Mark Levin erupts over Akin controversy (Audio)

The Daily Caller ^ | August 22, 2012 | Jeff Poor

[Rufus2007]

Republican Rep. Todd Akin decision to continue his campaign against Democratic incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill wasn’t well received by many on the right, and perhaps one of the most exasperated reactions came from conservative talker Mark Levin.

Levin, the author of “Ameritopia: The Unmaking of America,” wanted his listeners to realize that there was more at stake to the race than just Todd Akin.

“Now I want you to step back, which is hard to do with these emotional things — step back,” Levin said. “In any other walk of life, if you can excuse something that is really stupid and insensitive you’ll go ahead and do it. But if the future of your business is at stake, if the future of a military operation is at stake, if the future of your country is potentially at stake — you don’t take the risk. You just don’t because the country is too important. Your children and grandchildren are too important.”

...more (w.video)...

[DoughtyOne]

Okay, then you’re on the record of thinking it’s okay if Akin costs us the majority in the Senate, and plays into the Democrats game plan of framing the Republicans as people who don’t grasp women’s issues.

It’s okay if Missouri sends a Democrat to the Senate, and it’s grand if a guy who should be kicked through the uprights from over fifty yards, instead continues on with GOP support.

We lament the fact the Democrats keep a guy like Byrd around, and then put our full support behind a guy who has demonstrated he is mentally deficient on gender issues.

Not with my help...

[JediJones]

He's not mentally deficient. He just read this article from 1999:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2921696/posts

Are you boycotting Rush Limbaugh because he played into the hands of Democrats with the "slut" comment? Democrats will play whatever hand they want anytime they want. We conservatives are so much better on the issues that we don't need to be afraid of them. And I will never change my principles and policies on moral beliefs just to get votes.

And I believe voters will come back to Akin, assuming he doesn't have his resources cut off. I believe the voters of Missouri are decent people who don't want to crucify a guy for passing on some information that may have been incorrect, or used an incorrect word for something.

I never called for Democrats to boot anyone out of their party. I think it should be up to the voters whether they keep a guy like Byrd, Rangall, or Wiener. Their offenses are minor compared to what all of the Democrats vote for every day anyway, so I'm not going to feign outrage over them when I'm always more outraged than that already over liberal policies.

[entropy12]

In primaries.....I always vote for the candidate I believe has the best chance of winning in general election. In 2012 my preference was Herman Cain because I figured he had the best chance of breaking up the 96% black voting block and at the same time energize republican voters. Too bad he was systematically destroyed by bimbo eruptions, none of them proven or had any national implications on economy, defense or entitlements.

I do not have a crystal ball, but I do have common sense and the ability to not lose sense of reality on ground. One does not need a crystal ball to predict Akin losing in general.

Right now in 2012, almost every republican leader has called on Akin to withdraw. RNC has withdrawn all funds from him. The MO republican party has withdrawn all funds from Akin. You do realize why they had to do this, don’t you? The statements made by AKin are so repulsive and so ignorant that no politician will dare side with him. Akin is finished. After he loses in November and if the democrats retain senate by plurality of just one, can you imagine how history books will be written about him?

[entropy12]

What Rush says is immaterial because Rush is not running for any office. Rush can not repeal Obamacare. Only a plurality in congress and winning White House can do that.

[JediJones]

But the Democrats say Rush is the de facto head of the Republican party. Rush is out there in the public eye as a Republican. And if Rush can have an effect on how republicans vote, i.e. Hillary's Operation Chaos, why would he not have an effect on democrats or independents? If Rush goes off the radio, it has an effect. If he stays on, it has a different effect.

Basically, my point is, it's silly to throw someone under the bus just because they're criticized by Democrats. And the sad fact is, Akin is being targetted so ferociously by fellow Republicans because he is such a powerless individual. These cowards would never try to do the same thing to Rush or Romney. They're bullies picking on a little guy.

[donozark]

VP contender Ryan appears to be what may be first of many in backing off of Akin. He said he would not discuss his withdrawing again, now that he has said he would stay in. Meaning past the deadline.

[DoughtyOne]

He's not mentally deficient. He just read this article from 1999:

Did he mention that?  I would caution you to be very leery of believing everything you hear physicians present.  This one may be right.  He may not be right.

Are you boycotting Rush Limbaugh because he played into the hands of Democrats with the "slut" comment? Democrats will play whatever hand they want anytime they want.

