Akin’s comment went beyond the “legitimate” gaffe into indefensible ignorance when he invoked magic biology. No one who is interested in winning the election is going to touch it. It’s a tar baby and anyone who defends it is going to get stuck with it just as sure as if he’d said it himself. It is unrealistic to expect anyone to commit political suicide on Akin’s behalf.
And his comment helps sustain the stereotype that conservatives are ignorant of modern science.