New York/Washington, Oct 9 (Reuters): Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump scrambled to prevent his campaign from falling apart early on Saturday with a hastily prepared video statement expressing regret for making lewd comments about women.
Trump declared himself a changed man, but in making his own defence, he raised the infidelities of former president Bill Clinton and slammed his opponent Hillary Clinton, saying he would talk more about their past in the coming days.
Trump has dismissed as irrelevant questions about his own marital infidelities.
The disclosure of a 2005 video of Trump talking on an open microphone showed the then reality TV star speaking openly about groping women and trying to seduce a married woman. The video was taped months after Trump married his third wife, Melania.
“I did try and f*** her. She was married,” Trump said about one woman, before discussing his attraction to others. “I just start kissing them,” he said, adding, “And when you’re a star, they let you do it”. “Grab them by the p****. You can do anything,” Trump said further.
Democrats have sought to highlight such behaviour in order to encourage women voters not to support Trump.
The video overshadowed the publication of excerpts of Hillary’s closed-door paid speeches that were made public on Friday by a hacker who claimed to have obtained them from the email account of John Podesta, the chairman of the Democrat’s campaign.
In the speeches, Hillary advocates for more open borders and trade, a position she abandoned during the primary because it was politically untenable to Democratic progressives. Likewise, Trump has repeatedly criticized her for past support of free trade. The video landed just ahead of the second presidential debate on Sunday night.
A stream of Republican leaders condemned Trump’s lewd remarks, but a few lawmakers distanced themselves further.
Trump, known for his unconventional and controversial speaking style, has made a series of gaffes in his campaign but the graphic nature of the clip would hurt his standing among women, independents, and wavering Republicans, said David Yepsen, director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University.