Did Rush Limbaugh use a term "Legitmate Rape" as opposed to "non-Legitimate Rape" to categorize women's reports of the act in separate ways?  No.  He used an improper term and was taken to task for it.  At the time I thought of it as overkill.  I also thought it was inappropriate.

He didn't make the claim that women don't get pregnant from forcible rape.

We conservatives are so much better on the issues that we don't need to be afraid of them.

I agree.

And I will never change my principles and policies on moral beliefs just to get votes.

Who suggested you should?  If a guy destroys his credibility, that has nothing to do with his overal politics.  It has nothing to do with your set of values.

And I believe voters will come back to Akin, assuming he doesn't have his resources cut off. I believe the voters of Missouri are decent people who don't want to crucify a guy for passing on some information that may have been incorrect, or used an incorrect word for something.

I don't come up with a different set of rules for the poeple I would generally support.  If it's wrong, it's wrong.

I never called for Democrats to boot anyone out of their party.

My values system does require me to make a judgement call on former members of the KKK, and political parties that still allow them positions of power that affect laws and legislation that is drafted today.  The values of the KKK are that repulsive..

I think it should be up to the voters whether they keep a guy like Byrd, Rangall, or Wiener.

Okay, well if you want to go on the record that you wouldn't object if the voters of your state only picked former or current KKK members for elected office, that's okay with me.  I don't think you actually believe that, BTW.

Their offenses are minor compared to what all of the Democrats vote for every day anyway, so I'm not going to feign outrage over them when I'm always more outraged than that already over liberal policies.

Look, I understand what you're trying to say, but downplaying what the KKK was inolved in isn't right, and you should know and admit to that.

[DoughtyOne]

When you get right down to it, I do agree with that.

[ladyjane]

When has any politician been asked to step down over a simple verbal gaffe?

The question is - when has any politician been defeated because of a simple verbal gaffe?

The answer - over and over again. He blew any chance of being elected.

[arthurus]

Republicans insist on illustrating their reputation as the STUPID PARTY and I am not talking about Akin. Akin said something that were it worded as most of the time instead of it is he would have said a true thing. As it is it would have been a three day hoo ha and been over except for the Republicans who were aghast that Akin had said something that would cause Hannity and Schnitt and Boehner, etc., even Levin, and I assume, most of the rest of them to be senred at by their Democrat friends at the Wasington Leftie cocktail parties. Now the whole republican Party and all the Conservatives are campaigning to keep LEFTDEMOCRAT McKaskill in Washington for another term to show their LEFTY friends that they are have just as much politically corectitude as any Democrat. I have no more hope for the Republicans OR FOR THE SELF PROCLAIMED CONSERVAIVE LEADERS. They would all rather lose an election than be sniffed at by the left high society.

Akin would be a Conservative senator and would vote with the conservative Republicans in the Senate. His analog on the left would elicit a chuckle or two and NO opposition from his own party. In fact the Êmocrats have a lot of them and they all vote reliably with the Democrat leadership. Republicans cannot turn this sinking ship around. They are far too concerned about showing themselves to be nice guys to the Left

[entropy12]

I agree it is crazy and foolish to throw someone under the bus simply because he/she is being criticized by democrats. I can’t recall the last time I was agitating to throw another republican under the bus in 50 years, not even Larry Craig, because Craig never uttered anything so stupid as Todd Akin did.

When I saw the transcript of what Akin had actually said, I am convinced this guy is a walking kerfuffle and a gaffe master. He is a gift to the democrats which will keep on giving. Even if he wins, which he won’t, he will continue to be an embarrassment. Why do you think McCaskill spent all that money promoting Akin? She knows he is the easiest to beat.

I just saw a blurb somewhere that one of the most pro-life group in MO just withdrew all their support for Akin. He is toast.

[entropy12]

Someone like Ms Steelman would vote just as conservative and she won’t be making utterly stupid statements like Akin. I would prefer a woman candidate to replace Akin which neutralizes the war on women meme from the left.

