WA Republican Chairman: Trump was channeling Bill Clinton with comments

After a 2005 videotape revealed Republic presidential nominee Donald Trump making vulgar comments about women, Washington State Republican Party Chairman Susan Hutchinson said Trump was simply “channeling” Bill Clinton.

Hutchinson didn't answer whether or not she still supported Trump, saying instead that he was the Republican selection.

"Donald Trump made these remarks 11 years ago, he was a Democrat at the time," she told KIRO-7. "We like to believe he's a Republican now and everybody's redeemable. Certainly nobody can justify what he said, but I also think we need perspective."

Hutchinson repeatedly pointed out a reactionary tweet issued by Hillary Clinton saying "This is horrific. We cannot allow this man to become president."

Hutchinson repeatedly pointed out a reactionary tweet issued by Hillary Clinton saying "this is horrific We cannot allow this man to become president."

"I thought wait a second," said Hutchison, "Your husband is the one who defined this, in the White House."

When asked if it's possible that Hillary Clinton was a victim of the same kind of womanizing behavior during President Bill Clinton's intern scandal, Hutchison replied "I don't think Hillary Clinton has ever been a victim."

Hutchison, who worked at KIRO 7 from 1981 to 2002, says that any reasonable decent person would have the same reaction upon hearing Trump's words, but she says for voters who might still be swayed, the choice should weigh Trump's words versus Clinton's actions as secretary of state.

"As much as we may be repulsed by some of Donald Trump's words, Hillary Clinton's actions are utterly corrupt and inexcusable," said Hutchison, who was elected State Republican Party Chairman in 2013. "So as people make that decision they have to weigh that, actions versus words."

Earlier, reporters asked for Hutchinson's reaction to Republican leaders withdrawing support from Donald Trump, including former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman.

Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz withdrew his Trump endorsement, calling his comments from the 2005 videotape "some of the most abhorrent and offensive comments that you can possibly imagine." Utah Gov. Gary Herbert withdrew his support. Former Presidential candidate Mitt Romney tweeted "such vile degradations demean our wives and daughters and corrupt America's face to the world.

House Speaker Paul Ryan said he is "sickened" by Trump's crude comments about women and dis-invited him to a weekend event, but did not comment on whether he would withdraw his Trump endorsement.

The highest-ranking Republican woman in Congress, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington state, condemned crude comments made by Donald Trump in the 2005 recording.

In a Friday evening statement McMorris Rodgers said, "It is never appropriate to condone unwanted sexual advances or violence against women. She also said "Mr. Trump must realize that it has no place in public or private conversations."

She did not say she would withdraw her support for the Republican presidential candidate, to whom she had given a lukewarm endorsement.

In a debate earlier this week, McMorris Rodgers said she would vote for Trump and praised his acumen as a businessman.

Cox Media Group