Posted on 08/24/2012 4:51:36 AM PDT by huldah1776
ST. LOUIS, August 23, 2012, (LifeSiteNews.com) – Now that Todd Akin has said he will be staying in the race for Missouri’s U.S. Senate seat, senior pro-life and conservative leaders including Phyllis Schlafly, Gary Bauer, and others are telling the Republican Party establishment to back off its “over-the-top” campaign to have him step aside. Phyllis Schlafly, Eagle Forum founder, supports Todd Akin. Phyllis Schlafly, Eagle Forum founder, supports Todd Akin.
Phyllis Schlafly, who emerged on the conservative scene with her 1964 book A Choice Not an Echo, rapped party elites for disenfranchising their own voters. “I don’t think people like that should make the decision,” she said. “The people of Missouri should make that decision.”
Both national pro-family leaders and local grassroots conservative leadership are confused and offended by national party leaders such as Karl Rove, RNC Chairman Reince Priebus, and Charles Krauthammer, who have vowed to cut funds from Akin’s candidacy or pushed him to withdraw from the race.
Columnist Ann Coulter has suggested Republicans stage a write-in candidacy for former Governor Kit Bond.
“The on-going parade of public denunciations by various GOP leaders is over-the-top and counterproductive,” said Gary Bauer, a former presidential candidate and leader of the Campaign for Working Families, in a statement e-mailed to LifeSiteNews.com, “Some of their public attacks on Akin have been more aggressive than anything some of these leaders have ever said about Barack Obama and his truly radical rejection of the sanctity of human life and his promotion of abortion-on-demand paid for by the taxpayer!”
(Click “like” if you want to end abortion! )
Ryan Bomberger of the Radiance Foundation had a personal stake in the issue. The child of rape, he said, “Quite frankly, I’m glad such a pro-family, pro-life stalwart, despite a few bumps and lots of scrapes, is not quitting under pressure from hypocritical pro-abortion radicals and spineless Republicans.”
Iowa Congressman Steve King, who faced his own media feeding frenzy over abortion remarks taken out of context this week, was as blunt, stating that George Soros-funded media are now “dictating the response of leading Republicans.”
The Show Me state’s conservative leaders have flocked to Akin’s side, as well.
John Putnam, Missouri state coordinator for the Tea Party Patriots, said the national party should be “circling the wagons” around their candidate, not condemning him.
Akin won his races with a family-fueled campaign that defied the state’s Republican establishment. That has led local media to conclude he owes them nothing.
If he loses the race, the Republican Party will not take back control of the U.S. Senate. But pro-family leaders say if the Republicans replace Akin, they will almost certainly lose the race.
“After allegations of sexual indiscretions in sealed divorce records, which were leaked to the media, Republican leaders pressured Jack Ryan to withdraw from the 2004 Illinois Senate race,” said Vision America Action President Dr. Rick Scarborough. “That’s how we ended up with Barack Obama in the White House—a steep price to pay for Republican squeamishness.”
“Missouri voters – who gave Akin the GOP Senate nomination – are wise enough to decide who they’d prefer to send to Washington, ultra-liberal Clair McCaskill or a decent man and an authentic conservative who misspoke,” he said.
Many see the tempest-in-a-tea-party as little more than an attempt to marginalize pro-life voices within the Republican Party. Judie Brown of the American Life League wrote, “This is really not about Akin at all; it is about the red herring that pro-abortion forces have used for years to define genuine pro-life apologists as zealots, fanatics and unrealistic Pollyannas.”
Despite Akin’s remarks, Public Policy Polling, a Democrat-leaning firm, found him polling one point ahead of Democratic incumbent Senator Claire McCaskill, 44-43. “GOP voters dislike McCaskill so much they’re not going to vote for her no matter what their nominee does,” the firm found. “Independent voters haven’t moved at all either.”
Putnam said from his perspective, the only way Akin can prevail is “if the pro-life community gets behind him and makes this a national campaign.”
Worth REPEATING.
Common sense defeats political correctness.
And to anyone who might have taken a hit on this, don’t worry. We all stumble in battle. I’ve been wrong on things just like anyone else.
akin goes from 10 points up to 10 points down in two days.
Talk about stuck on denial.
As often happens, I’m not taking the FR "party line" here.
I think Mr. Akin stumbled over his words, but from what I can tell, didn’t mean any harm. I agree with Huckabee on this one. Doesn’t necessarily look like a substantive issue. Looks like a feeding frenzy which adds up to railroading this guy for a politically expedient "solution." If what I suspect here is true, then I'd say maybe WE'VE become part of the problem.
