Stuff or at least it chronicled the world as it changed. Woodruff all that and more on tonights pbs newshour. Major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by lincoln financial committed to helping you take charge of your financial future. And by the alfred p. Sloan foundation. Supporting science, technology, and improved Economic Performance and Financial Literacy in the 21st century. Supported by the rockefeller foundation. Promoting the wellbeing of humanity around the world by building resilience and inclusive economies. More at rockefellerfoundation. Org Carnegie Corporation of new york. Supporting innovations in education, democratic engagement, and the advancement of International Peace and security. At carnegie. Org. And with the ongoing support of these institutions and individuals. This program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. And by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. Thank you. Woodruff republican president ial candidate donald trump today addressed new allegations of Sexual Misconduct from multiple accusers, a narrative now dominating the campaign. Our Lisa Desjardins reports. Reporter it was trump the defiant. Trump, perhaps at his most direct yet. These claims are all fabricated, they are pure fiction and they are outright lies. These events never happened. Reporter in palm beach, florida the republican nominee denied new allegations of Sexual Misconduct, insisting he is the victim of a smear campaign. The clintons are criminals, remember that, theyre criminals. These attacks are orchestrated by the clintons and their media allies. Reporter this after three new stories charging Sexual Misconduct appeared last night. A People Magazine writer alleged trump pushed her against a wall and forcibly kissed her in 2005, a south florida woman told the Palm Beach Post trump grabbed her from behind in 2003, and two women told the New York Times about incidents from the 80s to 2005 one of those women said trump reached up her skirt on an airplane. The women all said they are speaking now because of this moment in the sundays president ial debate trump was asked if hed ever touched a woman without her consent. Ive said things that, frankly, you hear these things i said. And i was embarrassed by it. But i have tremendous respect for women. Have you ever done those things . And women have respect for me. And i will tell you, no, i have not. Reporter in florida today, trump insisted he has evidence that his accusers are lying and will release it at the right time. Meanwhile, he expanded his counterattack list, beyond the clintons. They have corrupted the director of the f. B. I. This is a conspiracy against you, the american people, we cannot let this happen or continue reporter in new hampshire, First Lady Michelle Obama delivered an impassioned response to the Unprecedented Campaign drama the fact is that in this election, we have a candidate for president of the United States, who over the course of his lifetime and course of campaigning, has said things about women so shocking, so demeaning that i simply will not repeat anything today. Reporter mrs. Obama said trump represents something frightening. I cant believe im saying that a candidate for president has bragged about sex assaulting women. I cant stop thinking about this. It has shaken me to my core in way i could not have predicted. Reporter Hillary Clinton did not have Public Events today as she traveled to california for fundraisers. Clinton was in the headlines as wikileaks released another 2,000 emails purported to be from the account of her Campaign Chairman john podesta. The latest batch included words said to be from advisor who wrote that apologies are clintons achilles heel. With just weeks to go, the president ial race is not a battle over each candidates strengths, but more than ever an ugly fight over their weaknesses. For the pbs newshour, im Lisa Desjardins. Woodruff in the days other news, the u. S. Carried out retaliatory strikes against rebels in yemen, after they fired at american ships earlier this week. The missiles launched this morning from the destroyer the u. S. S. Nitze hit three radar sites along yemens red sea coast. A pentagon spokesman said president obama authorized the strikes. The u. S. Had been backing the Saudiled Coalition in yemens civil war, but had yet to target the Houthi Rebels directly. These strikes were, again, a response to threats to our vessels and to freedom of navigation, which is a core u. S. National security interest. These strikes are not connected to the broader conflict in yemen. Those who might threaten u. S. Forces should recognize that we will not tolerate threats to our people. We will respond if our forces come under fire. Woodruff the rebels two failed missile attacks, yesterday and sunday, appeared to be in reaction to a saudiled strike that hit a funeral in the yemeni capital last week. The worlds longestreigning monarch has died. The king of thailand passed away today at the age of 88, after being in poor health. His death plunges the country into a period of uncertainty, because of concerns about the son who will succeed him. Jonathan miller of independent Television News has our report from bangkok. Reporter on tv stations, all programs were interrupted. The king has died, the spokesman said. He has passed away peacefully. So comes to an end a reign of 70 years. King bhumibol adulyadej, his name means the strength of the land, the incomparable power. A wave of grief spread through the grounds of the hospital where the king died, his bereft subjects we want for his self sacrifice and wisdom. The only king most of thailand has ever known. Hes a light. The only