Politicians who are legitimately stupid rarely get elected.

[piercehawkeye45]

Originally Posted by Cyber Wolf

See, that's exactly what I want to know. What does he call a 'legitimate rape'?

He defines 'legitimate' rape as 'forcible' rape.

So Huckabee gave Akin a chance to apologize for the comment, and he did -- he said something that was "wrong," and hurtful to rape victims. Good so far. But right after that, Huckabee prodded Akin to define what he meant by "legitimate." Did he mean "forcible"?

Yes, said Akin. "I was talking about forcible rape," he said. "I used the wrong word."

http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/20...ible_rape.html

[Cyber Wolf]

Originally Posted by piercehawkeye45

He defines 'legitimate' rape as 'forcible' rape.

Can't think of a type of rape (again, there's different kinds now?) where there isn't someone forcing themselves on another person. Has rape-by-osmosis been established then?

[monster]

perhaps as opposed to statutory rape?

[piercehawkeye45]

Originally Posted by Cyber Wolf

Can't think of a type of rape (again, there's different kinds now?) where there isn't someone forcing themselves on another person. Has rape-by-osmosis been established then?

Naive child. There are two types of rape.

'Legitimate' rape can be defined as when the woman becomes so traumatized by the rape event that her body doesn't allow the pregnancy process to happen (just trust me this....don't bother me with this science bullshit).

'Other" rape can be defined as when the woman is not traumatized by the rape event, leading her body to believe it was consensual and allows the pregnancy process to happen. This should actually not be considered rape because she is obviously being a drama queen but those damn femi-nazis and liberal professors got to define "rape" first.

[BigV]

Akin's staying in the race. Wow.

"The good people of Missouri nominated me, and I'm not a quitter," he said. "And my belief is we're going to take this thing forward and, by the grace of God, we're going to win this race."

Senator Cornyn, head of the Republican Party Senatorial Committee has urged Akin to withdraw from the race.

If Akin does not withdraw from the race by tomorrow, the GOP would be unable to replace him on the ballot with a candidate of its choice. Erick Erickson, founder of redstate.com, said Akin would surely lose the election, if he remains in the race.

“I don’t think he can get through the noise now,” Erickson said on CNN.

Publicly, Cornyn chose his words carefully.

“Congressman Akin’s statements were wrong, offensive, and indefensible,” he said in a statement release by the campaign committee. “I recognize that this is a difficult time for him, but over the next 24 hours, Congressman Akin should carefully consider what is best for him, his family, the Republican Party, and the values that he cares about and has fought for throughout his career in public service.”

Akin also chose his words carefully, saying he had made a “very serious error.” But he stopped short of saying he would heed Cornyn’s call.

What makes this interesting and urgent is that unless swift action is taken, his name will appear on the general election ballot in November.

Ushering Akin from the race is complicated by the fact that he has never been a candidate beholden to the party establishment. Since being elected to Congress in 2000, Akin has relied on a grassroots network of supporters. His Senate campaign is being run by his son.

Behind the scenes, Republican officials were looking for intermediaries Akin trusted to try to coax him from the race.

Missouri election law allows candidates to withdraw 11 weeks before Election Day. That means the deadline to exit the Nov. 6 election would be 5 p.m. Tuesday. Otherwise, a court order would be needed to remove a candidate's name from the ballot.

If Akin were to leave, state law holds that the Republican state committee has two weeks to name a replacement. The candidate would be required to file within 28 days of Akin's exit.

[BigV]

Originally Posted by footfootfoot

Politicians who are legitimately stupid rarely get elected.

Discuss.

Discuss? Ok. Let's hear from Tom Schaller over at the Baltimore Sun who has an opinion piece lovingly titled:

Todd Akin rape claim is the tip of the GOP wacko iceberg

House Republicans make constant display of their tenuous grasp on reality

Some excerpts:

Indeed, Rep. Akin's comment is but one example of how bonkers House Republicans get when discussing sex, contraception, abortion or feminism. Georgia's Tom Price has claimed that not a single American woman lacks access to birth control. (A 2010 study reported that at least one-third of female voters, and more than half of women under 25, have difficulty accessing or paying for birth control.) Arizona's Trent Franks believes African-Americans were better off during slavery because abortion today "devastates" their community more than enslavement did. Florida's Allen West warned that liberal women are "neutering" American men and — I'm not making this up — that this trend will inevitably lead to higher deficits.

...

In a fit of pique about First Lady Michelle Obama'shealthy diet initiatives, Wisconsin's James Sensenbrenner mocked Mrs. Obama's "large posterior." Iowa's Steve King warned that our mixed-race president "has a default mechanism in him that breaks down the side of race — on the side that favors the black person."

...

And who can forget South Carolina's Joe Wilson, who rose in the well of the House of Representatives during the president's nationally-televised 2009 health care address, pointed his finger at Mr. Obama and yelled,"You lie!"

Seriously? Who would want to be on their team?

[Lamplighter]

In an effort to explain his stance on abortion, Representative Todd Akin,
the Republican Senate nominee from Missouri, provoked ire across the political spectrum
on Sunday by saying that in instances of what he called “legitimate rape,”
women’s bodies somehow blocked an unwanted pregnancy.

This is true.

It's also true that every time a politician tells a lie about rape,
both his nose and his dick get shorter.

Have you seen the latest picture of Todd Akin ?
.

[ZenGum]

I can't decide whether Akin's comments are stupidity, ignorance, politically motivated cynicism, or outright neurotic delusion.

Either way it's bloody appalling that this person might be even considered for public office.

America, you really worry me.

[BigV]

considered?

I know you're not from here, but Akin's not just considered for office, he's been in office for five terms already.

[ZenGum]

Yeah, I got that bit ... "considered for" was my way of emphasising how far off I think he is. What are you, Akin or something?

Meanwhile... http://www.theonion.com/articles/i-m...-as-dog,29256/

[BigV]

gotcha.

re link:

LMAO!

[infinite monkey]

Gosh bless the onion. Hilarious!

[tw]

Originally Posted by BigV

Senator Cornyn, head of the Republican Party Senatorial Committee has urged Akin to withdraw from the race.

That's the public statement. Necessary to defuse the issue among Akin's oppenents. But I suspect the party would rather have him run since he probably will still win the Senate seat.

The issue may be politically incorrect among the more educated. But his support is not from those people. I suspect Akin's strongest supporters quietly agree with him. Or really don't regard his statements as inflammatory. I suspect the party knows this. And minimizes harm by pretending to not support him.

[DanaC]

Y'know what? I don't want to hear a single fucking right-wing conservative open their mouths about how bad Islam treats women ever again.

Jesus fucking christ.

[Griff]

Originally Posted by ZenGum

Either way it's bloody appalling that this person might be even considered for public office.

1 point lead