Giuliani Says Trump 'Ashamed' of Remarks but He and Clinton Both 'Flawed Candidates'
Trump is "ashamed of himself" for the lewd comments, Giuliani said.
— -- Top Trump adviser Rudy Giuliani says Donald Trump has expressed "very clearly" that "he's ashamed of himself" for the lewd comments he made about women in a 2005 leaked video, but added that both Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton are "flawed candidates."
When ABC's George Stephanopoulos pressed Giuliani whether the actions Trump describes toward women are "sexual assault," Giuliani responded: "That's what he was talking about."
"Whether it happened or not, I don't know," Giuliani said on ABC's "This Week." "How much exaggeration was involved in that, I don't know. I do know there's a tendency on that part of some men at different times to exaggerate things like this,"
Vice President Joe Biden called Trump's comment "sexual assault" in a tweet Saturday, "The words are demeaning. Such behavior is an abuse of power. It’s not lewd. It’s sexual assault. –Joe"
Giuliani, a former New York City mayor, was among those who spent Saturday afternoon at Trump Tower planning how to handle the next stage of Trump’s campaign after the video's release. Others in the discussion included: Republican Party Chairman Reince Priebus, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Trump campaign CEO Steve Bannon, campaign manager Kellyanne Conway, and the candidate's eldest son, Donald Trump, Jr..
A growing list of Republicans have ended their support of their party’s nominee, with some going as far as calling for Trump to step aside.
Trump has been adamant that he will not withdraw his candidacy, tweeting Saturday, “I will never drop out of the race, will never let my supporters down.”
Giuliani also addressed Donald Trump’s debate strategy going into tonight’s town-hall style debate.
Asked if the Republican nominee would go after Bill Clinton’s marital infidelities, Trump’s adviser said that “depends on how the debate goes.”
The former New York City mayor also said he is sure Donald Trump will apologize to Americans at the debate tonight in St. Louis.
“I believe that Donald Trump is going to show up tonight and he's going to explain to people why he's remaining in the race,” he said.