Marc Piscotty/Getty Images Sarah Palin.
Sarah Palin, the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee and a backer of current Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, called the Manhattan billionaire's comments from a leaked recording "disgusting."
But she also ripped the "as offensive" media for its "obsession" with a "very old conversation" in a detailed Saturday Facebook post.
In the shocking recording from 2005, Trump was heard boasting about being able to "grab" women "by the p---y" because "when you're a star they let you do it."
The recording of Trump, which was picked up by a hot mic and published by The Washington Post on Friday, came from an interaction between Trump and television personality Billy Bush. In addition to his comments about grabbing women "by the p---y," Trump made a litany of other sexually suggestive remarks.
"Disgusting, shameful, totally disrespectful 'locker room' garbage, privately shared between two Hollywood playboys over a decade ago, is now made to be 'the crudeness heard 'round the world,'" the former Alaska governor wrote. "The old Bush and Trump braggart comments were beyond abhorrent and offensive, though both boys apologized for them."
Palin then turned her focus to the press.
"As offensive, however, is media obsession with a very old conversation between non-political figures when we're in a crucial time facing earth-altering shifts in our future," she wrote. "The Supreme Court, international tinderbox relationships, global security, and our entire economy hang in the balance. With the question of what kind of country we will leave our daughters and sons unanswered, I wisely look at today's candidates' positions and what they have accomplished, while being well aware there are no perfect candidates. I encourage all to quit putting faith in flawed human beings."
The Alaska Republican said that by "going around media filters," voters can "clearly see" Trump as the more viable option for the presidency than Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
Palin also linked to a YouTube clip of a Fox News segment that played a decades-old recording of Clinton, then working as a lawyer in Arkansas, discussing her defense of a defendant accused of raping a 12-year-old girl.
"In today's Presidential race, it's only telling which candidate participated in cruder past conversations if both candidates' communications were all exposed, but alas, that won't happen," Palin wrote.
She added, "It's undeniable that it's only
The other half of Palin's 2008 ticket, then-GOP presidential nominee and current Arizona Sen. John McCain, withdrew his support for Trump earlier Saturday.
Trump addressed the matter in a Friday statement, in which he called the comments "locker room banter" and added that former President Bill Clinton has said "far worse to me on the golf course."
That was later followed by a late-night video address, offering a brief apology and saying he looked forward to the Sunday night presidential debate. He posted a tweet Saturday morning to call the past day "certainly ... interesting."
Almost immediately, Trump came under fire from those on both sides of the aisle - as many top Republicans either strongly condemned the comments or unendorsed the Manhattan billionaire altogether.