Trump apologizes, but also calls crude remarks a distraction

[rooster59]

Trump apologizes, but also calls crude remarks a distraction 

JULIE PACE, Associated Press
JONATHAN LEMIRE, Associated Press

 

 

 

NEW YORK (AP) — Caught on tape making shockingly crude comments about a married woman he tried to seduce, Donald Trump declared in a midnight video, "I was wrong and I apologize." Yet even as he did so, he claimed the astonishing recording was "nothing more than a distraction" and argued his words were not nearly as egregious as former President Bill Clinton's marital affairs.

 

"I've said some foolish things," the Republican presidential nominee said in a taped apology posted on his Facebook page early Saturday morning. "But there's a big difference between the words and actions of other people. Bill Clinton has actually abused women."

 

Turning to his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, Trump accused her of having "bullied, attacked, shamed and intimidated" her husband's "victims."

 

Trump's 90-second statement capped a jarring day that threatened to sink his presidential campaign and sent Republicans into a panic with early voting well underway in several states and a little more than a month until Election Day.

 

On Friday afternoon, The Washington Post and NBC News released a 2005 video on which Trump describes trying to have sex with a married woman. He also brags about women letting him kiss and grab them because he is famous.

 

"When you're a star they let you do it," Trump says. "You can do anything."

 

He adds seconds later, "Grab them by the p----. You can do anything."

 

Within hours, the shock of the video led to widespread condemnation from inside Trump's own party. House Speaker Paul Ryan said he was sickened by Trump's comments, while a one-sentence response from GOP's chairman was devastating.

 

"No woman should ever be described in these terms or talked about in this manner. Ever," said Reince Priebus, who had stood by Trump through his past provocative comments.

 

Ryan added tartly that Trump was "no longer attending" a joint campaign appearance set for Saturday in Wisconsin. Trump himself later said in a statement that he would be preparing for Sunday night's debate instead.

 

Other Republicans, painfully aware of Trump's possible impact on their own political fates, were quick to chime in. New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte, who is locked in a close race, called his comments "totally inappropriate and offensive."

 

By the time Trump posted his video apology, three Republican members of Congress had called on Trump to abandon the race. Among them was Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz, who called Trump's words "some of the most abhorrent and offensive comments that you can possibly imagine."

 

Trump's running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, was "beside himself" and his wife was furious, according to a person familiar with their thinking. That person spoke on the condition of anonymity, because they were not authorized to share the private discussion.

 

On the tape, Trump is caught on a live microphone while talking with Billy Bush of "Access Hollywood." The candidate is heard saying "I did try and f--- her. She was married." He also uses graphic terms to describe the woman's body and says he frequently tries to kiss beautiful women.

 

"Access Hollywood" said a recent Associated Press story about Trump's lewd behind-the-scenes comments as star of "The Apprentice" led it to dig through its archives and turn up the previously unaired tape. It was recorded during a bus ride while Trump was on his way to appear in an episode of the soap opera "Days of Our Lives."

 

Trump offered a half-hearted apology shortly after the video was released, saying he was sorry "if anyone was offended." Only hours later, after the scope of the damage became clear, did he release the video statement.

 

Trump appears alone in the video and appears to be reading off a script. He closes the video by suggesting he'll raise Bill Clinton's affairs again in the coming days.

 

"See you at the debate," he says.

 

Hillary Clinton seized on Trump's quotes from the 2005 video, calling them "horrific." She said in a Twitter message: "We cannot allow this man to become president."

 

But she had her own problems Friday with sudden revelations.

 

The WikiLeaks organization posted what it said were thousands of emails from Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta, including some with excerpts from speeches she gave to Wall Street executives and others — speeches she has declined to release despite demands from Trump.

 

The excerpts include Clinton seeming to put herself in the free trade camp, a position she has retreated from. In a talk to a Brazilian bank in 2013, she said her dream was "a hemispheric common market, with open trade and open borders."

 

Trump strongly opposes current U.S. trade deals and insists Clinton is too cozy with Wall Street to reform it.

 

Friday's developments came two days before Trump and Clinton are to meet in the second presidential debate, with the Republican urgently in need of a strong performance. After his uneven 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.

 

There were plenty of other problems for Trump on what surely was one of the worst days of his two-year drive for the White House.

 

His advisers planned for him to spend a quiet Friday preparing for the debate and meeting with border security officials. But the day was quickly consumed by a series of controversies, including Trump's unsubstantiated claim about immigrants in the U.S. illegally voting in the election and his questioning the innocence of five black teenagers exonerated in a 1989 rape case.

 

Then, there were new signs of unusual links between Trump and Russia. For the first time, the U.S. publicly blamed the Russian government for hacking the Democratic National Committee and accused Moscow of trying to interfere with the American election. Diplomats also told the AP that Russia had lodged a formal complaint with the United Nations over a U.N. official's condemnations of Trump.

