Election Daily: ’Little Trump’, harassment claims and email trouble

Oct. 13, 2016:Donald Trump is no longer dealing with just "locker room talk." He is now facing accusations from multiple women, speaking to multiple news outlets, claiming he groped them or touch them inappropriately. But as his chances of winning in November narrow, Hillary Clinton is still grappling with WikiLeaks as it continues to release thousands of more emails from her campaign team.

Here’s our daily U.S. election Bulldog, rounding up what you need to know about what happened on this day on the campaign trail.

Action, not words

Trump insisted the words Americans heard on that 2005 Access Hollywood tape were simply “locker room talk” and that he never sexually harassed any women. Now, multiple women are coming forward to state otherwise.

Two women told the New York Times that Trump touched them inappropriately and without permission, as did another woman to the Palm Beach Post. Meanwhile, a former reporter with People magazine came forward to write her story about the time she came in to interview Trump in 2005 and, when alone on a tour of his mansion, "he was pushing me against the wall and forcing his tongue down my throat.”

Trump has denied the women’s claims and threatened a lawsuit against the New York Times, adding later at a Florida rally that he will unveil evidence that would dispute the women’s testimonies “very soon.”

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The New York Times refused to retract or apologize for the story, writing to Trump’s lawyer: “If [Trump] believes that American citizens had no right to hear what these women had to say and that the law of this country forces us and those who would dare to criticize him to stand silent or be punished, we welcome the opportunity to have a court set him straight.”

Another day, another WikiLeaks dump

WikiLeaks continued to slowly unveil a series of emails hacked from the account of Clinton’s campaign chairman, John Podesta. Thursday morning saw another 2,000 emails that included deliberations on the proper public response to her private email server scandal, debating how a billionaire supporter could help out without violating campaign finance laws, and an early draft of Clinton’s prepared testimony regarding Benghazi before a House committee.

House flipping

Months ago, Democrats knew they had a legitimate chance to keep their party in the White House. But the House of Representatives? It was too much to dream of winning back 30 seats and regaining a Democratic majority. That is, until recently. Trump called the established Republican leadership “very weak” and has started an open feud with House Speaker Paul Ryan. Former Republican Speaker Newt Gingrich—a staunch Trump supporter—told Fox Business News that when Trump starts complaining about the lack of a phone call of support from Ryan, he’s acting like “Little Trump,” adding “Little Trump is frankly pathetic.” Instead, he says all Republicans should have one focus: beating Hillary. If they don’t, their whole house might come crumbling down.

Trump’s narrow road to the White House

Even if the Republicans manage to win Florida, Ohio, North Carolina and Nevada—despite Clinton polling ahead in all these states—that still may not be enough for Trump to win the election. With news that Trump’s team is relocating its resources out of Virginia—potentially conceding the home state of Clinton’s running mate Tim Kaine—he would then likely need to win either Colorado, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin or Michigan (while not losing any other battleground states) to come ahead in November.

What are his chances? Polling averages from RealClearPolitics have Clinton well ahead in Pennsylvania (nine points), Michigan (11 points), Wisconsin (seven points) and Colorado (seven points). No wonder New York Times’s The Upshot gives Clinton an 89 per cent chance of being the next president—and rising.

The Obamas stand up

First lady Michelle Obama was in New Hampshire on Thursday where she called on women to stand up against Trump, especially in the aftermath of his 2005 comments on kissing and grabbing women without permission, saying “the shameful comments about our bodies, the disrespect of our intelligence, the belief you can do anything to a woman—it is cruel. It’s frightening. And the truth is, it hurts. It hurts.”

In the meantime, President Barack Obama’s recent speeches—notably trying to fire up voters who support him but aren’t excited about the new Democratic nominee—were made into a new pro-Clinton ad.

Recommended reading: Time’s latest cover story, “Inside Donald Trump’s Total Meltdown.”