Free Republic

First some full disclosure: When Congressman Todd Akin made his now famous “remark” regarding a female rape victim’s physiological reaction to her violation I was one of those who called for him to give up his challenge to Democrat Claire McCaskill the Missouri Senator who was widely viewed as a dead duck. McCaskill is seen as the face of Obamacare in the Show me State and earlier a statewide referendum on Obamacare had crashed and burned 71/29. Moreover no honest person thinks Missouri is a state where Barack Obama will even do well let alone win and help down ballot...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- A conservative fundraising group that had shied away from Missouri Rep. Todd Akin is now seriously considering whether to come to the embattled Republican's aid in his challenge to Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill, an official with the group said Monday. The Senate Conservatives Fund, which has raised more than $11 million for other Republican Senate candidates, could provide a much-needed financial boost for Akin, who is facing a Tuesday deadline on whether to stay in the race. Akin has vowed to remain in the contest. Appearing Monday at a Kirkwood, Mo., rally with former presidential...

The failing British electric vehicle company that pretended to become an American one in order to save its U.K. investors has scrapped its planned initial public offering that it hoped would save it in Kansas City. Smith Electric Vehicles , recipient of $32 million in taxpayer stimulus, had reportedly fantasized it would raise $76 million (down from $125 million) via an IPO by selling roughly 4 ½ million shares at $16 to $18 each. CEO Bryan Hansel bowed to reality Thursday night and rescinded those plans. “We received significant interest from potential investors,” he said in a statement. “However, we...

Written off by many in his own party a mere month ago, Republican Rep. Todd Akin has been slowly rebuilding his Senate campaign after apologizing for inflammatory remarks about pregnancy and rape. Now Akin is approaching a critical week that could determine whether his re-emerging campaign can gain enough momentum to put Missouri back in the battleground column as Republicans attempt to win control of the Senate from Democrats. Tuesday is the deadline for Akin to get a court order to drop his challenge of Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill. But Akin says he won't do so. Instead, Akin plans to...

This is a little difficult but, hopefully, will work. When you see the two frozen video screens, scroll down to the second one titled "See the full debate here". When you click on the arrow in the center of the screen, the video will start but will not have sound. You must force the red bar to move right until you get to the 1.06 hour spot. By forcing the red bar to the right will turn on the sound. The 1.06 time will start the Senate debate. If you want to see all of the debates, starting with the...

Besides attacking each other over Medicare, school lunches and the Iraq war, Missouri Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill and GOP challenger Rep. Todd Akin spent their first debate Friday blaming each other for the gridlock in Congress that has stalled crucial pieces of legislation over the last two years. And after initially mentioning the damaging comments on rape and pregnancy that have dogged her Republican opponent over the last month, Mrs. McCaskill didn’t bring them up again. Instead, both candidates talked mainly about their sharp policy differences, with Mr. Akin trying to paint Mrs. McCaskill as an Obama liberal while she...

The nation is closely watching the U.S. Senate race in Missouri that pits Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill against her Republican challenger U.S. Rep. Todd Akin. The two will face off for their first debate today (Sept. 21) at 10:45 a.m. in Columbia, Mo. McCaskill, 59, is seeking her second six-year term in the Senate after previously serving as state auditor. Akin, 65, is challenging McCaskill, rather than seek re-election to the 2nd Congressional District in St. Louis, to which he first won election in 2000. View slideshow: McCaskill and Akin will square off in first debate The race shot into...

(KTVI) – Missouri U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill and U.S. Representative Todd Akin will be squaring off in a debate Friday morning in Columbia at 10:45 am. Immediately before that, Governor Jay Nixon will face republican challenger Dave Spence in a debate. Both debates will also include libertarian candidates, Jonathan Dine for the senate, and Jim Higgins for governor. The debates are sponsored by the Missouri Press Association and will be held at the Holiday Inn Executive Center in Columbia, Mo. Friday, September 22nd. Executive Center-Columbia Mall 2200 I-70 Drive S.W Columbia , Missouri 65203

Today Sen. Claire McCaskill visited Northwest Missouri State University to talk about student loans. She started the talk off in spectacular fashion, telling the students if it wasn't for the benevolence of the Federal Government, only the rich would go to college: [Video] When she mentioned she's had three 17 year old sons but wouldn't loan them money, I had to laugh at of the irony of it. She wouldn't loan them her money, but she'll gladly loan them yours. And let's not forget about the logical fallacy you just heard. It's a popular one for leftists: What Claire posited...

