Welcome to McClatchy’s Voter Survival Guide, an interactive presentation of daily events from one of the strangest presidential campaigns in modern history.
Anderson Cooper’s dogged questioning of Donald Trump’s history with women during Sunday’s debate led to the latest revelation against the Republican nominee.
Four women, two who came forward to the New York Times one who spoke to the Palm Beach Post and a writer for People, say Trump inappropriately touched or kissed them.
“All of a sudden I felt a grab, a little nudge,” said Mindy McGillivray about an incident that occurred in 2003. “I think it’s Ken’s camera bag, that was my first instinct. I turn around and there’s Donald. He sort of looked away quickly. I quickly turned back, facing Ray Charles, and I’m stunned.’’
Trump’s campaign has denied all of the allegations and threatened to sue the New York Times.
"Your article is reckless, defamatory and constitutes libel per se," said Marc E. Kasowitz, a lawyer representing Trump, in a letter to Times executive editor Dean Baquet. "We hereby demand that you immediately cease any further publication of this article, remove it from your website and issue a full and immediate retraction and apology. Failure to do so will leave my client with no option but to purse all available actions and remedies."
Donald Trump lost a lot of Republican support after a hot mic captured the Republican nominee saying inappropriate things about women.
But days later four Republicans who called on Trump to step down changed course.
Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Rep. Scott Garrett (R-N.J.) and Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-Ala.) all said that they will support the Republican nominee. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) also said he would likely vote for Trump.
That’s in contrast to public statements the four made just days ago.
“I know you know I put out a statement on Friday and it was with regard to Mr. Trump’s comments,” Fischer said. “I felt they were disgusting. I felt they were unacceptable. But, I never said I was not voting for our Republican ticket.”
Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway said Republican lawmakers need to stop “pussyfooting around” when it comes to supporting the Republican nominee, a curious choice words considering the recent leaked video.
Evangelicals slammed Bill Clinton for marital infidelity, but appear to give Trump a pass for his latest comments.
The polls open nationally in 25 days. Let’s get started.
More allegations of sexual assault
During Sunday’s debate, moderator Anderson Cooper started an exchange with Trump about a lewd video that was released last Friday. Trump insisted the remarks were “locker room talk” and denied ever touching or kissing a woman inappropriately.
“For the record, are you saying that what you said on the bus 11 years ago, that you did not actually kiss women without consent or grope women without consent?” Cooper asked.
After some back-and-forth, Trump responded “And I will tell you, no I have not.”
That response emboldened four more women to come forward, saying Trump’s lied during the debate.