This article was written by Cath Kestler, DNC member since 2007 and resident of Silver Creek. As you can see this article was written a few days ago, before the second presidential debate.

If you weren’t under a rock for the past day and a half, recordings have surfaced from a “hot mic” from Access Hollywood regarding the Republican presidential nominee (being that he complained of a faulty mic during the first debate).  It’s all over the place and you can’t escape it, even Republican politicians are condemning this to their kids and grandkids.

We want to use a presidential race as a learning experience, but folks, we have entered a whole new ballgame.  But it’s not the recording that is so bad, although it’s downright revolting.  It’s the thoughts and actions of the person behind it.  He brags about all the time she has forced himself on women.  Yes, he did FORCE HIMSELF ON WOMEN.  The fact that he has had three wives and cheated on all of them with the successor while still married to the previous wife.  He fondles his daughter and talks about her sexually.  This all goes to his character.

To most women, the recording is insulting and degrading, but we’ve been there before.  What woman has not been the object of such men’s actions?  We’ve learned to deflect this type of behavior, even as our skin crawls and we’d like to kick that vile pig in the balls.  But we move on.  We’ve had a lot of experience with the behavior in the recording.  It’s vile. It’s odious. It’s indefensible.  But it has been there for years and it has been whitewashed.

However, if this is what it takes to make Trump fall, then what is, in fact, truly repugnant is the moral of his supporters.

He’s called Mexicans rapists. He’s called for the elimination of Muslims from our country.  He’s called for torture.  He’s called for “punishing” women who have had abortions. He’s portrayed Blacks as living on the edge of society with “nothing to lose.”  He’s called war heroes “losers.”  He’s called ruthless dictators “powerful” and “great leaders.”  He’s called himself a “great businessman” for cheating and stealing from suppliers, contractors and employees.  His morals and his beliefs are abhorrent to anyone with any sense of decency.  His impulse control is nonexistent.  He’s incapable of telling the truth.

So how did he get so far? Why didn’t his “birther” movement, meant to insult and invalidate our President, cause him to be pushed to the wayside? Why didn’t his primary ploys disqualify him?  He is close to becoming the President of the United States and the Leader of the Free World.  If this doesn’t terrify you, if this doesn’t make his supporters sit back, in alarm, and rethink their positions, then what’s the big deal with the recording?  After all, it just confirms what we’ve already known all along. And until now, it’s been okay with far too many people.  That is what is truly repugnant.

As I write this piece, currently there is news trucks camped out on Pence’s lawn waiting for him to throw in the towel.  The RNC has stopped all of his mailings and his funding is being cut.  Reince Preibus and Kellyanne Conway were slated to be on all the Sunday morning talk shows and they cancelled their appearances.  Trump’s campaign is hemorrhaging at the jugular.

Yes, Trump has apologized—those are just words, he will never change.  A statement was released by Rep. Tom Reed that stated: “Women are never to be talked about in that way.  As someone with eight older sisters, a wife and daughter I care deeply about, it is disappointing and offensive to hear these words.  It is not right and these comments must be called out for what they are, just wrong.”  Last year Reed lost campaign staff due to his disappointing and offensive way he treats them.

Trump is not perfect, we know that, but as many of you, we’re all for Trump to be the agitating, disruptive force against decency.

Now the list as of deadline is at one-hundred-fifty Congress members have taken back their endorsements from Trump, but Reed remains steadfast.

John Plumb, Reed’s opponent in his re-election bid lashed into Reed for his “dangerous double-speak” regarding Trump.  “It is clear that Reed made self-serving political calculation that this is the best way to advance his Washington career and the special interests he protects.”

I, personally have to ask Trump supporters.  If something Trump said or did 10 years ago is of no significance, then anything Hillary has said or done prior to now that you disapprove of is hereby nullified.  Sorry, no time limits.  Checkmate.