Yamiche Alcindor over at The New York Times has written up an interesting analysis of why this latest Donald Trump scandal seems to have had considerably more staying power. I mean, seriously, there have been scandals of how Donald Trump is a straight up fraud, an absolute cancer of a businessman, a racist, a homophobe, a misogynist, an Islamophobe. It has been pretty apparent to anyone watching debates that he has no clue what he is talking about on most subjects. But something about the audio tape of Donald Trump boasting to Billy Bush on a tour bus about being gross with women has really hit a chord and broken through Trump’s seeming immunity with the national media and voters. What’s the difference? Trump’s target here were white women—any and all white women.
Mr. Trump has been accused of belittling women before. He has battled the Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly and publicly feuded with Rosie O’Donnell. But in the recording released on Friday, Mr. Trump says he can have access to any woman’s body because of his fame and moments later is shown arm in arm with a white actress, Arianne Zucker. That seemed to resonate powerfully with Republican leaders, who perhaps could imagine Ms. Zucker as one of their own family members.
Many of the Republicans who withdrew their support from Mr. Trump or increased their criticism released statements citing their daughters, wives and mothers in explaining why the comments were so objectionable.
As Alcindor points out, Bernie Sanders’ former press secretary mentioned this shortly after the story broke.
Many outlets are running with the narrative that Speaker Paul Ryan is fleeing/kinda fleeing Donald Trump in order to save the down ballot elections. This is true but it’s only true because the Republican Party has created an electorate that does not care about anyone but white people. This is the fundamental flaw in the Republican Party.
“White women are part of a strategic base in the Republican Party, and folks, I don’t think they felt this offended just because they have daughters and mothers,” Ms. Sanders said. “I have to believe, as a strategist, that folks thought this is absolutely bad for the party and we can’t win down-ballot races if he’s out here speaking like this and there are more tapes that surface. We have to distance ourselves to save what’s left of our party.”
Burn it down to the ground. The Republican Party has attacked women’s rights for decades, has the same claim to women’s suffrage that they have to Abraham Lincoln—none.
You can watch Ms. Alcindor on MSNBC talking about her article.