Condoleezza Rice: Trump Should Withdraw
PALO ALTO (CBS SF) -- Former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice has joined the chorus of Republicans calling for GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump to get out of the race.
In a Facebook post, Rice said,
Enough! Donald Trump should not be President. He should withdraw.
As a Republican, I hope to support someone who has the dignity and stature to run for the highest office in the greatest democracy on earth.
Enough! Donald Trump should not be President. He should withdraw. As a Republican, I hope to support someone who has the dignity and stature to run for the highest office in the greatest democracy on earth.
Posted by Condoleezza Rice on Saturday, October 8, 2016
More than 50,000 people have responded to the post.
Rice, along with many GOP lawmakers, was responding to a leaked 2005 Access Hollywood video in which Trump bragged about groping a woman.
"When you're a star they let you do it. You can do anything," Trump says in the video. He adds seconds later: "Grab them by the p----. You can do anything." He said of his impulse to kiss beautiful women: "I don't even wait."
Apparently Trump and host Billy Bush did not know their microphones were recording the private conversation.
Trump later apologized in a video statement released by his campaign just after midnight early Saturday morning.
Trump said, "I was wrong and I apologize," and defiantly vowed to stay in the race and address the subject during his upcoming debate with Hillary Clinton on Sunday.
His wife Melania Trump said she hoped people would accept her husband's apology "as I have."
Rice has been a professor at Stanford since 1981. She is currently a senior fellow on Public Policy at the Hoover Institution.
John McCain has also withdrawn his support for Trump, as well as Utah Sen. Mike Lee.
The Repulican National Committed is considering how to move forward.