light for thai people. Reporter he was like a guiding star. Something like that. Reporter King Adulyadej will be taken to his royal palace to be ceremonially bathed. He will lie 100 days in state to allow his adoring subjects to come pay their respects. He took the throne as an 18yearold engineering graduate, the thai monarchy. For decades, he traveled the lengths and breadth of his country, demonstrating his concern for his people. He wielded his power deftly and sparingly. But in the twilight, the looming crisis cast a dark shadow over his realm. This is a man who will be crowned king. It will happen when the time is right thailands military leader said tonight, but 64yearold, the kings only son, is not loved like his father. He is feared. He lacks stature and respect and many consider him reckless. Tonight, thailand marks a new milestone and mourns. Woodruff in washington, president obama praised the king as a close friend and valued partner of many u. S. President s. In nigeria, Officials Say 21 of the socalled chibok girls kidnapped by boko haram extremists two years ago, have been released. A president ial spokesman said the breakthrough came after negotiations with the militant group. All told, 276 school girls were abducted. 200 of them are still missing. Well have more on the wider, dire situation in nigeria later in the program. In syria, theres been no letup in the assault on the city of aleppo. Shelling and airstrikes in rebelheld areas left at least 11 people dead overnight. Rescue workers say renewed bombing there has killed more than 150 people this week. Meanwhile, russian state tv aired footage of Syrian Government troops conducting operations against the opposition on the Northern Edge of aleppo. And late today, at least 20 people died in a car bombing near syrias border with turkey. Hurricane nicole barreled into bermuda today, with maximum sustained winds of 115 miles per hour. The category 3 storm peeled roofs off homes and knocked out power to more than 26,000 customers across the british island territory. Amateur video captured waves pummeling the shores, as winds whipped rain into near whiteout conditions. The storm is expected to weaken in the days ahead. Back in this country, some progress was made for North Carolina residents still reeling from hurricane matthew. Governor pat mccrory says the number of people without power is down to roughly 44,000, from a peak of 900,000. Still, many communities remain underwater. The floodwaters were expected to peak in five counties today. Meanwhile, the u. S. Death toll from matthew grew to at least 22 people. The National Transportation safety board says the brakes were working on the commuter train that slammed into new jerseys hoboken terminal. Last months crash killed one person and injured more than a hundred others. In a preliminary report, investigators said they havent found any mechanical issues with the signal or train control systems. Heavy damage to the front of the train is hampering the investigation. There were fresh concerns today about chinas economy. Chinese exports in september plunged 10 over last year, due to lower demand. Imports were also down. That weak Economic Data pushed stocks lower here. On wall street, the Dow Jones Industrial average lost 45 points to close under 18,099. The nasdaq fell 25 points, and the s p 500 slipped six. Still to come on the newshour, how new allegations against donald trump could shift the campaign. Millions of nigerians displaced by militants face another threat starvation. A legendary musician wins the nobel prize for literature, and much more. Woodruff we return now to politics, and the fallout from the latest allegations of Sexual Misconduct against donald trump. We get three views, from carolyn ryan, Senior Editor for politics at the New York Times, david maraniss, associate editor at the Washington Post and a biographer of bill clinton, and president ial historian jon meacham the author of destiny of power the american odyssey of George Herbert walker bush. And we welcome all of you to the program. Carolyn ryan, let me start with you since the New York Times has been reporting on this. Donald trump today is saying this is all lies. He said hes going to prove that theyre lies. He said that the New York Times is in collusion with the clinton campaign. Is the times completely confident these women are telling the truth . Well, a couple of things on that. I mean, as you probably know, the Trump Campaign sent a or a lawyer from mr. Trump sent a letter to us asking for an apology and asking to retract the story. Our lawyer responded that we would not but also saying we believe that this is an issue of Great National concern and that we believe the voices of these women should be heard both by our readers and voters. So, to your broader question of whether we believe these women, we do believe these women. We reported very extensively on their stories, not just interviewing them, but as you saw from their story, interviewing multiple people in both cases with whom they shared the story over the years. Woodruff let me turn to david and jon. Jon, ill start with you. Youve spent a number of years looking at american politics, campaigns, president s. How does this compare, the seriousness of this compare to anything youve seen in an American Election . Its right up there, without question. This is almost as though richard hoff steader wrote the par more style for american politics but in a Jerry Springer context. We reached a point where the Republican Campaign is not commensurate with the challenges and mistakes of the hour. Weve had negative campaigning, ferocious campaigning since 1796, the first contested election