 

Also in the mix Friday: New questions about the Trump campaign's finances. With roughly a month until Election Day, the campaign has yet to schedule the $100 million in television advertising that his campaign boasted about just two weeks ago.

 

The campaign has just half that amount scheduled, and late this week shifted ad money around rather than increasing its overall investment, suggesting a bit of penny-pinching even as the clock winds down.

 

 

-- © Associated Press 2016-10-08

[Aussie69]

"according to a person familiar with their thinking"

So journalists are now applying mind reading to their list of sources. I don't know which is more disturbing, Trump or the reporting?

[ddavidovsky]

More disturbing is a society in which the expression of outrage over every little thing is now the badge, the silk sash, of conformity.

[dunroaming]

1 hour ago, ddavidovsky said:

More disturbing is a society in which the expression of outrage over every little thing is now the badge, the silk sash, of conformity.

 

Agreed but it's only flagged up because he is standing for President and choosing to try to slur his opponent. Same thing from both sides and it just ends up as a street brawl.  Embarrassing on so many levels!

[GinBoy2]

In all honesty I'm kind of depressed by the whole spectacle.

 

Two seriously flawed contenders for leader of the free world is in itself depressing.

 

But Trump exceeds even my low expectations of politicians, if he indeed even was a politician,.

 

I never in my life thought we would be at a point discussing a Presidential candidate talking openly about "<deleted!>" and grabbing her "pussy"

 

For better or worse I actually voted for GW, based a lot on his promise to restore "dignity to the White House"

 

I'm at at point where I'm actually all teary eyed thinking back to those days

[canuckamuck]

14 hours ago, GinBoy2 said:

In all honesty I'm kind of depressed by the whole spectacle.

 

Two seriously flawed contenders for leader of the free world is in itself depressing.

 

But Trump exceeds even my low expectations of politicians, if he indeed even was a politician,.

 

I never in my life thought we would be at a point discussing a Presidential candidate talking openly about "<deleted!>" and grabbing her "pussy"

 

For better or worse I actually voted for GW, based a lot on his promise to restore "dignity to the White House"

 

I'm at at point where I'm actually all teary eyed thinking back to those days

Cheer up, you got to see utopian America and now the dawn of dystopian America. A fascinating time to be alive.

[OMGImInPattaya]

21 minutes ago, canuckamuck said:

Cheer up, you got to see utopian America and now the dawn of dystopian America. A fascinating time to be alive.

Agreed...this is the most fun of an election since I don't know when...just sit back and enjoy it.

[mtls2005]

He seems so different when he is reading from the prepared, scripted teleprompter. He loses much of the simpleton bombast which seems to appeal to the elderly, disenfranchised, frightened, poorly-educated white males.

 

And is this the first time he has ever apologized in his life? It must be killing him inside. I'm actually feeling a bit sorry for him.

[elgordo38]

4 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Within hours, the shock of the video led to widespread condemnation from inside Trump's own party. House Speaker Paul Ryan said he was sickened by Trump's comments, while a one-sentence response from GOP's chairman was devastating.

 

"No woman should ever be described in these terms or talked about in this manner. Ever," said Reince Priebus, who had stood by Trump through his past provocative comments.

 

Ryan added tartly that Trump was "no longer attending" a joint campaign appearance set for Saturday in Wisconsin. Trump himself later said in a statement that he would be preparing for Sunday night's debate instead.

 

The Donald seems to be a voice crying out in the wilderness. I see the political rats are abandoning ye ole ship Trump. If I was Trump I would be ashamed to show up for the debate but then this man has no shame. I wonder what vocal disease he will suffer from tomorrow stay tuned. 

[elgordo38]

36 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

He seems so different when he is reading from the prepared, scripted teleprompter. He loses much of the simpleton bombast which seems to appeal to the elderly, disenfranchised, frightened, poorly-educated white males.

 

Looking at your post he may yet garner 50.5% of vote. 

[elgordo38]

I have always wondered about the electoral college and more so now during the current election campaign. If the Donald carries a state is the college obligated to hand over the electoral college votes to him or can they tell him to "Go pound salt" Just curious. 

[55Jay]

Wow, that video was...... awkward.  You could see him fidgeting and twitching his arms the whole time. 

 

His Tweet said "here is my statement".  Should of read "Here's the statement my campaign manager prepared and is forcing me to read".   Reminded me of a little kid forced by his mom to apologize and right at the end, blurts out, "But but but, Johnny is waaay worser than me!", and rats him out for something to take the heat off himself.

 

I get that he's trying to characterize all this blow back as hypocrisy and distraction, and doing this video was a rare chance to rise above it and come off like a mature adult.   He was almost there, as robotic as it was, and then he blew it at the end, and did the same distraction shit that he just got done chastising.  God, he's SUCH a douche bag, he just can't shut up and take a little direction.

