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Enough is enough.
How much more of a circus can the presidential election become before people put true patriotism over political allegiance?
Donald Trump began his campaign by attacking Mexicans. He gained support by persecuting Muslims. Now the awful way he regards women has come to light.
Trump is a disgusting joke. His recent lewd comments toward women are inexcusable from anyone, let alone a person running for president.
His campaign continues to degrade the American presidency week after week, and people who don’t flinch at the recurring scandals have given up caring how foolish it makes America look in the eyes of the world.
On Friday, a damning video was released by The Washington Post with audio never meant to see the light of day. The transcript alone does not do Trump’s words justice. Any rational person who views the video would see Trump as a dangerous misogynist who should not be elected to any office whatsoever.
The video was taken in 2005 when he was set to appear on a TV show. Trump talked with Billy Bush, a former host of “Access Hollywood” and nephew to former President George W. Bush. He told Bush a story about trying to sleep with a married woman.
“I moved on her very heavily,” Trump said. “In fact, I took her out furniture shopping. She wanted to get some furniture. I said, ‘I’ll show you where they have some nice furniture.’ I moved on her like a bitch. I couldn’t get there and she was married. Then, all of a sudden, I see her ”” she’s now got the big phony tits and everything. She’s totally changed her look.”
Trump was married to Melania at the time of the recording.
After that, Trump and Bush talked about the woman from the show who was waiting to greet them.
“Yeah that’s her with the gold,” Trump said. “I better use some Tic Tacs just in case I start kissing her. You know, I’m automatically attracted to beautiful … I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet ”” just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.”
What Trump described is a sexual assault.
Bush, who is now a host of the “Today” show, said in response, “Whatever you want.”
Trump added: “Grab them by the pussy. You can do anything.”
There is no defense to these comments. Even Tic Tac denounced the comments.
“Tic Tac respects all women. We find the recent statements and behavior completely inappropriate and unacceptable,” the company tweeted.
Bush has been suspended from the “Today” show.
Noah Oppenheim, executive producer at “Today,” said in a memo Sunday that “there is simply no excuse for Billy’s language and behavior on that tape.” Bush has been suspended “pending further review of the matter,” Oppenheim said.
After the video was released, Trump lost many Republican supporters in politics.
Congress members abandoned him. Many heavy hitters like Sen. John McCain withdrew their support. The secretary of state under President George W. Bush, Condoleezza Rice, called for Trump to drop out of the election. The Majority Leader for the U.S. House of Representatives, Paul Ryan, withdrew an invitation for Trump to appear at a campaign event. Trump’s running mate, Gov. Mike Pence, denounced the comments.
Trump released an apology video on Friday night.
“Anyone who knows me knows these words don’t reflect who I am,” Trump said. “I said it. I was wrong, and I apologize.”
Trump then deflected. He changed the subject to jobs, and then attacked former President Bill Clinton ”” the husband of his opponent Hillary ”” for his past indiscretions and accusations of sexual assault.
An apology may have been acceptable from a private citizen whose goal was to remain a private citizen. Trump is the Republican nominee for president, and these comments can not, and must not stand.
Past behavior is indicative of future behavior.
People can change, but the onslaught of accusations against Trump for sexual harassment and assault through the years show that he has not.
This isn’t Trump’s first controversy with women. He’s consistently attacked women on their weight and for being women instead of men.
Trump attacked former Miss Universe Alicia Machado for her weight.
“He called this woman Miss Piggy. Then he called her Miss Housekeeping because she was Latina,” Clinton said during an earlier debate. “She has become a U.S. citizen, and you can bet she’s going to vote this November.”
Trump’s tirades on Rosie O’Donnell are numerous.
“Rosie O’Donnell is disgusting both inside and out,” Trump once said on “Entertainment Tonight.” “If I were running “The View,” I’d fire Rosie. I’d look at her in that fat, ugly face of hers ”” I’d say ‘Rosie, you’re fired.”’
Trump didn’t like how he was treated by Fox News host Megyn Kelly during a Republican primary debate. He attacked her afterward and made comments about her being on her period.
“I don’t have a lot of respect for Megyn Kelly. You know she’s a lightweight. She came out there reading her little script and trying to be tough and be sharp. When you meet her, she’s not very tough, and she’s not very sharp … you could see there was blood coming out of her eyes; blood coming out of her whatever.”
He spunthe remark as meaning blood was coming out of her ears. But no one is buying that explanation from the deeply-troubled man.
This newly-released video is just another example of Trump perpetuating even more sexism that normalizes these kinds of attacks on women.
Looking the other way with this man is no longer an option.
We cannot look the other way; we need to take a hard look and decide what kind of a nation we want to be.
But much of Trump’s support remains intact. People who continue to ignore the facts about this man fully accept all of the horrendous statements he’s made and all of the ones yet to come. It’s deplorable.
Yes, Hillary Clinton is not perfect, but she has been a tireless public servant for decades.
This editorial does not serve as an endorsement of Hillary Clinton, nor should it. If Trump were running unopposed, he should still not be allowed to take the presidency.
Trump’s methods in business of screwing over the little guy for personal gain should be enough to make people not vote for him. He is a crook, a coward and a liar with no real plan to “make America great again.”
This misogyny cannot be permitted to stand unless it represents the nation we want to be. It does not.
This is the last straw.