Michelle Obama Blasts Donald Trump’s Predatory Remarks: “This Is Not Politics As Usual”

First Lady Michelle Obama spoke at a rally for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in Manchester, New Hampshire this afternoon, and delivered a powerful rebuke of both Donald Trump's growing sexual assault scandals and the culture that has permitted it to happen.

Reflecting on "a rough week in a particularly rough election," Obama said that she was "shaken to my core" by video released by The Washington Post last week, in which Donald Trump bragged about sexually assaulting women.

"This was not just a lewd conversation," she said. "This wasn't just locker room banter. This was a powerful individual speaking freely and openly about sexually predatory behavior, and actually bragging about kissing and groping women, using language so obscene that many of us were worried about our children hearing it when we turned on the TV."

She drew parallels to the everyday sexual harassment and assaults. "The truth is it hurts. It's like that sick, sinking feeling you get when you're walking down the street minding your own business, and some guy wells out vulgar words about your body. Or when you see that guy at work that stands just a little too close, stares just a little too long, and makes you feel uncomfortable in your own skin. It's that feeling of terror that too many women have felt when someone has grabbed them or forced himself on them and they've said 'no,' but he didn't listen."

Obama urged voters to ignore third party options and rally to elect Hillary Clinton. "We need to recover from our shock and our depression, and we need to do what women have always done in this country: we need to roll up our sleeves and get to work."