ST. LOUIS, MO. (KTVI) – Rep. Todd Akin’s “insurgent” campaign against both Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill and the leaders of his own party may not be the long shot it’s been portrayed, despite the national furor over Akin’s comments on The Jaco Report that women who are victims of “legitimate rape” have natural defenses against becoming pregnant. A pair of polls taken after the incident and the following uproar either show Akin with a lead over McCaskill, or indicate the race is tied. The latest survey from Public Policy Polling, taken August 29, shows McCaskill leading Akin 45% to 44%,...

Those of you who listened to Rush yesterday already know this, but: Just as he was coming upon a commercial break, at one point in the broadcast, he closed out with this statement: "Latest poll shows 77 percent of Missourians forgive Todd Akin. He trails McCaskill by only one point. Hmmmmmmm.........."

Before Mitt Romney appeared via satellite on an Ohio TV station WHIO Thursday, his campaign told a reporter it would prefer Romney did not get questions about Todd Akin. Fortunately for the Romney campaign, Akin wasn’t on the WHIO agenda. “They were chatting and it came up and I believe [a Romney staffer’s] wording was that they prefer not to talk about it,” assistant news director Tim Wolff told TPM. “But we didn’t care because we were going to talk about Ohio stuff.” The WHIO interview was one of four satellite appearances Romney made on local TV stations Thursday. Per...

Embattled Senate candidate Todd Akin just told reporters in Chesterfield that he is staying in the Senate race against Democratic incumbent Claire McCaskill. Akin repeated the kinds of statements he'd made previously to national media, asserting that he's never had the support of the Republican party establishment anyway. [...]

"I think he's been a great leader but I don't want my daughter near him." McCaskill said this a few years ago while in a hotly contested senate race against Republican Jim Talent. In light of the recent discussion on rape, does the Senator feel the same way today, and will she be in attendance cheering on an accused rapist at the DNC?

Rasmussen poll made me laugh out loud. If anyone believes that, I just turned 29. Sneaky stuff. bit.ly/SscVZf— Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) August 23, 2012Oh, good grief. Sneaky, heal thyself. Senator McCaskill’s attempt at reverse psychology is incredibly lame; is she trying for yet another terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad day? What Rasmussen poll is the Democrat Missouri senator trying, and failing, to discredit? Oh, only the one that has her now up by ten over Rep. Akin. In her desperate attempt to bitterly cling to her senate seat, she is trying a pitiful Jedi Mind Trick: “You’re fine, Akin....

It's trapping season. The targets are Republicans, whom the Democratic-friendly media (the trappers) hunt in order to smear -- especially the Romney-Ryan ticket -- forcing them off message. The bait in the latest case is the issue of abortion in cases of rape. The hunter's target was Rep. Todd Akin, a Missouri Republican, who is running for the Senate against Democratic incumbent Claire McCaskill. Thirty-nine years after Roe v. Wade and subsequent Supreme Court rulings legalizing abortion, one might think a pro-lifer like Todd Akin would be able to see he was walking into a trap when a St. Louis...

Nobody’s perfect. Sometimes this statement is used to ridiculously minimize a huge problem (cf. Joe E. Brown’s closing line to Jack Lemmon, in “Some Like It Hot.”), and sometimes it’s used to fairly state an undeniable fact: that there is certainly something imperfect about everyone. No matter whether you’re selecting a spouse or friend in your personal life, or a vendor or employee in your business life, or selecting a school or tutor for your children’s education, you’re forced to make choices in life. There are certainly some issues that are absolute deal-breakers – a too-dangerous location, an unaffordable product,...

The deadline for Representative Todd Akin (R-MO) to withdraw from the Missouri Senate has passed. This has led to much wailing and gnashing of teeth amongst conservatives, myself included. Despite seemingly every prominent Republican and conservative in the country condemning his comments on rape or calling for him to exit the race, he ultimately refused. Could he still do so? Yes, through petitioning a Missouri court in what appears to be a fairly simple process. Some have suggested that the left would try to impede this process, but I'm not sure how they could. If that's the case, will he...

I say that with a heavy heart, but we NEED to win the Senate, Missouri was supposed to be easy, this guy makes sure it isn't...

Since PPP decided it can't help itself, I've done you all a service. I went through their ridiculous R+9 sample and ONLY changed the D/R/I proportions to match previous elections, and an even turnout. With R+9, PPP's headline screams Akin up by 1. It is an obvious, sick ploy to get this delusional Bio101 flunkie to stay in and cost us a seat. Here are the real numbers: If turnout in November matches 2008 (it won't): McCaskill 49.25% Akin 39% (this is a D+6 turnout model) If turnout in November is even, an incredible feat for the GOP considering heavy...