Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Todd Akin Is Not a Victim
The Wall Street Journal ^ | August 28, 2012 | The Wall Street Journal

Posted on 08/29/2012 3:00:11 AM PDT by sheikdetailfeather

Missouri Republican Todd Akin is vowing to continue his Senate campaign, though the question increasingly is: to what purpose? His continuing candidacy is harming the social-conservative wing of the GOP that he claims to be defending.

Mitt Romney and other Republican officials sensibly disavowed the Congressman after his recent comment that "legitimate rape" can be a contraceptive. For Mr. Romney, this was something of a Sister Souljah moment—not that he's getting much media credit for it. But rather than leave the race to another Republican who might be able to win, Mr. Akin has since cast himself as a pro-life martyr. He's blaming "party bosses" who he claims don't really care about the sanctity of life the way he does.

He's also received some unfortunate cover from Mike Huckabee, the talk show host and former Arkansas Governor, who wrote in an email to supporters: "Is this what the party really thinks of principled pro-life advocates? Do we forgive and forget the verbal gaffes of Republicans who are 'conveniently pro-life' for political advantage, but crucify one who truly believes that every life is sacred?"

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Missouri
KEYWORDS: akin; missouri; todd; victim
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-98 next last
To: Herbster
Your real science based links give support to Mr. Akin.
And the radical pro abortionists have mischaracterized, distorted and exaggerated his remarks regarding less than one percent of the sex, life, choice and responsibility problem.
The point is that the radical agenda of the overt and covert radical liberals would have found some lapse in some other Republican candidate and inflamed it into a false controversy.
Since everyone is out of real work, good jobs, their homes and small businesses, I guess this is the best diversion from the issues that they can devise.
TWB
41 posted on 08/29/2012 6:54:57 AM PDT by TWhiteBear (Sarah Palin...The Flame of the North)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: Uncle Chip
So then is your prolife position closer to Mitt Romney's???

I'm every bit as pro-life as Akin. Oromey 'care' tells me all I need to know about Romney's position. I resent more than anything watching that sly like a fox, crazy Claire being 'gift' wrapped FREE media time to call a Republican candidate for Senate ignorant.

Akin's choice of words, which he apologized for using is what started this. Christ said to be harmless as a dove, but wiser than the serpent.... You already stated that Jaco is a liberal. Why NOT win the seat first then do something?

Reality is really hard for some people to deal with.

42 posted on 08/29/2012 7:05:26 AM PDT by Just mythoughts (Have you donated to the 'resurrection of Akin' yet?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: Just mythoughts

I cannot disagree that his answer should have been more discrete. But the calls for him to step down should have then come from his local party associates not the Romney/Danforth wing of the party that back in March made it clear that Akin, Brunner, and Steelman were not their choices and tried to slip their own candidate into the race. The local party could have handled this thing better.


43 posted on 08/29/2012 7:15:31 AM PDT by Uncle Chip
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 42 | View Replies]

To: Herbster

These studies you cite don’t remotely prove the point you are trying to project, and the fact you continue to do so shows just as much basic biological ignorance as Akin provided.

Studies that have shown high cortisol (stress hormone) levels have higher risk of miscarriage ARE NOT REMOTELY PROOF RAPE DOESN’T GET YOU PREGNANT! Cortisol is a stress hormone, and guess what, PREGNANCY in an of itself raises cortisol levels, pregnancy itself causes stress. The fact that women who have higher cortisol levels during pregnancy appeared in an incredibly small study to have higher miscarriages does not allow you to remotely supposition that the trauma of rape means less likelyhood of pregnancy that consentual sex.

Studies have also shown stress can be a contributing factor to conception problems, however those studies were conducted on women who desired to conceive were having regular and frequent consentual sex, and having problems. And no, the stress wasn’t concluded to be THE factor, most had other issues, but stress was concluded to be a contributing factor, not a main factor. And since these studies were done on women who were having regular, frequent consentual sex, and desired very great to become pregnant trying to extrapolate the results must transfer directly to a woman who has been raped is nonsense.

In that study there is no evidence the higher cortisol levels were created by external factors of any sort, if there is a problem with the pregnancy, or child, this would in create greater stress and higher cortisol and also (not suprisingly) increase the incident of miscarriage.

Citing of this study as proof that Akin’s ignornat coments are backed by sciense is just like the claims idiots use that higher levels of carbon dioxide are a cause of global warming, when in fact they are an EFFECT of warmer temperatures, not a cause.

There is no proof, ZERO, that being raped has a lower incident of pregnancy than consentual sex, and its beyond ignorant to try to argue there is.

