Trump

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A little thread drift in a Trump discussion seems appropriate.

[swake]

Women and YOUNG GIRLS that have now accused Donald Trump of Sexual Misconduct, Assaults and Rapes:

June 2013  - Cassandra Searles, Miss Washington USA – Groped during Miss USA Pageant
http://www.king5.com/news/local/miss-washington-2013-says-donald-trump-groped-her/334981243

December 2005 - Natasha Stoynoff, writer for People Magazine – Kissed and Groped at Mar-a-Lago Resort
http://people.com/politics/donald-trump-attacked-people-writer/

2005 – Rachel Crooks – Receptionist at company with offices in Trump Tower – Kissed without permission
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/13/us/politics/donald-trump-women.html?_r=0

January 2003 – Mindy McGillivray – Photographer's Assistant, Groped backstage at concert at Mar-a-Lago Resort
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/palm-beach-post-exclusive-local-woman-says-trump-groped-her/w5ii48gwdJY9htsLl88GcP/?ecmp=pbp_social_twitter_2015_sfp

June 2001 – Tasha Dixon – Miss Arizona USA - Reports that Trump invaded the womens dressing room contestants were naked.
http://www.wtsp.com/news/miss-arizona-usa-trump-was-backstage-as-women-changed-clothes/335073167

August 1997 – Victoria Hughes, Miss New Mexico Teen USA and Mariah Billado, Miss Vermont Teen USA and three other unnamed contestants report that Trump invaded the girls dressing room where girls as young as 15 were naked.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/jtes/a-fifth-teen-beauty-queen-says-trump-visited-dressing-room?utm_term=.vadQ4l3o1#.kyMRXBNbW

1994 – Unnamed Jane Doe – Accusations of rape of 13 year old child in lawsuit
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/oct/12/donald-trump-jeffrey-epstein-alleged-rape-lawsuit

January 1993 - Jill Harth, Potential Business Partner – Groped and Attempted Rape at Mar-a-Lago Resort
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jul/20/donald-trump-sexual-assault-allegations-jill-harth-interview

1989 – Ivana Trump, Wife – In divorce deposition described violent Rape (Recanted as part of divorce settlement)
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/07/27/ex-wife-donald-trump-made-feel-violated-during-sex.html

1980s – Jessica Leeds, Business Woman – Groped on airline flight
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/13/us/politics/donald-trump-women.html?_r=0

These are exactly the kinds of assaults that Trump boasted about in the 2005 Access Hollywood tape and in recordings from the Howard Stern Show.

There are going to be more too, you know that. It's going to be like Cosby again. He may not even make it to the election at this point.

[AquaMan]

I am especially dismayed by headlines that attempt to downplay his behavior, "..Happened 11 years ago...". Well, it was 10 actually and that would put him at 60 years old. An age when you are an adult, with wisdom, experience as a parent and a role model for others. Not some horny empowered grandpa that feels up young girls and ogles them like a teenager.

The other disgusting responses come from those who immediately relate it to Bill Clinton in the 80's and 90's. Like that also makes it understandable, implying that these things just come with power. I know the party needs to stick with him til its over. But anyone I know who personally downplays these episodes has no part in my life.

[swake]

I am especially dismayed by headlines that attempt to downplay his behavior, "..Happened 11 years ago...". Well, it was 10 actually and that would put him at 60 years old. An age when you are an adult, with wisdom, experience as a parent and a role model for others. Not some horny empowered grandpa that feels up young girls and ogles them like a teenager.

The other disgusting responses come from those who immediately relate it to Bill Clinton in the 80's and 90's. Like that also makes it understandable, implying that these things just come with power. I know the party needs to stick with him til its over. But anyone I know who personally downplays these episodes has no part in my life.

One accusation is from just three years ago.

[erfalf]

The other disgusting responses come from those who immediately relate it to Bill Clinton in the 80's and 90's. Like that also makes it understandable, implying that these things just come with power. I know the party needs to stick with him til its over. But anyone I know who personally downplays these episodes has no part in my life.

