Posted on 08/20/2012 3:47:45 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Via BuzzFeed, it’s important that people like Hannity, Coulter, and the boss emeritus are leaning on this guy too, not just Romney and Reince Priebus. Without pressure from all-stars on the right, he can dig in and turn it into a “weak-ass establishment RINOs are selling me out to the Democrats” populist attack on D.C. Republicans. That might be enough to rally grassroots conservatives to his side and keep him in the race, but not enough to prevent him from losing to McCaskill and, just maybe, dragging the ticket down with him. How lucky do you feel? Want to bet the future of repealing ObamaCare on Akin’s ability to not only recover from his theory of the female body’s magical defenses against rape-sperm but to avoid other goofy errors between now and November? John Brunner, who finished second to Akin in the primary, is reportedly already angling to replace him if he drops; Sarah Steelman, who finished within a point of Brunner, is almost certainly interested too, especially since she’d be inoculated from Akin’s comments due to her gender. If the game’s on the line in the late innings and your pitcher’s getting shelled, why not go to the pen while you can? Even the Tea Party Express, imagining another Angle/O’Donnell nightmare scenario in November, is unsparing:
daveweigel✔ @daveweigel
Tea Party Express, which backed Sharron Angle, calls for Akin to go, based on "the lessons we learned in 2010" about bad candidates
20 Aug 12 Reply Retweet Favorite
Akin’s been consistent today about saying he’ll stay in, but I keep seeing reports like this from plugged-in pundits on Twitter:
Richard Grenell@RichardGrenell
Breaking: Senior GOP official: Akin advisors making preparations for a withdrawal tomorrow.
20 Aug 12 Reply Retweet Favorite
Erick Erickson✔ @EWErickson
Just to be clear one more time, consultants involved are telling me Akin will withdraw. Akin & his campaign deny he will withdraw.
20 Aug 12 Reply Retweet Favorite
David Harsanyi@davidharsanyi
Longtime Missouri GOP insider tells me that Akin is meeting with staff and having a prayer vigil tonight. Looking for way out "gracefully"
20 Aug 12 Reply Retweet Favorite
BuzzFeed’s getting mixed signals:
“Akin is taking concrete steps to withdraw by tomorrow at 5:00 p.m.,” a senior Republican told BuzzFeed, adding that Akin could still change his mind.
But a Republican close to Akin said his position hasn’t changed: He’s still in the race.
Tomorrow afternoon is an important deadline: If he files papers to end his candidacy in Jefferson City tomorrow he can end his candidacy unilaterally; after that, he would have to file an application in court.
Could be that Akin hasn’t given any indication privately about quitting but that the consultants, who suspect he’s DOA if he stays in, are trying to shove him towards the exit by creating a false narrative in the media about him supposedly dropping out. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy: The more the press reports that he’s on his way out and the more positive feedback those reports receive from the right, the more Akin might feel that he has no allies left and is better off quitting. The thing is, if he decided to stick with it, how likely is it really that the NRSC and Republican Super PACs would follow through on their threats and refuse to spend any money on his race in the fall? He may lag behind McCaskill, but probably not by so much that the race’s outcome will become a foregone conclusion; if we get to October and he’s within five or six points, the pressure on the NRSC and outside groups to come to his rescue will be tremendous, even though the money they’d be spending on him could also be useful in other races. The reason they’re threatening to withhold funds now is purely a bluff to convince him that he has zero chance of winning and therefore stands to gain nothing by staying in. But if he does stay in, and ends up being the only game in town for Republicans, will they really cut him off?
Two exit quotations for this one. The first, from NBC: “[A] source with ties to Akin’s political operation tells First Read that the GOP congressman most likely won’t quit the contest, saying Akin believes this race is ‘providential’ and even if Akin was ready to get out, his wife would never let him quit.” The second, from Philip Klein: “At this point, if Akin doesn’t drop, McCaskill can run ads all fall simply quoting Republicans condemning him.”
(VIDEO AT LINK)
You’re right, these are not normal situations, these are desperate times, which is even more imperative that we send our best, and he’s demonstrated that he’s clearly not among them.
Some people are so gullible!
And Romney is "our best"? Just like McCain was "our best" last time?
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA...you're killing me!
If those two are the best examples of the Republican's "best" then I can't help but laugh.
Again, you want to debate what’s fair, or do you want to deal with reality and how to win this war?
Warren is in Massachusetts, she’ll probably win despite everything. Which only makes it even more imperative that we win in Missouri. Now ask yourself this, of all the potential replacement for Akin, are they likely to do better or worse than Akin would in Nov given what has happened?
So you want to lose the senator race in Missouri because you’re ticked off at Romney?
When generals don't step up and rally the troops after one junior officer issues a wrong command in the middle of a battle then you've lost that battle.
Who is leading in this battle? The generals or the privates? Sounds like the privates are to me and they're all yelling...Retreat!
“Where have I indicated in any fashion that I would like to see a Republican loss for that Senate seat?”
If Akin remains in the race, he will most likely lose, and all the contemplated replacements for him have a better chance to win than he does. So why do you want him to stay in the race?
Nice try at trying to frame the argument.
So why do you want him to stay in the race?
Why do you ask a new question instead of answering my other question?
Rallying the soldiers doesn’t mean you don’t replace the incompetent officer.
Did Lincoln stick with McClellan or did he replace him with Grant?
...and all the contemplated replacements for him have a better chance to win than he does.
And how, pray tell, do you know that? Where are the polls? Where is the evidence? At this point all you've got is supposition, not knowledge or evidence.
“BTW, I disagree with Romney, I’m not “ticked off” at Romney.
Nice try at trying to frame the argument”
I’m not the one who brought up Romney. Romney is not relevant to this discussion, nor is Warren (which by the way was also brought up by you, not me).
The only issue at hand is Todd Akin, who sabotaged his own candidacy over the weekend, and what should be done about it. There are two option, watch him go down in flames over the next 3 months, or replace him while there is still a chance. I’m going with option 2.
There are two option, watch him go down in flames over the next 3 months, or replace him while there is still a chance. I’m going with option 2.
In your opinion there are two options. In my opinion there are far more than just 2 options.
Honestly, if you can’t see the handwriting on the wall. There is not much I can do for you.
I mean, I could point you to this
http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=be5d9bf6-7675-4341-920a-8fcb71d9e9de
and how only 35% of Missourians think he should stay in the race, but I’m sure your mind is made up and you’ll just declare the poll rigged.
Honestly, if you can’t see the handwriting on the wall.
First sentence.
There is not much I can do for you.
Second sentence.
Sense made from those two separate sentences? None.
I mean, I could point you to this...
Respondents not reachable on a home telephone (24% of adults) were shown, on their smartphone or other electronic device this video of Akin speaking.
And I can point out to you the nine second clip that your poll was based upon.
I can also point out that the poll was not even conducted with likely voters.
SurveyUSA interviewed 500 state of Missouri adults 08/20/12, after comments made by Todd Akin were made public on 08/19/12.
500 people out of a State of millions. WOW!
...I’m sure your mind is made up and you’ll just declare the poll rigged.
Your mind reading skills are lacking.
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