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 I've never withdrawn in my life."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
Yeah, true and I think I smell something in the bushes...
.
Ryan gets voted out in 30 days will be a good thing.
Yep, the blowback is gonna be “huge” and they will need to “put some ice on that.”
.
I went to cook breakfast and it hit the fan!
Good grief.
You made exactly the right points.
These “Republicans” are either literally so stupid that they should not hold office, or are indeed Dem moles in the Republican party.
Now they outed themselves. No real Republican should support them.
But everyone needs to get out and vote for Trump and watch the establishment go up in smoke in their frustration.
It’s definitely time to “Make America great again”
Carly Fiorina opens her fat ugly mouth again. I want her to tell us why Cruz donated $500K to her campaign.
Amen! Everyone should double down on support for Trump and donate what you can. Why isn’t media mentioning Hillarys crazy emails and her mentioning blacks as nevwr-do-wells? This is our last chance people!
So says the man who shagged his maid and became a father while married to a Kennedy.
JEB! A sure winner!
Awesome! Ryan either misread the voters or just doesn’t give a hoot.
[Just to give a sense of how bad things have gotten in the past 24 hours, he’s lost Hugh Hewitt. ]
LOL! Like he ever had him. This is the establishments last ditch effort to try to dump Trump. They are insane.
Maybe he is fanatically committed (or bought off) to the agenda of open borders that he is willing to sacrifice the country and his political career to advance it.
Great. The only way Hillary could win was by playing dirty. Now the repubs are guaranteeing she’ll win. IDIOTS.
“And replace him with who?
WHO EXACTLY?”
Hillary, of course. She can be both the D and R nominee, that way she can’t lose.
That’s what these anti-Trump so-called Republicans want.
Running against someone in the primary is one thing, but once someone becomes the nominee of the party it’s time to shut up and support him.
That’s right.
How could I forget THAT?
Schwarzenegger. LOL!
Thy name is hypocrite.
Until Trump came along, I figured we'd already gone off the cliff and were just waiting on the crash when we hit the bottom. Then I got hopeful that maybe we hadn't actually gone over the cliff yet and there was a small chance we could avoid doing so.
Now I'm pretty much back waiting for the crash at the bottom of the cliff because it's clear that even if Trump wins the Republicans will be fighting tooth and nail to keep him from getting anything changed and straightened right along with the democrat fascist party.
“LOL when did he post that..is this the same guy that had a child with his illegal alien housekeeper LOL gotta love hypocrites”
I know, is that rich, or what?! Schwartzenwhatzhis name knocked up his matronly — and, yes, it matters that she was matronly because that made it even more inexplicable, and, therefore, humiliating, for his wife — Guatemalan housekeeper — and he has the gall to criticize Trump’s WORDS?!
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