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RNC Chair Says 'People Just Don't Care' About Reports Donald Trump Mistreated Women

Senior Republican Says 'People Just Don't Care' About Trump's Sexism
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Friday, March 4, 2016, in National Harbor, Md. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
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Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Friday, March 4, 2016, in National Harbor, Md. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

WASHINGTON -- Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus on Sunday said voters don't care about reports that the party’s presumptive presidential nominee has disrespected women and made unwelcome advances toward them in the workplace.

A New York Times investigation published Saturday included dozens of interviews with women and men who worked with Donald Trump over decades, detailing crude comments about the female form, disturbing workplace conduct and more.

"All these stories that come out -- and they come out every couple weeks -- people just don't care," Priebus said when questioned about the NYT report on "Fox News Sunday." "I think people look at Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton and say, 'Who's going to bring an earthquake to D.C.?'"

Fox anchor Chris Wallace took another stab at the question, appearing flummoxed that Priebus assumed no one cares.

"The question is whether or not he mistreated women, made unwanted advances, whether he humiliated women in the workplace -- I don't know why you say people don't care about that," Wallace said.

Priebus backtracked a bit, explaining that given Trump's rise, he's not sure it will impact the candidate one way or another.

"All I'm saying is that after a year of different stories, nothing applies," Priebus said. "The bigger question is: Between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, who represents somebody who is going to bring a more efficient, accountable, effective government here in Washington?"

According to Gallup tracking, 70 percent of women had an unfavorable opinion of Trump as of March. The same poll showed that 58 percent of men have unfavorable views of the business mogul.

Asked how Republicans would be able to convince female voters to back Trump given his misogynist comments, and history, Priebus said each individual will have to evaluate Trump based on the answers he gives about his past, but again quickly pivoted to focus on Clinton.

“But also look at what’s at stake in this country and whether or not Hillary Clinton represents someone that’s going to bring the needed change," Priebus said when pressed on Trump's character.

Priebus reasoned that the "same old analysis" and vetting of candidates just doesn't apply to Trump.

"Look, a story of 30 years ago and whether Donald Trump impersonated someone or not, that he denies, is really not the most important thing for us to talk about," he said, referring to reports that Trump pretended to be his publicist.

Does Trump need to release his tax returns? Again, Priebus assumed it wasn't a real concern for voters: "I'm not sure whether Americans actually care or not whether Donald Trump releases his tax returns or not."

Editor's note: Donald Trump regularly incites political violence and is a serial liar, rampant xenophobe, racist, misogynist and birther who has repeatedly pledged to ban all Muslims -- 1.6 billion members of an entire religion -- from entering the U.S.

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