipse a Carson-Trump exchange. Indeed, Trump is aiming for Carson, whom he perceives as more threatening; and Carson, if he plays his cards right, could emerge Wednesday the giant-slayer, or at least begin the process. 
 
 Some pundits say this Fiorina ad is clever, because it never mentions Trump but still gets at him. But it doesn't, really. 
 
 Just as explicit attacks on Trump by his opponents that he is "not really a conservative" have failed, so too will an implicit attack by one opponent, Fiorina, that he is against women, fail. The big elephant in the room is Trump's temperament. If he can grow as a candidate, learn about issues, and reassure voters that his ego is bounded and he is deliberative, he will survive and broaden his support; otherwise, he will eventually go down. This ad gets at none of that and doesn't really do much for Fiorina. 
 
 And while the Fiorina ad probably delights its creators, political groupies and reporters, it is "thou dost protest too much." Right now, Fiorina, who knows marketing, should realize her target is not the general election. It is the universe of likely Republican primary voters. And that group, including women, is not into playing the woman card. Republican primary voters, men and women, do not see women as victims. For her ad to say that women are not a special interest but a majority says, what? Is this a subtle dig to suggest that Democrats patronize women? 
 
 We know that Carly Fiorina is a woman. And it is obvious she is the only woman candidate on the Republican side. 
 
 One reason for Fiorina's strength is she is the anti-Hillary: Fiorina never has asked for anyone to support her because she is a woman. Until now. 
 
 This ad is a step back for Fiorina. ||||| Band release official statement asking voters to ‘focus on the bigger picture’, after singer Michael Stipe slams Donald Trump’s ‘moronic charade of a campaign’ 
 
 Michael Stipe may have sung that he “felt fine” at the prospect of “the end of the world as we know it”, but his temper has obviously been frayed by Donald Trump, after the Republican presidential frontrunner used one of REM’s songs at a rally. 
 
 Trump walked out to the REM song It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine) at a rally in Washington, DC, on Wednesday and the band seemed none too impressed to find themselves dragged into the political arena on his behalf. 
 
 “Go fuck yourselves, the lot of you – you sad, attention-grabbing, power-hungry little men,” Stipe said, in a statement tweeted by REM bassist Mike Mills. “Do not use our music or my voice for your moronic charade of a campaign.” Though the statement spoke broadly about “the lot” of politicians, Mills prefaced it with the stipulation that it reflected Stipe’s opinion on Trump. 
 
 Mike Mills (@m_millsey) Upcoming is Michael's statement about Trump using our song at the rally. His opinions are HIS, please do not tweet angry responses at me. 
 
 Mike Mills (@m_millsey) Personally, I think the Orange Clown will do anything for attention. I hate giving it to him. 
 
 If that message weren’t quite clear enough, the jangle-pop indie band had already posted an official collective statement on Facebook before releasing Stipe’s unfiltered opinion: 
 
 While we do not authorize or condone the use of our music at this political event, and do ask that these candidates cease and desist from doing so, let us remember that there are things of greater importance at stake here. The media and the American voter should focus on the bigger picture, and not allow grandstanding politicians to distract us from the pressing issues of the day and of the current presidential campaign.” 
 
 The LA Times once named REM one of the “most liberal and politically correct rock groups” in the US, and the band supported former presidential candidate John Kerry on the Vote for Change tour in 2004. The tour raised money for the two organisations that registered voters and campaigned for the Democratic party. 
 
 In the three short months since Trump announced he was running to “make America great again”, the mercurial real estate mogul has gone from strength to strength despite a number of controversies, any one of which, by conventional political wisdom, might have triggered a candidate’s decline. 
 
 The controversy appears only to have emboldened Trump, who is surging in the polls and maintains a strong lead over his Republican challengers. 
 
 Trump and his unorthodox presidential bid have so far survived a series of scandals that begin at the launch of his presidential campaign when he branded Mexicans who come to the US as criminals, drug dealers and rapists. The comments drew heavy fire from candidates on both sides of the aisle, incited international condemnation and cost him several business deals. Nevertheless, Trump’s polling numbers only improved, and, unabashed, he has claimed he is even confident that he will “win the Latino vote” (although polling does not back him up on that point). 
 
 Trump again courted controversy when he said that 2008 Republican presidential candidate John McCain, who spent five and a half years a North Vietnamese jail, where he was tortured, was “not a war hero”. Amid widespread criticism for his remarks, Trump announced the formation of Veterans for Trump, several of whom later told the Guardian they were not aware they had been enlisted to join the group. Again, his poll numbers continued to rise. 
 
 In July decades-old allegations resurfaced that the Republican presidential candidate had raped his then wife, Ivana, to which his attorney inaccurately retorted: “You can’t rape your spouse.” Trump distanced himself from the lawyer, and his ex-wife walked back her accusations. 
 
 Trump again sparked trouble when he provoked a feud with Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly, who questioned his record of sexist and misogynistic name-calling during the first Republican debate. The candidate bemoaned unfair treatment, and in a later interview with CNN, he insinuated that Kelly had asked him tough questions because she was menstruating. (He said the remark was misinterpreted.) Neither of these controversies seemed to negatively affect his standing. 
 
 Trump’s most recent insult was directed at Republican challenger Carly Fiorina, the party’s only female contender in the presidential race. During an interview with Rolling Stone, Trump was quoted as responding to an image Fiorina on the news by saying: “Look at that face! Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of our next president?! I mean, she’s a woman, and I’m not s’posedta say bad things, but really, folks, come on. Are we serious?” 
 
 Fiorina told Kelly on Fox News that she considered his remarks to be “very serious”. On Thursday, Trump said he had made the remark in a “jocular manner” and that he was not referring to her appearance. “I’m talking about persona, I’m not talking about look,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News on Thursday morning. 
 
 He then complained of a double-standard. “When I get criticized constantly about my hair, nobody does a story about, ‘oh, isn’t that terrible, they criticized Donald Trump’s hair.’” 
 
 While a recent poll in Iowa showed Republican challenger Ben Carson neck and neck with Trump, the first time in more than a month Trump was not leading every poll in an early voting state. 
 
 Nevertheless, average polling in the state shows Trump with a strong lead that remains in the double digits and a recent CNN/ORC survey Trump registered his highest national number yet at 32%. 
 
 
 
 10 of the best: REM Read more 
 
 This isn’t the first time a rock act have spoken out against their music being played at a political event. In June, Neil Young slammed Trump’s use of hit Rockin’ in the Free World, and Bruce Springsteen expressed his disdain at former president Ronald Reagan using his track Born in the USA in the former actor’s 1984 election campaign.
– In a Rolling Stone cover story on Donald Trump and his campaign, one particularly crass comment is getting the most attention: Writer Paul Solotaroff says Trump made fun of GOP rival Carly Fiorina's looks when she appeared on TV news, saying, "Look at that face! Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of our next president." Solotaroff says Trump added, "I mean, she's a woman, and I'm not s'posedta say bad things, but really, folks, come on. Are we serious?" Trump's derogatory remarks about women led to his feud with Fox News' Megyn Kelly, and on Kelly's show last night, Fiorina said his remarks about her suggest she may be "getting under his skin a little bit," the AP reports. Analysts tell CNN that the Fiorina remarks could cause Trump problems at next week's GOP debate, although similar episodes haven't done him much harm. "If you're waiting for Trump to blow himself up in a Hindenburg of gaffes or hate speech, you're in for a long, cold fall and winter," Solotaroff concluded after 10 days with the Trump campaign. "Donald Trump is here for the duration—and gaining strength and traction by the hour." (Stephen Colbert targeted Trump on his Late Show debut.)