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Can the Republicans survive Trump? Join our live look at the week Can the Republicans survive Trump? Join our live look at the week
(35 minutes later)
12.51pm BST
12:51
Our colleague Martin Belam highlights something an audience wider than regular media law watchers might have enjoyed
By far my favourite Trump-related thing this week has been the letter the New York Times' lawyers sent to his lawyers:
The women quoted in our story spoke out on an issue of national importance -- indeed, an issue that Mr. Trump himself discussed with the whole nation watching during Sunday night's presidential debate. Our reporters diligently worked to confirm the women's accounts. They provided readers with Mr. Trump's response, including his forceful denial of the women's reports. It would have been a disservice not just to our readers but to democracy itself to silence their voices. We did what the law allows: We published newsworthy information about a subject of deep public concern. If Mr. Trump disagrees, if he believes that American citizens had no right to hear what these women had to say and that the law of this country forces us and those who would dare to criticize him to stand silent or be punished, we welcome the opportunity to have a court set him straight.
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at 12.52pm BST
12.46pm BST
12:46
Another view on Trump from below the line here
They can but they'll need to change a lot.
Reince Priebus has already talked about rejigging the GOP's primary system, and nothing demonstrates that it's in dire need of it more than this does. Trotting out the crazies at a crucial point for media coverage (and in this case letting one win) is very problematic when there are plenty of more electable people in the party, for them at least.
Doing something about the primaries will become even more important as the USA's demographics grow increasingly out of step with the core GOP voter base too, lest a completely unrepresentative group of people select a candidate speaking directly to them and nobody else.
Which is what's kind of happened with Trump.
12.38pm BST
12:38
On the subject of Trump – some readers have been enjoying this fact-checking series – published every Friday by our US office:
12.24pm BST
12:24
A couple of early responses to the question of whether the Republican party can survive Trump, posed below.
Unfortunately it's a yes.
Hillary should of tied trump to the GOP from the very beginning but she was trying to poach Republican voters so she held off branding the GOP as the party of trump.
If she had pushed GOP=trump then he would of hung round their necks like a burning tyre and killed the party come Nov 9th.
The GOP is going to be damaged but they will do what they always do, blame the candidate and carry on as usual
Trump isn't the problem. He's a symptom of the problem.
The GOP have been pushing extreme, far right, white nationalist politics, for decades. Trump has just done a really good job exposing how toxic it really is.
banning abortion? Tax cuts for the super wealthy? Anti-gun-regulation? Anti-BLM? Islamaphobia? Mysoginy?
These aren't Trump policies. They go right through the party.
12.13pm BST12.13pm BST
12:1312:13
A week of Mr Trump: will he burn the Republican house down?A week of Mr Trump: will he burn the Republican house down?
David SmithDavid Smith
The Guardian’s Washington correspondent reviews Donald Trump’s week and his performance in the second US presidential debate.The Guardian’s Washington correspondent reviews Donald Trump’s week and his performance in the second US presidential debate.
Donald Trump had stopped the bleeding. This was a common verdict on his performance in the second US presidential debate last Sunday night. Some Republicans who had disavowed him after the release of a video in which he bragged about groping women came back into the fold. “Donald Trump did what he absolutely had to do,” said Darryl Glenn, the party’s nominee for Senate in Colorado. “I think he reset this campaign.”Donald Trump had stopped the bleeding. This was a common verdict on his performance in the second US presidential debate last Sunday night. Some Republicans who had disavowed him after the release of a video in which he bragged about groping women came back into the fold. “Donald Trump did what he absolutely had to do,” said Darryl Glenn, the party’s nominee for Senate in Colorado. “I think he reset this campaign.”
But in a New York Times column, Ross Douthat argues that collaborators with Trump’s offensive candidacy, who sold their souls for a taste of power, have created a “Republican inferno”. If, as every poll indicates, Hillary Clinton is bound for the White House, will Trump burn the entire Republican house down? Where does the bitterly divided party of Abraham Lincoln go from here?But in a New York Times column, Ross Douthat argues that collaborators with Trump’s offensive candidacy, who sold their souls for a taste of power, have created a “Republican inferno”. If, as every poll indicates, Hillary Clinton is bound for the White House, will Trump burn the entire Republican house down? Where does the bitterly divided party of Abraham Lincoln go from here?
12.00pm BST12.00pm BST
12:0012:00
Sarah MarshSarah Marsh
Hello everyone, and welcome to our weekly social. Every Friday we gather from noon to 4.30pm with our readers to discuss the most thought-provoking news and comment stories of the week, with journalists talking about their best commissions and favourite articles above the line.Hello everyone, and welcome to our weekly social. Every Friday we gather from noon to 4.30pm with our readers to discuss the most thought-provoking news and comment stories of the week, with journalists talking about their best commissions and favourite articles above the line.
This is a community space for our readers and we want your ideas on the format and how it should develop, as well as what we should talk about.This is a community space for our readers and we want your ideas on the format and how it should develop, as well as what we should talk about.
Look forward to getting started, lots of great stuff lined up.Look forward to getting started, lots of great stuff lined up.