22 Times The 2016 Presidential Election Was A Dumpster Fire
By Ayesha
Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images.
1. Donald Trump’s “Locker Room Talk”
Of all the moments when Donald Trump has attacked somebody, this seems to be straw the broke the camel’s back. Racist, islamophobic rhetoric, demeaning Gold Star mothers, kicking babies out of rallies, moral transgressions abound, they’ve all been met with outrage. But none so much as when Donald Trump admitted to groping and harassing women on tape.
In an interview with Billy Bush, Trump bragged about what he could get away with due to his celebrity status. Not only did he discuss kissing women without waiting to hear if they consent, he also offered other vulgarities. Among them was the appalling suggestion that he could “grab women by the pussy.” These claims are not only vile, they generally amount to assault.
Trump’s response? Essentially, boys will be boys. He said that the interview happened many years ago and that it was “locker room talk.” What that seems to amount to is that Trump believes these are normal claims of virility between men. But he’s not talking about being good with women, he’s talking about a deliberate abuse of power because he knows he is too powerful to be punished. It’s especially ironic considering how he likes to deflect all claims of predatory behaviour towards former President Bill Clinton alone.
This tape has resulted in a very reluctant GOP. With their party’s nominee proving time and time again that there isn’t anything he won’t say, many were hoping for a drop-out and ticket led by VP Candidate Mike Pence. But as that hasn’t happened, the Republican party seems to be wondering how they can support a Republican presidency without supporting Trump.