[dunroaming]

1 hour ago, OMGImInPattaya said:

Agreed...this is the most fun of an election since I don't know when...just sit back and enjoy it.

 

Easy for us outsiders to do that but all the Americans I know are very depressed about it.  It has been tremendous fun and the circus has exceeded all expectations.  Let's all hope that the reality is not as bad as the forecasts suggest

[GinBoy2]

2 hours ago, canuckamuck said:

Cheer up, you got to see utopian America and now the dawn of dystopian America. A fascinating time to be alive.

I've tried...my ballot is cast and received, I almost want sleeping pills for the next month...wake me up when the nightmare is over

[Thakkar]

In his latest apology Trump said, I've spent time with grieving mothers who've lost their children."

 

When I heard that, I couldn't help wondering if he hit on any of them.

 

T

[LomSak27]

From teabagging to p----y-grabbing. Well I suppose it's a progression of sorts    

[Thakkar]

2 minutes ago, LomSak27 said:

From teabagging to p----y-grabbing. Well I suppose it's a progression of sorts    

 

MAKE AMERICA GROPE AGAIN!

 

T

[LomSak27]

Psychological projection is a theory in psychology in which humans defend themselves against their own unconscious impulses or qualities (both positive and negative) by denying their existence in themselves while attributing them to others.[1] For example, a person who is habitually rude may constantly accuse other people of being rude. It incorporates blame shifting

[Thakkar]

Friend of mine sent me this:

 

"I have a dream:
That my four little girls will one day
live in a nation where they will not be judged by the size 
of their titties but by the grabability of their pussies..."

 

T

[Gary A]

I'm 71 years old and this election is the only one I remember where we have to choose between who is the worst candidate. Both are pathetic. After the election I won't be able to complain because I'm NOT voting. With Trump we have no idea what we will be getting. With Hillary we know she is a corrupt liar and she will continue business as usual. I'll be dead and gone before the entire system implodes. Our grandchildren will have to try and pick up the pieces and figure out how to pay the massive national debt.

[OMGImInPattaya]

59 minutes ago, dunroaming said:

 

Easy for us outsiders to do that but all the Americans I know are very depressed about it.  It has been tremendous fun and the circus has exceeded all expectations.  Let's all hope that the reality is not as bad as the forecasts suggest

For those Americans, I'd recommend an entire bottle of Valium or Xanax with a whisky chaser.

[ChidlomDweller]

As a SNL and Bill Maher fan, I'm going to miss this guy.  Hillary Clinton is too boring for parody.  All hopes rest with Bill now.

[Xircal]

I just watched the video on the BBC site and found it hilarious quite frankly. It's just unfortunate for him that the bus was bugged and the whole conversation was being recorded.

 

I think Trump should ditch his goal of becoming President and instead take on the role of stand-up comedian. He'd be quite a hit in that role.

[up-country_sinclair]

The deplorable, Trump fanboys will vote for him no matter what.  This most recent outrage is not a negative to them.  In fact, they revel in it.

 

Moderate, female voters are another matter altogether.  They are going to abandon Trump in droves and there is going to be a landslide next month.  I also predict that the Senate is now completely lost and the House majority will decrease significantly.

 

[SoiBiker]

5 hours ago, MadDog2020 said:

The entire article and not one word about the "bucket of Losers" that Hillary called Sanders supporters.

 

That's because she didn't. 

 

https://www.buzzfeed.com/craigsilverman/that-bucket-of-losers-clinton-speech-transcript-is-totally-f?utm_term=.xnDadXWYj#.moGvR3qg9

[Ulysses G.]

11 minutes ago, SoiBiker said:

 

That's because she didn't. 

 

 

No proof of that yet. Not one credible news organization (that I can find) has reported on it yet. The far left media call it fake. The far right call it real. 

[SoiBiker]

It's an obvious hoax from a joke website. 

[Srikcir]

Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, former Republican candidate to Vice President selected by Romney for the 2012 POTUS election, said in response to Donald's sex-laden audio tape, "I am sickened by what I heard today." Ryan immediately UNINVITED Donald to a Republican event in Ryan's district in Wisconsin designed to show party unity. Apparently Ryan wasn't swayed by Donald's excuse of locker room remarks and apology.

 

[starky]

6 hours ago, MadDog2020 said:

The entire article and not one word about the "bucket of Losers" that Hillary called Sanders supporters.

Are we talking about a bucket of Losers or a basket of deplorables? Either way how does that have any bearing on this at all...except that what this idiot said was actually deplorable. It seems the Trump club argument is near identical to the junta fan Bois as it doesnt matter what is said or done that can't be remedied with a simple but but but...ludicrous and infantile way of defending oneself 

 

Edited October 8, 2016 by starky
Double post

[up-country_sinclair]

The deplorable, Trump fanboys are spending a lot of time talking about Secretary Clinton whilst she has nothing to do with the topic of the thread.

 

I wonder why that is.