Posted on 08/21/2012 7:07:48 AM PDT by nhwingut
Hey, if Todd Akin’s remarks are so shameful (and they are) and his ignorance of topics he would seek to legislate is an embarrassment (and it is)… what are we to make of the recent comments from his rival, Sen. Claire McCaskill?
McCaskill issued supportive remarks about Akin on Monday, saying she and Akin “disagree on some things, but he is sincere.”
“While I disagree with what he said, he has now in the last few hours really apologized for what he said. I think what is startling to me is that these party bigwigs are coming down on him and saying that he needs to kick sand in the face of the Republican primary voters,” she said.
(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com ...
So now Akin is a monkey? How much do you know about the man and his record? What does this make Paul Ryan?
"Some liberals tried to tie other Republicans to Akin's comments, noting that Romney's running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan, co-sponsored an abortion-related bill with Akin that would have limited federal funding for abortions to victims of forcible rape," rather than just rape. The FBI's definition of rape is known as "forcible rape," and it is used to distinguish between statutory rape and other kinds of rape."
Akin was born in New York City, the son of Nancy Perry (née Bigelow) and Rev. Paul Bigelow Akin. He moved to St. Louis and attended John Burroughs School. After graduating, he attended the Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, Massachusetts where he earned a degree in management engineering, and in 1984 he earned a Master of Divinity degree at Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis. During college he was member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity.
From 1972 to 1980, Akin served in the Missouri National Guard. After his military career, he took up work at IBM as an engineer and later became a manager at Laclede Steel Company.
Akin was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 1988, representing Town and Country and much of West County. He won re-election in 1990 (59%), 1992 (100%), 1994 (70%), 1996 (67%), and 1998 (66%). 12 years in the state house, Akin voted for carrying concealed weapons, voted against the parks and soils sales tax, voted against the 1993 tax increase and education spending increase. Akin sponsored legislation to prohibit casino companies from contributing to Missouri state lawmakers. In 1995, he fought Democrat Governor Mel Carnahan on state-funding for abortion, which Akin opposed.
In 2000, Republican U.S. Representative Jim Talent vacated the seat in his unsuccessful run for Governor of Missouri. Akin won a closely contested Republican primary election to replace Talent, defeating former St. Louis County Executive Gene McNary and State Senator Franc Flotron. He defeated Democratic State Senator Ted House in the general election, winning 55 percent of the vote. He never faced another contest even that close, and was reelected five times.
In 2010, Akin won re-election with 67.9% of the vote. He had been challenged for the seat by Democratic nominee Arthur Lieber, Libertarian nominee Steve Mosbacher, and write-in candidate Patrick M. Cannon.
This monkey won the Rep nomination for the Senate in Missouri. I guess many of his constituents don't share your assessment. He has had a long and successful political career. Yet, because of one verbal gaffe, which he apologized for immediately, he must be banished to political exile.
Loyalty begets loyalty. The public piling on by many in the GOP including some of his congressional colleagues like Allen West, Scott Brown, and Senator Johnson from Wisconsin is terrible. Even George "Macacca" Allen jumped into the fray to denounce him. And it may be counterproductive. This public crucifixation of an honorable man by his own party sends a terrible message to the party and Akin's supporters in Missouri who see an election nullified. Now it is up for the GOP political establishment to pick someone--not the people. The end result could very well be a loss regardless of who else is selected.
Game, set, match.
Akin has to resign. It’s BS as of course there’s a double-standard for Dems but that’s just the way it is in this case.
Sorry, I am not joining this public lynching of a good and honorable man.
There’s no such thing as loyalty around here. It’s mob mentality. If we are not willing to support our own candidates then we deserve to lose.
I don’t know why, but I’m shocked to learn that conservatives are more willing to toss people aside, that liberals are. No wonder our reps don’t listen to us, I wouldn’t trust us either.
I have lost a lot of respect for a great number of Freepers in the last few days.
Some candidates and their supporters become blinded and start believing God will save the day for them if they just pray a whole bunch. They lose all perspective and can't see political realities for what they are.
Akin has voted the right way most of the time in the past, but this Senate seat is bigger than he is. We need to take this seat from the Democrats. Period. That means putting up the most conservative candidate that CAN win. Fair or not, Akin can't win so he has to go.
No indiscretion? He spewed some quackery about a women's body magically shutting down to prevent pregnancy when raped. Saying something that stupid is just so absolutely, mindbogglingly dumb it really helps explains why McCaskill and the Democrats spent 1-2 million in the GOP primary to help get him as their opponent. The guy is simply an idiot. He seems like a decent person who votes the right way most of the time, but he's still an idiot for uttering something like this. Akin is done. He is not going to win this seat now, and he has to go. I really don't know what is so hard to understand about this.
Pure Rovian logic. Karl was against Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, Sharron Angel, and Christine O'Donnell. Their crime was defeating in the primaries the Establishment's pick. Now in Missouri, if Akin withdraws, the Establishment will pick the candidate, not the people. Akin was conservative enough to win the primary. What good is it to elect a RINO to the Senate? We have enough there already.
And there is no guarantee that whomever is selected will win. Many Akin supporters may not like being disenfranchised. 217,000 (36%) voted for Akin in the primary.
Oh I don’t know, there are some hardheads here that agree with McCaskill and Planned Parenthood that Akin should stay in.
Uh huh, and let’s just see what happens after 5:00PM today when this egotistical idiot refuses to bow out. My guess is the Demonic Party will begin a full court press to hang this idiot’s words around every Republican, just as they did in 2008 with the Foley incident. Get out NOW, you ignorant brain dead moron!
