In new TV ad, Akin apologizes for rape comment, again

(CBS News)Despite mounting pressure to withdraw from his Senate race after offensive comments he made about rape and abortion, Rep. Todd Akin, R-Mo., isn't backing down, and recorded a TV ad apologizing for his remarks.

"Rape is an evil act. I used the wrong words in the wrong way and for that I apologize," Akin tells viewers in the ad, first reported by Politico Tuesday morning. "As the father of two daughters, I want tough justice for predators. I have a compassionate heart for the victims of sexual assault. I pray for them," Akin says.

"The fact is, rape can lead to pregnancy. The truth is, rape has many victims," he continues.

"The mistake I made was in the words I said, not in the heart I hold. I ask for your forgiveness."

The controversy began Sunday after Akin, a six-term conservative congressman who's running against Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill, was asked in a TV interview whether he would support abortions for women who have been raped.

"It seems to me first of all, from what I understand from doctors, that's really rare," Akin said. "If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down," Akin said of a rape victim's chances of becoming pregnant.

Reaction to his comments was swift, first from his opponent, McCaskill, with whom he's locked in a tight battle. Early Monday, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney weighed in, calling his remarks "inexcusable" and "offensive", while some Republican senators like Scott Brown of Massachusetts and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin called for him to drop out of the Senate race.

Later, President Obama suggested Akin's remarks illustrated the broad differences between Democrats and Republicans on issues like health care and reproductive rights.

"Rape is rape," Mr. Obama said. "And the idea that we should be parsing and qualifying and slicing what types of rape we're talking about doesn't make sense to the American people and certainly doesn't make sense to me."

Mr. Obama added that Akin's remarks underscore "why we shouldn't have a bunch of politicians, a majority of whom are men, making health care decisions on behalf of women."

Akin apologizes for rape comments; Obama says "rape is rape"
Romney abortion view overrides Ryan in Akin response
Romney, Scott Brown rebuke Akin's rape comments
Mo. Rep. Todd Akin: Rape rarely leads to pregnancy

By the end of the day, even after Akin had publicly apologized, the conservative National Review had called for Akin to drop out and conservative radio host Sean Hannity suggested repeatedly in an interview with Akin that he, perhaps, for the good of the party, should consider ending his Senate bid.

And as Republicans continued their calls for Akin to drop out of the race by 5 p.m. Central Time Tuesday, the deadline for the party to be allowed to simply replace him on the ballot without complications, there were indications that if he decided to stay in, he'd be on his own, financially.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee, which works to elect Republicans to the Senate, told CBS News they would pull their financial support and a group run by Karl Rove, which has been running ads against McCaskill in Missouri, said they'd stop running commercials there.

[BWB2020]

Misanthropes like Akin are a nickel a dozen in the GOP, and at a nickle per dozen, they are way overpriced.

All Akin's apologies are worse than meaningless, his words do indeed reflect what he holds in his heart, and reflect how he would vote on women's issues.

The GOP has spent decades, and billions of dollars advocating exactly this type of ASPD-afflicted drivel, and now that America has shown that the GOP agenda is so repugnant that we overcame racist tendencies to elect a "black" president, they now realize that blatant prejudice, intolerance, and worship of aristocracy doesn't play anymore, they now seek to hide their agenda, their brand of politics has gone thew way of the n-word, something they all feel in their hearts, but are now afraid to say openly.

Even if Akin should step down, who or whatever the GOP chooses as his replacement will share the same view, they won't say so publicly, but they will vote with such a mindset, that is at the core of what they are, misogynist, racist, aristocracy-worshiping, neo-fascist authoritarians.

[TimeToEvolve]

Akins is the new normal of the freak show that the Republicon Party has become. You don't need any ideas or plans to help anyone other that rich white men. You don't need education or common sense of any regard for science of the future.

Just keep bringing up the same old Gays, Guns, God and Groins and the ignorant base will rise up on command.

[unclebernies]

Womans votes for dems. Done.

[TimeToEvolve]

Any American women or elderly person who would vote for a Republicon for any office should really have their heads examined. And seek counseling. How many times does the party have to tell them they don't care anything about them?

[unclebernies]

The republicans now have a real peoblem. Ryan co sponsored a bill in the house of reps with Akins with very restrictive abortion languange. Now Ryan will forever be paired with this nutcase.

