In an act of desperation after a weekend in which the Republican nominee’s comments about sexually assaulting women plunged him into the biggest crisis of his campaign, Trump brought up scandals from Bill Clinton’s past on the debate stage on Sunday night. Three women—Paula Jones, Juanita Broaddrick, and Kathleen Willey—who alleged that Clinton had sexually assaulted or harassed them were confirmed as Trump’s guests in the audience, a move that might be the single lowest blow from a candidate known for insulting and offensive rhetoric. (Another woman in the audience, Kathy Shelton, has been critical of Hillary Clinton because as an attorney she defended Shelton’s alleged rapist.)
Trump claimed that “there has never been anyone in the history of politics who has been so abusive to women” as Bill Clinton, who was “impeached” and “lost his license to practice law.” Further, he alleged that Hillary Clinton “attacked” the four women “viciously” to silence them. “I think it’s disgraceful and I think she should be ashamed of herself,” he added. Meanwhile, the campaign sent out a release to reporters titled, “Hillary Clinton’s Horrible Treatment Of Women.”
After questioning Trump’s fitness for the presidency, Clinton was stone-faced in her response: “First let me say, that so much of what he just said is not right.” She added, quoting First Lady Michelle Obama, “When they go low, you go high.”