Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has offered an apology for the 2005 Access Hollywood video that is now rocking his campaign.
"I've never said I'm a perfect person nor pretended to be someone that I'm not. I've said and done things I regret and the words released today on this more than a decade-old video are one of them," Trump said in a video statement.
"Anyone who knows me knows these words don't reflect who I am. I said it, I was wrong and I apologize".
Trump made the statement just ahead of the second presidential debate on Sunday.
He admonished viewers to not be side-tracked by the 11-year-old video and he told supporters to stay focused on what the race is really about.
"This is a distraction from the important issues we are facing today," he said. We are losing our jobs, we are less safe than we were eight years ago and Washington is totally broken."
The video showed Trump talking about women with the show's host Billy Bush.
The comments were demeaning, lewd and vulgar. CBN News will not go into specific details due to the nature of the language. Republicans who have stood with Trump throughout the campaign are now criticizing him. One has even called for Trump to step down and allow Mike Pence to lead the ticket.
Trump was scheduled to appear at a campaign rally in Wisconsin on Saturday before the second presidential debate on Sunday. Now, Pence is taking his place and Trump is staying in New York to prepare for the debate.
Pence will be joined by Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey and Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions.
Trump and Bush both expressed remorse over the 11-year-old video.
"This was locker room banter, a private conversation that took place many years ago. Bill Clinton has said far worse to me on the golf course – not even close. I apologize if anyone was offended," Trump said.
Billy Bush who now is a host on NBC's Today show apologized for his part in the inappropriate conversation, "Obviously I'm embarrassed and ashamed. It's no excuse, but this happened 11 years ago — I was younger, less mature, and acted foolishly in playing along."
Many Republicans condemned Trump while others defended him.
House Speaker Paul Ryan says he is "sickened" by Trump's comments and called on him to show greater respect for women. Ryan said women "are to be championed and revered."
"No woman should ever be described in these terms or talked about in this manner. Ever," said Republican Party chairman Reince Priebus, who had stood by Trump through his past provocative comments.
Conservative radio host Bill Mitchell posted on twitter that "Democrats outraged by Trump's locker room smack talk" aren't concerned about the well-known exploits of Bill Clinton.
He also posted those same liberals who approve late-term abortion get offended by Trump's words.
Trump's rival for the presidency, Hillary Clinton, tweeted, "This is horrific. We cannot allow this man to become president."
"Access Hollywood," says a story from The Associated Press about Donald Trump's behavior as the star of "The Apprentice" led to its decision to dig through its archives.
The footage was recorded during a bus ride while Trump was on his way to tape an episode of the soap opera "Days of Our Lives."
It was first posted Friday by The Washington Post and NBC News.
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