Conservative icon and founder of the Eagle Forum Phyllis Schlafly echoed the calls for Rove’s resignation. “Karl Rove has made himself toxic to Republicans by his incredibly offensive and dangerous statement suggesting the murder of Congressman Todd Akin of Missouri,” Schlafly said in a statement. “Any candidate or network who hires Rove will now be tarnished with this most malicious remark ever made in Republican politics.”
“A private phone call by Rove to Akin to sort of apologize does not erase the public offense,” she said. “At the very least Rove should make a public apology. But even that can’t wipe out his gross political mistake.
“Rove has been calling on Todd Akin to resign,” she continued, “but the one who should resign because he made an embarrassing, malicious and downright stupid remark is Karl Rove.”