Trump’s Video Comments Cause Negative Reactions from Republican Officials
On Oct. 7 2016, a recording from 2005 that featured Donald Trump and Access Hollywood host, Billy Bush was released. The recording consisted of Donald Trump and Billy Bush making demeaning comments about women who were on a bus that was on the set of Days of Our Lives.
The recording includes various offensive comments about women, but the ones that stuck out most to the public were the following:
“I moved on her like a bitch, but 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.
“I’m automatically attracted to beautiful [women]—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 … Grab them by the pussy. You can do anything.”
Trump’s “grab them by the pussy” comment caused a mixture of disgust and disbelief across America. Although many were not surprised about his actions, since he’s known for continuously stating sexist and offensive comments, others think that he may have crossed the line with this recording. Some even say that he should have been removed from the GOP ballot.
Trump soon responded to the recording, stating:
“This was locker room banter, a private conversation that took place many years ago. Bill Clinton has said far worse to me on the golf course—not even close. I apologize if anyone was offended.”
Trump’s response to the recording was anything but an apology. His apology consisted of him trying to place the blame on former president Clinton and excusing his degrading remarks as “locker room banter.”
Not only was most of the public not pleased with Trump’s actions, but some officials of the Republican Party were not pleased either.
Mike Pence, Trump’s Vice Presidential candidate, made a statement on Twitter about Trump’s comments:
My statement below: pic.twitter.com/92VYEAxIcl
— Mike Pence (@mike_pence) October 8, 2016
Pence stated that he was “offended” and that he would not “condone his remarks and cannot defend him.”
Paul Ryan, the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, responded to Trump’s remarks by stating:
“I am sickened by what I heard today. Women are to be championed and revered, not objectified. I hope Mr. Trump treats this situation with the seriousness it deserves and works to demonstrate to the country that he has greater respect for women than this clip suggests. In the meantime, he is no longer attending tomorrow’s event in Wisconsin.”
Although Ryan disagreed with and was repulsed by Trump’s comments, he is still endorsing Trump.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell responded to the Trump video by stating that Trump should “apologize to women and girls everywhere.”
McCONNELL: 'Trump needs to apologize directly to women and girls everywhere, and take full responsibility…'. pic.twitter.com/DtUwfWx72V
— Mike DeBonis (@mikedebonis) October 8, 2016
Jason Chaffetz, a Utah Congressman, responded to Trump’s video by saying that he was no longer supporting or endorsing Trump. Chaffetz declared, “I’m out. I can no longer in good conscience endorse this person for president. It is some of the most abhorrent and offensive comments that you can possibly imagine.”
Trump got himself into a rough patch with other Republican officials over his offensive comments. Although only four Republican officials were mentioned, many others shared their repulsion about Trump’s comments.
