Associated Press
Over the weekend, Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.) created quite a mess for himself discussing pregnancies from rape. "If it's a legitimate rape," the U.S. Senate candidate said, "the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down."
Appearing on Mike Huckabee's radio show this afternoon, Akin said he "used the wrong word," and "was referring to forcible rape," instead of "legitimate rape."
Akin, in other words, doesn't fully understand why there's a scandal. Apparently he thinks he'd be fine if only he'd said, "If it's a forcible rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down."
While Akin flounders, the calls for his departure from the race are growing. Though Akin told Huckabee, "I'm not a quitter," Sens. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) want him to drop out, and GOP officials are generally running from the far-right Missourian as fast as they can.
And what of the ostensible head of the Republican Party?
Mitt Romney condemned the comments about rape and abortion by Representative Todd Akin, the Republican Senate candidate in Missouri, calling them "insulting, inexcusable, and, frankly, wrong."
The Romney campaign issued a statement Sunday night saying that Mr. Romney disagreed with the comments, but in a telephone interview with National Review Online on Monday, Mr. Romney went further, saying Mr. Akin should not have made the comments. [...]
"I have an entirely different view," Mr. Romney told National Review. "What he said is entirely without merit and he should correct it."
I am, to be sure, delighted Romney has "an entirely different view," but I'm also eager for him to elaborate. Romney has, after all, expressed support for a "Personhood" measure; he's said he would be "delighted" to sign a bill eliminating all abortions; and he picked a running mate who cosponsored bills defining fertilized eggs as human beings and redefining rape.
The larger point, of course, is that Akin's comments were blisteringly ignorant, his general approach to women's health may not be far at all from the Republican Party mainstream.
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Akin is a tool.
And I am sure you would know what a tool is, Skippy.
These guys should not try to defend themselves...This is their belief. Women are chattel.
Ah yes, "forcible" rape. That other great RTL code word based restriction on abortion that the knowing white men of the 112th Congress, including one Paul Ryan, tried to sneak into law until their effort came to light. Because clearly rape that isn't "forcible," like, say, sex with a minor or incompetent, or rape of a woman rendered unconscious by drugs or alcohol, or any other rape where the all-knowing censorous white guys deems the little slut didn't fight hard enough and thus had it comin to her, doesn't justify an abortion.
Well-done, Akin. That'll get you out of the frying pan for sure.
Next up Faux and Friends
It must be great to live in a world where no matter how clueless and obnoxious you are you still have supporters
See: Williams, Hank Jr,
http://www.salon.com/2012/08/19/hank_williams_jr_obama_a_muslim_who_hates_america_farming/
Really the best part is .....
The GOP war on Women is on the front page again.
What is impossible to miss in the controversy over Todd Akin's monstrous comments is that he represents the mainstream of the modern Republican Party. Republican strategists may want him to quit the race, but the idea of "legitimate rape" and the rest is pushed by the kinds of Tea Party extremists that now make up the core of the GOP. This is not a misstep. Todd Akin, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan actually believe these terrible things, and are not afraid to force them on America if they are given power. - principled progressive
Thanks TheActivist my thoughts exactly and especially like you calling his unbelievably ignorant comments "monstrous" - when many of the women in this country, including myself, were fighting tooth and nail for the "right to choose" to have control of our bodies, I and many others worried that if we left this decision up the the courts, (as we did with Roe vs. Wade) it would come back to haunt us some day. SO wish we had been wrong about that.
Akin and Ryan co-sponsored a bill in the last session of Congress to re-define rape to being only "forcible" rape, and defining that term closely since Akin wanted to be sure no woman could use it against her husband in a divorce case.
Of course, the reason Republicans believe all this is because it ultimately gets boring when your only sexual outlet is that minute on the bed watching the porn channel on the hotel cable.
I have to say, as a shallow person who works in Hollywierd that if I was casting for "crazy inbred vicious Southern hillbilly trash", Akin would be hired on the spot, just looking at him.