[arthurus]

I am saying that replacing the candidate at this point throws the election, especially if the existing candidate doesn’t go quickly. The Republicans know that but what it is all about now is punishing Akin for “embarrassing” the Republican who desperately want to please Democrats. The Republicans would rather have a Democrat in the seat than Akin so that the Democrats won’t make faces at them. It is not about getting a majority in the Senate. Republicans don’t know how to hold their hands in a majority and would emotionally rather not experience it (ref. Boehner). It is probably too late now to replace McCaskill. The Republicans and all those commentators have righteously blown that opportunity now. It makes more sense to keep Akin rather than hand a different promising politician a sure loss. This behaviour on the part of the Republicans shows that Republicans, like the Leftists and Liberals they supposedly oppose. are NOT rational but rather emotional and as such it does not matter who wins or loses in November. They will follow sane policies only so far then, like Bush, and Bush before him, they will want to apparently help this group and that group in order to garner praise from the MSM and the perceived significant people in the world like Soros and Clinton which is itself a lost cause.

[huldah1776]

you are absolutely correct about what the best response should be. Tell the truth and start with this quote from gateway pundit...

Rape Pregnancies Are Rare

John C. Willke, M.D.
April 1999

[Finally, factor in what is certainly one of the most important reasons why a rape victim rarely gets pregnant, and that’s physical trauma. Every woman is aware that stress and emotional factors can alter her menstrual cycle. To get and stay pregnant a woman’s body must produce a very sophisticated mix of hormones. Hormone production is controlled by a part of the brain that is easily influenced by emotions. There’s no greater emotional trauma that can be experienced by a woman than an assault rape. This can radically upset her possibility of ovulation, fertilization, implantation and even nurturing of a pregnancy. So what further percentage reduction in pregnancy will this cause? No one knows, but this factor certainly cuts this last figure by at least 50 percent and probably more. If we use the 50 percent figure, we have a final figure of 225 (or 370) women pregnant each year. These numbers closely match the 200 that have been documented in clinical studies.]

[entropy12]

I think you are reading the situation in MO all wrong. I don’t care about other republicans, but I am personally embarrassed that a senate candidate would actually make such as inane, erroneous and politically moronic comment.

Akin is finished, his lead is gone, and now lags McCaskill by 10 points is what I heard last night. What a freaking moron. Just for the record, this is the first time in perhaps 30+ years I am calling for removal of a congressional GOP candidate. That is how bad this is in my opinion.

I will agree that a 3rd party or write in campaign will not work although it did work in Alaska recently. The best solution is for the moronic Akin to step down for the good of party and country.

[arthurus]

There is no good for the party in it, only something to assuage your chagrin. His statement, while impolitic, was not quite wrong. Sending in a replacement now would ice the victory of McCaskill. If Republicans, including you, would shut up about it when speaking/writing to others, Akin would have the best available chance. Yall will surely get your wish and McC will be elected because yall will surely co-operate with the Left to make this one thing the only thing discussed in the campaign right up to November. Revenge sure as hell gets in the way of political aims for Republicans. One bright spot for you- you get to spend a lot of time after election Day smugly telling everyone “I told you so!”

[entropy12]

It is not me you have to worry about talking Akin’s stupidity. It is every news media & every prominent republican. Even me, as a never been a politician type, knows not to make such stupid statements.

Factually, Akin is actually closer to truth, but public relations wise he is a complete moron. A woman can only get pregnant when the egg is released from the ovaries and has a life of only a very few days. The male sperm has to arrive during that period else no conception takes place.

So yes, conception is difficult. But to say that rape rarely results in pregnancy by a man running for US Senate is as stupid as it gets. Akin is toast. Take it to the bank.

He will join Sharon Angle, Christine O’Donnell, Doug Hoffman, Joe Miller, Ken Buck etc on the ash heap of also rans.

[arthurus]

It were far better did Republicans and conservatives act like Democrats vis a vis Akin and just say so? next question! Akin might then have been able to continue to election and would be a conservative Senator. Democrats do not worry so damned much that someone will embarrass them to conservatives. Republicans get totally balled up at the thought that someone will embarrass them to liberals and socialists and communists.

Why do conservatives feel so viscerally that they must be approved by and justified to the Left? Is it because they believe in their hearts that the Left is the only legitimate force in society? I truly believe that is the case. Ultimately conservatives cannot prevail more than fleetingly because they believe that they, themselves, are not politically and socially legitimate.

[hummingbird]

Isn't it too late to drop Akin (sic)?

Is Palin thinking of being a 3rd party runner? Isn't it too late to get on the ballot?

[entropy12]

Yes, it is too late. MO will send a democrat to senate. Akin blew it big time.