Roy Moore held a press conference where he denied the accusations of the four women who have accused him of dating teens, and most especially the woman who says she was 14 years old when he picked her up, brought her to his house, and sexually molested her. He said he would reveal their motives at a future date.

Please note the photos of the protesters.

And please read this stunning column by Alabama journalist John Archibald, who sharply criticizes the hypocrisy of the sanctimonious moralists who now defend Moore.

He writes:

Take it off, Alabama. Take it aaaaall off. You’re naked as the day you were born, naked as porn, clothed in the manner of the emperor.

In nothing but audacity and deceit. And hypocrisy.

Buck naked. Or as they say down in Sipsey, butt nekkid.

You’ve shown the world the stuff you used to have enough decency to conceal. You’ve shown even to yourself that what you say is a lie and what you believe is as flexible as the moment demands.

You’re a poser, Alabama. And the Bible Belt is down around your knees. You stamp yourself with the label of God and good and morality, and it means nothing to you.

Not more than politics. Or ideology. Or your own lack of shame.

Remember when the good grandpa governor Robert Bentley held all the credibility he needed to win the state over? He was a Baptist deacon, a vocal Christian who spoke of high moral ground like he lived there.

Until he was caught talking dirty to a lady who worked for him. Until we found he wanted to do things in the office that would make his secretary Wanda blush. Then you cared, Alabama.

He writes about the State Auditor, who had the audacity to say that what Moore did, if he did it, was no different from the hook-up between Joseph and a teenage Mary, which produced Jesus.

The Jesuit priest James Martin wrote on Twitter that no one knows the actual ages of Joseph and Mary, and besides, the comparison is “disgusting.”

@JamesMartinSJ, November 9:

For the biblically challenged: 1) Despite artistic representations, we have no idea about the exact ages of either the Virgin Mary or St. Joseph at the time of their betrothal or marriage. 2) Comparing the allegations against Roy Moore in any way to Joseph and Mary is disgusting

The next day, November 10, he called such a comparison “monstrous”

Again, using the relationship of Mary and Joseph to, in any way, excuse or legitimize the sexual abuse or sexual harassment of a minor, or anyone, is monstrous.

Like, how low can people sink, to defend the indefensible?

From another source, Joy Reid at MSNBC: she wondered about people who are shocked by the allegations about Moore now, but endorsed him when he proclaimed his hatred for Muslims, gays, and others who didn’t measure up to his high standards.

Whatever happens, the GOP loses. If he wins the election, they have a Senator who is a loudmouth bigot and has the stench of pedophilia; if he loses, their margin in the Senate is only one vote, and any Senator insulted by Trump can sink his agenda.