'I'm beyond being moved or surprised now. Have been for a long time,' Bill Clinton says of Trump's debate-night news conference with rape accusers

  • 'I thought much more about her than I did about him,' Bill told reporters Wednesday after he was asked by DailyMail.com about Trump's event
  • Bill was calm and collected as he recounted the evening; said he was 'proud' of his wife for the way she handled herself 
  • Remarks came at Starbucks on the Iowa State University campus as the ex-president rolled through on a bus tour
  • Was the first time the ex-president had commented on the meeting that his wife's campaign called a 'stunt' and 'gutter' politics  

By Francesca Chambers, White House Correspondent For Dailymail.com

Published: 15:57 EST, 12 October 2016 | Updated: 16:55 EST, 12 October 2016

Bill Clinton says he's 'proud' of the way his wife handled herself Sunday night after Donald Trump blindsided them both by holding a pre-debate news conference with the former president's rape accusers.

'I thought much more about her than I did about him,' Bill told reporters Wednesday after he was asked by DailyMail.com about his mindset in that moment. 'I'm beyond being moved or surprised now. Have been for a long time.'

The reaction came at Starbucks on the Iowa State University campus as the ex-president rolled through Ames on a bus tour.  

Bill Clinton says he's 'proud' of the way his wife handled herself Sunday night after Donald Trump blindsided them both by holding a pre-debate news conference with the former president's rape accusers

Bill Clinton says he's 'proud' of the way his wife handled herself Sunday night after Donald Trump blindsided them both by holding a pre-debate news conference with the former president's rape accusers

Trump gave the women seats at the debate in his section, as well.  Abover are Kathleen Wiley (left), Juanita Broaddrick (center), and Kathy Shelton, who was raped by one of Hillary's clients. He wanted to put them in his VIP box so Hillary would have to stare at them but had the move blocked by debate officials

Trump gave the women seats at the debate in his section, as well.  Abover are Kathleen Wiley (left), Juanita Broaddrick (center), and Kathy Shelton, who was raped by one of Hillary's clients. He wanted to put them in his VIP box so Hillary would have to stare at them but had the move blocked by debate officials

Bill's reaction to Trump's pre-game show came at Starbucks on the Iowa State University campus as the ex-president rolled through Ames on a bus tour. He's pictured 

Bill's reaction to Trump's pre-game show came at Starbucks on the Iowa State University campus as the ex-president rolled through Ames on a bus tour. He's pictured 

Bill had not yet commented on Trump's shock meeting with Juanita Broaddrick, Paula Jones, Kathleen Willey and Kathy Shelton, attacked as a child by one of Hillary Clinton's clients, 90 minutes before the debate. 

The Republican broadcast the affair on Facebook and allowed some reporters in to listen to the women's statements.

Trump gave the women seats at the debate in his section, as well. He wanted to put them in his VIP box so Hillary would have to stare at them but debate officials blocked the move. 

'I was proud of my wife. And I felt bad for the citizens who were sittin' on the stage who had been told if they came there they could ask questions about what they really cared about that affect their lives,' Bill said today as he recounted the evening's events.

He added, 'And very few of them got to, and I felt bad for them. 

'But I was proud of her, and I looked at her, and I realized...that's the kind of person you want to be president. She's calm, relaxed, and focused on other people.'

The retired politician who was elected to the Oval Office twice said 'that's what the election ought to be about.'

'I mean it's a clear. You've got divide, distract and demonize, against cooperate, concentrate and create opportunities. And it's a pretty clear choice.'

He closed by saying the was not 'surprised' by Trump's behavior, which Hillary's campaign has described as a 'stunt' and 'gutter' politics.

Under fire for lewd remarks he made in 2005 on an Access Hollywood bus, Trump went nuclear on the Clintons at Sunday's debate as he defended his own words and deeds. 

'That was locker room talk. I'm not proud of it. I am a person who has great respect for people, for my family, for the people of this country,' he said.

Trump exclaimed, 'If you look at Bill Clinton, far worse, mine are words, his was action. This is what he has done to women. 

'There’s never been anybody in the history of politics in this nation that's been so abusive to women, so you can say any way you want to say it, but Bill Clinton was abusive to women,' hecharged.

He went after Hillary, too, saying she 'attacked those same women and attacked them viciously.'

Shelton was raped at age 12. Hillary was 'seen laughing' at her, he proclaimed, 'so don't tell me about words.'

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