The thing that is stunning me is how these people are totally ignoring the fact that the man is completely selfish. He made a mistake, his first reaction to that should have been “I don’t want to hurt our chances”. Instead his first reaction was “Me first”. I can forgive his “oops” what I can’t forgive his his utter selfishness.
“Public Policy Polling, a Democrat-leaning firm, found him polling one point ahead of Democratic incumbent Senator Claire McCaskill, 44-43.”
They seem to not mention this poll over sampled Rep by 9% just to get him up to a 1% pt lead. How convenient.
Now if only the GOP voted in the general election, we'd have a winner.
If people rally around Akin, this will blw over. Direct the anger back where it belongs and focus.
“Phyllis Schlafly, who emerged on the conservative scene with her 1964 book A Choice Not an Echo, rapped party elites for disenfranchising their own voters. “I don’t think people like that should make the decision,” she said. ‘The people of Missouri should make that decision.’”
Excellent article with many execellent quotes. I like this one by Schlafly. It is almost identical to what I keep saying to persons on this forum. Let the voters of Missouri work this out.
He's an arrogant ass.
So all the Dims and MSM need to do is create a side show the wounds a Pubbie and we then shoot the wounded?
it’s not his fault though, it’s yours for not defending him. /sarc
I personally don’t see how it affects other races as long as the candidates are smart enough to answer decently when the media inevitably asks.
“I haven’t thought about it because I’m busy running my own race here so I’m really not qualified to answer.”
Missouri is full of Conservative, pro life folks who can beat Claire McCaskill. Unfortunately, Akin is not one of them. But, this crowd has determined that he is the only conservative around and must be defended at all costs. They really do want to lose, don’t they.
Hmm. So what does Dr. Rick ~ that's Rick, right ~ not something else ~ think is INAPPROPRIATE.
He just lost my attention.
Deal is Akin wasn't the most Conservative guy in the race ~ still isn't ~ and he didn't object to his Democrat opponent campaigning for him.
Next time if he wants to do that he should find a political party that meets his needs.
I have always liked Ms Schafly—but she must be getting pretty old. Many years ago, I was fortunate enough to have a nice conversation with her at CPAC.
You are misconstruing what you see as an ‘oversample’. If more folks who were polled said they were Republican than Democrat, then that’s what happened.
No all a pubbie needs to do is think of the country first and not his own career. The dems didn’t say anything about a woman’s body shutting down during a rape to prevent her from getting pregnant, Akin did. Good grief!
True, politicians can’t avoid the necessity of talking like a politician.
But when you clear away all the opinion, the controversy and the garbage—what’s really threatening our country is corruption, which comes from deceptiveness, which evolves from the habit of side-stepping the truth which in turn comes from rejecting love of the truth.
From all appearances, Akin doesn’t have a problem with loving the truth.
Unfortunately it seems that the majority of Free Republic posters have joined in the Soros inspired feeding frenzy.
I thought Freepers were smarter than that. Instead, too many Freepers are running scared and caving into political correctness out of a fear that conservatives who actually believe in social conservative issues cannot win elections.
That is the theory that gave us McCain and Romney.
I’m all in for Akin. He may not be the smartest or most articulate conservative in the country but he is a true believer in the social issues and fiscal issues that are the only hope we have of saving the Republic.
If we can’t back Akin, then we deserve to lose not only Missouri, but everywhere.
I find this very, very disturbing.
Akin is a whack-job and this will do great damage to the Tea Party (as well as any pro-life movement).
I think the TAXED ENOUGH ALREADY Party is about the financial crisis we are going through and attaching the whacko social Neaderthals to it is a HUGE mistake.
I’m pro-life but Akin was/is stupid, plain stupid. Except for late-term infanticide, I don’t force my beliefs on others... as long as they don’t use my tax dollars to commit their babies’ murder.
If Akin had gone after the tax-funded abortion funding, he would have been in the TEA party’s scope of concern.
So all the Dims and MSM need to do is create a side show the wounds a Pubbie and we then shoot the wounded?
.................um, this was a self-inflicted wound.
And if the pollsters call a dem-rich target area, they will get the results they want, which is what they do.
His only mistake was apologizing for a 'mistake' when he'd made none. It usually takes a few days to sort stories like this out when they hit. I haven't seen anything Akin said that wasn't scientifically accurate.
As far a hurting our chances goes, THAT has been the entire problem with the GOPe. They say they have 'principles', then cower whenever the libs screech about anything a pubbie has said.
