Donald Trump Live: "I Regret Rude Chat in 2005"

[libby]

The following is from today's paper version of The Washington Post, page 1, then continued in the Style (women's) section. I watched it live yesterday evening. Had been watching coverage of the hurricane. Moved away from that to see what else was in the news, and encountered a different kind of storm  on MSNBC. Watched it unfold nonstop -- except for quick bathroom breaks and food -- until 11 p.m.

The Washington Post
washingtonpost.com

Trump recorded having extremely lewd conversation about women in 2005

In this video from 2005, Donald Trump prepares for an appearance on "Days of Our Lives" with actress Arianne Zucker. He is accompanied to the set by "Access Hollywood" host Billy Bush. The Post has edited this video for length.
(Obtained by The Washington Post)

By David A. Fahrenthold October 8 at 12:44 AM
Donald Trump bragged in vulgar terms about kissing, groping and trying to have sex with women during a 2005 conversation caught on a hot microphone, saying that "when you're a star, they let you do it," according to a video obtained by The Washington Post.

The video captures Trump talking with Billy Bush, then of "Access Hollywood," on a bus with the show's name written across the side. They were arriving on the set of "Days of Our Lives" to tape a segment about Trump's cameo on the soap opera.

Late Friday night, following sharp criticism by Republican leaders, Trump issued a short video statement saying, "I said it, I was wrong, and I apologize." But he also called the revelation "a distraction from the issues we are facing today." He said that his "foolish" words are much different than the words and actions of Bill Clinton, whom he accused of abusing women, and Hillary Clinton, whom he accused of having "bullied, attacked, shamed and intimidated his victims."

"I've never said I'm a perfect person, nor pretended to be someone that I'm not. I've said and done things I regret, and the words released today on this more than a decade-old video are one of them. Anyone who knows me knows these words don't reflect who I am," Trump said.

In an apparent response to Republican critics asking him to drop out of the race, he said: "We will discuss this more in the coming days. See you at the debate on Sunday."

Donald Trump releases statement about vulgar 2005 recording  Play Video1:31
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump released a video statement saying comments from a 2005 video in which he bragged about groping women emerged "don't reflect" who he is. (Donald J. Trump)
The tape includes audio of Bush and Trump talking inside the bus, as well as audio and video once they emerge from it to begin shooting the segment.

In that audio, Trump discusses a failed attempt to seduce a woman, whose full name is not given in the video.

"I moved on her, and I failed. I'll admit it," Trump is heard saying. It was unclear when the events he was describing took place. The tape was recorded several months after he married his third wife, Melania. (bold mine. libby)

"Whoa," another voice said.

"I did try and f--- her. She was married," Trump says.

Trump continues: "And I moved on her very heavily. In fact, I took her out furniture shopping. She wanted to get some furniture. I said, 'I'll show you where they have some nice furniture.'"

"I moved on her like a bitch, but I couldn't get there. And she was married," Trump says. "Then all of a sudden I see her, she's now got the big phony tits and everything. She's totally changed her look."

At that point in the audio, Trump and Bush appear to notice Arianne Zucker, the actress who is waiting to escort them into the soap-opera set.

"Your girl's hot as s---, in the purple," says Bush, who's now a co-host of NBC's "Today" show.

"Whoa!" Trump says. "Whoa!"

"I've got to use some Tic Tacs, just in case I start kissing her," Trump says. "You know I'm automatically attracted to beautiful — 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," Trump says. "You can do anything."

"Whatever you want," says another voice, apparently Bush's.

"Grab them by the p---y," Trump says. "You can do anything."

[Down-ballot Republican candidates brace for impact of Trump comments]

A spokeswoman for NBC Universal, which produces and distributes "Access Hollywood," declined to comment.

"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," Trump said in a statement. "I apologize if anyone was offended."

Billy Bush, in a statement released by NBC Universal, said: "Obviously I'm embarrassed and ashamed. It's no excuse, but this happened eleven years ago — I was younger, less mature, and acted foolishly in playing along. I'm very sorry."

