Defiant Akin, in Senate race for now, chides "party bosses" for trying to push him out

Christian Gooden,AP Photo/St. Louis Post-Dispatch

(CBS News) Republican Rep. Todd Akin is under intense pressure from the Republican party to exit the competitive Senate race in Missouri after his controversial comments on rape and abortion, but he says he won't be bullied out by "party bosses."

Akin missed a deadline on Tuesday to easily drop his Senate bid, but he could, with a court order, get his name off the Missouri ballot if he decides to drop out by Sept. 25. On ABC's "Good Morning America" on Wednesday, Akin wouldn't say whether he would consider dropping out at a later time.

"I'm never going to say everything that could possibly happen," he said. "I don't know the future, but I do know this. I knew that the party voters took a look at our hearts, understood who we were, had a chance to meet us in many, many different ways and made a decision. And it makes me uncomfortable to think that the party bosses are going to dictate who runs as opposed to the election process."

Two sources tell CBS News, however, that Akin is leaving open the option of getting out of the race. For now, he'll assess whether riding the controversy out will result in campaign donations and support for him to stay in.

Akin has come under fire since suggesting in an interview Sunday 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 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.

Akin has repeatedly apologized for his remarks and has acknowledged that they had no scientific basis.

Sources: Akin may not really be in race for good
Romney calls on Akin to drop out of Senate race
Defiant Akin says he's staying in race

Still, several Republicans, including Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, have called on him to exit the Senate race.

Akin said that in a phone call Tuesday, GOP vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan suggested that he should drop out.

"He advised me that it would be good for me to step down," Akin said on NBC's "Today Show" on Wednesday. "I told him that I was going to be looking at this very seriously, trying to weigh all the different points on this."

Tuesday, in an interview with conservative radio host Sean Hannity, Akin said that Ryan didn't explicitly "tell me what to do," but rather said Akin should "give some thought" to stepping down.

Meanwhile, in an interview with Pittsburgh CBS affiliate KDKA, Ryan said of Akin's initial remarks, "His statements were outrageous, over the pail. I don't know anybody who would agree with that. Rape is rape period, end of story."

When asked whether he believes abortions should be available for victims of rape, Ryan only said that Romney's views trump his.

"I'm proud of my pro-life record. And I stand by my pro-life record in Congress," he said. "It's something I'm proud of. But Mitt Romney is the top of the ticket and Mitt Romney will be president and he will set the policy of the Romney administration."

[gringovejo]

I think he should stay in the race and all the rest of the current bunch, claiming to be Republicans, need to line up beside him, since they either believe this two to three hundred year old "medical" thinking(that was later debunked)or are willing to use it, pandering for votes. Then let us all see just how many really stupid people vote for these morons. Already, we have a online, national petition; seeking people to sign, demanding a Constitutional Amendment to overturn(repeal Roe vs Wade)a woman's right to have an abortion. This is exactly,what you can expect from from incredibly stupid people and those who gleefully manipulate them to further their own personal agendas. What this Nation needs to do, is require every voter and every office seeker, including all members of both Houses of the US Congress and every State and Local Legislative body, the same test that every new citizen must pass in-order to become a citizen. Far too many, seem not able to understand that the US Constitution is not, and cannot be, subject to the will, of even the majority, at any given time, or it becomes a totally worthless document. Instead of promoting such drivel, as a justification for their own staying in office, Legislators, should be trying to provide educational and realistic information that might just help put this country back on track. So tell it like you
actually believe, or are willing to pander to, in order to manipulate, and let us see whether this country has really lost it's edge, or not. IF America's Taliban is as unencumbered, intellectually, as it is in elsewhere in this world, we had best defeat it at the voting booth NOW, before it further destroys this Nation.

[hhandyman]

Btw the Platform is far from Pro life or they'd be pro Medicare and Obama care Life with no ability to pay for health care can be a death sentence by neglect.. and if they kill medicare they are as bad as the doctors that perform abortions
If Ryan was pro life then hed never close down medicare to some coupon save a lot deal or force people on fixed income to use 90% of it for premiums on insurance and try ad survive the rest of the cost of living on 10% of near nothing.

[hhandyman]

since when is Paylin or Mitch McConnell Liberal they both have fun at Murdoch broadcasting company er FoxNewz but they lean Right..

[saviourObama]

confused about what....that akin is an easy looser......

[APatriot1]

When the GOP Party Platform is "no abortions, no exception" this is WORSE than Akin's position. His may have been borne out of pure ignorance. The GOP's platform is PURE EVIL. They KNOW that pregnancy often results from rape but they DON'T CARE. Even if the life of the mother is at risk they DON'T CARE. This runs counter to the position of every civilized nation on the planet. Fact is, the GOP probably doesn't care about Pro-Life morality either, but they pander to extremists to get votes. It's still a morally bankrupt party and they will say or do ANYTHING (even if it damages our economy and our democracy), to reclaim the Presidency, the Senate or to hold onto the House.

[CBSDebbie]

I don't feel for Akin in any way, shape or form, but the GOP leadership has the same exact stance as Akin they just used nice language. Both Akin and the GOP leadership are regressing. I was a Republican for 35 years, now an Independent, the party for me has totally lost its way. It's one thing to be conservative and quite another to be socially, religiously, and economically extreamist. For me to return to the party they would have to drop the extream religious views and drop the facist economic views.

[TrenchPress]

Real rape getting raped for real, fake rape saying you were raped when it was consensual.

1999 Journal of Medicine backs Todd Akin's claim that Rape Pregnancies Are Rare?
http://trenchpress.com/?p=17517

"In an average population, the miscarriage rate is about 15 percent. In this case we have incredible emotional trauma. Her body is upset. Even if she conceives, the miscarriage rate will be higher than in a more normal pregnancy. If 20 percent of raped women miscarry, the figure drops to 450 (or 740)."

"Finally, factor in what is certainly one of the most important reasons why a rape victim rarely gets pregnant, and that's physical trauma. Every woman is aware that stress and emotional factors can alter her menstrual cycle. To get and stay pregnant a woman's body must produce a very sophisticated mix of hormones."

****RAPE: (transitive verb) "1 a archaic: to seize and take away by FORCE" Laws forced on you since others know best? Minority or even majority rule on what they want to force on you then that rape is ok? Many have died and suffered far more in that kind of rape which many make light of it.****

[Repubs_R_Fiscal_Liberals]

That clown isn't pro-LIFE, he's just pro-BIRTH.

Scum, and nothing more.

[mstant]

The reason Ryan won't say his beliefs on abortion is because he thinks there should be no abortions for any reason. I still don't understand why Republicans think they have the right to tell women what they can do with their own bodies. Hey GOP you are not God!!!

[cntrygirl3]

Yes Mr. Ryan you avoided a lie. Yes rape is rape and yes you don't care. If there is a pregnancy a woman should have no right to an abortion that is what you have voted time and again, you agree with Mr. Akin on that point. I am not sure which is worse a fool that thinks women can't get pregnant from "legitimate" rape. Or a calloused jerk who considers women no more than cows or sows with no voice and no rights. Oh yes Mr. Akin holds the same view but he at least has deluded himself about it. You have no delusions pregnant women have no rights no voice. And you want to be a heartbeat from the presidency.