Those words, the words in the title. Those are the words that makes this a different kind of thing.
I’m no stranger to political sex scandals and I daresay if you’re reading this, you aren’t either. I often weather them with emotions ranging from complete apathy to mild interest (if it’s something really sordid.) If one of the participants happens to be the type of politician who campaigns on his or her vision of strict sexual morality and virtue, I generally take more notice and make snarky disparaging comments, but I still don’t really care much.
This one is different for me though, and it took a while for me to figure out why. It’s because of those words: “They let you do it.”
Now, I know “grab them by the pussy” is getting most of the attention here, and that’s understandable, it’s quite a turn of phrase. But those aren’t the five words that truly makes Trump’s comments horrifying. “They let you do it.” Those are the words, and here’s why:
“They let you do it,” is not “they want you to do it.” In fact, “they let you do it,” reveals that Trump absolutely understands that they didn’t want him to do it, and that not only does he not care, he’s proud of it. This is the central part of what he’s bragging about.
“They let you do it” indicates that Trump really does understand that his actions are unwanted. He knows that what he’s doing is wrong (insofar as Trump comprehends things like right and wrong.) He realizes that he’s getting away with something when he gropes a woman or kisses her without “even waiting.” What ever “it” is, he gets to do it regardless of “their” feelings about it. Because he’s “a star.” So they let him. This is repulsive.
It took me some time to figure out why this one was bothering me so much more than the rest of the scandals that have barely registered with me over the years. As I read the transcripts of the conversation and saw those words “they let you do it,” I realized I wasn’t reading locker room banter like some have suggested. I was reading the completely self-aware yet callously nonchalant confession of a serial predator.