Rep. Todd Akin had no sooner won Missouri’s GOP Senate primary this month than he seemed eager to hand over the election to incumbent Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill. Akin instantly became a national sensation with a shocking statement about how “legitimate rape” rarely results in pregnancy.
When confronted on his view regarding exceptions to a ban on abortions, Akin proceeded to show how to abort a Senate campaign in record time: “First of all, from what I understand from doctors, that’s really rare. If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down. . . But let’s assume that maybe that didn’t work or something. You know I think there should be some punishment, but the punishment ought to be on the rapist and not attacking the child.”
First there is the distinction between “legitimate” and “illegitimate” rape that is too twisted to contemplate. Then there is Akin’s rather bizarre view of the female body and the existence of some type of kill switch in cases of rape within every woman.
Akin is a six-term U.S. congressman who probably could have drifted to a win in Missouri. Polls showed him a heavy favorite against McCaskill who is unpopular with many in Missouri as well as Washington. Akin, 65, was backed by former GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee and supported by many in the Tea Party. Akin was able to secure 36 percent of the vote against businessman John G. Brunner with 30 percent and former state treasurer Sarah Steelman with 29 percent. Steelman was the favorite of Sarah Palin and many in the Tea Party. Despite the tough primary, Akin was leading McCaskill in the polls.
That changed in a flash and he succeeded in moving a state from an expected win for the GOP into the doubtful column — assuming he does not withdraw from the race. Both Romney and Ryan have publicly criticized the comment. McCaskill appears to relish the thought of becoming the second most unpopular candidate in a two-person race. She has refused to call for Akin to step down and said that it would be a radical step to replace a candidate who just won the primary. Republicans however have lined up to condemn the statements and call for Akin to withdraw from the race.
Akin’s attempt to walk back from the comments was almost as awkward — claiming that he “misspoke” about rape. Here is the statement:
“As a member of Congress, I believe that working to protect the most vulnerable in our society is one of my most important responsibilities, and that includes protecting both the unborn and victims of sexual assault. In reviewing my off-the-cuff remarks, it’s clear that I misspoke in this interview and it does not reflect the deep empathy I hold for the thousands of women who are raped and abused every year. Those who perpetrate these crimes are the lowest of the low in our society and their victims will have no stronger advocate in the Senate to help ensure they have the justice they deserve.
“I recognize that abortion, and particularly in the case of rape, is a very emotionally charged issue. But I believe deeply in the protection of all life and I do not believe that harming another innocent victim is the right course of action. I also recognize that there are those who, like my opponent, support abortion and I understand I may not have their support in this election.”
Akin does not address the medical side of the comment or even explain what he meant about legitimate rape.
“Misspoke” is a remarkably flexible term to cover any statement where, according to Merriam-Webster, you can claim that you “expressed (oneself) imperfectly or incorrectly.” Of course, there remains the cause for such misspeak. It is one thing to get a date wrong or a country wrong or even a description of some past event. Here however Akin drew a distinction between legitimate and illegitimate rape and then proceeded to offer a medical claim that is almost medieval in character.
Here is the clip showing the “misspeech”:
Given the polarized situation in Missouri, this does not necessarily mean that McCaskill will win. However, with the GOP already struggling with the female vote, this is comment is likely to be played back in an endless loop. The question is the degree of pressure from the Romney campaign to get Akin to step aside given the possible drag on the ticket in November.
Source: CNN
David Axelrod: Todd Akin’s Comments Are ‘Inconvenient’ For Romney-Ryan, ‘Not Inconsistent’
By Sam Stein
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/20/david-axelrod-todd-akin_n_1811693.html?utm_hp_ref=elections-2012
Excerpt:
WASHINGTON — The Obama campaign is, not surprisingly, unwilling to accept Mitt Romney’s condemnation of Rep. Todd Akin’s controversial remarks and move on.
Akin, a Missouri Republican who is running for Senate, said Sunday that women who are the victims of “legitimate rape” rarely get pregnant. In an interview with The Huffington Post on Monday, chief Obama strategist David Axelrod said the comments reflected the larger philosophy of the GOP presidential ticket.
