Missouri GOP Senate Candidate’s Comments on Rape Stir Outcry
The Realpolitik thinking going on in GOP backrooms:
‘This is why you shouldn’t trust the soft-brained candidates pimped by Huckabee and the rest of the hard right pro life crowd. Not only did he say something truly stupid, he forced the Romney campaign to go on record with a definitive statement on abortion that will disaffect some from the far right anti choice GOP base, and he pushed abortion issues to the campaign forefront right before presidential debates.’
Akin’s comments brought a swift rebuke from the campaign of presumptive GOP presidential candidate Romney.
“Gov. Romney and Congressman (Paul) Ryan disagree with Mr. Akin’s statement, and a Romney-Ryan administration would not oppose abortion in instances of rape,” Romney spokeswoman Amanda Henneberg said.
McCaskill, who is seeking a second term, in an emailed statement Sunday called the comments “offensive.”
“It is beyond comprehension that someone can be so ignorant about the emotional and physical trauma brought on by rape,” McCaskill said. “The ideas that Todd Akin has expressed about the serious crime of rape and the impact on its victims are offensive.”
This month, Akin won the state’s Republican U.S. Senate primary by a comfortable margin. During the primary, Akin enhanced his standing with TV ads in which former Arkansas governor and presidential candidate Mike Huckabee praised him as “a courageous conservative” and “a Bible-based Christian” who “supports traditional marriage” and “defends the unborn.”