Trump Under Fire

Nebraska senators Ben Sasse and Deb Fischer are sounding off in the chorus of voices calling for Donald Trump to throw in the towel.

Sasse joined the call Saturday morning telling Trump to abandon his presidential bid. This as Trump found himself apologizing overnight for graphic comments made in front of an open microphone 11 years ago.

Sasse said in a tweet that "character matters" and Trump "is obviously not going to win." He said Trump "can still make an honorable move," by stepping aside and letting his running mate - Mike Pence - have a try.

Sen. Deb Fischer tweeted Saturday afternoon, "The comments made by Mr. Trump were disgusting and totally unacceptable under any circumstance. It would be wise for him to step aside and allow Mike Pence to serve as our party's nominee."

Nebraska Rep. Jeff Fortenberry released this statement Saturday afternoon:

"As Americans we are faced with two strikingly bad choices: Donald Trump, who has abused women, and Hillary Clinton who has enabled the abuse of women. It's all wrong. For my part, I ask that Donald Trump step aside and allow Mike Pence to become the Republican nominee."

Vice President Joe Biden believes Trump's comments amount to a reference to sexual assault. Biden said on Twitter that Trump's words are "demeaning" and that the behavior is an abuse of power. "It's not lewd. It's sexual assault."

New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte says she is dropping her support for Donald Trump and plans to write in vice presidential running mate Mike Pence's name for president. Ayotte says in statement that she cannot support a presidential candidate "who brags about degrading and assaulting women."

Sen. John McCain is formally withdrawing his support from Trump. The Arizona senator and 2008 GOP nominee said in a statement that Trump's newly revealed boasting about groping women "make it impossible" for him to support his party's presidential nominee. He said he and his wife Cindy "will not vote for Donald Trump" and will instead write in the name of "some good conservative Republican who is qualified to be president."

Trump and McCain have been at odds since early in the campaign when Trump declared that McCain, a POW during the Vietnam war, was only considered a hero because he was captured. McCain has also chastised Trump for his dispute with a gold star family and his comments about a judge of Hispanic ancestry.

Trump: "Zero chance I'll quit."

Trump isn't listening. He told The Washington Post on Saturday morning, "I'd never withdraw. I've never withdrawn in my life."

He told The Wall Street Journal there was "zero chance I'll quit."

11-year fuse hits the powder keg

The comments come as a growing number of Republican officeholders call on Trump to leave the race and as Trump says he's been getting calls of support.

The eye of the political storm working its way across America Saturday involved graphic remarks Trump made about women. They were captured on an old recording and have surfaced as the newest problem for the Trump campaign.

Trump can be heard in the recording saying, “I moved on her and I failed, I'll admit it. I did try and f**** her, she was married."

The comments were recorded aboard an Access Hollywood bus.

Months after marrying Melania, he bragged about kissing and groping other women without permission, “and when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything," he said.

The GOP presidential nominee issued a statement, saying: "I apologize if anyone was offended. I've said some foolish things but there's a big difference between words and actions of other people. Bill Clinton has actually abused women and Hillary has bullied, attacked, shamed and intimidated his victims."

Among those offended, party chair Reince Priebus and several other top Republicans.

House Speaker Paul Ryan said he was sickened by what he heard and that Trump would not be attending an event with him in Wisconsin on Saturday, as scheduled.

Hillary Clinton tweeted, "Women have the power to stop Trump."

The leaders of a pair of advocacy groups are equating Donald Trump's vulgar comments about women - caught on tape - with sexual assault.

Planned Parenthood Action Fund President Cecile Richards says in a statement that having a presidential candidate engage in such behavior is "an excuse for harassment from others."

And here's what NOW President Terry O'Neill says: "Someone with such disrespect for women, with such a misogynistic lifestyle who boasts about using his power to sexually assault women cannot - and will not - be the leader of this country."

Republican fundraising chief Spencer Zwick says he's been fielding calls from donors who "want help putting money together to fund a new person to be the GOP nominee."

Zwick leads fundraising efforts for House Speaker Paul Ryan, and he did the same for Mitt Romney in 2012. He tells The Associated Press that a write-in campaign relying on social media could "actually work."

There's never been a winning write-in campaign in a U.S. presidential contest. Many states do not allow write-in candidates for president, while others require them to register. Early voting is also already underway in several states.

Zwick did not identify which "new person" might be the focus of a write-in campaign. He was briefly supportive of a third run for Romney last year.

As the stage for Sunday's debate takes shape in St. Louis, Trump's struggle to connect with women just got a little bit tougher.

Trump said his running mate, Mike Pence, would be representing him in Wisconsin while the nominee stays behind in New York with his top advisers preparing for the debate.

Then came reports that Pence canceled the Wisconsin trip. That was followed by the Vice Presidential nominee saying he cannot condone or defend Donald Trump's comments about women.

In a statement Saturday Pence said, "As a husband and a father, I was offended by the words and actions described by Donald Trump in the 11-year-old video released yesterday. I do not condone his remarks and cannot defend them. I am grateful that he has expressed remorse and apologized to the American people."

He continues: "We pray for his family and look forward to the opportunity he has to show what is in his heart when he goes before the nation tomorrow night."

Late Saturday morning Trump tweeted, "Certainly has been an interesting 24 hours!"

Melania Trump issues statement

"The words my husband used are unacceptable and offensive to me. This does not represent the man that I know. He has the heart and mind of a leader. I hope people will accept his apology, as I have, and focus on the important issues facing our nation and the world."