Posted on 10/08/2016 11:03:43 AM PDT by Alter Kaker
Reaction to the video of Donald Trump using explicit language and apparently describing himself forcing himself on women continues to roll in. And it is not good for the GOP nominee. Prominent Republicans are calling on him to drop out and elected officials are running from him and fast. See the full list of Republicans calling on Trump to step down at the bottom on this post.
The candidate isn't backing down, telling the Washington Post's Robert Costa in an interview today, "I'd never withdraw. I've never withdrawn in my life."
The Post reports, Trump called from his home in Trump Tower and said, "No, I'm not quitting this race. I have tremendous support."
Trump also tweeted, seemingly downplaying the firestorm that has consumed his campaign.
Just to give a sense of how bad things have gotten in the past 24 hours, he's lost Hugh Hewitt.
The conservative talk show host had been a strong supporter of Trump arguing Republicans must back him to get a conservative justice on the Supreme Court.
Carly Fiorina, who lost to Trump in the GOP primary, called for him to step aside and for the Republican Party to run vice president nominee Mike Pence in his place.
Add senators Mike Lee (R-UT) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ), neither of whom endorsed Trump, to the growing list of prominent and elected republicans to get out.
But, this would be significantly easier said than done according to a leading Republican election lawyer.
"People in the GOP are understandably nervous. People are looking for an escape," Ben Ginsberg told NPR. "The rules don't provide a ready-made escape. Nor do ballot rules, nor the electoral college. While people are looking for an out, this die was cast in Cleveland."
Ginsberg, who is a partner at the Jones Day law firm, spoke with the NPR Politics Podcast.
"The RNC rules allow for replacement of a candidate on death or declining the nomination, but no provision for replacing," said Ginsberg. "At this stage, Donald Trump would have to resign. There's no way to stage a coup."
If Trump were to resign, Ginsberg says, the GOP would have to go through a complicated process to nominate a new candidate.
"Under the rules, if there is a vacancy, it doesn't go to the VP candidate. It's a matter of rules. It can be anyone. Part of what the RNC would have to do is figure out the nomination rules to see who would be eligible. It's an all-bets-are-off scenario. There might be a political consensus for Mike Pence, but it is not mandated by the rules," he said.
But it is four weeks from election day. And the idea of a drawn out fight over the top ticket is almost politically unfathomable.
Elected republicans aren't waiting. They are now running away from their party's nominee. Senator Kelly Ayotte who is in a tough race for re-election and never endorsed Trump, now says she won't vote for him either.
Congresswoman Martha Roby in deep red Alabama says she can't support him either.
The reason is simple, as seasoned political analyst Stuart Rothenberg put it on twitter, "This certainly raises the possibility of a down-ballot bloodbath for Republicans."
Trump was initially supposed to attend a rally today in Wisconsin with Speaker of the House Paul Ryan. Then after the video release, it was announced that Pence would attend in Trump's place. Now the Trump campaign confirms Pence won't be attending the rally either.
Sen. John Thune (R-SD), a member of the GOP's leadership, tweeted that Trump should drop out immediately.
For elected Republicans, it is rapidly becoming clear that merely rejecting Trump's remarks isn't enough. Every one of them can expect to be asked whether they are withdrawing their endorsements and whether they will even vote for their party's nominee.
Republicans Calling For Trump To Step Aside
Sen. John Thune (South Dakota): Third highest ranking Republican in the Senate
Sen. Mark Kirk (Illinois): Has run campaign ads distancing himself from Trump.
Sen. Ben Sasse (Nebraska): Prominent "Never Trumper"
Sen. Mike Crapo (Idaho): Rescinds previous endorsement
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (West Virginia): She said the "appropriate next step may be for him to reexamine his candidacy."
Sen. Jeff Flake (Arizona): Did not endorse Trump previously
Sen. Mike Lee (Utah): Did not endorse Trump previously
Rep. Martha Roby (Alabama)
Rep. Jason Chaffetz (Utah)
Rep. Barbara Comstock (Virginia)
Rep. Mike Coffman (Colorado)
Rep. Bradley Byrne (Alabama): Previous Trump supporter
Rep. Charlie Dent (Pennsylvania): Previously said he is not voting for Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton in the general election
Carly Fiorina, former presidential candidate
Hugh Hewitt, conservative radio talk show host, previous Trump backer
Hugh Pxxsy!
Usual crowd.
I think Trump will win, even AA will vote for him. He is one of them.
Ahnahld was diddling the housekeeper for a long time and made a baby with her, right there in his wife’s home!!!
