[Strategerist]

The problem is the target audience of any spin isn’t FR posters, it’s, say, female independents in Missouri.

Do you think dictionary parsing of the word “legitimate” is going to work as an argument with them?

[muawiyah]

Thank you ~ the big error here is the association of the word 'legitimate' with the word 'rape' ~ that sounds like a reference back to the old 'you might as well enjoy it' comment that used to be so popular.

There are some things you just don't want to say and be in politics.

[SoFloFreeper]

Good point...I think Akin really ought to get some pro-life women out defending him on this point....it’d be good strategery. :)

But I believe all the screaming that he is an idiot is overdone. We (and by we I mean others in the conservative movement) are so damn eager to throw over a guy who says something that seems to be a bit controversial. He was speaking off the cuff.

Damn, if only the liberals were so quick to fire Obamugabe every time he had a faux pas. He’d have been fired as soon as he said “The Cambridge Police acted stupidly.” And he MEANT THAT...it wasn’t merely a quick slip, like this was in a tv interview....and he had a long time to “fix it”, as he was in control of the press conference.

I’m sick and tired of us assuming the worst of our nominees. No wonder the effing communists are so united and we’re so divided.

[Diamond]

Do you think dictionary parsing of the word “legitimate” is going to work as an argument with them?

Just from my own experience, that segment of a putative target audience is probably not interested in any sort of prolonged, rational argument of any kind in the first place, so no - I don't think it will work with them. Which is probably why he just took the simple route and stated that he misspoke.

Cordially,