The Terrible Conflagration up at the Place

I am making a major speech in West Palm Beach, Florida at noon. Tune in!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 13, 2016

And this was it....

I can't keep up.

I was writing a post based on the CNN interview with Kellyanne Conway at this link.  I went looking for another link to use to make a point, when I found this was happening:

"She's doing the story on Melania, who is pregnant at the time, and Donald Trump and our one year anniversary," Trump said at a rally in West Palm Beach, Florida. "And said I made inappropriate advances, and by the way, it was a public area and people all over the place."

"Take a look. You take a look. Look at her. And look at her words," Trump said. "And you tell me what you think. I don't think so. I don't think so."

Because obviously, amirite fellas?  When did Rodney Dangerfield decide to run for President?

And this:

"These people are horrible people," he said later, referring to the women who accused him of sexual misconduct. "They’re horrible, horrible liars and interestingly, it happens to appear 26 days before our very important election. Isn't that amazing?"
....
"I ask a very simple question. Why wasn't it part of the story that appeared 20 — or 12 years ago?" he asked the crowd. "Take a look. You take a look. Look at her, look at her words. And you tell me what you think. I don't think so. I don't think so."
....
"We already have substantial evidence to dispute these lies and it will be made public be in an appropriate way and at an appropriate time, very soon.”

As soon as they retrieve it from the pumpkin field in Whittaker Chambers backyard (it's a Roy Cohn thing, you could look it up).  But he ends talking like his campaign manager:*

"I will not allow the Clinton machine to turn our campaign into a discussion of their slander and lies but will remain focused on the issues facing the American people," he continued. "These attacks are orchestrated by the Clintons and their media allies. The only thing Hillary Clinton has going for herself is the press. Without the press, she is absolutely zero."

The New York Times deserves a word at this point:

"The essence of a libel claim, of course, is the protection of one's reputation," David McCraw, assistant general counsel at the New York Times, wrote in a letter. "Nothing in our article has had the slightest effect on the reputation that Mr. Trump, through his own words and actions, has already created for himself."

But the last word deserves to go to Michelle Obama:

"The fact is that in this election, we have a candidate for president of the United States who, over the course of his lifetime and the course of this campaign has said things about women that are so shocking. So demeaning," she said. "I simply will not repeat anything here today. And last week we saw this candidate actually bragging about sexually assaulting women. And I can't believe that I'm saying that."
....
"It would be dishonest and disingenuous for me to move on to the next thing like this was just a bad dream," she said. "This is not something we can ignore. It's not something we can sweep under the rug as just another disturbing footnote in a sad election season. Because this was not just a lewd conversation. This wasn't locker room banter. This was a powerful individual speaking freely and openly about sexually predatory behavior."
....
"I feel it so personally. And I'm sure that many of you do too. Particularly the women,” she said. "The shameful comments about our bodies. The disrespect of our ambitions and intellect. The belief that you can do anything you want to a woman. It is cruel. It is frightening. And the truth is, it hurts. It hurts. It's like that sick sinking feeling you get when you're walking down the street minding your own business. Some guy yells out vulgar words about your body. Or when you see that guy at work that stands just a little too close, stares just a little too long, you feel uncomfortable in your own skin."
....
"This is disgraceful. It is intolerable,” she said. “Doesn't matter what party you belong to. No woman deserves to be treated this way. No one deserves this kind of abuse. I know it's a campaign, but this isn't about politics. It's about basic human decency. It's about right and wrong. We cannot endure this or expose our children to this for any longer. Not for another minute, let alone four years."
....
"How is this affecting men and boys in this country? Because I can tell you that the men in my life do not talk about women like this,” Obama said. "I know my family is not unusual. To dismiss this every day locker room talk is an insult to decent men everywhere. The men that you and I know don't treat women this way. They are loving fathers sickened by the thought of their daughters being exposed to this kind of language about women. They are us fathers and brothers and sons who don't tolerate women being treated and demeaned. Like us, the men are worried about the impact this election is looking for boys, role models for what it means to be a man."
....
"We need someone who will heal the wounds that divide us,” she said. "Someone who truly cares about us and our children. Someone with strength and compassion to lead this country forward. I'm here today because I believe with all of my heart that Hillary Clinton will be that president."

Told you there was a lot going on today.

*Actually, the whole speech is crazier than I thought.  Charlie Pierce has the short version.