between adams and jefferson. But adams and jefferson were both plausible president s. Weve reached a point where the republican has largely disqualified himself from being seen in the same frame as secretary clinton. Woodruff david marannis, youre the journalist who knows more about bill clinton than anything else. How does this compare to anything youve seen . You have to understand first of all there is a vast, vast difference between allegations of marital infidelity and allegations of Sexual Misconduct or sexual abuse. Its apples and oranges or even more stark than that. Starting with the gary hart incident in 1987 when he was seen on a boat with a woman not his wife, everything has changed in american politics in terms of whats public and whats private. Certainly the clintons were going through that for many years. Bill clinton had a special prosecutor looking at him for something else, for the whitewater scandal, quoteunquote, and it ended up being a look into his sex life, but there all they found was an incident of consensual sex, had nothing to do with anything in terms of sexual abuse. Woodruff carolyn. If i could jump in, david is making an interesting point. One thing were seeing and i dont know if youre seeing in your news organizations, people are really making this distinction between unwanted sexual advances and putting it in a different category from, say, infidelity and affairs. One thing that seems quite powerful in this moment is were having a lieutenant of women come forward on our Comment Section and facebook pages to talk about things that have happened to them as young girls or young women or more recently, and it feels like theres a broader conversation about this kind of behavior. Reporter i d. Woodruff in fact, we had a conversation similar to that about that here on the newshour. Jon meacham, what should the standard be for what is important, whats el vanity in a president ial campaign at this point . I mean, clearly, if there are serious allegations of assault, you would say yes, but what rises to that level . Well, i think the greeks had this right a long time ago and that is that character is destiny, and we can debate policies, you opened your broadcast with two incredibly important stories about which the campaign is not about, in an ungrammatical way syria, yemen. We are facing enormous challenges, and we have one of the Major Party Nominees who has brought this kind of tabloid reality tv sensibility into the mainstream of our politics, and, so, all of this is important. Anything is important as we decide whether or not to hire someone to be in charge of the face of our children. So, in that sense, i think all of it is worth discussing. The fact trump is talking about a conspiracy, about a vast media conspiracy, plays into some of the oldest instinct in American Life which is there is a conspiracy out there, you are not part of it, but i will make this right, as trump said in the convention i alone can fix this. Thats his only defense at this point is to try to play to this populous anger, which is quite real. To me, whats already concerning is the day after. If secretary clinton becomes president clinton, what are ewe going to do with 38, 39 of americans who believe somehow or another that the media in collusion managed to take this election away . Woodruff and just pick up on that, david marannis, because we are i mean, im hearing and seeing everywhere voters i was traveling this week reporting in North Carolina, last week in georgia voters are saying i dont want to hear, this is making me not want to vote, i dont want to know whats going on. How are we thinking about that . People are saying its making them not want to vote but in the early voting, people are voting in record numbers. So its having that counter effect. But things change in the day after the election as things predict. Not that donald trump or his people will go away, but there is a tendency to look toward the future at some point. So i think if mrs. Clinton is the president elect, thinks that they will change in some dramatic ways that we cant quite see. Woodruff jon meacham was saying there are other things going on in the world, carolyn. As a prominent news organization, the New York Times, how do you decide what to devote time and resources to . You dont have infinite resources. How do you se side how much to spend on this and where they disagree on the issues. Were in the final stretch of the campaign where we have to do it all. One of the things, even in the midst of this craziness and insane part of the election, the thing that remains most popular for us is fact checking, and people still are interested in issues where people are where the candidates are right and wrong, where they want to take the country. Do i worry a little bit, this week in particular, that everything is being consumed by one story. But i do think, especially with another debate coming up, that there is going to be an opportunity to press these candidates about their vision and about where they would take the country. Woodruff jon meacham, in the little bit of time we have left and looking at the sweep of history, how do historians look on developments like this as they involve our president s and our country . The great question for historians looking back on this is going to be to what extent did the donald Trump Campaign reflect divisions. Household income is stagnant, people dont trust the government. There is a significant gap in what it takes to live the middle class life and what people are making. To what extent did this populous moment tell us about underlying divisions in the country that arent going away after the election . Woodruff dav