Posted by
Bert Chapman on Monday, August 20, 2012 6:03:54 PM
Today is one of those days when I'm embarrassed by a political compatriot. Missouri Rep. Todd Akin is running for one of the Show Me State's U.S. Senate seats held by the eminently beatable incumbent Democrat Claire McCaskill. Unfortunately, Akin shot himself in the foot and every other body part today with his idiotic comment about legitimate rape. Unless, he withdraws his candidacy soon, the GOP can kiss goodbye its hopes of gaining that Senate seat and maybe even control of the Senate. Akin's continued presence will also be a liability for Romney and Ryan's chances of carrying Missouri and gaining its critical electoral votes.
The fact of the matter is rape is rape! It is a horrible crime and it should not be excused with lame rationalizations or semantic trickery. I'm as strongly pro-life as anyone, but believe abortion should be permitted in this circumstance. A child conceived in rape instead of through marital love is not going to have a pleasant life with the loving father and mother it deserves. What Akin's stupidity has done is bolstered the arguments of militant women's activists and other liberals who falsely claim that Republicans are waging a war against women. Conservative men seeking public office cannot allow themselves to be betrayed as neanderthal idiots or misogynists by militant feminists who have done so much to damage women and poison cross-gender relationships. We need to reaffirm the God-given intelligence and skills women have and value them as individuals instead of pandering to a delusional notion that we can eliminate abortion in a fallen world. Sexual morality is a legitimate topic for discussion as it affects economic and public policies, but Akin has screwed up big time with his stupidity and should resign.
Missouri's Senate campaign and other national campaigns should be a golden opportunity to discuss how Obama's policies have damaged personal economic and social opportunities for women and men. A new Missouri GOP candidate, should be able to point out how Claire McCaskill has been Obama's willing sycophant in promoting economic and social policies injurious to all Missourians. There are far better ways to incorporate conservative sexual morality into political debate and policymaking then the foolishness demonstrated by Rep. Akin. He needs to withdraw NOW before he becomes a further liability to the conservative cause!