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Let’s start with the big picture. Donald Trump’s recorded revelation of felony intent — and yes, it’s that serious — ought to disqualify him from the presidency. This is Trahant Reports.
During a debate Sunday night, Trump apologized. Deflected and at one point tried to pivot and make the conversation about ISIS. Of course the problem is, there is no excuse for Trump’s recorded words. He was off camera at the time and it was more than ten years ago. But let’s be clear, we are not talking about lewd behavior, consensual relationships, or being boorish. Trump said he can engage in criminal behavior. “When you’re a star, they let you do it,” he said. “You can do anything.”
So in the days that followed, we’ve seen dozens of elected Republicans disinvite Trump from events (as is the case with Paul Ryan) and others reverse their endorsement (as happened in Utah, Arizona and New Hampshire) along with calls for Trump to drop out of the race. This is unprecedented and expected. We knew this was Donald J. Trump. This tape is only conformation.
Denise Juneau, who’s running for Montana’s only House seat, called on her opponent Rep. Ryan Zinke to withdraw his endorsement of Trump. “Donald Trump has shown his complete disrespect for women since the beginning of his campaign, but that didn’t stop Congressman Zinke from backing him from day one,” Juneau said in a news release. Montana’s 500,000 mothers, daughters and sisters are watching.”
Watch how this discourse plays out in every congressional race in the country, including the five seats where Native Americans are on ballot.
Of course most politicians will try to talk about something else. North Dakota’s Kevin Cramer would prefer to talk about energy policy. Cramer said this week that the Paris Agreement on climate change is quote “unilaterally disarming the American economy at the behest of the world.” And that statement is exactly why he’s on the side of the Dakota Access Pipeline project and ready to roll over the sovereignty and legitimate concerns of the Standing Rock Sioux.
Even before the Trump tape surfaced, Cramer’s opponent Chase Iron Eyes raised some of these same issues. “Today in my debate with Kevin Cramer I said we are creating a 21st century North Dakota; a North Dakota where women can earn the same as men for the same work! Where women’s sovereignty over their own bodies must be respected,”
In Washington state, Democrat Joe Pakootas immediately denounced the Trump tape. “As a husband, father and grandparent I am appalled and sickened by the vulgar comments spoken by my opponent’s presidential candidate Donald Trump. Most Americans are outraged and disgusted by this sick behavior,” he said. Last night my opponent again expressed her unwavering support for Mr. Trump. He is not fit to be president & anyone who endorses a man like that does not deserve another term in the United States House of Representatives.”
That last sentence sums up the debate ahead.