The human mind can overlook/compartmentalize quit a bit when it is perceived to be someone on their team, or they are being "attacked". Clinton is the perfect example of that. Inadvertently I think those bringing it up are just trying to cover themselves, not the candidate necessarily. "Look you guys got away with it then, why not us now" kind of thing.

Sad commentary on the state of affairs that's for sure. Depressing.

[heironymouspasparagus]

One accusation is from just three years ago.

It is his continuous/ongoing sense of 'entitlement'.

Why isn't Trump in jail??  These are criminal actions for anyone else...

[erfalf]

It is his continuous/ongoing sense of 'entitlement'.

Why isn't Trump in jail??  These are criminal actions for anyone else...

Because he was never charged (or charged and convicted). Better question, why in the heck did all these women not say anything to this point. It's not like it would have been a hard sell. The guy is a sleaze, not like he just became one. And he has had money for a while. I figure even a few would want to line their pockets. Seems simple enough and he probably did do things that were illegal. Why wait?

[AquaMan]

He is a punisher. For instance, he has lost the election but is now intent on a form of "murder/suicide", scorched earth type of response.  He has always been happy to sue, happy to vanquish his enemies, even his family. How does a young girl entering a field that he holds the gate keys to, respond? So, many of these women did tell the press, their friends and families and got no response. No one listened to them or preferred to ignore their stories. Now, having told the press then, there is documentation that he can't escape and people who will listen.

This morning I found out that a young man I transported as a special needs student, had been assaulted as a 15 year old by an older person who gave him booze and drugs then raped him. You don't share these things easily or quickly lest you become more of a victim than you already are. Cosby's victims met the same complaints and disbelief until it became impossible to defend. Then there was Ailes.

[erfalf]

He is a punisher. For instance, he has lost the election but is now intent on a form of "murder/suicide", scorched earth type of response.  He has always been happy to sue, happy to vanquish his enemies, even his family. How does a young girl entering a field that he holds the gate keys to, respond? So, many of these women did tell the press, their friends and families and got no response. No one listened to them or preferred to ignore their stories. Now, having told the press then, there is documentation that he can't escape and people who will listen.

This morning I found out that a young man I transported as a special needs student, had been assaulted as a 15 year old by an older person who gave him booze and drugs then raped him. You don't share these things easily or quickly lest you become more of a victim than you already are. Cosby's victims met the same complaints and disbelief until it became impossible to defend. Then there was Ailes.

Someone else I know contributed heavily to that culture you complain of.

And I get it. But it just seems like low hanging fruit. You really can't put Cosby and Trump on the same level (pre Cosby accusations) in terms of reputation. Cosby was squeaky clean before all of those people started coming forward. 

[Conan71]

I have always found Trump to be a detestable human being and I have little doubt Trump has taken his liberties with women.  However, waiting until an opportune moment such as upending a bid for POTUS does seem a bit suspect in my mind.  You start a gradual leak with the Billy Bush interview then a slow parade of claimants to keep it in the news cycle as long as possible.

I seem to recall salacious allegations by Gennifer Flowers and Paula Jones as well as a legion of others being largely dismissed by the media and public as opportunists looking for attention and money when Bill Clinton was the target.  I don't recall the public outrage this is stirring up.  Mind you: Clinton wasn't just a candidate for POTUS when many of these allegations were revealed, he was the president.  My point being, the media's outrage seems a bit selective.

Some of my more right wing friends who follow moon-bat conservative blogs swear Trump was a plant by the Clintons to make sure Hillary could win and he's been a willing accomplice every step of the way including these allegations.  The supposed payoff for him is tens or hundreds of millions.  I get a good laugh out of conspiracy talk like that.

Oh, and in a big shocker, I read this morning that the WaPo Political Board has endorsed Hillary.  I was totally blind-sided by that.

[Townsend]

He's running for President and has boasted about sexual assault.

He's not running for some backwater office in Oklahoma where this is seen as okay.  This is for POTUS.

