Rep. Todd Akin is running for Senate in Missouri, though how he’s running after putting his foot in his mouth we’ll never know. Over the weekend, the Republican nominee voiced his opinions about abortion to KTVI-TV, in which he said:
“First of all, from what I understand from doctors [pregnancy from rape] is really rare. If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down. But let’s assume that maybe that didn’t work, or something. I think there should be some punishment, but the punishment ought to be on the rapist and not attacking the child.”
Akin’s opponent, Sen. Claire McCaskill, tweeted that she was stunned by Akin’s comments:
Akin later issued a statement claiming that he “misspoke”:
“As a member of Congress, I believe that working to protect the most vulnerable in our society is one of my most important responsibilities, and that includes protecting both the unborn and victims of sexual assault. In reviewing my off-the-cuff remarks, it’s clear that I misspoke in this interview and it does not reflect the deep empathy I hold for the thousands of women who are raped and abused every year. Those who perpetrate these crimes are the lowest of the low in our society and their victims will have no stronger advocate in the Senate to help ensure they have the justice they deserve.
“I recognize that abortion, and particularly in the case of rape, is a very emotionally charged issue. But I believe deeply in the protection of all life and I do not believe that harming another innocent victim is the right course of action. I also recognize that there are those who, like my opponent, support abortion and I understand I may not have their support in this election.”
Akin has been a vocal opponent of gays serving in the military as well as same-sex marriage, so while his comments about abortion are startling—and incredibly ill-informed—they are at least in character.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
ron
Asshole.
beerwad
This is what happens when we don’t teach sex education.
Patsy Stoned
Beerwad you could have stopped your sentence after “teach” and still would have been on target.
doug105
Misspoke = said how I really feel and got called on it.
A nice read for those that missed it
http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2012/08/tear_down_that_wall.html
kayla
What mechanism do I as a female have to stop from getting pregnant after being raped? I never knew I had such physical power, please someone clue me in! Because if I ever get raped I would like for my female body to shut it down the way this idiot suggests!
ron
@kayla: You cannot argue with stupidity. You just can’t.
Larkin
he thinks ‘maybe’ there should be some punishment for the rapists… in ‘legitimate rape’?
Maybe? Really??? It just shows how far republic*nts are out of touch!
ChiGuy76
But remember, there’s no “War on Women” being waged by the GOP. However there is a persistent and debilitating “War on Christmas” being waged by Liberals which is of the highest concern to our country, at least according to Faux News. Oops, I’m sorry, I misspoke, I meant “Fox News.”
I’m beginning to think that Republicans are born without mental filters.
Neo
@kayla: These are the same people who go on and on about rape in Islamic countries while trying to force through the right for a raped woman to be forced to have their rape child.
They justify their bigotry by pointing to someone equally as horrible. This is not only a war on women it is constitutional annulling 50% [approx] of the population by old men. No sane anybody anywhere in the US can vote for these lunatic fundamentalists in November.
They hate you, they hate you because you work hard, because you want a fair deal on taxation and because you want choice to live free.
Timmeeeyyy!!!
“But I believe deeply in the protection of all life and I do not believe that harming another innocent victim is the right course of action.” Says the man who is against ANY form of gun control.
the other Greg
Republican “logic” on this one:
– A woman who’s the victim of a “legitimate rapist,” who tries to get an abortion, is guilty of attempted murder and must go to prison for a long, long time.
– She’s forced by the Republicans to give birth in prison, and the baby is adopted by some hetero Christian married couple.
– But the “legitimate rapist” can’t go to prison, since after all, he needs to get a job so he can pay child support!
F Stratford
Nothing new. Akin and VP candidate Ryan cosponsored a bill that only punishes forcible rape.
What wont be punished you say? Statutory rape! Old men can go about having ”consesual’ sex with 12 year olds and not be punished for it.
Akin and Ryan are pro Pedophilia. The world needs to know.
the other Greg
I blame Ayn Rand. Her books are full of rape. She apparently thought rape was hot! The sex scenes in her novels are very strange.
On the other hand, she was an atheist who supported abortion rights, so Paul Ryan and her modern-day acolytes (including maybe this caveman Akin) are being very selective in what they like about her work.
B
No. 5 · kayla asked rhetorically, “What mechanism do I as a female have to stop from getting pregnant after being raped?”
None, of course. Apparently what happened is that he asked a doctor or read a report that indicated correctly that the fraction of pregnancies due to rape is very small because most sex acts (nearly all of them) occur between willing partners. The statistics on that are useful for planning purposes such as determining what sort of staffing you need at hospitals.
Whether he got tongue tied or is simply dumb, what came out was quite different. Interestingly, so far he seems incapable of saying what he actually meant, so I’m going for the “simply dumb” option.
tjr101
Lol, the GOP is just one hot mess!
KARUADAM
The GOP, is one of the USA fuckup support by bloody Christian, and should all be killed.
jack512
This guy is a gift to the democrats. His candidacy is the only reason that Sen Claire McCaskill has a chance, however slight, to hold on to her seat and mabye one of the few chances that the democrats have of keeping control of the Senate.