Missouri Congressman Todd Akin, who’s comments on rape and abortion created a media firestorm and has also become a monster distraction to the Republican Party’s efforts to stay on message during this highly-charged campaign season. Akin made reference to “legitimate” rape while offering his views on abortion during a recent interview, which led to criticism from all sides of the political spectrum, including President Obama.
Mitt Romney has also denounced Akin’s remarks saying he could not support them and has called for Akin to step aside in his Senatorial race in Missouri, which now appears to be dead in the water according to most political insiders. Akin’s comments have also hurt the Romney campaign because it’s led the media to highlight an alliance between Akin and current GOP Vice Presidential candidate Paul Ryan, who co-sponsored a recent bill with Akin that was essentially designed to change the definition of rape.
The Republican Party has basically denounced and disowned Akin and his comments, and gave him a Tuesday deadline to get out of the race, but Akin says he is not a quitter and vows to stay in the race. The fear for the GOP is that every moment wasted defending their views on rape and abortion is a loss of time trying to push their agenda, which of course is to slam the President’s policies and the unemployment rate. Still, the Republicans have not offered any details on how they plan to govern if elected and whenever one of their members says anything considered to be out of step with their beliefs, this is the end result