People with principles don't let the other team move the goalposts. They stand up and take whatever fallout comes their way because they intrinsically believe their principles are *worth* standing up for.
All truth passes through 3 stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.
- Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)
His only mistake was apologizing for a ‘mistake’ when he’d made none. It usually takes a few days to sort stories like this out when they hit. I haven’t seen anything Akin said that wasn’t scientifically accurate.
..... so you skipped Biology class too???
Let me get this straight. You support the murder of innocent children as long as your tax dollars are not used to pay off the killer?
Is that your “pro life” position?
Ann Coulter has suggested Republicans stage a write-in candidacy for former Governor Kit Bond.
No...Rush Limbaugh!!!
Phyllis Schlafly is supporting Todd Akin. She has been in the news more lately.
Just out of curiosity, I wonder how many people who are ripping the solidly conservative Akin for his statement because they want to win an election are also supporting a Presidential candidate who, from virtually every standpoint, is far more liberal.
That's what I heard. "Believe" in abortion, but do nothing to "force" your views on others as long as they don't take your money.
The real issue is now very simple. Todd Akin is the winner of the primary and Todd Akin has said he is staying in the race. Period. Huckabee has sided with him, as well as the leaders mentioned in this article, and they are helping him fund-raise.
So, do you continue, R69, trying to kill your candidate for the Senate or do you back off and start supporting him?
He IS the conservative candidate. That will not change.
This was a classic Alinsky “heighten the contradictions” move.
The problem is that THIS particular contradiction is a highly fruitful target for partisan attack. “No abortions after rape” makes sense to no compromise pro-lifers but makes no sense to anyone else, AND makes a statewide or national electoral win impossible, AND plays into the absurd “war on women” theme which had almost disappeared.
(By the way, I understand the issue. Don’t shoot the messenger).
Akin, as well as any other no-compromises pro-lifer, MUST HAVE A FIVE SECOND ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION, FOLLOWED BY A PERIOD. A pro-life stand is popular. THIS PARTICULAR FACET OF PRO-LIFE IS NOT.
Akin is, obviously, too stupid to be in the arena he’s in. And, it’s not like the MO Senate seat is unimportant. It so happens that, this year, it’s VERY VERY important.
I hope he drops out soon.
No, actually I was a straight A student and graduated 4th in my class.....but thanks for asking.
There are threads all over FR about how the female body produces chemicals during times of high stress that prevent a baby from being carried to term.
Reading comprehension is your friend.
I said I personally am pro-life.
If a woman has an abortion early in her pregnancy- I believe that is WRONG, but I am not the one who will stand before God to answer for it - she will.
As far as later in the pregnancy, when the baby can live outside of the womb, I feel that society should step in to save the LIFE of that innocent baby. It is pure infanticide.
Neither stand changes the fact that Akin is an idiot and unfit to be a Senator. Akin won because there were so many people in the race and because McCaskill and her ilk were giving him money.
Personally, I want his to step down. This is a larger issue than just the MO Senate seat. The direction of the whole country is at stake, including the make up of the SCOTUS.
Akin’s initial comments were ignorant and offensive. If he’d just made a succinct apology and left it at that, maybe it would have died down. But he went on several radio programs and frankly, made a fool of himself (WWI and WWII?, c’mon).
He also made apology ads which aired all over MO. People wanted to forget about it, but they couldn’t because he was in their face every day.
Now he’s huddling with conservative groups who are urging him to stay in the race to teach Karl Rove and other outspoken conservatives a lesson. Wrong reason to stay in.
Who knows what kinds of shenanigans he’s going to pull between now and November? With no one around him to tell him the truth and keep him in line, he could be a disaster. Democrats are already using his words in ads and tying him to Ryan and other Republicans. You can be sure Akin will be a “featured speaker” in absentia at the Dem convention.
If Akin actually pulls this thing off, I will be the first to admit I was dead wrong and will eagerly eat a huge plate full of crow.
He’s worked his ass off to get the nomination and now he’s selfish for not caving to the PC police? Just does not square on a logical plane. One would think that he had actually raped a woman. No that was old Slickster who will be giving a keynote speech at the Rat convention. I live in TX but will be giving to his campaign.
R69 has a rather strange, but all too common view of being pro- life. He supports the wholesale extermination of innocent life but because he doesn’t want to fund it through cumpulsory tax revenues, his conscience is clear and he thinks God will number him with people like Mother Theresa when he stands before God.
http://www.acog.org/About_ACOG/News_Room/News_Releases/2012/Statement_on_Rape_and_Pregnancy
You are ignorant of the facts !
