Party Support Mixed for Trump as He Tackles Video Debacle

Donald Trump denied in Sunday's town hall debate that he ever kissed and grabbed women without their consent, then argued that his crude words from a newly released video paled in comparison to what he called former President Bill Clinton's abuse of women.

Standing a few feet away from the former president's wife, he accused Hillary Clinton of attacking those women herself. Trump declared that she should be ashamed.

Clinton did not respond directly to his accusations about her husband's extramarital affairs or any role of her own, but was blistering in her condemnation of his aggressive comments about women in a 2005 tape released Friday.

"I think it's clear to anyone who heard him that it represents exactly who he is," she said, adding that she did not believe Trump had the "fitness to serve" as commander in chief.

Bill Clinton never faced any criminal charges in relation to the allegations, and a lawsuit over an alleged rape was dismissed. He did settle a lawsuit with one of the women who claimed harassment.

The tension between Trump and Clinton was palpable from the start of their 90-minute debate, the second time they have faced off in the presidential campaign. They did not shake hands as they met at center stage. Trump stood and paced throughout Clinton's answers, repeatedly interrupting her.

Ahead of the event, Trump brazenly met publicly with several women who have accused Bill Clinton of unwanted sexual advances and even rape.

The Trump pre-debate event was a sign that he planned to use the former president's sexual history to try to distract from the swirling controversy over his own predatory remarks about women. Trump is under enormous pressure from the Republican Party after the release of a 2005 video in which the businessman can be heard saying his fame allows him to "do anything" to women.

Jennifer Palmieri, Hillary Clinton's communications director, said she wasn't surprised to see Trump "continue his destructive race to the bottom."

She said the Democratic nominee was "prepared to handle whatever Donald Trump throws her way" on the debate stage.

Trump refused to answer questions from reporters about his own aggressive sexual remarks about women during the meeting in a hotel conference room with Paula Jones, Juanita Broaddrick, and Kathleen Willey.

Kathy Shelton, a fourth woman who appeared with Trump, was a 12-year-old Arkansas sexual assault victim whose alleged assailant was defended by Hillary Clinton.

Some of the women seated alongside him, however, were graphic in their accusations against the Clintons.

"Mr. Trump may have said some bad words, but Bill Clinton raped me and Hillary Clinton threatened me," Broaddrick said. "I don't think there's any comparison."

Broaddrick, a former Arkansas nursing home administrator, first claimed 17 years ago that Bill Clinton raped her during a meeting in Little Rock in 1978. Her lawsuit against him was dismissed in 2001 and criminal charges were never filed. Clinton has denied the allegations.

Trump's stunt set up an extraordinary scene in the debate hall. His campaign said all four women planned to attend the event, with Bill Clinton also expected to be present.

Before Friday's new revelations of his sexual remarks about women, Trump's campaign was slumping. Now the release of the 2005 video has some leading Republicans convinced the damage is insurmountable.

The political firestorm was sparked by a 2005 video obtained and released Friday by The Washington Post and NBC News. In the video, Trump, who was married to his current wife at the time, is heard describing attempts to have sex with a married woman.

He also brags to Billy Bush of "Access Hollywood" about women letting him kiss them and grab their genitals because he is famous.

NBC said Sunday that it had indefinitely suspended Bush, now a "Today" show personality, for his role in the crude conversation with Trump.

Trump's own running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, has declared he could neither condone nor defend the remarks in the video revealed on Friday.

Other Republicans have taken the extraordinary step of revoking support for their party's nominee. Among them: Ohio Sen. Rob Portman, New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte - both are running for re-election - and the party's 2008 nominee, Arizona Sen. John McCain. Some called on Trump to quit the race.

Trump's troubles have almost completely overshadowed the release of hacked emails from the Clinton campaign that revealed the contents of previously secret paid speeches to Wall Street. Clinton told bankers behind closed doors that she favored "open trade."

Such remarks were at odds with her tough public comments.

Trump has long hinted he would raise Bill Clinton's sexual history at debates. In what was billed as a videotaped apology for the 2005 videotaped remarks, Trump said "Bill Clinton has actually abused women" and Hillary Clinton "bullied, attacked, shamed and intimidated" her husband's "victims."

As early as last week, Trump had said he didn't plan to raise the issues on the debate stage. But that appeared to change in the hours after his own remarks were made public and a flood of Republicans began turning against him.

Trump says there has "never been anybody in the history of politics that's been so abusive to women" as Bill Clinton.

According to ABC News, Tony Perkins, president of the conservative Family Research Council, said Christians "are left with a choice of voting for the one who will do the least damage to our freedoms."

"This is far from an ideal situation, but it is the reality in which we find ourselves and as difficult as it is, I refuse to find sanctuary on the sidelines and allow the country and culture to deteriorate even further by continuing the policies of the last eight years," Perkins said.

GOP voters agree. According to a Politico/Morning consult poll, 74 percent of  Republican voters want their party to stand behind Trump, while 13 percent said the party should not back him. 

Forty-five percent of the voters polled believe Trump should continue in the race for the White House. 

Dr. Robert Jeffress, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, told Fox News that he still supports Trump despite his comments.

"These statements were lewd, offensive, and indefensible--but they're not enough to make me vote for Hillary Clinton," he said. 

Ralph Reed, founder and chairman of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, said that although Trump's comments were inappropriate they do not outrank issues that should concern the faith community. 

"Given the stakes on the election and the critical issues confronting our nation, an audiotape of an 11-year-old private conversation with an entertainment talk show host is unlikely to rank high on the hierarchy of their concerns," he said in a statement.

It is a large concern for several Republicans, who are revoking support for their party's nominee one month from Election Day. 

Among them are Ohio Sen. Rob Portman, New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte  and the party's 2008 nominee, Arizona Sen. John McCain, who said Trump's behavior made it "impossible to continue to offer even conditional support for his candidacy."

"Cindy and I will not vote for Donald Trump," he continued. "I have never voted for a Democratic presidential candidate and we will not vote for Hillary Clinton. We will write in the name of some good conservative Republican who is qualified to be president." 

Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo said he has also reached that decision but wants another Republican to run on the ticket.  

"Make no mistake. We need conservative leadership in the White House," he said. "I urge Donald Trump to step aside and allow the Republican Party to put forward a conservative candidate like Mike Pence who can defeat Hillary Clinton." 

Trump has vowed that he will never quit and he told the Washington Post Saturday that there is "zero chance" he will step down. 

"They're not going to make me quit, and they can't make me quit," he said of his party.

Conservative Christian leaders, including evangelical leader and conservative activist Gary Bauer, said much is at stake if he backs out.

"The 10-year-old tape of a private conversation in which Donald Trump uses grossly inappropriate language does not change the reality of the choice facing this country," Bauer said. "Hillary Clinton is committed to enacting policies that will erode religious liberty, promote abortion, make our country less safe, and leave our boarders [sic] unprotected."