Will Ryan still appear on stage with Trump?

 

The Republican nominee is set to appear on the campaign trail with Ryan for the first time on Saturday.
Well, now Paul Ryan is in a real pickle.

The speaker of the House — who has prided himself on his homespun, wholesome, family man persona — is scheduled to host Donald Trump in his Wisconsin district less than 24 hours after The Washington Post revealed that the New York City billionaire once suggested that he can kiss and grab women's genitals with impunity because he's famous.

How does that play in Elkhorn, Wisconsin?

We might find out tomorrow. Trump is scheduled to appear alongside Ryan, who endorsed the GOP nominee, at the Walworth County Fairgrounds in Elkhorn, the heart of Ryan's southern Wisconsin district.

As of now, Ryan's office isn't commenting. Aides did not respond to an email seeking reaction on one of the more vulgar quotes from Trump: "I don't even wait. And when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything… Grab 'em by the pussy." Ryan's staff also did not respond to an email seeking comment about Trump's fitness for the White House, in light of the newly revealed recording.

Trump's comments, delivered privately in 2005 to Access Hollywood's Billy Bush, weren't just vulgar. He bragged about trying (but failing) to sleep with a married woman. He said he hit on her like a "bitch" and tried to win her over by taking her furniture shopping. After the woman ignored Trump's advances, the New York real estate tycoon said she acquired "the big phony tits and everything."
Trump caught on tape making crude, demeaning comments about women

One House Republican lawmaker, speaking anonymously to candidly discuss his party's nominee, said, "He's going to be radioactive soon."

A House Republican aide said GOP congressional candidates soon will have to start campaigning as "a check on Hillary Clinton" because Trump is too toxic. "You can't defend this guy."

Of course, there could be political implications for Ryan, too. He's the leader of 247 House Republicans — including 22 women — all of whom are up for reelection in three weeks. Republicans also view Ryan as likely to run for the White House in 2020.

To be sure, Ryan has never really warmed to Trump. The speaker declined initially to endorse him, then came around weeks later, saying Trump was the best person to shepherd the GOP agenda through D.C. Even so, Ryan has never been fully comfortable with discussing Trump, passing on near daily requests to comment on his candidacy, personality and policy proposals.

Earlier Friday, before it came out that Trump joked about s exually assaulting a woman, Ryan tweeted about enrolling a bill aimed at protecting s exual assault victims. "Victims of s exual assault deserve full protection under the law. And now, they will have it."