Media & Trump could become bedfellows if sex assault claims rise against him
The Rep. John Conyers thing (retired by groping) along with the Sen. Al Franken resignation (retired by groping) joined by Rep. Trent Franks (retired by weird staff demands), another congressman or two on the verge of possible departure for similar dynamics and, of course, the Roy Moore issue (on the hot seat for dating much younger women—even teenagers, possibly groping), coupled with a chorus of sexual harassment surrounding Harvey Weinstein and the entertainment industry is leading to…the piling on of President Donald Trump?
That end may be where the present trend is heading.
On Monday, Megyn Kelly interviewed three ladies who are pointing their accusatory fingers at Trump for sexual misconduct. No one much cared, until now—when suddenly the argument can be made that what is good for the politicians and talking heads must certainly be good for the President. Even U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley told “Face the Nation" that sexual whistle-blowers should be heard and that “we should all be willing to listen to them."
Trump might be called to testify for a lawsuit by a former "Apprentice" contestant who claims groping by Trump back in 2007. Given the demands of the presidential office, however, it’s highly unlikely that he will ever see the inside of the courtroom related to that case.
The President seems able to fend off such accusations for the time being with “Fake News,” a diatribe that has proven exceedingly successful to this point. That charge continues to gain traction due to the failure of the press to exercise journalistic integrity—recent actions by CNN being a case in point. But will something eventually shift in this matter of Trump’s lack of character? Multiple women came forth during the campaign; nonetheless, he was able to soldier on.
If Trump fans aren’t worried, they should be. Everybody around Harvey Weinstein, John Conyers, Al Franken, and Trent Franks knew what was up in their lives. Friends, staffers, media—it was an “open secret,” one that was apparently tolerated for decades. Until, for some inexplicable reason, it wasn’t.
And therein lies the mystery of the moment. The current wave of quit is quite unique. This many congressional resignations in one brief span of time hasn’t happened since 1861 (Civil War scenario), as pointed out this week by Amber Phillips of the Washington Post. In the nineteenth century, resignations occurred because of war politics. This is different. This is the stuff of scandal. Sexual scandal, at that.
Which brings us to the possible house of cards called the Donald Trump presidency. Heretofore he has gotten away with all manner of seeming unforgivable actions by regularly floating terms like “Fake News!” To the delight of his supporters, it works.
Until it doesn’t.
What might be working more than the charge of “fake news” is what liberals and feminists did and didn’t do during the Clinton presidency when it was extremely obvious to the nation that we had an “Adulterer-in Chief.” Clinton is the president, the Left intoned, and his sex life is none of our business. But he engaged in more than adultery; there were accusations of intimidation, rape, and serious groping and exposure. During the entire debacle, feminists were—on the whole—mute.
If more womanizing allegations emerge (as I suspect), will Trump weather the storm? Interestingly, his best friends in the winds that blow will be the wildly left-of-center media elite (credibly charged with rampant unfairness and bad reporting) and the sexual escapades of previous presidents (Clinton, Kennedy). Strange “bedfellows” (metaphorically), indeed.
Trump’s perseverance is a given to many of his supporters. And they may be right.
But maybe not.