Former RNC chair compares 2nd presidential debate to a nuclear explosion for Republicans

Former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Steele has a very straightforward take on the second presidential debate:

The tweet comes after Steele suggested to Mother Jones’ David Corn that Trump is nearly irredeemable, specifically due to leaked audio from 2005 in which Trump bragged about sexually assaulting attractive women. (“Grab them by the pussy,” Trump said.)

“This is a devastating blow to the Trump campaign and to the party, and there is not much either can do to salvage it,” Steele told Mother Jones before the debate. “It almost doesn’t matter what Trump does in the next debate.”

Steele’s comments are very unusual: Former major party chairs do not normally go hard after their party’s presidential candidate. But Trump, with his comments about women and minorities, has inspired a huge exodus of leading Republicans. Steele’s comments suggest the latest debate is not putting a plug on that exodus.