WTF Is Even Happening

On Sunday Donald Trump denied ever sexually assaulting women. As he did so, numerous women across the country yelled “liar!” at the screen. These women have now begun coming forward publicly, telling their stories of being groped and unwillingly kissed by Donald Trump. One woman told of being groped while sitting next to Trump on an airplane. As she explained to the New York Times, she subsequently fled the seat and found somewhere else to sit for the remainder of the flight. Here is how Newt Gingrich responded to this allegation:

“Well, when The New York Times goes back over 30 years to find somebody who had a bad airplane flight, that’s the essence here.”

Apparently now we’re calling being groped by the man sitting in the seat next to you “having a bad airplane flight.” You know, like it’s something akin to having a rude flight attendant or experiencing bumpy flying conditions. Like, oh, that’s a bummer. You had a bad airplane flight. It happens. But Gingrich didn’t stop there:

“I’m happy to stipulate Donald Trump in the past, this is not the Donald Trump that Callista and I know, but Donald Trump in the past may have been crude, if you’re willing to stipulate that Hillary Clinton is both corrupt and dangerous.”

Wait, that’s what we’re calling it now? Being “crude”? He groped a woman? Oh, you know, he was just being crude. There’s a reason people pointed out that Trump’s comments weren’t just lewd (as they were initially called). Committing sexual assault is not the same thing as being crude. But then, those are Gingrich’s words. It’s not like he has a lily white past to point to.

What about Trump’s own campaign? Have a look:

“To reach back decades in an attempt to smear Mr. Trump trivializes sexual assault, and it sets a new low for where the media is willing to go in its efforts to determine this election.”

I’m sorry, what? How exactly does bringing up a decades-old incident of sexual assault “trivialize” sexual assault? WTF does that even mean?

“It is absurd to think that one of the most recognizable business leaders on the planet with a strong record of empowering women in his companies would do the things alleged in this story . . . “

First of all, it is not at all absurd to think a rich and powerful business leader caught on tape bragging about his ability to sexually assault women in fact sexually assaulted women. Second of all, Trump also has a history of dispensing of the women he’s empowered when he feels they’ve risen too high or summarily disparaging them when he feels they’ve become overweight.

” . . . and for this to only become public decades later in the final month of a campaign for president should say it all.”

Does no one at this campaign know how sexual assault works? I’m guessing not, because as far as I can tell his campaign is being run by his kids and that guy from Brietbart. Still, how is it not obvious that more women are coming forward now specifically because Trump lied about his actions on a public stage? And are they really expecting us to ignore the fact that Trump already had women publicly accusing him of groping and uninvited kissing last May? Or that at least one of Trump’s accusers went public with her story as early as 1997?

Besides this, essentially every single one of Trump’s accusers has explained both why they kept silent at the time and why they decided to speak up now. You should read those explanations, because they’re an excellent education in the dynamics surrounding sexual assault—and in how men like Trump get away with it.

And then there’s Corey Lewandowski:

“I find it a little egregious that because Anderson asked a question and they didn’t like his answer after all of the other things, that they decide now this is my impetus to come forward. That is Sunday. Today is now Thursday. It took them four days?”

I’m not sure if Lewandowski knows this, but the New York Times story broke Tuesday and the Palm Beach Post story broke Wednesday, and it actually takes time for women to contact reporters and for reporters to interview them, vet and verify their stories, write the actual news articles, and publish them. I’m impressed the Times did all that so quickly, and the Post wasn’t far behind. The People Magazine story also came out on Wednesday, but it’s my understanding that magazine articles can take longer to write and process than newspaper articles.

I can’t even with this election season. Evangelicals are falling all over themselves to defend Trump—he’s just a sinner like the rest of us, we’re informed—and I’m starting to forget which way is up and which way is down. Also, how did Trump think flat-out lying at Sunday’s debate would be a good idea? Did he honestly think that all of the women he’s sexually assaulted over the years would stay silent in the face of that?

Can it please be November 8th now? I’m ready to be done.

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