The big story for the day is the 2005 video that’s emerged of Trump making obscene comments about women, telling TV host Billy Bush “you can do anything” to them “when you’re a star”.
The video, obtained by the Washington Post has the businessman bragging about trying to have sex with a married woman as well as kissing and groping others.
“Grab them by the p—y,” Trump says. “You can do anything.”
The Washington Post said it believed the video was recorded in September 2005. Mr. Trump had married his current wife, Melania Trump, in January of that year.
Trump has responded by saying it was just “locker room banter”.
In a statement, Mr. Trump said: “This was locker room banter, a private conversation that took place many years ago. Bill Clinton has said far worse to me on the golf course – not even close. I apologize if anyone was offended.”
But the fallout has already started.
Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebuscondemned Trump.
“No woman should ever be described in these terms or talked about in this manner. Ever.”
As the grandfather of two precious girls, I find that no apology can excuse away Donald Trump’s reprehensible comments degrading women, Jeb Bush tweeted.
GOP senator Mark Kirk tweeted: @realDonaldTrump should drop out. @GOP should engage rules for emergency replacement.
For all the supposed condemnation, there was no widespread GOP move to get to Trump to bow out.
Which might have consequences next month.
Writing in the Daily Beast, Eleanor Clift says Trump is doing a pathetic Don Draper imitation which should disqualify him from the Oval Office.
“Trump is something more, and worse, than a throwback to the Mad Men era,’’ Clift writes. “ His wealth and his entitlement add a grotesque quality to his post-pubescent ramblings of a sort that were already going out of style 40 years ago. They should disqualify him from the oval office, where a modicum of decorum and dignity and respect for others is what we think of as presidential, at least until proved otherwise.”
The revelations come two days before Trump and Clinton are to meet in the second presidential debate.
The Republican has to put in a a strong performance if he is to stay in the race. After his mediocre showing in the first contest, public opinion polls have showed Clinton pulling ahead in nearly all battleground states, some of which are already in the midst of early voting.
The big question is how he will respond when Clinton asks him about his sexual proclivities.
