If it smells like a dog, looks like a dog and barks like a dog, odds are it's a dog.
Donald Trump has never hidden his true nature from the moment he came into public view.
From his days tormenting young business men and women on "The Apprentice," to his rampant race for the White House, he has, without fail, divulged every brutally honest opinion with ease, without filter, seemingly because he can't control himself.
He can pretend to care about African-Americans, women and other minorities, but his nature has always been obvious. More, worse words speak louder than a few good words — not to mention years of taking advantage of small business owners.
Trump's radical broad-stroke assumptions have led to his current reputation as a sexist, homophobic bigot who has more money in the bank than common sense resting under his iconic platinum locks.
Up until Oct. 7, Trump's supporters seemed to thrive on his radicalism, claiming he was saying what career politicians had never said and always needed to. Trump was going to bring America back to the good ol' days.
But on that day, the election flipped upside down, drilled 6 feet under the ground and died with our founding fathers at the utterance of more than a couple sexist, predatory one-liners.
We all know what was said on that "Access Hollywood" bus in 2005 between Billy Bush and Trump. Repeating them would be pointless, and my mother would roll over mortified if I were to even etch such a statement in ink.
America sucked wind as the hot-mic recording reinforced what everyone already knew: Donald J. Trump is a dangerous man.
Republicans began pulling their support faster than Cam Newton making a touchdown.
Our own governor, Gov. Robert Bentley, who's conservative as a black turtleneck, won't be voting for Trump, America's most hated misogynist. Even über conservative radio host and The Blaze TV founder Glenn Beck said in a Facebook post over the weekend that he would prefer a Clinton presidency.
Hell hath frozen over. Glenn Beck resorting to a "moral, ethical" Clinton presidency?
Rep. Martha Roby, Alabama's only female Republican congresswoman, and Rep. Bradley Bryne pulled their endorsements of Trump on Saturday and urged him to drop out of the race.
Granted, Bentley, Beck, Roby and Bryne were never enthusiastic supporters of Trump — and who can blame them?
The Republican establishment, the congressmen and senators who have enabled Trump's rise, had to see the purple around Trump's eyes to finally pull the trigger, to finally recognize the mistake they made.
And even with more than 50 top Republicans dropping their support, it's still not clear if the party is ready to take responsibility for its nominee. Some, like Alabama's own Sen. Jeff Sessions, are sticking with old Don'.
Trump didn't open with "locker room talk" the day he announced his candidacy, but he called Mexican immigrants rapists. He didn't print campaign signs that read "I made nonconsensual sexual attempts on women," but he insinuated Megyn Kelly couldn't do her job because she's a woman.
Never once has he hid his true nature.
His crude statements about women on talk shows, his racist threats against those of color, his subtle homophobic zings, they all conveyed a dangerous message and until now — until white women were violated verbally, and probably physically too — no one opened their eyes.
Donald Trump disqualified himself on day one. Not everyone may agree, but Trump didn't reveal his fangs with a month to go before Nov. 8 (not Nov. 28, Don). They were there the whole time.
Republicans, and Americans by association, are experiencing a much-deserved case of buyer's remorse. Vice Presidential nominee Mike Pence has been mentioned more in the last week than he has the entirety of the campaign, because he's considering his options.
The printers in our lovely state of Alabama have already cooled down and the ballots have been banded with red and blue rubber bands. The "options" being considered and discussed are a waste of breath, energy and remaining sanity, at this point.
The Republican Party has little time to get him off the ballot, if any. In many states such as Alabama, it's probably impossible.
Donald J. Trump, maniacal narcissist, is now in bed with the United States of America, and he's not getting out.
Because "when you're a star ... you can do anything."
Chip Brownlee, community editor, contributed to this opinion piece.
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