I have to say, as a shallow person
NOW I get you TC. Every meaningless name calling statement you make (which almost ALL you do here) now makes sense to me. That's usually all you have to contribute. Sorry.... :)
The idea of defining "forcible" rape as a way to protect married men in divorce precedings is ludicrous. As if to say a husband can't "rape" his wife just because they're married. It happens every day all over the world.
Skip, at least he supplies more of use than yourself.
What would Romney say if Limbaugh said what Akin did?!? Oh right, we've heard it before - "I'll just say this which is it’s not the language I would have used".
Upon revising and extending his remarks, Rep Akin now has both feet in his mouth!
Can't wait to hear Rushbo on the subject.
"..."was referring to forcible rape," instead of "legitimate rape."
Does this tool understand what "RAPE" means? Maybe a few nights in jail with someone named "BIG Tiny" will help him understand what the difference is between "forcible & legitimate rape" mean!
I know what you mean. Reading Akin's statements makes me furious also. Alas, even were Akin to get raped, the lucky bugger could not get pregnant, so he would never have to deal with all that entails. If only he could... Then again, if men could get pregnant, choice would not be debated. Sigh.
Can we not suggest rape as a corrective measure, please.
@MechTrek, I believe the collusion was meant tongue-in-cheek. There is a certain amount of catharsis in waxing poetic about Akin having to walk a mile in a woman's proverbial shoes. (Though he should definitely not choose high-heels... he might be accused of 'having it coming' for dressing like a slut.')
No Amanda
Akin should have to wear the kind of shoes Tracy London wears on What Not to Wear (not to imply Tracy that you in anyway conceivable are a slut. I admire you except for your footwear) It should be as high a heel and painful as possible.
*crosses fingers* Please don't drop out please don't drop out please don't drop out please don't drop out...
Where is the medical community, to whom he refers? Doctors who inform him that, "If it's a forcible rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down." And what, pray tell, does he mean by "...that whole thing...?" Or did he mean that hole thing?
May we take a look at the beliefs that are being revealed by these kinds of comments? That people with such ignorant beliefs are able to have standing within the mainstream is of great concern. What this is calling for is a deep examination of what we, as a culture, believe about ourselves and our culture. Akin is not alone. He is showing us the dark underbelly of U.S. culture. We are the ones who have to find ways to re-frame the cultural beliefs that drive policy and regulation.
it's likely the members of the vile group Physicians for Life, a group of "doctors" who intentionally lie to their patients because of their religion.
so, "doctor" might be referring to is that "guiding light" of C Street scandal and anti-choice reps and senators: Tom Coburn http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Coburn
Republicans are worried that they may not control the Senate after the elections. I don't see Akin dropping out because he sees the Senate as a stepping stone in his career. Let him keep talking because McCaskill looks better every day.
Can we talk about biology please? This kinda explains why these wackos find it baffling when women keep screaming at them that women should be able (by themselves) make their own decisions about their own bodies. According to these morons, G-d already gave a woman all they need.
That's why a loving merciful god gave women lack of upper body strength and knees they can't keep together in an emergency just to ensure his creation's genetic survival, because sometimes the tedious process of gaining a woman's permission just takes too long.
Romney is lying and Ryan is strangely silent. That's because Ryan co sponsored Akin's bill on redefining rape...
Sen. McCaskill ought to say nothing at this point and just replay this guy's comments over and over, and over........He's the best campaign ad she'll ever have.
The president's campaign ad folks need to run the same comments with the addition of the co-sponsoring of legislation by this dweeb and Rep. Ryan.
Let them speak! They'll doom themselves with their own actions. "Truth will out!"
Obama should tar and feather the Republican party with Akin and the rest of the radical fringe. If the Dems want to win and get a few upsets this election, then the Dems need to run a national ad campaign based on these radical statements just before the elections so Republicans don't have a chance to explain away the statements. The ad can be a boatload of radical statements and the voice over can say "Are you sure you want to vote Republican?"
and those ads should scroll a list of the "jobs, jobs, abortion" bills that have been introduced in this congress, a list of all the governor(S) trans-vaginal ultrasound, text of laws requiring doctors to lie to female patients and the abominable Steve King's assertion that it is not against US law to kidnap a 13yo, rape her, drive her across the state line, force her to have an abortion, and drop her back off at the playground
It is important to note and has been missed in much of the recent coverage- the Republicans are meeting today and tomorrow to discuss the Party Platform they will bring up at the convention... The conservative wing has had a heavy handed influence on that process.
