From The Register-Herald of Beckley:
Donald Trump has left us with no choice but to endorse Hillary Clinton for president of the United States.
The Republican candidate for president has exposed himself for who he is on multiple fronts on myriad occasions, and it is neither a pretty sight nor a comforting thought. Damning, disgusting and reprehensible, a 2005 recording captures Trump bragging in vulgar terms about groping, kissing and attempting to have sex with married women.
“And when you’re a star they let you do it,” Trump says on the video, first published by the Washington Post late Friday. “You can do anything … Whatever you want.”
There’s more, but this is a family newspaper.
The audio represents an extraordinary level of vulgarity never known to a presidential contest in the U.S. and speaks to his ignorance about what constitutes sexual assault.
The video further cements our opinion that Trump is wholly unprepared and inarguably unfit to be president of our great country.
For the record, this is a man who:
● Ridiculed the parents of a Gold Star family.
● Proposed banning all Muslims from entering our country.
● Falsely claimed to have viewed a non-existent TV report about Muslims in New Jersey celebrating the collapse of the World Trade Center on 9/11.
● Suggested we conduct surveillance of American mosques.
● Has refused to release his personal income tax returns – as all major party candidates for president have done since 1976.
● Spread the false and racist claim that Barack Obama was born outside the U.S.
● Said “laziness is a trait in blacks.”
● Falsely blamed blacks for murdering the vast majority of white people who died in crimes.
● Said a California federal judge born in Indiana could not rule fairly in a case involving Trump because the judge’s parents had been born in Mexico
● Admires Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
● Advocates protectionist trade policies that would likely force the U.S. into trade wars.
● Supports killing the families of Muslim terrorists in war zones.
● Invited the Russians to hack their way into our elections.
● Is contemplating withdrawing from NATO.
● Said John McCain, a former POW, is not a war hero – because he was captured.
● Publicly mocked a disabled reporter born with a muscular disorder that distorts his joints and arm movements.
Donald Trump is who he is. We were saddened to learn of the damning video, but not surprised. And we won’t be shocked if additional videos show up in the final month of the campaign.
Trump has become the embodiment of the “ugly American” the rest of the world loathes.
There is no sense of humility about the man, no intellectual curiosity. He lacks even the basic knowledge of world affairs and geopolitical tensions (yes, Russia did invade Ukraine, Mr. Trump).
Hillary Clinton is certainly not without fault. Setting up a private server to handle her emails while secretary of state was a mistake. Her initial public statements on the terrorist raid on the U.S. post in Benghazi were misleading. While serving as secretary of state, she should have recused herself from all business related to the Clinton Foundation to avoid any perception that donors were buying access.
But let’s be clear: 10 separate congressional committees, chaired by Republicans, found no wrong doing on her part with regards to the Benghazi attack.
Sloppy? Yes. Criminal? No.
Here is what is encouraging about a Clinton presidency: She commands a depth and breadth of knowledge and experience on issues, foreign and domestic. She is whip smart and outworked by few. No one studies policy as closely as she and she owns a reputation for successfully working across the aisle.
We believe Clinton is uniquely qualified to take a run at making fixes to the Affordable Care Act, that she will pursue a comprehensive immigration policy, and will address lagging middle class incomes.
Sec. Clinton is known and respected around the world.
Yes, she did say she wanted to put a lot of coal miners out of work. She misspoke – and apologized. What she has proposed is a $30 billion plan to revitalize coal communities in West Virginia and intends to help struggling families and communities build a viable economic future.
She has the temperament, the ability and the experience to lead this nation.
Trump does not.
At the end of the day, this is an easy call. Hillary Clinton is the candidate better positioned by a country mile to lead our country.