Posted on 08/21/2012 4:30:14 AM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
Despite mounting pressure to withdraw from his Senate race after offensive comments he made about rape and abortion, Rep. Todd Akin, R-Mo., isn't backing down, and recorded a TV ad apologizing for his remarks.
"Rape is an evil act. I used the wrong words in the wrong way and for that I apologize," Akin tells viewers in the ad, first reported by Politico Tuesday morning. "As the father of two daughters, I want tough justice for predators. I have a compassionate heart for the victims of sexual assault. I pray for them," Akin says.
"The fact is, rape can lead to pregnancy. The truth is, rape has many victims," he continues.
"The mistake I made was in the words I said, not in the heart I hold. I ask for your forgiveness."
The controversy began Sunday after Akin, a six-term conservative congressman who's running against Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill, was asked in a TV interview whether he would support abortions for women who have been raped.
"It seems to me first of all, from what I understand from doctors, that's really rare," Akin said. "If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down," Akin said of a rape victim's chances of becoming pregnant. ....
Later, President Obama suggested Akin's remarks illustrated the broad differences between Democrats and Republicans....
"Rape is rape," Mr. Obama said. "And the idea that we should be parsing and qualifying and slicing what types of rape we're talking about doesn't make sense to the American people and certainly doesn't make sense to me."
Mr. Obama added that Akin's remarks underscore "why we shouldn't have a bunch of politicians, a majority of whom are men, making health care decisions on behalf of women."
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
Good. Now step down. This is more important than your ego: the future of the nation is at stake.
This is great, just great.
This guy doesn’t get it. He blew up his campaign. He needs to get out. Not make an ad. Not ask for donations. R.E.S.I.G.N.
He must really be in love with himself. He’s willing to put his own ambitions for higher office over the fate of the entire country.
GET OUT!
‘zackly.
Republican candidates cannot make mistakes. Make a mistake, and the media will dismember your candidacy. If GOP candidates don’t know that, they aren’t smart enough to hold office.
This turkey had his chance and he blew it. Being stubborn and selfish about it will not benefit the country. He really needs to give it up by the 5:00 PM deadline today.
Are you that selfish?
Or a Plant?
You are forgiven, but for the good of your home state and the nation, step down please.
Not a plant altho I do enjoy the company of sweet corn.
What is it with these morons? Can’t they just issue a statement and let it be? They just keep running back to the newspapers and media to apologize, clarify and reiterate, making a bad situation worse.
Dude’s got to go.
On Bill Bennett’s Morning in America radio show this morning, they’ve got non-stop people calling saying Akin should NOT resign. After about 20, they finally got 1 saying he should. They’re all saying exactly what Akin’s supporters here have been saying, that he made a minor slip-up of one word, that they hope he stays in, that it’s up to the Missouri voters, that they’re disgusted with the GOP beltway establishment RINOs who are out-of-touch with their voters and should be fighting this hard against our REAL enemies. Woo-hoo! Go Akin! Reject the GOP RINO elites and stay in the race and fight for what you believe!
This jerk is a complete moron. He should step down immediately so we get the chance to take the Senate. The woman Steelman would be a great alternative with the T-Party and Sarah supporting her.
The big problem though is that Sen. Clare’s campaign will milk that slip-up for all that it is worth. In this high tech age, perception is everything.
Give me a break. Name me one perfect Republican candidate who never made a gaffe. How idiotic it is to hold Republicans up to the impossible standard that the liberals want to set for us. You can "know" all you want that you shouldn't make a mistake, but accidents happen. They happened to Romney, Santorum, Gingrich, Palin, Reagan, Bush, Quayle, Limbaugh, Savage, etc. Has any Republican ever not suffered a scandal over SOMETHING they've said at some time being twisted and misinterpreted by their enemies? To have their friends and allies doing it though, that shows that the party is in a sad state and condition when they won't back up one of their own. GO AKIN! Reject the elite wimps who salivate at the chance to throw a pro-life Christian conservative under the bus!
What word?
What about Sarah Steelman? Was she not the one that got another Sarah’s endorsement?
Which they'll do to every Republican candidate on every issue, as they are with Romney on tax returns, on saying "he's not concerned about the very poor," etc. Who cares what they'll do? It's up to the voters, who will be absolutely sick of the Democrats hammering on a non-issue when this country is facing real problems. Conservatives need to grow a spine and grow a set, reject the liberals, reject the Democrats, reject the political consultants, reject the GOP establishment, and stand up for good people with good values trying to stand up for what we believe in and not punish people for making one little, minor mistake. The calls from real conservative voters keep coming in to Bill Bennett. Latest woman is saying she's sending Akin a check right now. She said he's apologized 42,000 times by now and that should be enough. She says she's had it with the GOP snobs.
It appears that FR has become wimp central. No wonder we can’t get conservatives to run. They know that at the first sign of trouble, conservatives head for the hills.
At this point, I would say a plant of his own making. The voters of Missouri need to own up to the fact that it just may be that he only won because of Democrat crossovers in an OPEN PRIMARY.
They don’t call it the stupid party for no reason. Just what is in the DNA that thinks it is a good thing to have the other party select your candidate?
What word?
The word "illegitimate." If he said "forcible" the first time, there's no issue.
Latest Bill Bennett caller says he has a fighting chance if he stays, but if he leaves, he's handing the election to McCaskill. Because voters care about issues like fiscal matters, not political correctness.
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