thehill
By Jonathan Easley
October 07, 2016, 11:38 pm
Democrats are casting Trump’s remarks as “predatory.”
Top Republican leaders from Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on down are releasing furious statements demanding that Trump issue a full apology.
The outpouring of anger from within the GOP has been extraordinarily, coming with just over a month to go until the election. Trump’s former primary rivals, like Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), have turned up heat on the nominee, characterizing his remarks as beyond the pale.
Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), who has long had an uneasy relationship with Trump, backed out of their first planned joint appearance, a Saturday event in the battleground state of Wisconsin that was meant as a show of unity. He said he was “sickened” by what he heard from Trump.
“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.
Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, went on his local news channel to retract his endorsement of Trump.
“I’m out,” Chaffetz said.
Some of Trump’s Republican critics — including vulnerable GOP Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) — are even demanding that Trump drop out of the race.
The furor stirred rampant speculation that Republicans might cut Trump loose. Sean Spicer, the Republican National Committee’s chief strategist, sought to put those concerns to bed, denying reports of late-night meetings to replace the nominee.
http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/299961-trump-plunged-into-crisis-as-gop-recoils-from-vulgar