Claiming that a raped woman is statistically less likely to become pregnant than a woman who has consentual sex is NOT remotely backed up by any study, science or otherwise, and those 70s studies that made that claim were debunked decades ago.

The statistical odds of a woman getting pregnant from a 1 time sex act, whether consentual or non consentual are the same, the very low single digits. PERIOD. There is no magical uterus, there is no womans body can shut it down.. its all nonsense, and wholey moronic.

Human history is filled with the offspring of rape, its been used as a weapon of war throughout history, not just for the physical act, but for the offspring and demoralization that they can create among a conquered people. Akin’s claim was WHOLEY ignorant, and he’s not a victim of simple flub, he showed that he is just completely ignornant of basic biology.

I have no issue Akin doesn’t believe in a rape exception in an abortion ban, that doesn’t bother me at all. What makes Akin unacceptable is not that he doesn’t believe in abortion for rape victims, that’s a simple enough stand to articulate and logic to follow... don’t punish the child for the parents crime.. very simple and hardly extreme. That’s not why Akin is a dead man walking, he’s a dead man walking because he honestly believed something that was embarrassingly idiotic, factually wrong and was arguing a policy position from it.

Akin shot himself, stop blaming everyone else for his stupidity.


44 posted on 08/29/2012 7:16:48 AM PDT by HamiltonJay
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: windsorknot

You nailed it. Unfortunately, I am a Missouri voter and will vote for Akin because I cannot vote for AirClaire and leaving it blank constitutes voting for her in my opinion. That being said, under no circumstances, whether by recommendation, time-wise or monetarily, will I support that asshat. He gets my vote, my contempt and nothing else. Anything else would go to other Republican candidates in Missouri (Romney on down to local) or Senate candidates in other states (Josh Mandel in Ohio, for example).


45 posted on 08/29/2012 7:18:27 AM PDT by Corporate Law
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: Uncle Chip
I cannot disagree that his answer should have been more discrete. But the calls for him to step down should have then come from his local party associates not the Romney/Danforth wing of the party that back in March made it clear that Akin, Brunner, and Steelman were not their choices and tried to slip their own candidate into the race. The local party could have handled this thing better.

But the GOP -e- is what it is? They really are NOT opposed to Obama methodology, they just want to be in control of where our tax dollars go. That cry baby Boener said as much, called those opposed to Romney steering the bloated ship as knuckledraggers....

I want Claire defeated, that is my 'pro-life' position.

46 posted on 08/29/2012 7:27:00 AM PDT by Just mythoughts (Have you donated to the 'resurrection of Akin' yet?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 43 | View Replies]

To: Just mythoughts

Right now the people in Missouri who believe in the ABCs [Anyone But Claire] are watching her Leftwaffe control the airwaves. The GOPe can put an end to that. What will they do???


47 posted on 08/29/2012 7:43:01 AM PDT by Uncle Chip
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 46 | View Replies]

To: Just mythoughts

“You nor Akin speak for the majority of Missourians when it comes to being ‘pro-life’.”

Well spoken!


48 posted on 08/29/2012 7:46:54 AM PDT by WILLIALAL
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: WILLIALAL

Please name who does and then tell us all why the only abortion clinics in the state of Missouri are over in Illinois and Kansas.


49 posted on 08/29/2012 7:55:35 AM PDT by Uncle Chip
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]

To: exDemMom; sheikdetailfeather
Exactly right, ExDemMom. I find it contemptible that the WSJ chose to distort what Akin actually said by paraphrasing it as "legitimate rape can be a contraceptive."

That's not what he said.

What he said (OK, not very clearly) was that in "legitimate" rape situations (we're talking "forcible") the woman's body can go into a subfertile "defensive" mode.

Which, awkward though it is, has the advantage of being true: anxiety and stress negatively impact fertility; fear and rage spike adrenalin. An adrenalin spike -- especially at the right phase just before ovulation --- can derail or at least delay ovulation.

It doesn't always happen, and (as with everything fertility-related) timing is everything. And it was dumb --- it showed regrettable unpreparedness ---for Akin to fumble into a vague remark about rare instances of physiological function that would later require paragraphs or pages of walkback and explanation.

However, it should "count" that Akin was actually right (that still counts, doesn't it? Isn't truth still a defense?); and it is crazy that one verbal ankle-turn causes the whole GOP apparat to turn on him with knife-blades quick and long.