After the video appeared online Friday afternoon, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton wrote on Twitter: "This is horrific. We cannot allow this man to become president." Her running mate, Sen. Tim Kaine (Va.), told reporters, "It makes me sick to my stomach," while campaigning in Las Vegas.

Planned Parenthood Action Fund, which has endorsed Clinton, issued a statement from Executive Vice President Dawn Laguens saying: "What Trump described in these tapes amounts to sexual assault."

Trump was also criticized by members of his own party. House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, who said he is "sickened" by Trump's comments, said the Republican presidential candidate will no longer appear with him at a campaign event in Wisconsin on Saturday.

"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," Ryan said in a statement.

In a short statement issued moments after Ryan's, Trump said his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, "will be representing me" at the Wisconsin event.

Sen. Kelly Ayotte (N.H.), who is running for reelection and has said she will vote for Trump, called his comments "totally inappropriate and offensive."

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, who has stood by Trump uncritically through numerous controversies, said in a statement: "No woman should ever be described in these terms or talked about in this manner. Ever."

Former presidential candidate Mitt Romney, a Trump critic, said in a statement: "Hitting on married women? Condoning assault? Such vile degradations demean our wives and daughters and corrupt America's face to the world."

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said the comments are "repugnant, and unacceptable in any circumstance" and made clear Trump's brief statement would not suffice.

"As the father of three daughters, I strongly believe that Trump needs to apologize directly to women and girls everywhere, and take full responsibility for the utter lack of respect for women shown in his comments on that tape," he said late Friday.

One of Trump's most prominent social-conservative supporters, Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council, told BuzzFeed's Rosie Gray: "My personal support for Donald Trump has never been based upon shared values."

Trump's running mate, Pence, was at a diner in Toledo when the news broke — about to view the diner's collection of signed cardboard hot-dog buns, which includes one signed by Trump. But the reporters traveling with Pence were quickly ushered out of the diner by campaign staff, before they could ask Trump's running mate about it, according to Politico. Politico reported that the journalists, traveling in Pence's "protective pool," were not permitted to film Pence as he left the diner.

The tape appears at a time when Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, has sought to make a campaign issue out of his opponent's marriage. Trump has criticized former president Bill Clinton for his past infidelity and criticized opponent Hillary Clinton as her husband's "enabler."

"Hillary Clinton was married to the single greatest abuser of women in the history of politics," Trump told the New York Times in a recent interview. "Hillary was an enabler, and she attacked the women who Bill Clinton mistreated afterward. I think it's a serious problem for them, and it's something that I'm considering talking about more in the near future."

Trump carried on a very public affair with Marla Maples — his eventual second wife — while still married to first wife Ivana Trump.

Trump has been criticized in this campaign for derogatory and lewd comments about women, including some made on TV and live radio. In an interview Wednesday with KSNV, a Las Vegas television station, Trump said that those comments were made for entertainment.

"A lot of that was done for the purpose of entertainment. There's nobody that has more respect for women than I do," he told the station.

"Are you trying to tone it down now?" asked the interviewer, Jim Snyder.

"It's not a question of trying, it's very easy," Trump said.

The tape obtained by The Post seems to have captured Trump in a private moment, with no audience beyond Bush and a few others on the bus. It appears to have been shot around Sept. 16, 2005, which was the day media reports said Trump would tape his soap-opera cameo.

The video shows the bus carrying Trump and Bush turning down a street on the studio back lot. The two men cannot be seen.

"Oh, nice legs, huh?" Trump says.

"Oof, get out of the way, honey," Bush says, apparently referencing somebody else blocking the view of Zucker.

The two men then exit the bus and greet Zucker.

"We're ready, let's go," Trump says, after the initial greetings. "Make me a soap star."

"How about a little hug for the Donald?" Bush says. "He just got off the bus."

"Would you like a little hug, darling?" Zucker says.

"Absolutely," Trump says. As they embrace, and air-kiss, Trump says, "Melania said this was okay."

The video then follows Trump, Bush and Zucker into the studio. Trump did appear on "Days of Our Lives" in late October. In a tape of that cameo posted online, Zucker's character asks Trump — playing himself — for a job at his business, and tells him suggestively, "I think you'll find I'm a very willing employee. Working under you, I think, could be mutually beneficial."

Trump's character gives her the brushoff.

"That's an interesting proposition," Trump says on-screen. "I'll get back to you."

A publicist for Zucker did not immediately respond to questions on Friday afternoon.

Rosalind S. Helderman, Mike DeBonis, Jenna Johnson and Sarah Parnass contributed to this report.

Also read: Trump Foundation ordered to stop fundraising by N.Y. attorney general's office

Trump prepares for debate rebound but refuses to be controlled

Billy Bush was already polarizing. This makes it much worse.

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David A. Fahrenthold covers the 2016 presidential campaign for The Washington Post. He has been at the Post since 2000, and previously covered Congress, the federal bureaucracy, the environment, and the D.C. police.  Follow @Fahrenthold

www.washingtonpost.com

[Locutus]

Oh, that's just locker room talk.  </sarcasm>

[me]

With Bill's track record and her record defending him I think Hill better leave that one alone. I do believe Bill's as bad or worse.

[Locutus]

With Bill's track record and her record defending him I think Hill better leave that one alone. I do believe Bill's as bad or worse.

I don't think Hillary needs to say a thing about this.  Trump is sinking his own ship quite well without her help. 

[The Troll]

With Bill's track record and her record defending him I think Hill better leave that one alone. I do believe Bill's as bad or worse.

  There you go again Sweet Pootooie.  Saying something you can't prove.  Why don't you let the Donald grab you ***** and give you a thrill for a change.   


                        Vote for the ***** grabber Donald Trump    And make America great again, one grab and a time. 

[bjayers]

Minutiae.  Small minds = small thoughts.

[bjayers]

You know, it really is "locker room talk".  Nothing more.

[me]

How many presidents had things like this no one knew about? Did that have anything to do with whether they made good presidents? Clinton is a slime bucket and he got elected twice. There are women out there who are groupies and most men will take advantage of that or at least discuss it in private with their buddies, whether they use the same language Trump did is neither her nor there, this is simply a distraction from the issues so people will be more focused on this than what is being said tomorrow night and you can bet the people asking the questions will try to dwell on it rather than the issues as will Hillary.

[Palehorse]

The GOP is practically stampeding to distance themselves from Trump and seeking ways to replace him. 

You cannot make this shit up. . .

[AbbyTC]

You know, it really is "locker room talk".  Nothing more.

No it's not.  He's perpetuating a rape culture where women are objectified and are here to please men sexually. "Grab them by the p***y" is sexual assault, plain and simple.  Is this the way you want your wife, daughter, sister thought of?  This is not the only time he has said disparaging comments about women. It's definitely a pattern with him.  You have a man that wants to be president saying those kinds of things about women, what do you expect men are going to do? Boys and teens are listening to what he is saying and they are going to think it is ok.  Have you been sexually assaulted Bjayers?  If you have or are close to someone who has, your viewpoint might change.  I have been sexually assaulted and hearing his words makes me sick. 

One more thing, when was the last time you walked down a street and had to worry about someone making cat calls at you and wonder if you were going to get attacked?  That happened to me yesterday.  When was the last time you were at work and had to keep an eye on a customer because of the way they looked at you and started following you?  That happened to me last week.  "There is implicit sexism all though American culture that is absorbed by men and boys every single day. Male privilege is real, and most men exert it in big and small ways without realizing it on a daily basis. Even well-meaning men can and do behave in sexist ways." from an article on Politicus USA  Sexual Assault Isn't Locker Room Talk: It's Time For Men To Join Women In Rejecting Trump.