He predicted that the public would find the remarks even more distasteful once it became widely known that Romney’s running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), teamed up with Akin on strict anti-abortion measures.
“When you look at who Akin’s partner was on all the anti-choice legislation, it was Paul Ryan,” said Axelrod. “When you look at the legislation that would limit a women’s right to choose, even for victims of rape and incest, that is the Akin-Ryan position. And frankly, by endorsing personhood amendments … Romney has gone there too. This is the prevailing position of the Republican Party.”
“I think they find Todd Akin’s comment terribly inconvenient,” Axelrod said. “It is very inopportune. But they are certainly not inconsistent, when Ryan joined with him and tried to limit the definition of rape to forcible rape. What does that mean? They are trying to run away from what has been their own position and yet, while Akin’s proposition was particularly egregious and outrageous, on the underlining principle of whether you are going to limit a woman’s right to choose, and how rape victims are dealt with and how they would approach this issue, they are very much in line with him.”
Reverse Greasing of the skids IMHO:
Democrats spent $1.5 mil to help Akin win GOP primary
August 20, 2012 | 10:52 am
http://washingtonexaminer.com/democrats-spent-1.5-mil-to-help-akin-win-gop-primary/article/2505373#.UDJ6o92PUqg
mespo,
Thanks for that clip.
rafflaw,
The look on the Senator’s face was definitely priceless.
More from Religulous:
Good ol boys from ol Mizzou… Went in dumb, come out dumb too.. shufflin round Columbia in their alligator shoes.. We’re keepin the women down..
We’re Rednecks, Rednecks,, We dont know are arse from a hole in the ground….
Mespo,
That was an amazing video clip. The look on the face of the Senator right after he stated that you don’t have to pass an IQ test to be a Senator is priceless! In my country, I would like to think that Senators have enough knowledge and intelligence to be able to understand when science is actually correct.
Or the House either:
A misogynistic group of middle-aged, white men dedicated to the adoration of a unseen, divine being with dubious origins and whose main purpose is to return to a time in the past when their values held sway against a heretical progressive movement from the West: The Taliban? No, todays Republican Party.
While I disagree with Rep. Akin’s statement, let’s be honest and acknowledge that not all claims of rape are “legitimate”. Need an example?
http://jonathanturley.org/2012/05/25/woman-admits-that-she-falsely-accused-convicted-high-school-student-of-rape-after-he-serves-his-time-in-jail-woman-keeps-1-5-million-award-as-rape-victim/
gbk,
and they are all versions of “I need to get my power back and she’s going to give it to me.”
Elaine,
“Can anyone tell me how many kinds of rape there are?”
After seconds of research I have concluded there are at least seven kinds of rape:
1) No means yes — she’s just being shy.
2) She should know that men just can’t be “friends.”
3) After spending hundreds of dollars on a date, and with the cost of gas today, what does she expect?
4) She wanted it — why else wear spandex and go jogging, alone?
5) She smiled at me.
6) All women secretly fantasize about being “taken.”
7) If she would just stay in the kitchen things like this wouldn’t happen.
legitimate rape v. illegitimate rape? wtf!!!
McCaskill doesn’t want him to step down b/c he’s the best opponent she could have. One that totally screwed himself (I hope) or was an illegitimate rape? or a legitimate rape?
Can’t wait to see what Jon Stewart does with this.
———————
clip re: minimum wage. They don’t know and they don’t care except that it’s high enough. Would love to see them live for a couple of months on minimum wage. If the minimum wage kept pace with CEO pay, it would be $23/hr. Some states have an even lower minimum wage, some having none. This means that retail employees, restaurant workers, trash workers, etc. have little to no protection.
