Donald Trump is sorry but staying put, the GOP is in crisis mode, Saturday Night Live is pouncing, down-ballot Republicans are bailing, and the Internet and Sunday shows are alive with the sound of Trump's leaked tape. A look around the landscape, ahead of Sunday night's second presidential debate with Hillary Clinton, via the AP and others:
- Trump is tweeting thanks to those standing by him. "Tremendous support (except for some Republican "leadership"). Thank you." And also threats: "So many self-righteous hypocrites. Watch their poll numbers - and elections - go down!" Trump also retweeted posts by a woman who accused Bill Clinton of raping her in 1978.
- It would be nearly impossible to oust Trump from the ticket, GOP leaders tell USA Today, with a former RNC chief saying, "At this point, a vacancy would very likely forfeit the presidency irrevocably."
- Nonsense, says Utah Sen. Mike Lee, who is calling for Trump's ouster. "We've got candidates who can do it. There's still time to do it, but we have to actually do it."
- USA Today has a list of Republicans who have jumped ship.
- But wait, there are more tapes coming out of interviews on the Howard Stern show, ABC News reports.
- Politico conducted a poll in the wake of the tape's release, and finds that 45% of voters think Trump should not drop out, while 39% think he should. The split is pronounced along party lines, with 70% of Dems saying he should quit, while just 12% of Republicans and 13% of Republican women think so.