"That's the world where Donald Trump lives: a world where men are people, and women are women. Not quite people. Something different. That's why Trump was always famously telling female employees that a man was better than a woman, but that a good woman is better than 10 good men. Would you say this about any other category of person and treat it like a compliment? No, of course you would not.He lives in a world where the highest compliment you can give a woman — even your own daughter — is that you would sleep with her. And it's not creepy, because — well, what else might a woman possibly want?  That is the awful thing about this conversation. It is not that it is especially lewd, although it is. It is not that it is violent and awful and wrong, although it is. It is the fact that it is, within certain circles, still quite normal. It's the fact that Donald Trump used, as a defense, the idea that he'd said much worse.  It's the fact that when Billy Bush heard him, Bush did not stop the bus they were riding on and say, "MY GOD, MAN, YOU ARE SICK! THIS IS SICK! THIS IS AWFUL!" He nodded. He laughed. You had the sense that Donald Trump could have escalated still further — past non-consensually grabbing people by the p—y (that's sexual assault, by the way) — and into building himself a coat from female skin before Bush would have begun pushing back." From the Washington Post. 

[me]

The GOP is practically stampeding to distance themselves from Trump and seeking ways to replace him. 

You cannot make this shit up. . .

I guess NBC is beating that drum but I heard otherwise from some party members.

[Palehorse]

I guess NBC is beating that drum but I heard otherwise from some party members.

The National leadership of the GOP are beating the drum there sweetheart. Pay attention. Even the Anti-Christ Himself has canceled the next VP debate because there is no defense possible.

[me]

No it's not.  He's perpetuating a rape culture where women are objectified and are here to please men sexually. "Grab them by the p***y" is sexual assault, plain and simple.  Is this the way you want your wife, daughter, sister thought of?  This is not the only time he has said disparaging comments about women. It's definitely a pattern with him.  You have a man that wants to be president saying those kinds of things about women, what do you expect men are going to do? Boys and teens are listening to what he is saying and they are going to think it is ok.  Have you been sexually assaulted Bjayers?  If you have or are close to someone who has, your viewpoint might change.  I have been sexually assaulted and hearing his words makes me sick. 

One more thing, when was the last time you walked down a street and had to worry about someone making cat calls at you and wonder if you were going to get attacked?  That happened to me yesterday.  When was the last time you were at work and had to keep an eye on a customer because of the way they looked at you and started following you?  That happened to me last week.  "There is implicit sexism all though American culture that is absorbed by men and boys every single day. Male privilege is real, and most men exert it in big and small ways without realizing it on a daily basis. Even well-meaning men can and do behave in sexist ways." from an article on Politicus USA  Sexual Assault Isn't Locker Room Talk: It's Time For Men To Join Women In Rejecting Trump.

"That's the world where Donald Trump lives: a world where men are people, and women are women. Not quite people. Something different. That's why Trump was always famously telling female employees that a man was better than a woman, but that a good woman is better than 10 good men. Would you say this about any other category of person and treat it like a compliment? No, of course you would not.He lives in a world where the highest compliment you can give a woman — even your own daughter — is that you would sleep with her. And it's not creepy, because — well, what else might a woman possibly want?  That is the awful thing about this conversation. It is not that it is especially lewd, although it is. It is not that it is violent and awful and wrong, although it is. It is the fact that it is, within certain circles, still quite normal. It's the fact that Donald Trump used, as a defense, the idea that he'd said much worse.  It's the fact that when Billy Bush heard him, Bush did not stop the bus they were riding on and say, "MY GOD, MAN, YOU ARE SICK! THIS IS SICK! THIS IS AWFUL!" He nodded. He laughed. You had the sense that Donald Trump could have escalated still further — past non-consensually grabbing people by the p—y (that's sexual assault, by the way) — and into building himself a coat from female skin before Bush would have begun pushing back." From the Washington Post.

Get a grip they're words and nothing more.

[Palehorse]

Get a grip they're words and nothing more.

Hypocrite.

[me]

The National leadership of the GOP are beating the drum there sweetheart. Pay attention. Even the Anti-Christ Himself has canceled the next VP debate because there is no defense possible.

Then they're stupid and doing exactly what the Hillary campaign planned on them doing. If she can't steal this election one way she'll do it another.