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 I've never withdrawn in my life."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
All I got to say about this is if Trump doesn’t win, I’ll never vote republican again.
All I got to say about this is if Trump doesn’t win, I’ll never vote republican again.
I am so pissed off at the GOPe and media and Liberals that I just donated another $100 to Trump and will crawl over glass lit on fire to vote for Trump !!!
PATRIOTS RISE UP!!!
STOP THIS CORRUPT GOVERNMENT !!!
VOTE TRUMP !!!
Wow, pansies sprinting to try to be the first in the politically correct line...which is impossible because radical progressive democrats define what is politically correct.
PATRIOTS RISE UP!!!
STOP THIS CORRUPT GOVERNMENT !!!
VOTE TRUMP !!!
Well stated. Let’s hope the silent majority shows its force on election day.
Time to clear the cesspool of vipers known as Washington, MSM, Clinton Cabal.
What's flawed are tepid spineless globalist giving feint praise to Trump. Screw you. Speak for yourself buckwheat. FOAD.
Your candidate needs all the support he can get, tepid, feint, or otherwise. You might want to consider putting your hackles back down (or whatever other, colorful phrase may apply) and accept someone on your side regardless the level of ferver.
Hypocrites. Holier-than=thou hypocrites.
Every single one of them.
You’re right... every last one of ‘em....
“If he is down 20 points in a weeks time then maybeeeee!”
Nope.
Even if they rig a poll....nope.
Headline:
MILLIONS OF VOTERS ALL IN FOR TRUMP, DESPITE THE LATEST NOISE FROM GOP CANDIDATES THAT LOST TO TRUMP IN THE PRIMARIES.
If those who know how can do this....
The people now unendorsing Trump should find their bank accounts emptied. Vaporized.
Throw in serious credit card debt and horrid credit scores.
Huh? What a weird thing to say. Also I’m reasonably sure that the people who know how to do that stuff work at the banks these accounts are at and maybe aren’t so much on the Trump Train.
I wasn’t going to bother you again but, since we were discussing hypocrites, I just learned something that almost sent me into orbit.
Our “Esteemed” Governor of Alabama, RINO Bentley, stated that he couldn’t vote for Trump because of Trump’s words.
I don’t know if you remember but, several months ago, the 73 year old Bentley was embroiled in a scandal in which his wife of 50 years divorced him because he had a younger mistress.
So we have another adulterer condemning Trump. Hypocrisy is one thing that really steams me and all these GOPE hypocrites are enraging me. What unmitigated gall.
Hugh Hewitt, conservative radio talk show host, previous Trump backer
As God is my witness, I will never listen to this imp again, ever.
I think her porno Christmas tree exposed to CHILDREN in the White House would be excellent to bring up. She’s ten times more lewd than Trump ever was.
Would turn the tables on her. And BTW, she got a lot of laughs out of her pornographic Christmas tree. Explained in Unlimited Access. Tree’s photo on the dust cover with children looking at it.
’ ... over the top with his statements ... ‘
That’s why Trump is our nominee.
Most repbulicans think that democrat behavior is so sick that it’s ‘over the top’ to even mention it.
HYPROCASY “Girly-Men” at play. “They NEVER said such things”. Give me a break !!!
But... but... but... he never had 'impure' thoughts about the younger woman, right? /s
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