After shocking audio surfaced of Donald Trump bragging about aggressive and unsolicited sexual advances toward women, political observers are openly considering whether his campaign is effectively over.
Week after week, month after month, Donald Trump has gotten away with one disqualifying comment after another.
His luck may have run out.
The Washington Post unearthed audio of Trump discussing his degrading approach to women:
“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,” Trump says. “You can do anything.”
“Whatever you want,” says another voice, apparently Bush’s.
“Grab them by the p—y,” Trump says. “You can do anything.”
The fallout from these outrageous comments remains to be seen. It is certainly game-changing. How much so is the question.
It’d not likely but it’s also not impossible that Trump quits
— Taegan Goddard (@politicalwire) October 8, 2016
https://twitter.com/marceelias/status/784565821242761216
The Trump campaign is trying to put rumors of his withdrawal to rest:
Donald Trump says he’s sending Mike Pence to Wisconsin so he can spend the day preparing for Sunday’s town hall. pic.twitter.com/FqCQd7zBYe
— Matt Viser (@mviser) October 8, 2016
The condemnation is coming from all quarters:
This is horrific. We cannot allow this man to become president. https://t.co/RwhW7yeFI2
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 7, 2016
Donald Trump should resign as the Republican nominee for president, he brags about sexuality harassing women. He is unfit for public office
— AJ Spiker (@AJSpiker) October 7, 2016
Yet another example of @realdonaldtrump's disrespect toward women. Yet another reason he is unfit for the presidency.
— Tammy Duckworth (@TammyforIL) October 7, 2016
Donald Trump is not fit. Period. Republican leaders know it. They need to call on him to step down. TONIGHT. https://t.co/Vock2AkS84
— Ana Navarro (@ananavarro) October 8, 2016
.@realDonaldTrump should drop out. @GOP should engage rules for emergency replacement.
— Mark Kirk (@SenatorKirk) October 8, 2016
https://twitter.com/GovernorPataki/status/784567126984126464
Disgusting. Donald Trump has no respect for women. https://t.co/0x7Iz0exmc #WomenCanStopTrump pic.twitter.com/tB2jpmcf0A
— EMILY's List (@emilyslist) October 7, 2016
As the grandfather of two precious girls, I find that no apology can excuse away Donald Trump's reprehensible comments degrading women.
— Jeb Bush (@JebBush) October 7, 2016
https://twitter.com/Ann_Kirkpatrick/status/784538177201733637
Wow: Ryan's team says Trump is OUT of tomorrow's event in Wisconsin.
— Gabriel Debenedetti (@gdebenedetti) October 8, 2016
Rachel Maddow opened her show suggesting Trump may not be the GOP nominee after this weekend. Even if she's wrong, the damage to his campaign is severe. His chances of winning the White House after advocating the unsolicited groping of women is drastically reduced.
UPDATE: Trump isn't going anywhere. He has released a video calling this issue a "distraction."
Shorter: it's an old incident, it's all Bill Clinton's fault. #TrumpTapes @Politic365 @NBCBLK pic.twitter.com/fw9s1KYiz9
— Lauren Victoria (@LVBurke) October 8, 2016
That was no apology. @realDonaldTrump says his misogyny is "distraction." Attacks @HillaryClinton. Disastrous performance. #trumptapes
— Rev.Dr. Chuck Currie (@RevChuckCurrie) October 8, 2016