The pro-abortion ranks were absolutely jubilant about the mega-gaff made by Congressman Todd Akin, the Republican senate hopeful that was comfortably beating one of their own, Senator Claire McCaskill, in the swing state of Missouri. Akin tangled his words so badly in answer to an abortion question about exceptions for rape that he invented a nonsensical phrase: legitimate rape.
What Akin said was, “From what I understand from doctors, that’s really rare [the conceiving of a child during a rape]. If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down. But let’s assume maybe that didn’t work or something. I think there should be some punishment, but the punishment ought to be on the rapist.”
It doesn’t matter that the words were unmistakably, unambiguously, and clearly a misstatement. Maybe he meant violent rape. Maybe he was thinking about Planned Parenthood, which is known to coach girls to claim rape to justify an abortion. Maybe he just verbally stumbled—like Obama stating he had campaigned in 57 states, comparing his bowling skills to the Special Olympics.
Maybe he was referring to a mathematical analysis conducted by Dr. John C. Wilke that suggests that assault (violent) rape creates enough physical and emotional trauma to the victim that it may interfere with the reproductive process. I don’t know the science but even I can recognize a statement that is politically stupid and insensitive, intentionally or not. But that is not the point.
Missouri is a decidedly pro-life state and Akin’s opponent Claire McCaskill is decidedly a rabid pro-abortion advocate. Akin seems an honorable man sacrificed out of kneejerk political expediency. Up and down the line, Akin was dumped by party ‘friends’ and money was pulled to force him out of the primary race. After profuse apologies for the gaffe but refusing to drop out, Akin was then savaged by conservative pundits as a selfish swine that would cost the GOP the senate.
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This only helped the professional hypocrites in both the liberal media and abortion politics make sure that the basic truth in Akin’s answer was buried: Rape is the crime, not the baby. Killing a child that results from rape does not punish the rapist.
Just ask Rebecca Kiessling family law attorney and homeschool mother of five. Or, Ryan Scott Bomberger, Emmy® Award winning founder of the Radiance foundation. Both conceived in rape, both live with the knowledge that even some pro-lifers consider their lives as expendable— ‘exceptions for abortion.’ (Also conceived in rape: Jesse Jackson and abolitionist Frederick Douglas.)
Akin’s poll numbers dropped into the proverbial toilet as Akin was suddenly persona non grata among the GOP establishment: he was a poison pill distraction to their laser-like winning strategy of only talking about joblessness and the economy.
Boy, politics really isn’t beanbag. Well, that was yesterday.
Oh, to be sure, today the economy is still center stage after Presidential Debate #1. But the Democratic National Convention was little more than an abortion palooza and the Obama campaign has put together a cabal of radical political interests ranging from the look-the-other-way immigration ‘reformers’ to global warming environmentalists to gay activists. Religious freedom and foreign policy are also competitive in column inches and broadcast time.
Team Obama certainly did not get the memo—so much for this election being solely about the economy.
Meanwhile, rather than imploding after losing his once sizable lead, the dust has settled and the six-term congressman is now running neck and neck again with well-funded uber-liberal incumbent Claire McCaskill. Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri and former Missouri senators Christopher S. Bond and Jim Talent recently endorsed Mr. Akin after initially urging him to step aside after his comments about rape and abortion.
Akin is getting the most financial support he's received since the "legitimate rape" remark, according to USA Today. While conservatives like former Speaker Newt Gingrich has given his support for Akin as did the Senate Conservatives Fund, the GOP mainliners like the National Republican Senatorial Committee seem to be still sitting on the sidelines.
It is disheartening to see a pro-life candidate get jettisoned like a bottle rocket while advocates for the culture of death are defended until the last man.
The views in expressed in this column are solely those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of American Life League.
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