It will be worthy to note what they vote on in regards to this issue...
Let's hope it doesn't end up looking like the Texas GOP Platform. I don't know whether to laugh about it, or cry. It offends in so many ways that I'm not sure where to start (though the part about eliminating the teaching of critical thinking skills in public schools may just take the cake).
Forget the chain's remark Joe.We're movin on to the legimate rape issue.Let Ryan try to weasel his way out of cosponsoring legislation with this madman. These two think that if a married woman is raped, that her and her spouse should be forced to raise a criminal rapist's child.
To Akin: "Did you go to Hollywood Upstairs Medical College?"
Unfortunately there are millions of people that think like Akin- we need better education in this country- too much ignorance.
On the bright side, he didn't invoke the Stork Theory of Human Reproduction...
I took a peak on Real Clear Politics. Akin is ahead of Claire McCaskill in the polls. Democrats could lose a seat in the Senate to this guy.
Akin did not "mis-speak". He's simply a poor liar. again, more evidence that these "good Christians" don't actually believe in the religion they claim to.
what a moron
All Republicans know that it isn't a rape unless she fights back!!!! ONLY liberal hippies would believe that a woman is being "raped" if she doesn't fight back! More like she is just a feminazi out to destroy innocent men!!!!! Lie and say he raped you that way you can abort the child which should rightfully be your punishment for being such a slut! And you liberals want to give her EMPATHY?! Where in the Bible does it say to have empathy for sluts!!!! You'd NEVER find Jesus walking around with a whore!!! And didn't you all catch Stephanie Miller this morning where that caller asserted that vaginal probes are OK because women enjoy having vibrating wands shoved up there *expletive*? He's absolutely right!!! Which is why gay marriage is wrong!!!! Only natural is allowed!!! I am glad Akin had the courage and strength to stand up for what he believes in and say bravely before a recording device that there is legitimate rape and illegitimate rape. No free rides!!!!
#endofsnark
The issue of "legitimate rape" actually is quite popular among men or at least young men and as has been my experience. There's a great deal many who believe that women who go to bars are looking to hook up with men specifically so that they can claim they were raped the next morning. I actually got into an argument with a gentlemen about this and I asked him that if he believes this to be true then why does he insist on going to bars to pick up women, insist on picking up women who have been drinking, and even go so far as to purchase those women more drinks (thereby increasing the odds that she'll go home with him)? His response was "well she knows how the game works." Double standards are fun. And by fun I mean disgusting.
Of course it infuriates me how they are trying to legislate the language of assaults against women. I grew up in a time when a married woman didn't have a right to say no. When, if a woman was attacked, the court placed on her the burden of proving that she had not been "asking for it". And our only defense against date rape was that dime in our penny loafers. I don't want us going back there.
But here's what is really bothering me about Akin's original statement: He seems to imply that a woman's body has some degree of control over whether or not coitus results in pregnancy. I want to know on what pseudo-science this member of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee has based that part of his statement. In this day when some people are trying to establish that legal rights begin when sperm meets egg, even before the zygote adheres to the uterine wall; I'm very uncomfortable with the possible implications.
to paraphrase Martin Bashir --
... somehow a woman's body can tell the difference between a sperm released by a rapist and consensual sperm ...
Todd Akin needs to be immediately removed from his science and technology committee memberships; apparently he's not learning anything from them. But by all means, keep him in the race so that the voters can get rid of him.
Can someone, seriously, please tell me why our elected officials are not required to take a basic IQ test before we allow them to legislate on our behalf? This utter dolt sits on the House Science Committee? Jon Stewart himself couldn't have dreamed up that kind of resounding, infuriating irony.