In an interview with a St. Louis television station on Sunday, Congressman Todd Akin, the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Missouri, made the following comment:
“It seems to me, 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. 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 of the rapist, and not attacking the child.”
Akin's comment drew immediate condemnation from both sides of the political aisle.
Gov. Mitt Romney called Akin's comments "insulting, inexcusable and frankly, wrong."
President Obama also condemned the comments.
“Rape is rape, and the idea that we should be parsing and qualifying and slicing what types of rape we are talking about doesn’t make sense to the American people and certainly doesn’t make sense to me,” he said.
The comments have inspired fervor from all over the world. As far away as Congo, where thousands of women are regularly subjected to rape, activists have expressed deep concern over Akin's remarks.
Medical professionals have rushed to rebuke Akin's contention regarding the difficulty of becoming pregnant in the event of a rape.
Republican leaders have called on Akin to leave the Senate race, however, he has refused to do so, instead releasing an advertisement apologizing for his comments but emphasizing his desire to continue the campaign.
Bay Area Democrats such as U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer were quick to label Akin’s remarks as reflective of a general attitude in the Republican Party.
“It is important to note that this outburst is an outgrowth of the GOP march to the right when it comes to a woman’s health,” said Boxer in a statement.
Bay Area Women Against Rape Executive Director Marsha Blackstock also expressed concern over how someone with Akin’s stance could attain key positions in Congress such as a spot on the House Science Committee.
“Anytime you have people that are in power who hold those types of thoughts or at least are crazy enough to say them, really— I think, set the women’s movement back many, many years,” Blackstock told CBS Bay Area.
Though Republicans and Democrats were unified in their condemnation of Akin’s remarks, Republicans disputed the charge that Akin’s view was representative of their platform.
San Francisco Republican Chair Harmeet Dhillon has denied Akin’s views are similar to mainstream Republican views and has joined calls for Akin to withdraw his candidacy.
Do you think Akin's Comments reflect most Republicans' views? Vote in the poll and let us know why in the comments.
Ask yourself do you want more Food Stamps or job? Obama has had 4 years...$4 gas, 16 trillion in debt and 12% unemployment in CA. The idea of taking money from hard working risk takers and giving to those who take no risk and do not work is what I call legalized robbery or socialism. Borrowing trillions to simply maintain the current lifestyle and the Fed printing money is shameful. I do not care that Obama is half white or that he is a great speaker. I just look at results. As Clint Eastwood says he needs to go based on his failed policies. Time to put your logic cap on and join the winning teams that will create jobs and curb wreckless spending.
OK, economic recovery takes time, I get that. I recall firing a President for uttering the words "Read my lips: no new taxes!" and for going against his word. President Obama has been unable to move unemployment below 8% as promised, but he may just have been in campaign mode when his lips moved promising the masses 5.5% unemployment by November of this year. More importantly, how long does it take for a Commander-in-Chief to extricate the country from a war(s) he campaigned against four years ago? It hasn’t taken an act of Congress or required the vote of a single Republican for the President to have stuck to his word and to have ended these wars.
Stephanie
Are you picking on an 82 year old man? Give us all a break.
As I look at the wars and the Obama Presidency I notice that Obama goes to the funeral of rapper Heavy D but not many for war causalities. Can you explain?
I have no explaination for his behavior. I'm actually less concerned about the President's behaviour than I am about that of his followers...I used to be one. Barack Obama cast himself as a man of peace during the campaign and I thought that was refreshing after almost 7-years of war and I voted for him, but not again. He's shown himself to be, at best, indifferent to the killing, which might explain things. Maybe internal DNC polling indicates warfare and death appeals to independent voters in 2012? I hope not, but we'll see...it shocks me that not a single mainstream media source is holding him accountable for these ongoing wars. Very discouraging and a sad commentary on us as a people.
nice advice but ,,, are you out? LOL It reminds me a grafitti on a bathroom wall: "Those who write on the walls are idiots. No, I didn;t write this, I dictated it"
Have you heard? "Romney is trailing an empty chair"
How about Romneycare the blueprint for the Affordable Care Act but neither Romney or his supporters like to talk about that one. In 2004, the MA Supreme Court ruled that the state’s marriage law was unconstitutional — but the Court did not rule, contrary to what is claimed, that gay marriage must be legalized and that the state constitution contains a “right” to marry. Yet, as soon as the ruling was issued, Romney commanded state agencies, by executive order, to start issuing marriage licenses to homosexual couples. I don't think they like to talk about that one also. Mitt believes that anthropogenic global warming is real and that humanity must act urgently to stop it Funny they don't talk about that one either. On the other hand, there is a sensitive issue that Romney has talked about. He has recently made it clear, through spokesperson Andrea Saul, that he is in favor of the Boy Scouts accepting homosexual Scoutmasters and homosexual Boy Scouts. This declaration is consistent with the "old" Romney's support for homosexual rights. Perhaps the "old" Romney and the "new" Romney are one and the same. Mitt Romney: A Liberal’s Liberal Republican