Akin’s got to go. It’s that simple, from where I stand. As others have pointed out, it isn’t primarily about misusing the word “legitimate” that’s caused the controversy, it’s about an incredibly bizarre statement on female biology that’s caused the backlash.
Rasmussen has Akin down by 10 points, a double-digit swing from where he stood before the statement. Beyond that, he’s being used as an focal point for the DNC across the country and in the swing state of Missouri. That’s not going to go away unless *he* goes away. Also, it would be one thing if there were no good conservative candidates available to step in to take up the challenge, but there are several in this case. Sarah Steelman is pro-life and certainly conservative, for example.
Now, is it fair that a candidate’s future be destroyed by a gaffe? No, it’s not. Especially not when one considers the many stupid things Obama and Biden have said. But politics, like life, often isn’t fair. Akin’s in the soup, and the odds of him getting out no matter how hard he campaigns are long indeed. That’s the reality of the situation, fair or not. If he steps down, this goes away in a week. If he doesn’t, he almost certainly loses to McCaskill, Obama probably picks up support in Missouri, and pro-life Republicans coast to coast are likely to have to continually distance themselves from the Democrat’s boogeyman of choice this election.