50 posted on 08/29/2012 8:02:30 AM PDT by Mrs. Don-o ("You can observe a lot just by watchin'." - Yogi Berra)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Uncle Chip
Right now the people in Missouri who believe in the ABCs [Anyone But Claire] are watching her Leftwaffe control the airwaves. The GOPe can put an end to that. What will they do???

The GOP controlled House of Representatives could have pulled the plug on Oromey care nearly a year and a half ago. Did they, why NO!!!! The crybaby Speaker said he would NOT mess with Nanny the RED Pewlouise's rules. The GOP-e worship at the feet of that WallStreet bull... and this election is about getting 'WallStreet' to fund them and to seduce away from Claire type liberals those coveted Frank Luntz 'independents'.

Makes me want to gag, when I hear old Claire calling herself a 'moderate' centrist democrat....

Why would any conservative have any expectation the GOPe cares one wit about any one but themselves...? They are running the show and they will do what they 'will' with their money.

How special it could have been to get their money and have a seat in Congress where something can literally be accomplished?

Akin needs money and I am expecting the HuckleberryHound wing of the 'pro-life' movement to get busy and send Akin, some political 'life'..... CASH!!!!!

51 posted on 08/29/2012 8:15:07 AM PDT by Just mythoughts (Have you donated to the 'resurrection of Akin' yet?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 47 | View Replies]

To: Mrs. Don-o
How many ‘independents’ are going to take the time to become informed into what Akin meant. Your words took up more than a 30 second sound bite. AND Akin cannot win without those Frank Luntz independents....

The GOP-e- are NOT that far removed from the liberal view of ‘life’ and they sure are NOT going to waste their valuable time or money explaining something they know they can't with credibility...

52 posted on 08/29/2012 8:20:57 AM PDT by Just mythoughts (Have you donated to the 'resurrection of Akin' yet?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 50 | View Replies]

To: sheikdetailfeather

It’s time to respect the wishes of a majority of Missouri Republican voters…and pick somebody else.


53 posted on 08/29/2012 8:36:19 AM PDT by RichInOC (Palin 2012: The Perfect Storm.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Uncle Chip

“Please name who does and then tell us all why the only abortion clinics in the state of Missouri are over in Illinois and Kansas.”

So I want to be clear on this, Todd Akin is considered by you as the spokesperson for pro-lifers in Missouri? I just want to make sure that everyone understands your position.
Are you making that declaration?


54 posted on 08/29/2012 8:45:43 AM PDT by WILLIALAL
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]

To: WILLIALAL
I didn't say that and he didn't either.

Was my question too hard for you???

55 posted on 08/29/2012 8:48:50 AM PDT by Uncle Chip
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 54 | View Replies]

To: Mrs. Don-o

“An adrenalin spike — especially at the right phase just before ovulation -— can derail or at least delay ovulation.”

Unlike Akin, I don’t pretend to be a fertility expert, and some one correct me if I’m wrong, but the argument out there is that stress can delay or prevent impregnation, as the example of rape.
But in order to be impregnated don’t you already have to be in a state of ovulation to conceive?
If this is so, stress has come too late to delay or prevent ovulation, so the stress argument seems to be the old saying of being a day late and a dollar short.
Again feel free to correct me.


56 posted on 08/29/2012 8:53:12 AM PDT by WILLIALAL
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 50 | View Replies]

To: Uncle Chip

“I didn’t say that and he didn’t either.

Was my question too hard for you???”

Well Uncle Chip, then what was the meaning of your question, I’m sure the meaning was as clear as Akin’s description of rape.


57 posted on 08/29/2012 8:56:30 AM PDT by WILLIALAL
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 55 | View Replies]

To: sheikdetailfeather

The last poll conducted in the Missouri senate race was six days ago, on 8/23. Another will probably come out tomorrow, one week later, and should prove enlightening about whether Akin still can win.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/senate/mo/missouri_senate_akin_vs_mccaskill-2079.html


58 posted on 08/29/2012 8:58:07 AM PDT by yefragetuwrabrumuy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: WILLIALAL
Well Uncle Chip, then what was the meaning of your question, I’m sure the meaning was as clear as Akin’s description of rape.

The meaning of the question is/was quite clear. Your inability to answer it is/was quite clear as well. I think you got the point of it.

59 posted on 08/29/2012 9:02:33 AM PDT by Uncle Chip
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 57 | View Replies]

To: Uncle Chip

Uncle Chip, I was responding to Just mythoughts, which is the quote I was referencing.
But if you feel that it was an attack on you, that is the weakness of the typed word, hard detect intent.
Though my question to you is a valid one.


60 posted on 08/29/2012 9:09:00 AM PDT by WILLIALAL
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 59 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-98 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson