A brief video of Donald Trump has surfaced, shot in 2005, of him saying some very lewd things about one or more married women he'd tried to have sex with. The Washington Post has a transcript of what he said, and it is crude.
Trump has apologized, said he didn't realize he was being taped, and believed he was having a private conversation. The unattractive things he said were very reminiscent of the crude speech of a former president who was another larger-than-life character ... Lyndon Johnson. Ask Doris Kearns Goodwin about the locker room language Lyndon used as President.
Should Trump have said what he said? Of course he shouldn't. Did he have any idea in 2005 he'd run for president a decade later? Likewise, no. At the time he was a CEO with a show biz sideline.
Have many guys said something of the sort at some point in their lives, showing similar bad judgment? Certainly. Is his behavior in office likely to be any worse than Bill Clinton's was? At age 70 you can be sure it won't be.
Will it cost him votes? Probably a few. Most of those expressing outrage will not have planned to vote for him anyway.
