Todd Akin

Rep. Todd Akin (R - MO) is a movement conservative in Missouri who is the Republican Party nominee for one of the most-watched races for the U.S. Senate in 2012. He has represented a portion of the greater St. Louis, Missouri area in the House of Representatives since 2000. Prior to that he served 12 years in the Missouri General Assembly. In late July 2011 he said, "... at the heart of liberalism really is a hatred for God and a belief that government should replace God." [2] [3]

Todd Akin has never lost an election, and has repeatedly won upset victories against more liberal opponents who have spent far more money than he has.

A veteran, Congressman Akin has been a leader on military issues in the Republican Party in Congress. He is also a minister who has championed the greater use of prayer and charity. His family has homeschooled their children.

Comments on rape and pregnancy

see also Media bullying

On August 19, 2012 in an interview with KTVI host Charles Jaco, Todd Akin addressed a suggestion that there should be a broad rape exception to any limits on abortion. Akin distinguished between an actual rape and a false allegation of rape by referring to the former as a "legitimate rape," an ambiguous word choice that the liberal media then unfairly took out of context. Clearly Akin meant legitimate charge of rape, but taken out of context an unsympathetic interpretation might be that he felt that rape is sometime a legitimate thing to do to a woman. His opponents seize the opportunity to capitalize on the gaffe.

Akin's statement from the interview was:

“

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.

”

Akin restated the same fact that has been published in the medical literature, which is that the incidence of pregnancy due to rape is rare. For example, the 6th Edition (2012) of the classic textbook by Lentz confirms:

“

In the experience of most sexual assault centers, the chance of pregnancy occurring is quite low.

”

In fact, estimates vary widely (and are based mainly on surveys), according to the Detroit Free Press.

Later, Akin said he had misspoke about the matter.

I made a mistake. What I said was ill-conceived and it was wrong and for that I apologize. [4]

Published peer-reviewed studies confirm that stress -- which rape would induce -- interferes with the establishment and maintenance of a pregnancy:

“

stress-related biomarkers ... affect establishment of pregnancy.

”

"Hormones and other chemicals wreak havoc on the uterus" due to stress, as reported in 2003 in this peer-reviewed study:

“

In what may prove to be a breakthrough finding, a team of scientists from Tufts University and Greece have identified a suspected chain reaction detailing exactly how stress hormones and other chemicals wreak havoc on the uterus and fetus.

”

The Romney-Ryan campaign, which had already caved in to liberals on abortion and other important social issues, then ran away from Todd Akin's principled stance in a manner that reflected poorly on Romney and Ryan. RINOs tried to pressure Romney into withdrawing from the race for U.S. Senate, so that a more liberal, Establishment-supported candidate could be nominated. Akin stood up against the pressure and rejected the liberal demands.

Todd Akin has stood up against media bullying and namecalling by liberals such as Piers Morgan of CNN.