Defiant Akin says he's staying in race
Updated at 3:38 p.m. ET
The congressman apologized on Monday and said he made a "very, very serious error." Nevertheless, he has so far insisted he'll stay in the race. Tuesday morning launched an ad asking voters for their forgiveness.
© 2012 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. (CBS News) Republicans are watching the clock as they wait for a defiant Todd Akin to drop out of the Missouri Senate race following controversial remarks he made about rape and abortion.
The six-term conservative congressman insists he's not quitting -- he said on former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee's radio show Tuesday afternoon that he's staying in the race.
"I haven't done anything morally or ethically wrong," Akin told Huckabee, saying the backlash against him "does seem like a little bit of an overreaction."
"We are going to continue this race for the U.S. Senate," Akin continued. "We believe taking this stand is going to strengthen our country, going to strengthen, ultimately, the Republican Party."
However, Akin is facing intense pressure from within his own party to drop out of the competitive race against Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill. He could easily do so -- before 5 p.m. Central Time today.If Akin exits today, the state Republican party will have 28 days to replace him on the ballot. If today's deadline passes, Akin could still withdraw from the race before Sept. 25, but if he did so during that window, the Missouri GOP would have to obtain a court order to replace his name on the ballot. After Sept. 25, the state will not change the names on the state ballot, no matter what.
A close Akin confidant tells CBS News that he will consider his standing over the coming weeks in advance of the Sept. 25 deadline.
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"He may ultimately decide the best decision for him and America is to step aside, but he's not going to rush to the judgment of the D.C. establishment who didn't want him to be the nominee to begin with," the Akin confidant said. "I know he is a very humble and considerate and thoughtful man and always has been his entire career, so he is not going to go away today. There is still time on his side. It may not be long, but there is time."
If Akin decides the financial support and resources aren't where they need to be, he could then obtain a court order to remove his name from the ballot by Sept. 25.
The two candidates who lost to Akin in the primary -- St. Louis-area businessman John Brunner and former Missouri state Treasurer Sarah Steelman -- are already jockeying behind the scenes to replace him.
"My mother is interested, but she's going to be a team player," Sam Steelman, who ran his mother Sarah Steelman's primary campaign, told CBS News. "The first goal in this is to get Claire McCaskill out of office. Right now, there's a lot of people, I guess, who feel that Todd Akin can't get it done, but Todd Akin obviously feels like he can get it done."
Akin beat both Brunner and Steelman in the Aug. 7 Republican primary to face off against McCaskill, one of the most vulnerable Democratic senators up for re-election this year. Even though polls showed McCaskill trailing all of her potential GOP competitors, Akin had the smallest lead against her. McCaskill and Democratic groups in fact spent money in the GOP primary to get Akin on the ballot.
This week's controversy started after Akin suggested that women couldn't get pregnant from rape.
"It seems to me first of all, from what I understand from doctors, that's really rare," Akin said in a local interview on Sunday when asked whether he would support abortions for rape victims. "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.
While Akin maintains he's staying in the race for now, his support from the Republican party and national conservatives has all but vanished.
Mitt Romney called his comments "inexcusable," and his running mate Rep. Paul Ryan reportedly called Akin and told him to think about the repercussions of his remarks. Ryan reportedly stopped short of urging Akin to leave the race.
Several Republicans, however, including Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, have explicitly called for him to get out of the race.
"In his heart of hearts, I'm certain that he is sincerely sorry for what he said but in this instance, when the future of our country is at stake, sorry is not sufficient," McConnell said in a statement Tuesday. "To continue serving his country in the honorable way he has served throughout his career, it is time for Congressman Akin to step aside."
Others calling for him to get out include Sens. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Scott Brown of Massachusetts and Roy Blunt of Missouri. Blunt on Tuesday released a joint statement with four former Republican Missouri senators calling for Akin's exit.
"We do not believe it serves the national interest for Congressman Todd Akin to stay in this race," the Missouri politicians said. "The issues at stake are too big, and this election is simply too important. The right decision is to step aside."
The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), meanwhile, told Akin Monday it would no longer financially support his Senate bid if he chooses to stay in the race and is now campaigning against Akin as if he were a member of the opposite party, alerting the media to the negative attention Akin is getting.
"It should not be lost on anyone that some of the only voices not calling for Congressman Akin to do the right thing and step aside are Claire McCaskill and the leaders of the pro-abortion movement," NRSC spokesman Brian Walsh said in a statement Tuesday. "Senator McCaskill knows that the only way she wins re-election is if Todd Akin is her opponent in November. We continue to hope that Congressman Akin will do the right thing for the values he holds dear, but there should be no mistake - if he continues with this misguided campaign, it will be without the support and resources of the NRSC."
Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, chairman of the NRSC, said in a public statement earlier that Akin's comments were "wrong, offensive, and indefensible."
Watch CBS News political director John Dickerson and "CBS This Morning" co-host Norah O'Donnell talk about the Akin controversy.Meanwhile, the Karl Rove-backed super PAC American Crossroads confirmed to CBS News that it is pulling its ads from Missouri. "The act speaks for itself," Crossroads said to CBS regarding its decision to pull its ads.
