Election ‘like a bad dream’ for former Miss Universe

Watching Donald Trump run for president is “like a bad dream” for former Miss Universe Alicia Machado, who held a press call with reporters on Tuesday following Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s mention of her at the first presidential debate of 2016.

{mosads}After winning the crown in 1996, Machado said she faced disparaging and abusive remarks from Trump over her weight, leading to years of eating disorders and low self-esteem. 

“For me, this campaign, this election, are like a bad dream. You know what I mean? I never thought — I never imagined that 20 years later I would be in this moment watching this guy again doing a stupid thing, stupid comments,” Machado said Tuesday. 

Machado was the first Miss Universe crowned under Trump, the Republican nominee, after he purchased the operation, and he made it clear he didn’t like the weight she gained after assuming the crown.

Clinton brought up Trump’s previous comments about Machado during their debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y., using it as an example of his poor treatment of women. 

“One of the worst things he said was about a woman in a beauty contest — he loves beauty contests, supporting them and hanging around them — and he called this woman ‘Miss Piggy,’ then he called her ‘Miss Housekeeping’ because she was Latina. Donald, she has a name,” Clinton said at the debate.

Trump didn’t deny the comments but repeatedly asked Clinton, “Where did you find this?”

But Trump had more to say on the matter when he called into Fox News the next morning, saying he had a right to comment on Machado’s physique. 

“When she brought up that person that became — I know that person. That person was a Miss Universe person, and she was the worst we ever had,” Trump said on “Fox and Friends.” 

“Ultimately a winner, who they had a tremendously difficult time with as Miss Universe. … She was the winner, and, you know, she gained a massive amount of weight, and it was a real problem — we had a real problem. … We had a real problem with her.”

“Hillary found the girl, and talked about her like she was Mother Theresa.” 

Machado said she hopes her experience can “open eyes” in the election to the kind of man Trump really is. 

“I’m not a beauty queen; I’m not Miss Universe anymore. I’m a worker woman; I’m a mother. I have a family. I have my career, and I have a business. If my story can open eyes for this election, that’s what I’m trying to do and to share. … My experience with this person maybe can help,” she said. 

“I’m supporting Mrs. Clinton. I believe in her experience, and she is a girl, a strong girl, a smart girl,” she said.