Area Republicans produce mixed reactions to 2005 Trump comments
Photo by Brooke Marsh
In a 2005 video released last week by the Washington Post, Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump is heard discussing kissing and groping women without consent.
“When you’re a star they let you do it,” Trump said. The vulgar sexual comments prompted dozens of Republican party leaders to abandon their support for the candidate.
Some elected Republican officials — including Arizona Sen. and former party presidential nominee John McCain and Former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice — called for Trump to withdraw from the race. John Rackoski, vice president of communications for the College Republicans at VCU said the organization’s members still unanimously support Trump despite the tape and recent fall-out.
“The general reaction among our members was that of anger at the media, as well as at Republican Party officials who have rescinded their endorsements of Mr. Trump over the issue,” Rackoski said. “Though we all thought the language used in the tape was disgusting, it is language we hear used by both men and women on a daily basis, just walking across campus or sitting in the dining hall.”
Rackoski said the comments seem like a distraction from real issues facing the country.
“Nearly everyone acts differently in private among friends than they would in public,” Rackoski said. “I believe there are few adults alive who could honestly say that they have never used inappropriate language in private that they would never have used in public.”
In contrast, Virginia Republican leaders had differing reactions to the recording.
“This is disgusting, vile and disqualifying,” said Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-10th) in a statement. “No woman should ever be subjected to this type of obscene behavior and it is unbecoming of anybody seeking high office.”
Comstock also called for Trump to drop out of the race.
“Trump’s comments are crude,” said Rep. Dave Brat in a statement “I reject them totally.”
Brat’s opponent in the upcoming 7th District race, Eileen Bedell, criticized Brat’s 252-word response as not being harsh enough and joined Comstock in a call for Trump to step aside in the race. Corey Stewart, then-chairman of Trump’s Virginia campaign said Trump acted like a frat boy, “as a lot of guys do,” but didn’t think the tape will change votes.
According to The Washington Post, Stewart was fired last Monday after taking part in a protest at the Republican National Committee headquarters where he warned the party against abandoning Trump. According to the Trump campaign, Stewart did not have their knowledge or approval for the protest.
SaraRose Martin, Contributing Writer