That POS has no grounds for getting all sanctimonious on us.
I do, with consistency, condemn ALL unethical behavior wherever it occurs. However, the choice as we know is not between Trump and some moral saint, but between Trump and the vilest couple ever to blight our national life, Shrillary and Bill Clinton.
I like all of your suggestions.
I personally find what Trump said in 2005 disgusting, but am much more disgusted by Democrat policies, behaviors and actual crimes.
No surprises on that list. A lot of pussies out there it seems.
GOP Operative On Donald Trump: “He’s Most Likely Finished.” Posted on October 4, 2015
Here's why Donald Trump won't win the Republican presidential nomination Aug 22 2015
Why Trump Will Never Make the Ballot 08.20.15 6:15 AM ET
This Should Finish Him: Donald Trump Was a Pig for Hours on The Howard Stern Show February 25th, 2016
Bill Kristol: Donald Trump Mystique Would Disappear With Iowa Loss Dec 26, 2015
Shouldn’t it be ,,xxx?
If Trump goes down I want him to take the Republican establishment with him! I am beyond sick to my stomach I want action!
Please let me be blunt:
Trump’s outspoken manner and coarse language are one of the primary reasons I am voting for him.
He says what he thinks at the moment in the moment.
It is exciting for me to vote for a man who has two functioning testicles in the capacity to respond physically to a beautiful woman. And the idea that we would elect yet another limped out pussy for president after the one we just endured for eight years is appalling to me.
So the man is capable of getting or keeping an erection. To me this is a very big deal . The current president probably likes other boys which I find disgusting and the Democrat is currently running for president is a living breathing form of birth control. Just seeing her on a daily weekly or monthly basis is enough to sterilize every man in the country.
Hillary Clinton is a form of psychological birth control. A repulsive ugly hateful woman. And those who support her in the Republican Party need to be kicked out starting with Paul Ryan.
When women objectified themselves by exposing themselves in public by teasing and sexually manipulating the men around them it is pretty stupid then for those very same people to turn around and complain that women should not be objectified. We are all sexual objects. We were made that way on purpose-it causes propagation of the species according to the command of God.
That people don’t always treat that with the same politically and socially correct language that an evangical Christian approves of is tough toenails to me.
Anybody who’s too holy for sex and acknowledging the key role that sexuality plays in our psyche as human beings is too holy for me and probably too Holy for God.
After all God is the one who gave us the sex drive to begin with.
Unless these Trump hating politicians within the Republican Party are castigated thrown out and destroyed permanently they will be a thorn in the side of every red blooded American for the next session Congress and they will thwart every intention and purpose of the American people for the next four years as a bare minimum . It’s important to get them out before the selection and if I were Trump I would reach across the aisle to Paul Ryan’s opponent right now and make a move to support that person just to spite Paul Ryan he’s not a Republican he’s a traitor
RINOs are not named The Stupid Party in any kind of error.
Trump really was a democrat when he did this. lol!
Trump’s affiliations have gone back and forth. Here’s a quick look:
Month and year of registration - Party affiliation
July 1987 Republican
October 1999 Independence Party
August 2001 Democrat
September 2009 Republican
December 2011 No party affiliation (independent)
April 2012 Republican
Ive said for the longest time that the GOP are just like Democrats, just better dressed and you are seeing it today..they have their own agenda..see..they want Democrats to remain in power so they can play the victim card..they wanted Obama to win, that way they can go after his agenda after wards and claim they are against it..the Democrats agenda is THEIR Agenda that simple..some call them the GOP Establishment..I call them the progressive wing of the Republican Party..just like there is a progressive wing of the Dem party, same thing
GOPe should have backed a better candidate than Jeb!.
I don’t speak for anyone but myself, but personally, I’m tired of getting my intelligence (among other things) insulted by these lackluster country-club insiders they keep running.
Report: GOP circular firing squad goes into action.
All the NeverTrumpers and a few nobody’s anyone has ever heard of. Hugh Hewett, didn’t he come out against Trump not long ago for not releasing his taxes, then he reluctantly agreed to support him, and is now back to not supporting him. I suppose tomorrow night if Trump wipes the floor with Clinton, he’ll jump back on the Trump train. What a bunch of sorry a$$ losers.
One word: Obiwan.
“He’s an elite from Hollywood - where women are treated like whores... and we’re suppose to believe Schwarzenegger’s ‘offended’.
Gimme a break. I wasn’t born yesterday.”
If I recall, didn’t Schwarzenegger have a child by his maid? The hypocrisy is nauseating.
Shameless Hypocrites & fools, every last one of them.
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