Difference between revisions of "Todd Akin"

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Akin won the August 7, 2012 Republican primary for the U.S. Senate seat in a three-way field.<ref name=wsj2>{{cite news|title=Todd Akin's Sinking Ship|work=Wall Street Journal|page=A12|date=August 21, 2012}}</ref> The [[Club for Growth]] and the [[U.S. Chamber of Commerce]] backed John Brunner in the primary, while [[Sarah Palin]] supported former state official Sarah Steelman.<ref>{{cite news|title=Akin case tests power of GOP's heirarchy|author=Paul Kane and Ed O'Keefe|work=Washington Post|page=A4|date=August 22, 2012}}</ref>  
 
Akin won the August 7, 2012 Republican primary for the U.S. Senate seat in a three-way field.<ref name=wsj2>{{cite news|title=Todd Akin's Sinking Ship|work=Wall Street Journal|page=A12|date=August 21, 2012}}</ref> The [[Club for Growth]] and the [[U.S. Chamber of Commerce]] backed John Brunner in the primary, while [[Sarah Palin]] supported former state official Sarah Steelman.<ref>{{cite news|title=Akin case tests power of GOP's heirarchy|author=Paul Kane and Ed O'Keefe|work=Washington Post|page=A4|date=August 22, 2012}}</ref>  
  
Akin is running against the Democratic incumbent [[Claire McCaskill]] in the general election.  Two weeks after his primary victory, Akin defended his principled [[pro-life]] position by indicating his opposition to abortion for pregnancy supposedly due to rape. A media firestorm ensued, perhaps initiated by [[RINO]]s, but [[conservatives]] defended Akin's principled remarks.  For example, [[Connie Mackey]] of the [[Family Research Council]] called the discussion of Akin's remarks "another case of 'gotcha politics' against a conservative leader."<ref name=wsj/> On August 22, Akin met with leaders of the [[Council for National Policy]] in Tampa, Florida, who indicated their unwavering support for his campaign.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0812/80027.html|title=Todd Akin in Tampa with top social conservatives|date=August 22, 2012|work=Politico|first=Kate|last=Nocera|accessdate=August 23, 2012}}</ref> On August 24, 2012, Akin held a press conference to announce, "We are going to be here through the November election and we are going to be here to win,” he said. Akin added, “there may be some negotiations but they don’t include me.”<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2012/08/24/todd-akin-we-are-going-to-be-here-through-the-november-election/|title=Todd Akin: ‘We are going to be here through the November election’|work=Washington Post|date=August 24, 2012|first=Sean|last=Sullivan|accessdate=August 25, 2012}}</ref>  President Obama tried unsuccessfully to exploit the issue for personal gain with an unusual statement to the press on August 21.<ref>"So what I think these comments do underscore is why we shouldn't have a bunch of politicians, a majority of whom are men, making health-care decisions on behalf of women."<ref name=wsj/> [[RINO Backers]], including [[Mitch McConnell]], Senators [[John Cornyn]], [[Scott Brown]] and [[Ron Johnson]], appeared to be acting on talking points provided to them in rudely and unsuccessfully telling Akin to withdraw as a candidate.<ref name=wp>{{cite news|title=Republicns look to force Akin out of Senate race|author=Paul Kane and Nia-Malika Henderson|work=Washington Post|date=August 21, 2012|page=A1}}</ref><ref name=wsj>{{cite news|title=Crucial Senate Race in Uproar|author=Naftali Bendavid and Louise Radnofsky|work=Wall Street Journal|date=August 21, 2012|page=A1}}</ref>
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Akin is running against the Democratic incumbent [[Claire McCaskill]] in the general election.  Two weeks after his primary victory, Akin defended his principled [[pro-life]] position by indicating his opposition to abortion for pregnancy supposedly due to rape. A media firestorm ensued, perhaps initiated by [[RINO]]s, but [[conservatives]] defended Akin's principled remarks.  For example, [[Connie Mackey]] of the [[Family Research Council]] called the discussion of Akin's remarks "another case of 'gotcha politics' against a conservative leader."<ref name=wsj/> On August 22, Akin met with leaders of the [[Council for National Policy]] in Tampa, Florida, who indicated their unwavering support for his campaign.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0812/80027.html|title=Todd Akin in Tampa with top social conservatives|date=August 22, 2012|work=Politico|first=Kate|last=Nocera|accessdate=August 23, 2012}}</ref> On August 24, 2012, Akin held a press conference to announce, "We are going to be here through the November election and we are going to be here to win,” he said. Akin added, “there may be some negotiations but they don’t include me.”<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2012/08/24/todd-akin-we-are-going-to-be-here-through-the-november-election/|title=Todd Akin: ‘We are going to be here through the November election’|work=Washington Post|date=August 24, 2012|first=Sean|last=Sullivan|accessdate=August 25, 2012}}</ref>  President Obama tried unsuccessfully to exploit the issue for personal gain with an unusual statement to the press on August 21: "So what I think these comments do underscore is why we shouldn't have a bunch of politicians, a majority of whom are men, making health-care decisions on behalf of women."<ref name=wsj/> [[RINO Backers]], including [[Mitch McConnell]], Senators [[John Cornyn]], [[Scott Brown]] and [[Ron Johnson]], appeared to be acting on talking points provided to them in rudely and unsuccessfully telling Akin to withdraw as a candidate.<ref name=wp>{{cite news|title=Republicns look to force Akin out of Senate race|author=Paul Kane and Nia-Malika Henderson|work=Washington Post|date=August 21, 2012|page=A1}}</ref><ref name=wsj>{{cite news|title=Crucial Senate Race in Uproar|author=Naftali Bendavid and Louise Radnofsky|work=Wall Street Journal|date=August 21, 2012|page=A1}}</ref>
  