[Lindag20]

Since rape is mostly a control issue, someone controlling another person, rather than for sexual pleasure one could make a MUCH more convincing argument that rapes are committed by SOCIAL conservatives as their agenda is to control others, especially women.

[KPeters_from_UK]

From NBC News:

"I think as far as the details of some of these things, like an exception for rape or life of the mother, these are not uncommon differences that candidates have and don't share some of the detail on some of those exceptions," Priebus said on MSNBC. "This is the platform of the Republican Party; it's not the platform of Mitt Romney."

The party adopted identical language in its 2004 and 2008 platforms, which doesn't talk about exceptions or granular details, but also doesn't specifically stipulate an exception to bans on abortion in cases of rape, incest, or the health of the mother.

The RNC platform has invited renewed scrutiny because of an uproar this week over comments made by Rep. Todd Akin, the GOP candidate for Senate in Missouri, in defense of his opposition to abortion in instances of rape. He said that "legitimate rape" rarely results in pregnancy, a statement for which he's since apologized and said was factually incorrect.




I can see how in the near future women will have to prove in separate trials other than the criminal rape trial that their pregnancy was due to "forcible rape" in order to convince the judge to grant them an abortion. Of course the trial will be a long dragged out one and most will be too late and the victims will have to delivery their off springs.

[Smilestoo]

Akins' comment is much deeper than that. He spoke from the heart. Due to public response, naturally he will say whatever is necessary to glean votes. This man is dangerous for American women and women worldwide. If he has any respect for the American people, the U.S. Constitution, and democracy, he will get out of the race. His refusal to leave the race shows a lack of remorse and unwilling to take responsibility for what he said. He is an embarrassment to the U.S.

[Jaylah54200]

Well of course it shows a lack of remorse.

He meant what he said when he said it, and still does. He just "apologized" when he realized his party was upset with him. He's not really apologizing to women. Just to his party leaders.

[Dancing-in-the-Streets]

by KPeters_from_UK August 21, 2012 1:04 PM EDT
Both the girl and the fetus both died.
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*shaking my head* and what did that solve?? Stupid stupid people! : /

[KPeters_from_UK]

Religion is more important than female lives!

[Smilestoo]

Do not let the attack on women divert attention away from the real issues:

1) Romney's taxes
2) Proposal to eliminate Medicaid
3) Proposal to eliminate Social Security

[Lindag20]

by _7luckyseven August 21, 2012 12:50 PM EDT
KPeters,

you freak me out because you have not a single coherent thought. Probably from all that lousy British food.
---------------------
Lucky the problem with free speech is that you can say whatever you want, BUT other people ALSO get to say whatever they want. You whine and make these sorts of attacks WHENEVER you disagree with someone. Sad.

[KPeters_from_UK]

by _7luckyseven August 21, 2012 11:44 AM EDT

I wrote that all rapists were liberals. Not that all liberals were rapists.

By the same definition, all pedophiles are also liberals.
---------------------------------

by _7luckyseven August 21, 2012 12:43 PM EDT
You people certainly are full of anger and hatred and intolerance
------------------------------------

Can you believe this guy?

He can't see it?

[Lindag20]

He seems to believe that only "liberals" commit crimes of any sort. In reality the vast majority of criminals are mostly apolitical, the major exception is the ones who commit crimes based on some ideology.

[KPeters_from_UK]

I really believe that 7luckyseven is sociopath. He enjoys repeating the same hateful inflammatory statements over and over again. He has no idea why these statements and his tirades are irrational and may they are hateful.

He is getting a kick out of this. His nasty statements are filled with gleeful spite. It is scary.

[Dancing-in-the-Streets]

by ruthinking August 21, 2012 12:51 PM EDT
No the real question is: does a woman indict herself for being complicit if she becomes pregnant during a "legitimate" rape
------------------------

This will be one more way, after the rape, that a woman will be forced to think its her fault! Her fault she got raped and her fault she became pregnant. Rape is a crime and the fault lies solely on the rapist!

[Dancing-in-the-Streets]

Then why the **** are you defending it????????????????????????????????????

[Smilestoo]

This reminds me of the countries that charge, prosecute, and jail female rape victims for adultery.