It's disturbing.

He boasted about this and Oklahoma will vote over 90% for Trump because of the "R".

[Hoss]

He's running for President and has boasted about sexual assault.

He's not running for some backwater office in Oklahoma where this is seen as okay.  This is for POTUS.

It's disturbing.

He boasted about this and Oklahoma will vote over 90% for Trump because of the "R".

Yep.  What's disturbing is the false equivalency of his supporters.  They will scream and holler about the things that Hillary has done (and yes, she has done some things) as well as the known personal issues with Bill, but when Trump does stuff like this?  It's just 'locker room talk'.

And now the hashtag #Repealthe19th is trending on Twitter...because fivethirtyeight posited a scenario where Trump wins the elections with 450 electoral votes.  But that's only if all men vote.  If it were all women Hillary wins with nearly 500 electoral votes.

For those of you unsure of the referencxe, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution is the one that allowed women the right to vote.

SMH.

[erfalf]

The hypocrisy falls both ways I'm afraid. I seem to recall "the first grope is free" theory being thrown about back in the day. I'm not drawing an equivalence, just pointing out that lunacy is bi partisan.

[cannon_fodder]

My favorite thing is the hypocrisy. If you brag about being able to get away with sexual assault, you can't then act surprised and outraged when women come forward and accuse you of sexual assault.  When you consistently trot out accusers of your opponent's husband and slam your opponent for disparaging the accusers... you can't disparage and threaten to sue your accusers and whine that they are being trotted out even though they are just accusations.

That, my friends, is called hypocrisy.

I seem to recall salacious allegations by Gennifer Flowers and Paula Jones as well as a legion of others being largely dismissed by the media and public as opportunists looking for attention and money when Bill Clinton was the target.  I don't recall the public outrage this is stirring up.  Mind you: Clinton wasn't just a candidate for POTUS when many of these allegations were revealed, he was the president.  My point being, the media's outrage seems a bit selective.

My memory of that is different, my review of the media archives is different too. There were congressional hearings with these women. It was national front page news for years. There are documentaries made discussing the topic. They have their own wikipedia pages discussing the issues. There were many contemporary lawsuits and appeals. Bill Clinton was forced to tender his law license after one of them filed an ethics complaint. Special prosecutors were appointed to look into Clinton's sex life. The BBC, Washington Post, NY Times, every major news organization covered the story - and many had special sections of the paper devoted to developments (a la the OJ case).

There's a remnant of the Washington Posts continuing coverage still on their website:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/pjones/pjones.htm

Plus, one could argue that a lot has changed in ~20 years.  The BS that Clinton pulled is no longer seen as just "boys being boys," which is the point that these women were trying to make then. Plus then you had CNN and newspapers. Now you have dozens of news outlets plus social media. And The Donald draws more attention on mundane things than most politicians did 20 years ago. Being a media whore is a double edged sword.

One could also rightfully point out that the liberal talking heads weren't nearly as outraged then as they are now. But I think the media took equal interest. Hell, at least Bill has had the good sense to shut the hell up on the issue and stay slumped in the "I may have inappropriately touched women" shadows.

- - - -

[Conan71]

He's running for President and has boasted about sexual assault.

He's not running for some backwater office in Oklahoma where this is seen as okay.  This is for POTUS.

It's disturbing.

He boasted about this and Oklahoma will vote over 90% for Trump because of the "R".

And Clinton won not once, but twice with such allegations known about him, some also with beauty pageant contestants.  There were three or four former Miss Arkansas winners who were either groped or poked by Clinton.  Hillary helped marginalize the claims of some of those women.  Seems somewhat ironic Hillary will throw other women under the bus when it suits her aspirations.

The only difference is, Clinton was never taped bragging about it.  One thing about predators like Clinton and Trump is they always like to brag about their conquests.  Again, it's selective outrage.

I never would have thought there would be an election where both major party candidates were such horrible people.  Neither is fit to be POTUS.