Oh I don’t know, there are some hardheads here that agree with McCaskill and Planned Parenthood that Akin should stay in.
Uh huh, and let’s just see what happens after 5:00PM today when this egotistical idiot refuses to bow out. My guess is the Demonic Party will begin a full court press to hang this idiot’s words around every Republican, just as they did in 2008 with the Foley incident. Get out NOW, you ignorant brain dead moron!
But he really and truly stepped in it. I just don't see how he emerges from this. He had less than $500K left after the Primary, held but two weeks ago today. Meanwhile, Ma McCaskill, had approx. $4 million and this prior to her mass mailings and requests for $ to the Hollywood crowd. Unions. Liberals in general. And RNC has pulled $5 million intended for Akin.
All he had to do was ride it out. He messed up, big time.One can only wonder if he stays in, what mistake will he make next?
The powers to be are making the call as I type. Steelman? Brunner? Sure to reignite the food fight from the run up to the Primary. Neither play well together. Yet they were the ones who invested time and $. In Brunner's case, nearly $9 million of his own $$.
We should know by 5 today, if not sooner. Saddest thing is the only winner regardless of the decision made is McCaskill. She flew away untouched, just like the quail in the Cheney-Whittington shooting incident.
Wise words. Akin is toast. The only question is if he is willing to burn the house down as well. His comments are beyond retrieval and the argument based upon dueling medical experts will just cost the GOP even more votes, particularly female votes.
Here are the people who endorsed Akin in the primary.
Mike Huckabee, former Governor of Arkansas and 2008 presidential candidate
Congressman Jeb Hensarling, Vice Chair of Committee on Financial Services (R-TX)
Congressman Jim Jordan, Chair of Republican Study Committee (R-OH)
Congressman Pete Sessions (R-TX)
Congressman Steve King (R-IA)
Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, 2012 presidential candidate (R-MN)
State Representative Kurt Bahr
Phyllis Schlafly, President of Eagle Forum
He seems like a decent person who votes the right way most of the time, but he's still an idiot for uttering something like this. Akin is done. He is not going to win this seat now, and he has to go. I really don't know what is so hard to understand about this.
I guess one verbal gaffe is the limit for a conservative Rep. No apology accepted especially for someone who believes that abortion is wrong even in the case of rape and incest. Here is what he said:
What I said was ill-conceived, and it was wrong," Akin said on former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee's radio show Monday. "I really just want to apologize to those that I've hurt."
Akin's apology came as President Obama suggested the Republican's remarks illustrated the broad differences between Democrats and Republicans on issues like health care and reproductive rights.
"Rape is rape," Mr. Obama told reporters at the daily White House briefing Monday. "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."
The president acknowledged that his GOP rival Mitt Romney and other Republicans have distanced themselves from Akin's statements. However, he said, "The underlying notion that we should be making decisions on behalf of women for their health care decisions, or qualifying 'forcible rape' versus 'non-forcible rape' -- those are broader issues....between me and the other party."
The controversy started after Akin, a six-term Missouri conservative now running against Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill, was asked in a local interview on Sunday 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 in the interview. "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.
Some liberals tried to tie other Republicans to Akin's comments, noting that Romney's running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan, co-sponsored an abortion-related bill with Akin that would have limited federal funding for abortions to victims of forcible rape," rather than just rape. The FBI's definition of rape is known as "forcible rape," and it is used to distinguish between statutory rape and other kinds of rape.
Huckabee asked Akin whether he was talking about "forcible rape" when he used the term "legitimate rape."
"I was talking about forcible rape, and it was absolutely the wrong word," Akin said.
Akin said he understands that women can become pregnant from rape. "I didn't mean to imply that wasn't the case," he said. "That does happen."
While Akin acknowledged he made a "very, very serious error," he added that he's not dropping out of the Senate race.
"I don't know that I'm the only person in public office who suffered from foot-in-mouth disease," he said. "I feel just as strongly as ever that my background and ability will be a big asset in replacing Claire McCaskill... Just because someone makes a mistake doesn't make them useless."
They will hang these words around every Rep’s neck regardless of he stays in or not.
He is no Biden. Akin has had a long and successful career in politics. He is a winner. Is one misstatement followed by an immediate apology the criterion for forcing someone to withdraw? Is this what it has come down to in the GOP? He committed no crime or indiscretion. I find this public castigation by the GOP to be disgusting and it could very well be counterproductive in Nov regardless of who the GOP wants to run. Akin's supporters, 217,000 of them, may not flock to the new nominee.
Yes the GOP voters and all the dems who crossed over in the primary and voted for Akin. Don’t hear her say much about this.
Amen kabar amen
Vapid posters galore preening and GOPE whores all
Nevertheless i suspect Akin drops out
Until we stop allowing our foes to control us and the debate of culture they will continue to win
Only Mike Berry on talk has shown balls on this one
Levin...a wee bit
Our conservative leaders and talkies are more wobbly than we are
No, he did that all by himself. They convinced him he should stay in the race. He stepped on a landmine, and it's to his shame he doesn't know it.
I live in this state and Claire is perfect symbolic sow with the superior evolved sense of where the biggest freshest mud hole is and Akin just gave her a big one to wallow in until November.
We ‘had’ the independents leaning to the ‘right’, but they are now all spooked because they cannot handle the heat.
Sadly, that is probably true. Can't unring that bell. But his continuing presence will make that charge a lot harder to refute because it will appear we have no standards and are circling the wagons.
I think Akin did that all by himself as well. Why should the Democrats get in his way when he insists of going down in flames and taking the senate seat with him?
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