Posted on 08/26/2012 4:55:54 AM PDT by Kaslin
Liberal pundits are declaring they have no idea what Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO) meant when he referred to “legitimate rape” in an interview this past week. Akin stated, "In cases of legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down." It was an awkward, inarticulate statement, but the substance of it was correct. Explaining what he meant since then would be a bit crude, so he has not been able to adequately defend himself. His attackers have used the awkwardness to pounce on him and pretend they don't know what he meant, or make up even worse explanations.
Does anyone actually believe his critics? It may have been a poor choice of words, but everyone knows Akin was referring to the distinction between what we traditionally consider rape - forcible rape - versus statutory rape and what some claim is also rape, having sex while drunk. Some women will have a one night stand while drunk, admit it to their friends afterwards, then change their mind and declare that it was rape. The FBI updated its definition of rape this year to include the inability to give consent due to intoxication. Any woman who has been drinking can now claim afterwards that she was raped. This may have opened a Pandora's Box considering how many people drink alcohol before sex. The cliché “rape is rape” no longer means what it says. The definition has now been broadened to include any woman alleging rape after she has been drinking.
As for women's bodies shutting down, you don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that Akin meant that a woman is not going to get aroused if she is forcibly raped, making it difficult to become pregnant. Akin brought this up in order to explain why abortion in case of rape is not necessary. It is very rare that a forcible rape results in a pregnancy, so the issue of whether to permit abortion in the case of rape is mostly a red herring, used for fear mongering. Last week, GOP officials drafting the abortion ban for the party platform, declined to put in an exception for rape or incest. Tellingly, Akin's critics haven't bothered disputing Akin's real message, which is that less than one percent of rapes result in a pregnancy.
Akin immediately apologized for his remarks, clarifying later that he meant “forcible rape.” He has been running 30-second TV ads around the state apologizing. David Roney of Pro-Life Arizona notes that Akin's point was unborn babies shouldn't be sacrificed to punish rapists. Aborting children because they were a product of a rape would have taken the lives of gospel singers Mahalia Jackson and Ethel Waters. Ryan Bomberger, also born of a rape, wrote about Akin for Life News, “ 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.“ Bomberger listed several crude jokes that liberal celebrities have made about rape, and asks, “Where was the condemnation of Whoopi Goldberg who, on The View, defended film director Roman Polanski’s 1977 drugging and rape of a 13 year old as not “rape rape”?”
It is troubling to see Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, the chairman of the RNC, Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) and conservative stalwarts like Rush Limbaugh demand the resignation of Akin. Limbaugh himself has been accused of comments that have made him vulnerable to intense criticism. It is reported that high-level GOP officials have told Akin they will no longer help him with fundraising. Many in the GOP have developed a herd mentality and are piling on Akin, asserting that no one can win without establishment support. Sadly, they are shooting their wounded to react so quickly and demand that Akin jump out of the race.
Fortunately, not all conservatives have deserted Akin. Because of the injustice of what has happened to him, Mike Huckabee has come to his defense, assisting with fundraising. It's notable that Akin exceeded his goal of raising $125,000 within a few days. Susan B. Anthony List, a pro-life group, has put out a statement defending Akin.
Prior to Akin's misworded comment, he was leading in the polls over the Democrat incumbent, Sen. Claire McCaskill, who is considered to be the most vulnerable Democrat in the Senate. If his chances are now so dismal, why is Moveon.org calling for Akin to resign? Or why is the liberal super PAC American Bridge 21st Century demanding that Romney drop Huckabee from the GOP convention for supporting Akin? The left is well aware that to put in a substitute candidate now would risk losing the seat, due to the lack of time left to set up a ground game and garner name recognition.
Akin is a solid conservative who voted against No Child Left Behind, despite being pressured in a phone call by President Bush. He has a 97% lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union. A favorite of social conservatives, he obtained a Master of Divinity degree from seminary and has co-chaired the House Prayer Breakfast. No doubt his background is why many are targeting him so viciously.
Most voters will forget about this in a week. Three days after the story broke, McCaskill pulled ahead of Akin in the polls but could not break 50%, according to a Rasmussen poll. Akin can still win, unless Republicans continue to turn on him. “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” The Republican Party could still try to force Akin out up until September 25, by challenging his candidacy in the courts.
When people can't freely express their opinions it is a serious matter. Why isn't an apology sufficient? Why make this into a career-ruining incident? Akin didn't say “rape is ok,” and everyone knows exactly what he meant. Akin told Huckabee that he "misspoke one word, in one sentence, in one day." Wait until it happens to you.
