A generation of GOP stars stands diminished: ‘Everything Trump touches dies’

...Trump’s turbulent campaign, on display here at Sunday night’s second presidential debate with Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, has damaged far more than his own White House prospects. It threatens to diminish an entire generation of Republican leaders who stood by him and excused his behavior after attacks against women, the disabled, Latino immigrants, Muslim Americans, Syrian refugees, prisoners of war, Gold Star parents and others.

“There is nobody who holds any position of responsibility who in private conversations views Donald Trump as equipped mentally, morally and intellectually to be the president of the United States,” said Steve Schmidt, a veteran GOP strategist. “But scores of Republican leaders have failed a fundamental test of moral courage and political leadership in not speaking truth to the American people about what is so obvious.”...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/a-generation-of-gop-stars-may-be-diminished-everything-trump-touches-dies/2016/10/09/890a5074-8e2c-11e6-9c85-ac42097b8cc0_story.html