The access Hollywood Tape: A Turning Point In Trump’s 2016 Campaign
The “Access Hollywood” tape is a recording of Donald Trump bragging about grabbing women’s genitals. The tape was released by The Washington Post in October 2016, just weeks before the presidential election. The tape caused a major scandal and led to widespread condemnation of Trump. Trump initially denied making the comments on the tape, but later apologized for them. The tape has been cited as a major factor in Trump’s loss to Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election.
I. The infamous “Access Hollywood” tape
The tape’s release
The “Access Hollywood” tape was released by The Washington Post on October 7, 2016, just weeks before the presidential election. The tape featured Trump bragging about groping women and kissing them without their consent. The tape caused a major scandal and led to widespread condemnation of Trump.
Trump initially denied making the comments on the tape, but later apologized for them. He claimed that he was just “talking locker room talk” and that his comments were not meant to be taken seriously. However, many people were outraged by the tape and believed that it showed Trump’s true character.
The tape’s impact on the election
The “Access Hollywood” tape had a major impact on the 2016 presidential election. The tape led to a decline in Trump’s poll numbers and caused many voters to question his fitness for office. The tape also motivated many women to come forward and share their own stories of sexual assault and harassment.
In the end, Trump lost the election to Hillary Clinton. Many believe that the “Access Hollywood” tape was a major factor in his loss.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| October 7, 2016 | The “Access Hollywood” tape is released. |
| October 9, 2016 | Trump apologizes for the comments on the tape. |
| November 8, 2016 | Trump loses the presidential election to Hillary Clinton. |
II. Hope Hicks testifies about the tape’s impact on Trump’s campaign
A bombshell recording
Hope Hicks, a former close aide to Donald Trump, testified that the release of the “Access Hollywood” tape was a major blow to his presidential campaign in 2016. Hicks said that the tape, in which Trump bragged about groping women, caused a “significant” drop in his poll numbers and led to a number of high-profile campaign staff departures.
Hicks also testified that Trump was “very upset” about the release of the tape and that he initially denied making the comments on the tape. However, Hicks said that Trump later admitted to her that he had made the comments and that he was “embarrassed” by them.
- The “Access Hollywood” tape was released on October 7, 2016, just weeks before the presidential election.
- The tape caused a major scandal and led to widespread condemnation of Trump.
- Trump initially denied making the comments on the tape, but later apologized for them.
- The tape had a significant impact on the election, leading to a decline in Trump’s poll numbers and the departure of several campaign staff members.
Damage control
In the wake of the tape’s release, the Trump campaign went into damage control mode. Hicks testified that the campaign staff worked around the clock to try to contain the fallout from the tape. They reached out to surrogates to defend Trump and they tried to downplay the significance of the tape.
However, the campaign’s efforts were largely unsuccessful. The tape continued to dominate the news cycle and it became a major issue in the election. In the end, Trump lost the election to Hillary Clinton.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| October 7, 2016 | The “Access Hollywood” tape is released. |
| October 9, 2016 | Trump apologizes for the comments on the tape. |
| November 8, 2016 | Trump loses the presidential election to Hillary Clinton. |
III. Prosecutors argue the tape led to hush money payments
Hush money for Stormy Daniels
Prosecutors in the Manhattan district attorney’s office argue that the release of the “Access Hollywood” tape led Donald Trump to agree to pay off Stormy Daniels, a porn star who claimed to have had an affair with Trump in 2006. Daniels had been shopping her story to the media, and Trump’s advisers feared that it would damage his campaign. To silence Daniels, Trump’s former fixer, Michael Cohen, paid her $130,000.
The payment to Daniels is at the heart of the 34 felony charges against Trump. Prosecutors allege that Trump falsified business records to cover up the payment. Trump has denied any wrongdoing, but if convicted, he could face up to 15 years in prison.
A bombshell recording
The “Access Hollywood” tape was a bombshell recording that revealed Trump’s true character. In the tape, Trump bragged about groping women and kissing them without their consent. The tape caused a major scandal and led to widespread condemnation of Trump. Many people believe that the tape cost Trump the election.
The tape also led to a number of sexual assault allegations against Trump. Several women have come forward to accuse Trump of sexual misconduct, including rape. Trump has denied all of the allegations.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| October 7, 2016 | The “Access Hollywood” tape is released. |
| October 9, 2016 | Trump apologizes for the comments on the tape. |
| November 8, 2016 | Trump loses the presidential election to Hillary Clinton. |
IV. Final Thought
The “Access Hollywood” tape was a major turning point in the 2016 presidential election. The tape revealed Trump’s true character and led to widespread condemnation of him. The tape also played a role in Trump’s loss to Hillary Clinton. The tape is a reminder that words matter and that candidates for public office should be held to a high standard of conduct.