National conservative media, including National Review, Charles Krauthammer and the Wall Street Journal, declared Akin a sinking ship. Fox News television host Sean Hannity told Akin that he should consider dropping out because "elections are bigger than one person." Radio host Mark Levin similarly called on Akin to step aside.
The antipathy toward Akin extended beyond conservative media -- on Monday night, after Akin stood up CNN host Piers Morgan, Morgan called him "a gutless little twerp."
And even though the Romney campaign flatly condemned Akin's remarks, Democrats are trying to tie the GOP ticket and the Republican party in general to the controversial statements. President Obama on Monday said 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."
The Democratic National Committee, meanwhile, put a petition online that said "The Republican Party--led by Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan--is dangerously wrong for women."
"Mitt Romney would 'get rid of' federal funding for Planned Parenthood, Paul Ryan co-sponsored a piece of legislation that would have narrowed the definition of rape, and now Rep. Todd Akin of Missouri claims there's a biological defense against pregnancy from 'legitimate rape,'" the petition reads.
For Democrats, the issue presents an opportunity to revive the charge that Republicans are waging a "war on women" and shore up their advantage among women voters.
Scott Conroy contributed to this report.
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I'm 'Akin' from laughing at the latest intellectual misstep from the Party of No (Intelligence).
To watch the GOPer commenters here attempt to excuse away this 20 year old backwards pseudo science viewpoint is laughable. Dumbest incarnation of the Republican constituency ever.
We know already that conservatives are, on average, less intelligent than moderates (most intelligent) and liberals (somewhere in the middle), but damn, I mean even most bacteria won't do things that are against its own best interests and endanger its survival as often as the average American conservative voter will.
Will Joe the Plumber send the child (who is genetically half his wife) to an adoption agency? Or will he simply force his other kids to accept a more impoverished life by including the "extra" kid when he creates his family budget? Only time will tell.
Congrats, conservatives. The government is going to be REALLY involved with your family life.
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If you read this seriously, guys, you will see that the problem is yours as well as your woman's. If you feel something gut-wrenching in your stomach, it's because this policy is inhumane. It puts you in an unbearable position. You do not have to accept this from the GOP-- YOU are in charge.
Will Joe the Plumber send the child (who is genetically half his wife) to an adoption agency? Or will he simply force his other kids to accept a more impoverished life by including the "extra" kid when he creates his family budget? Only time will tell.
Congrats, conservatives. The government is going to be REALLY involved with your family life.
-------------------------------------------------------------
If you read this seriously, guys, you will see that the problem is yours as well as your woman's. If you feel something gut-wrenching in your stomach, it's because this policy is inhumane. It puts you in an unbearable position. You do not have to accept this from the GOP-- YOU are in charge.
Will Joe the Plumber send the child (who is genetically half his wife) to an adoption agency? Or will he simply force his other kids to accept a more impoverished life by including the "extra" kid when he creates his family budget? Only time will tell.
Congrats, conservatives. The government is going to be REALLY involved with your family life.
-------------------------------------------------------------
If you read this seriously, guys, you will see that the problem is yours as well as your woman's. If you feel something gut-wrenching in your stomach, it's because this policy is inhumane. It puts you in an unbearable position. You do not have to accept this from the GOP-- YOU are in charge.
In March 17, 2011, Paul Ryan joined Todd Akin in co-sponsoring 'The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act', or House Resolution 3, which aimed to "prohibit taxpayer funded abortions and to provide for conscience protections except in cases of 'forcible rape'." It passed the entire House of Representatives.
See page 35 of the full text of the HR 3 bill at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CRPT-112hrpt38/pdf/CRPT-112hrpt38-pt1.pdf
"Forcible Rape" seems laughably redundant since all rape, by definition, is forced. But this redefinition of rape was deceptively sinister. Statutory rapists often use coercion but not physical force. If the measure had passed, a 13-year-old emotionally manipulated into having sex with an older friend or relative would no longer be able to use Medicaid to terminate a resulting pregnancy. Nor would her parents be able to use their tax-exempt health savings fund.
Also, in January 7, 2011, Paul Ryan and Todd Akin co-sponsored House Resolution 212, 'The Sanctity of Human Life Act', which gives states the authority to ban all abortions, without any exceptions mentioned, such as the mother's life in danger, rape or incest.
See the full text of the HR 212 bill at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c112:H.R.212:
Mitt Romney wants Todd Akin out to avoid these Ties to Paul Ryan.
Mitt Romney was Extremely Smart for picking an Extreme Right V.P. with so much Dirty Political Baggages.
7 lucky - YOU claimed "Last stats I saw showed that the percentage of gay pedophilia was over ten times the number of gay people."
So back it up.
by _7luckyseven August 21, 2012 6:35 PM EDT
I made no claims
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Yes, you did. you claimed:
"Last stats I saw showed that the percentage of gay pedophilia was over ten times the number of gay people."
So share those stats, or admit you made the whole thing up.
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The burden of proof remains on YOU, since you were the one who made the claim.
I just have to sit here and wait, and if you provide no proof, you concede you have no source, and made up the point.