Trump apologizes for 2005 comments that `sickened" fellow Republicans

"I said it. I was wrong. I apologize," Trump says in a video statement he posted on Facebook after a recording of a 2005 conversation in which he bragged about groping women and his own sexual prowess came to light. "Anyone who knows me, knows these words don't reflect who I am."

 

In the Facebook video he said he had changed, and the story about the comments was "nothing more than a distraction from the importantissues we are facing today."

 

In earlier written apology shortly after the recording of his conversation emerged he called the comments "locker room banter."

 

The recording, first released by the Washington Post, came to light at a critical time for Trump just two days before he faces his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton in their second face-to-face debate. It stands to further lower his ratings among women voters – a group he is already struggling to win over.

 

It also dilutes his efforts to make a campaign issue out of Clinton's marriage and the sex scandal her husband was impeached over in 1998.

 

But Trump's video apology tried to draw a contrast between himself and Bill Clinton.

 

"I've said some foolish things, but there's a big difference between the words and actions of other people. Bill Clinton has actually abused women, and Hillary has bullied, attacked, shamed and intimidated his victims," he said.

 

Trump's comments in the 2005 conversation opened him up to new and even harsher criticism from his foes. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat from Nevada, said every Republican elected official should revoke their endorsements of Trump and "state that they will not vote for their party's nominee, who has been caught on tape bragging about routinely sexually assaulting women."

 

Trump referred to grabbing women "by the pussy" and the "phony tits"of a married woman he had been attracted to. He also describes how he tried to get the woman to have sex with him, admitting he "failed."

 

Reaction to the comments drew swift reaction from Clinton and top Republicans late Friday.

 

"This is horrific," Clinton said on Twitter. "We cannot allow this man to become president."

 

Reince Priebus, head of the Republican Party, condemned the comments,Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, said he was "sickened" by them and the television host who was with Trump when he made the comments said he was ashamed.

 

Ryan also said Trump would not be attending a planned Saturday campaign event with him in his home state of Wisconsin.

 

At the time he made the comments Trump was host of the television show The Apprentice. He apparently was unaware that the conversation on board a bus with Billy Bush, co-host of the celebrity gossip television show Access Hollywood, was being recorded.

 

There were several other people on the bus in addition to Trump and Bush, a cousin of former president George Bush and his brother Jeb Bush, whom Trump knocked out of the race for president earlier this year.

 

The recording begins with Trump bragging that he had "moved" on a woman "very heavily," saying "I did try and fuck her," knowing she was married.

 

He admits he was rebuffed despite trying to ply her by taking her furniture shopping. He then refers to her as having totally changed her look with "big phony tits."

 

The woman is not identified in the recording, but Access Hollywood said it was Nancy O'Dell, a former host of the show.

 

Trump, who at the time had recently married his third wife Melania,went on to discuss his general approach to picking up women after spotting Arianne Zucker, the female actress who was to welcome him at the studio, outside the bus.

 

He is heard saying he needs breath mints because "I'm automatically attracted to beautiful (women) ... I just start kissing them," adding"when you are a star you can do anything - grab them by the pussy."

DPA