Rape Victim Reacts To Todd Akin’s Comment: Delivering ‘Baby Of A Rapist’ Is ‘Torture’
Posted: 08/20/2012
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/20/todd-akin-missouri_n_1811232.html
Excerpt:
Anita Law of Jacksonville, Fla., said that she was raped by an acquaintance when she was a 19-year-old student at the University of Maryland and that she got pregnant as a result of the incident. She was too traumatized to go through with the pregnancy, so she walked to a nearby abortion clinic, where she was heckled and verbally assaulted by protesters as she tried to get in the door.
“Rape is so isolating — it ruined my world for a long time,” Law, now 43, said in an interview with The Huffington Post. “If I had had to carry that rapist’s baby to term, quite honestly, I might have taken my life.”
Law said she couldn’t believe her eyes on Sunday when she read that Republican Senate candidate Todd Akin of Missouri declare in an interview that pregnancy from “legitimate rape” is “really rare” because “the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.”
“First of all, what is legitimate rape?” she asked. “Whether it’s date rape, whether the woman was beaten to a pulp, whether it’s a 14 or 15-year old kid carrying her father’s child, it doesn’t matter. Having to deliver the baby of a rapist — that’s torture.”
Another rape survivor in Missouri was so incensed by Akin’s comment that she called into St. Louis television station KTVI to share her feelings. “It was like I had been slapped,” she told the anchor. “I heard that comment and I just began to shake. I was fit to be tied.”
Dave Catanese, Politico Reporter, Defends Todd Akin Rape Comments
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/20/dave-catanese-politico-todd-akin-rape_n_1810222.html
Excerpt:
Politico reporter Dave Catanese took to Twitter to defend comments made by Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.) about rape.
“Poor phrasing, but if you watch the intv @ToddAkin meant to convey that there’s less chance of getting pregnant if raped,” he said.
Akin told KTVI on Sunday that victims of “legimitate rape” don’t usually get pregnant because women’s bodies have “ways to try to shut that whole thing down.” He later said he “misspoke” but did not disavow the claims.
Catanese tweeted that Akin’s comments, while poorly phrased, were worth discussing.
“So perhaps some can agree that all rapes that are reported are not actually rapes? Or are we gonna really deny that for PC sake?” he said. “So looks like he meant to say — ‘If a woman was REALLY raped, it’s statistically less likely for her to get pregnant.’ What’s the science?”
Contrary to Akin’s claims, around 32,000 women get pregnant every year after being raped.
Can anyone tell me how many kinds of rape there are?
So far, there are Republicans who have used the terms “forcible” rape and “legitimate” rape. Were they attempting to distinguish “real” rape from “maybe it wasn’t really rape” rape?
Maybe some of these fellas have in mind other types of sexual assault: “you asked for it” rape and “you know you wanted it” rape.
Good grief! What is wrong with these men?
Alex Wagner on MSNBC her program is on Women in Congress,it’s on now.
You are right Elaine about the legislation.
You are also correct that these uber religious politicians usually do not care about the facts because their bosses have already given them their marching orders.
Blouise,
“Dumb (or stupid, if you will) … the info is there for the ignorant to learn … these candidates are incapable of learning thus … dumb. Dumb candidates make certain voters feel smart which is all illusion (or delusion, if you will).”
I believe that some of these candidates can’t be bothered to inform themselves. I think that some of them choose to be ignorant. I also think they don’t care what the minimum is in their state. They have decided that they are against the minimum wage…whatever it is.
“Gene H.
1, August 20, 2012 at 11:22 am
In a scan of the news this morning, this guy has apparently sent the GOP into major damage control mode.”
“eniobob
1, August 20, 2012 at 9:08 am
The spinners and the spinerettes are going to be busy today trying to turn this lemon into lemonade.”
OUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
rafflaw,
“As Elaine detailed above, Paul Ryan co-sponsored a bill to make abortion illegal, even in cases of rape and incest!”
And even in cases when a mother’s life may be in danger!
“Those who perpetrate these crimes are the lowest of the low in our society and their victims will have no stronger advocate in the Senate to help ensure they have the justice they deserve.”
—————————————————-
because being forced to carry the pregnancy of a violent selfish self serving greedy disgusting pig is just.
Just retarded