 
== Comments on rape and pregnancy ==
 
== Comments on rape and pregnancy ==

Revision as of 02:50, August 26, 2012

William Todd Akin (born July 5, 1947) 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 (Missouri's 2nd congressional district). He is a member of the Republican Party. 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.

2012 Senate Campaign

Akin won the August 7, 2012 Republican primary for the U.S. Senate seat in a three-way field.[1] The Club for Growth and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce backed John Brunner in the primary, while Sarah Palin supported former state official Sarah Steelman.[2]

Akin is running against the Democratic incumbent Claire McCaskill in the general election. Two weeks after his primary victory, Akin defended his principled pro-life position by indicating his opposition to abortion for pregnancy supposedly due to rape. A media firestorm ensued, perhaps initiated by RINOs, but conservatives defended Akin's principled remarks. For example, Connie Mackey of the Family Research Council called the discussion of Akin's remarks "another case of 'gotcha politics' against a conservative leader."[3] On August 22, Akin met with leaders of the Council for National Policy in Tampa, Florida, who indicated their unwavering support for his campaign.[4] On August 24, 2012, Akin held a press conference to announce, "We are going to be here through the November election and we are going to be here to win,” he said. Akin added, “there may be some negotiations but they don’t include me.”[5] President Obama tried unsuccessfully to exploit the issue for personal gain with an unusual statement to the press on August 21: "So what I think these comments do underscore is why we shouldn't have a bunch of politicians, a majority of whom are men, making health-care decisions on behalf of women."[3] RINO Backers, including Mitch McConnell, Senators John Cornyn, Scott Brown and Ron Johnson, appeared to be acting on talking points provided to them in rudely and unsuccessfully telling Akin to withdraw as a candidate.[6][3]

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:[7]

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:[8]

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.[9]

Later, Akin said he had misspoke about the matter.[10]

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:[11]


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:[12]


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.[13] 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.[14]

References

  1. "Todd Akin's Sinking Ship", Wall Street Journal, August 21, 2012, p. A12. 
  2. Paul Kane and Ed O'Keefe. "Akin case tests power of GOP's heirarchy", Washington Post, August 22, 2012, p. A4. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Naftali Bendavid and Louise Radnofsky. "Crucial Senate Race in Uproar", Wall Street Journal, August 21, 2012, p. A1. 
  4. Nocera, Kate. "Todd Akin in Tampa with top social conservatives", Politico, August 22, 2012. Retrieved on August 23, 2012. 
  5. Sullivan, Sean. "Todd Akin: ‘We are going to be here through the November election’", Washington Post, August 24, 2012. Retrieved on August 25, 2012. 
  6. Paul Kane and Nia-Malika Henderson. "Republicns look to force Akin out of Senate race", Washington Post, August 21, 2012, p. A1. 
  7. McMorris-Santoro, Evan. "Republican Senate Nominee: Victims Of ‘Legitimate Rape’ Don’t Get Pregnant." August 19, 2012. Talking Points Memo. http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/08/todd-akin-legitimate-rape.php
  8. Lentz: Comprehensive Gynecology, 6th ed. (2012)
  9. Statistics vary on rape-related pregnancies but all show thousands occur each year
  10. "Akin says he misspoke when making a comment about rape and abortion during the taping of The Jaco Report on FOX 2." [1]
  11. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22687324
  12. http://www.webmd.com/infertility-and-reproduction/news/20030605/how-stress-causes-miscarriage
  13. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/world/mitt-romney-slams-lawmaker-todd-akins-rape-comments/story-fnd134gw-1226454546819
  14. http://www.politico.com/blogs/on-congress/2012/08/piers-morgan-calls-todd-akin-gutless-little-twerp-132635.html