Donald Trump has professed his love for women and said he would be their best advocate if elected president, dismissing the controversy that has consumed much of the Republican presidential campaign over the weekend.

Trump made various statements across several US news networks on Sunday to justify what has been interpreted as a misogynistic remark.

"I cherish women. I want to help women. I'm going to do things for women that no other candidate will be able to do," he said on CNN's "State of the Union."

A question of 'blood'

The latest Trump controversy began on Thursday night when Fox News debate moderator Megyn Kelly recounted Trump's history of incendiary comments toward women. Angry over what he considered unfair treatment at the Republican debate, Trump told CNN on Friday night that Kelly had "blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever."

Trump has been trying to limit the fallout from his remarks, seen as implying that Kelly had been menstruating. But the statement still cost Trump a prime-time speaking slot at the RedState Gathering this weekend, an Atlanta conference where several other presidential candidates spoke to about 1,000 conservative activists.

Host Erick Erickson, editor-in-chief of the conservative blog RedState.com, said in a statement that he had disinvited Trump because he had violated basic standards of decency.

Unapologetic

Throughout the ensuing fallout, Trump has stuck to his assertion that only "a deviant" would interpret his comment beyond a harmless barb.

"I was referring to nose, ears," Trump said on ABC News' "This Week" program.

"They're very common statements. And only a deviant would think of what people said. Some people said only a deviant would even think that.

"I apologize when I'm wrong, but I haven't been wrong. I said nothing wrong," said Trump.

Trump's unconventional, insurgent campaign has excited many anti-establishment conservatives to date while confounding party leaders already facing the prospects of a bruising fight among 17 candidates. However, his unapologetic stance towards Kelly might cost him some supporters.

Trump takes on Bush

Jeb Bush, the presidential favorite for many top Republican donors, said at RedState that Trump's bombast would hurt the party's chances with women, many of whom have previously favored Democrats in presidential elections.

"Do we want to win? Do we want to insult 53 percent of our voters?" the former Florida governor asked. Bush also called on Trump to apologize.

Trump, meanwhile, contended on "Face the Nation" on the CBS network that it was Bush who had an issue with women, hinting at a recent remark from the former governor.

While discussing the prospect of cutting off federal money for Planned Parenthood, a women's health organization, Bush said that he wasn't sure if the US needed "half a billion dollars for women's health issues."

On a winning streak?

Trump has repeatedly dismissed his critics as beholden to political correctness. On Sunday, he also pointed to the opinion polls as proof that he was "winning big all over the place" and implying that he might still opt for running an independent bid.

"I'm leading by double digits, so maybe I shouldn't change."

ss/cmk (AP, Reuters, AFP, dpa)