Donald Trump faces do or die presidential debate

Chicago, Oct 9: Beleaguered Republican nominee Donald Trump has 90 minutes to save his faltering presidential campaign, US media said today ahead of his encounter with Hillary Clinton in a do or die debate, taking place soon after his obscene remarks about women surfaced.

The second edition of the three presidential debates to take place in St. Louis will cap one of the most extraordinary weekends in American political history, CNN commented and went on to say that Trump will have 90 minutes Sunday night to save his presidential campaign.

Republicans -- including vice presidential nominee Mike Pence -- are criticising Trump, 70, for his vulgar comments about advances he has made toward women in 2005 that came to light on Friday.

Ahead of the prime-time debate, American media gave an ever-growing list of senators and top Republican officials who want Trump replaced on the ticket.

They included former Republican presidential candidate John McCain and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Trump insists he won't leave the race, and he and allies indicate he'll go on the attack against Clinton.

One thing that is on everyone's mind is what will Trump say on the tape. Soon after the "Access Hollywood" tape became public on Friday, Trump released a statement that read, in part: "I apologise if anyone was offended."

Hours later, he released a video message: "Anyone who knows me knows these words don't reflect who I am. I said it, I was wrong, and I apologise," Trump said.

He made a brief appearance Saturday on Fifth Avenue in front of Trump Tower, and a couple of calls to newspapers vowing to stay in the race. But this will be his first live appearance and one that guarantees follow-up questions.

Although Trump has apologised, he has not yet addressed serious concerns raised by the hot mic video. Most notably, Trump's suggestion that he made aggressive advances toward women has raised grave new questions about whether he touched women without their consent, CNN reported.

"This is Trump's chance to convince Americans that he is sincere in his apology and that he can be trusted as commander in chief. If he can do that, as well as score points on his core issues of trade and security, he may be able to survive," the leading network commented.

Washington Post, which published a video on Friday showing Trump making crude remarks about sexual assault, said the beleaguered candidate was delivering conflicting messages: one of apology, insincere as it seemed to many viewers, and one of defiance.

It was not clear that either message could rescue him after the expose. "Trump's extraordinary campaign has been guided by his own instincts, and on Friday, his instinct was to hunker down and fight.

Trump spent the next 24 hours in New York mostly ensconced in Trump Tower with only his most loyal advisers, steadfastly refusing to accept or recognize the full reality of what was happening outside," the paper said.

PTI