And that would be the acrid smell of Donald Trump’s presidential aspirations as the remnants smolder in the glaring October sun.

Burnt toast.

Meanwhile, his fellow Republicans are now sniff-sniff-sniffing for smoke in fear that the political wildfire that engulfed Trump’s campaign this weekend will spread down-ticket to those who supported him and others who waited this long to abandon him.

On Sunday night, the entire world will tuned into Trump’s second, and probably final, presidential debate to see the billionaire man-boy writhe, squirm and bluster. He was a Saturday Night Live skit in the making as he tried to put a positive spin on the scandalous obscene comments he made about women 15 years ago. Those ghastly and crude comments about accosting women were made fresh as a daisy on Friday when The Washington Post released what is now still trending as #TrumpTapes.

Hillary Clinton could have drank a bottle of cheap vodka at the debate, passed out face down on the rug, and still have won the event. No doubt that Republicans finally jumping off this sinking ship felt vindicated by Trump’s erratic and embarrassing comments and behavior during the debate. If Trump carries Texas and Mississippi at this point, it will be a miracle.

Nervous rational Americans are now breathing easier. You can’t help but feel confident that the majority of Americans asleep at the wheel have finally been jolted awake to discover the Republican presidential nominee is a walking obscenity.

Republicans in Colorado and across the country, however? Now they’re the ones losing sleep.

I quietly cheered yesterday when GOP Aurora Congressman Mike Coffman and Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner joined a small but vocal chorus of fellow Republicans insisting that Trump quit. After months of being cagey about whether he would or wouldn’t vote for Trump, Coffman’s staff on Saturday morning sent out an exasperated text to News7 saying that the three-term congressman would not vote for Trump. Gardner, who pithily dissed Trump in May and then kissed up to him after the nomination, had harsh words about saying foul things in the TV tape about women.

I cheered because these two influential Republicans will dissuade a lot of Republicans and others to not vote for the most dangerous presidential candidate ever. That was has been Job One, which we have repeatedly begged for.

But now, Coffman, Gardner and the dozen or so Republicans that either stood by silently, only grumbled or outright supported Trump, are hand-wringing over their richly deserved comeuppance.

Now, they have to answer the question, “What the hell?” Trump is the same ghastly racist, xenophobic, fascist, narcissistic, misogynistic, groping, Putin-loving cretin that he’s been all along. This? This is what drove Coffman to finally quit saying that Trump must “earn” his vote, after months of saying and doing the exact same things that were revealed on this tape? Calling for torture, mass deportations, a preposterous wall, a possible date with is daughter, the rebuke of a judge because of his Mexican heritage, the dangerous and cruel abuse of American-Muslims, disparagement of war heroes and — the list is virtually endless of things that would prompt anyone with an average amount of integrity to call out Trump for what he has been since Day One of his campaign.

So the charges of political expediency against Coffman, Gardner, Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo, New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte, Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz and others are well-founded.

Clearly afraid of angering their nasty tea-party base, these Republicans either went along with the sickness of Trump, or tried to play both sides of an issue that calls for strong character, not clever political skill.

Try as they will — and you know damn well these politicians are working hard to find a way to politicize their way out of this mess — their campaigns and careers are deeply stained by the bloodbath of Trump’s assault on America and human decency.

It’s important that these high-profile Republicans continue to work to snuff Trump’s chances at the White House through Election Day, but at the same time these partisan political animals must convince constituents they now have the good judgment and courage to do the right thing for the country instead of the right thing for their political party and careers. Because those qualities have clearly been absent until Friday.

Follow @EditorDavePerry on Twitter and Facebook or reach him at 303-750-7555 or dperry@AuroraSentinel.com