Akin doesn’t have a choice. His wife wants that Senate seat and this is his last opportunity. And if mamma ain’t happy...
“We’ve been over this. He played footsie with the Democrats during the primary”
Where did you get this idea? In the Missouri primary the heavily Democrat areas vote Democrat. They don’t cross over because the winner of the primary wins the general election. I know I live in ST. Louis.
Akin probably got the most votes simply because he was at the top of the list. People who were voting Republican for the first time or were disinterested in politics simple voted for the guy at the top.
He said Friday he was staying and he is. I know of no "write-in campaign" taking place in MO. To not vote for Akin on the 6th of November is to bring back the not so pretty face of Ma McCaskill for 6 more years. No sane person wants that. Gun bans. Tax hikes. Kenya-care. On Tuesday, August 21, I said,"If Akin is in after 5, he'll be standing on the 6th." He was, and he is. If I am wrong? I'll gladly donate $100 to FR...
The only pathetic thing here was your post and, of course, your pretentious screen name.
Well, the point now is to destroy Akin, and give the race to Claire McCaskill. Republicans are doing what they do best. No one is going to rush in to stop them. A little sacrificial blood on the alter of stupidity is Republican tradition. Ask George Allen and Trent Lott.
Every time one of our candidates misspeaks, let's throw him under the bus!
Yeah! That's the ticket!
If only Akin had left a woman pregnant with his child in a car under six feet of water under a Chappaquiddick bridge instead, none of this would be happening.
Glad we can agree on that.
If anything is worse than Akin's original idiocy, it's this.
Indeed. I wonder if she (Alexander) also thinks that a woman can’t get pregnant if it’s her first time, can’t get pregnant if she’s menstruating, nursing or has sex standing up. (insert facepalm here)
Gad, even I didn't trash him that much, but you're on the scene eh.
Why do you think Republicans aren’t supporting him?
The unfortunate reality is that even as red as our state is, it’s only 40% Republican. That’s about what Akin will end up with, 40% of the vote.
Great article.
I think it is becoming more and more apparent that Akin is being attacked because of his pro-life and conservative stands on issues....not because of his comment
Real conservatives are tired of the Saul Alinsky style of attacks on Akin and other conservatives. In fact, not supporting Akin now pretty much is supporting McCaskill...and Obama.
A look at the ACU’s website shows a representative with a 97 percent lifetime rating through 2011. Yet there are some here who are ready to throw him under the bus for poorly stating what others have pointed out is a defensible statement.
This board is littered with ABOs who support the worst Presidential candidate the Republican Party has ever fielded solely because he’s not someone else. Where are the ABMcKs?
Or is it just conservatism they can’t stomach?
What are you talking about? No one supporting Akin agrees he should have used the term "legitimate rape" and most of his supporters don't agree with the pregnancy/rape theory. He made a mistake bringing that up as if it was established science. This isn't about excusing what Akin said, it's about giving him a chance to recover from an error.
Interestingly enough, the “moderate” rumor there is also that he was hand picked by democrats.
Here in my area...the notorious Alan Grayson (yes that Alan Grayson) ran ads against a Hispanic GOP candidate running in the GOP primary...because he knew he could not beat a Hispanic in a district 40% Hispanic.
Dems are doing this all over...it is not just McCaskill
The critics of Akin are just helping McCaskill...as they critcize this so-called “McCaskill support” of Akin.
And, many of the GOP Liberals against Akin are upset that the Sarah Palin-picked candidate finished third...and did not even get 1/3 of the primary vote...and that is the candidate the GOP Liberals want to run against McCaskill...
Hogwash. There's countless 67-year old German citizens today who have Russian fathers. Equally Chinese, Koreans and Filipinos a little older with Japanese fathers. Their mothers didn't exactly lie down and enjoy it.
My position has always been that if a politician says something they should not wave their finger in the air to see hot the democrats react and then go on an apology tour.
Judging by this comment, you probably are voting for Obama....because this is Romney (and other Liberal GOP) modus operandi
The vast majority of Republicans will still vote for him. So he’ll only lose by 15-20 points. If the Republicans desert him, it will get worse.
This should have been a cakewalk. Akin was +11 two weeks ago. He has no one but himself to blame.
Might want to look up acut vs. chronic while you are on Google.
Akin grossly overreached in what he thought he knew about biology and on a very sensitive topic. That kind of lack of judgement is not useful and is quite likely to be repeated.
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