2016 Oct 8^th

Donald Trump’s past has resurfaced and bitten him on the kiester. By now everyone has heard his latest insulting remarks about women, particularly about how rich and famous men like himself can do anything he likes with them. Not all of them it seems, one woman resisted his advances, and lo, Donald Trump admitted that he had struck out with her. Of course he pointed out that she didn’t look nearly as good now as she did when he was “putting the moves” on her. What a gallant fellow.

This unfortunate conversation was taped about mid-September of 2005. Trump was just over nine months into his third marriage to Melania Knauss, which occurred January 22, 2005. Perhaps his newlywed ardor for Melania had begun to fade just a bit, maybe helped by Melania’s now three month old pregnancy with their son Barron who would be born March 20, 2006…but who knows.

There are some who claim that Trump has changed since 2005 but there is no evidence of that. These tapes are so believable primarily because they confirm what everyone already knows about him. His socially conservative base will not abandon him because he is the only thing standing against a very liberal SCOTUS.

There have been calls for an apology and Trump has presented us with a halfhearted effort in that direction. He read his apology from a teleprompter and he was obviously more angry than contrite at having to make the effort. It was one of those classic, “if anyone was offended… yada, yada.” As if he could not believe that anyone could possibly be offended by claiming he could grab women by their genitals and they wouldn’t mind because he was rich and famous. Then he did himself more damage by claiming that he had heard Bill Clinton say far worse. There is no evidence that Bill Clinton ever said the things about women that Trump has said; more importantly, he isn’t running against Bill Clinton. Melania, his wife has just announced that he has apologized and that she has forgiven him so we should forgive him too. That is very nice of her and like his “apology” surely orchestrated by his hired handlers but it won’t help.

Many prominent right wingers are now withdrawing.  Speaker Ryan who was planning a get together with Trump has just withdrawn the invitation. We have not heard from his seriously religious Vice Presidential pick. Governor Pence isn’t talking. Some feel that Trump should remove himself from the ticket but that has no chance. Others have suggested that if Pence expects to have any political future he should remove himself from the ticket. That is more likely.

One of the more hilarious comments came from Washington State party chairperson, Susan Hutchison, who said that Trump’s comments didn’t matter because in 2005 when he made them he was a Democrat.