Actions Trump Empty Words

         Many of us like looking down on others, especially those in powerful positions who get themselves in trouble through their own stupidity, foolishness, arrogance and/or perceived importance.
          In this regard, Donald Trump, the Republican nominee in the U.S. presidential election next month, has turned himself into a pariah in many circles--within and outside of his party--thanks to his just-revealed-and-reviled sexist and misogynistic comments about women in general, and a female soap opera actress in particular, from a 2005 video.
         Yet, three high-profile male Republicans--Sens. Paul Ryan and Ted Cruz, and Vice-Presidential candidate Gov. Mike Pence--who presumably can influence many male and female voters by their own actions, seem like hypocritical political cowards: talking big by publicly condemning Trump's sexist comments, but still supporting him for President of the United States.
        Thus, despite their moralizing against Trump's taped remarks objectifying women, Ryan, Cruz, and Pence seem motivated mainly by their own self-interests, not by their alleged morals. In this context, are they really any better than Trump? 
         In the audio from the video, released on Oct. 7, 2016 by The Washington Post and NBC News, Trump, who was married to his current, third wife at the time, is heard describing efforts to have sex with a married woman, and bragging about women letting him kiss them and grab their genitals because he is famous. 
        "When you're a star they let you do it. You can do anything," Trump says in the video. Seconds later: "Grab them by the p----. You can do anything." Of his impulse to kiss beautiful women: "You know I’m automatically attracted to beautiful — I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait (http://www.ctvnews.ca/world/trump-vows-to-press-on-despite-mounting-calls-from-gop-for-him-to-quit-1.3107441).         
        While watching the rich and powerful with egg on their faces can be among many people’s favorite pastimes, there can’t be much joy now even among Trump’s many dissenters--including many who previously expressed their formal support for him.
        Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz), who had formally supported Trump’s presidential bid, now says enough is enough: "…Donald Trump’s behavior this week, concluding with the disclosure of his demeaning comments about women and his boasts about sexual assaults, make it impossible to continue to offer even conditional support for his candidacy…”
         But McCain, who is up for re-election, appears to be doing some hypocritical moralizing of his own and seems to be trying to save his own political skin by disavowing Trump--saying Trump "alone bears the burden of his conduct and alone should suffer the consequences"  (http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/10/08/mccain-withdraws-support-trump/91797024/).
            Meanwhile, two of Trump’s current high-profile supporters, Sens. Paul Ryan and Ted Cruz, both publicly decried Trump’s audio comments from the video released this week, but their words seem like empty platitudes since they are still formally supporting his presidential bid.

"I am sickened…Women are to be championed and revered, not objectified. I hope Mr. Trump…works to demonstrate…that he has greater respect for women than this clip suggests…"--House Speaker Paul Ryan (http://www.ctvnews.ca/world/republican-reaction-ryan-sickened-cruz-disturbed-by-trump-s-comments-1.3107258). “These comments are disturbing and inappropriate, there is…no excuse for them."-- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who only recently endorsed Trump (http://www.ctvnews.ca/world/republican-reaction-ryan-sickened-cruz-disturbed-by-trump-s-comments-1.3107258).

Continuing to publicly endorse Trump despite denouncing his taped comments negates Ryan’s and Cruz’s criticism of his remarks. These two senators now seem like shallow opportunists--likely hoping their continued public support will get them named to Trump’s cabinet if he wins November’s election.

Even Trump's vice-presidential pick, Gov. Mike Pence, despite publicly proclaiming he can't support Trump's comments about women, is still on the ticket, implicitly endorsing Trump. "As a husband and father, I was offended by the words and actions described by Donald Trump in the eleven-year-old video released yesterday," he said. "I do not condone his remarks and cannot defend them."
           By stressing Trump's video comments are 11 years old, perhaps Pence is trying to ameliorate them and suggest that was the 'old' Trump. And continuing to run with Trump, despite disavowing his sexist comments, implies Pence could have self-serving motives of his own: hoping Trump will quit at the last minute; leaving Pence the Republican presidential nominee by default, if that is possible.

On Oct. 7, 2016 Trump said in a statement he was wrong and apologized for his video comments. But true to form, he implicitly minimized the significance of his remarks on the video by using part of his so-called apology to castigate Bill and Hillary Clinton; and didn't focus just on the apology or demonstrate any discernible insight into his own behavior. Trump also told supporters he won't quit the presidential race because he “will never, ever let you down.” Yet, he doesn’t seem to realize or want to admit that his offensive video comments are just another crude example of why many people think he has already let them down time and time again.