If you were in the medical field, you would know how dangerously stupid this belief is.
How, EXACTLY, is being unapologetically pro-life damaging to the pro-life movement?
I think the TAXED ENOUGH ALREADY Party is about the financial crisis we are going through and attaching the whacko social Neaderthals to it is a HUGE mistake.
So, is this your way of saying that social conservatives should just shut up?
Since 1973 over 53 MILLION AMERICANS have been murdered. And guess what? THIS is the reason the economy is in shambles. Losing 53 MILLION TAXPAYERS has had a disastrous impact on the economy. America's problems stem from the abortion holocaust and will not end until we face the facts.
I’m pro-life but Akin was/is stupid, plain stupid. Except for late-term infanticide, I don’t force my beliefs on others...
So, you are "personally opposed, but don't think you should impose your values on others"? You sound just like EVERY SINGLE DEMOCRAT.
as long as they don’t use my tax dollars to commit their babies’ murder.
So, the fact that an American baby is murdered EVERY 24 SECONDS is just fine with you as long as it doesn't cost you anything?
If Akin had gone after the tax-funded abortion funding, he would have been in the TEA party’s scope of concern.
So, money is more important than morality? That's what got us into this mess.
Not unlike the Germans who decided it was none of their business as Jews were being herded into cattle cars.
Your position is the same as Harry Blackmun's (may he rot in Hell).
Don't pretend that because you are not personally involved in the holocaust that is going on that you will not be judged by God for what has gone down. God will judge your heart. And in this case your heart lies with those who support Roe v Wade.
Look, the pro-life movement in the last few years has been making good progress.
I would like nothing more than to see ALL abortions eliminated.
Akin, by his stupid, ignorant belief, is setting the movement back a long, long ways.
Wouldn’t it be better to take a step in the right direction by eliminating late term abortions and working towards the goal of eventually eliminating all abortions?
Women have been getting abortions since the beginning of time, that will probably never stop. It’s horrible. It’s wrong. But there is a difference between a woman taking that step on her own, and tax payer funds paying for it. Can’t you see that difference?
R69 is a she, not a he.
Then our job, as pro-life proponents, is to pursuade people that abortion is WRONG, it is UNHEALTHY, and there are alternatives.
But Akin, saying that if you are really raped- you will not get pregnant- is NOT helping to get that message out to others, is he?
...a result of reported rape or incest.
Notice the wording. Reported, not confirmed.
False Rape Accusations May Be More Common Than Thought
If the foregoing results can be extrapolated, then the rate of false reports is roughly between 20 (if DNA excludes an accused) to 40 percent (if inconclusive DNA is added). The relatively low estimate of 25 to 26 percent is probably accurate, especially since it is supported by other sources.
That's a lot of false reports.
There is absolutely no veracity to the claim that “If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to shut that whole thing down.” A woman who is raped has no control over ovulation, fertilization, or implantation of a fertilized egg (ie, pregnancy). To suggest otherwise contradicts basic biological truths.
A misleading statement!
Look at what was said again...
Charles Jaco:
Okay, so if an abortion can be considered in the case of, say, tubal pregnancy or something like that, what about in the case of rape? Should it be legal or not?
Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.):
Well, you know, uh, people always want to try to make that as one of those things, ‘Well, how do you – how do you slice this particularly tough sort of ethical question.’
It seems to me, 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.
Nobody was talking about a woman "controlling" ovulation, fertilization, or implantation of a fertilized egg! They were talking about an abortion well after it was discovered the woman was pregnant.
You can't have an abortion until well after ovulation and the fertilization of an egg!
Once again...
Raised Cortisol Predicts Spontaneous Abortion
High urinary levels of the stress hormone cortisol are a marker for early pregnancy loss, US researchers have found.
Surely the ACOG isn't saying that a spontaneous abortion can't take place after fertilization are they? To suggest otherwise contradicts basic biological truths.
Again, courtesy ping, MamaTexan.
It is hard to reconcile that you made both those statements in less than an hour.
Did you have a conversion while I was away? Are you now in favor of outlawing all abortions and using the power of the ballot box to force your beliefs on others?
What happened in the last half hour?
And this is EXACTLY the position that the "I'm pro-life, but don't really care if someone else murders their baby" people have.
“Despite Akin’s remarks, Public Policy Polling, a Democrat-leaning firm, found him polling one point ahead of Democratic incumbent Senator Claire McCaskill, 44-43.”
Rep. Akin is likely much farther ahead since Public Policy Polling skews Democratic.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.