Todd Akin 'Legitimate Rape' Fallout

"In Washington, the Republican establishment is sending Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.) a unmistakable message: He needs to exit the Senate race against Democratic incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill. Now. But in Missouri, a non-scientific Patch poll of influential local Republicans shows suburban activists and officeholders in or near Akin's district are divided about whether he should stay in the race, at least for the moment. Monday was brutal for Akin and his campaign. Presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney called Akin's assertion that "legitimate rape" victims rarely get pregnant, "insulting, inexcusable, and, frankly, wrong." A series of prominent Republicans called on Akin to exit the race...".* Michael Shure (host of TwenTYTwelve), Mark Thompson, and Lucas Lilieholm (producer, The Young Turks on Current TV) discuss on The Young Turks.

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[ByeByeBelly]

It is though. My husband is from America (he moved to Australia and married me), and he never went to the doctor, dentist, went without medications he needed, never had time off work, etc. Here (and other first world countries) we have 4 weeks paid annual leave as bare minimum, public/universal healthcare, much higher minimum wage. Quality of life is so poor there for the average person. He has friends who died because hospitals simply wouldnt treat them. Wouldnt happen here.

[Garfield]

I am a woman and I worked at 2 different private-sector jobs where I was paid less than the men for doing the EXACT same job. I was promised a raise at one place once I learned how to do a specific task; when I did learn to do that task, I was first denied the promised raise, then after my immediate supervisor intervened on my behalf, the manager cut the promised raise by a nickle. I was pissed off, but wasn't going to quit over $2 a week since I had a mortgage to pay.

[stoikr]

Thanks for the update, champ. I almost didn't already know that.

[GENERALJOHNNYREBEL]

Spoken like a true Gentleman & a scholar. I could tell you where on the level, for I don’t normally ask others to join in on a debate they didn’t start on their own accord, but it’s late & there aren’t too many educated or reasonable people up at this hour to discuss politics with....Cheers...

[rhabdoviridae]

As a staunch liberal I fully support Akin in his bid for Senate. I hope he fights this and stubbornly stays in the race for as long as possible!

[Horus]

You gotta point. It's just so hard for me to imagine a person getting advanced degrees and still believing that a woman's body will somehow stop itself from becoming pregnant because it senses it's a rape.

[davy]

I absolutely agree with that, and thanks for commenting!

[PostSurgeOperative]

Great editing! The end of the video is hilarious!

[GuillemotWatcher]

"He's also correct that the unborn child should not be punished for the rape; rather the rapist should be punished"
So nowhere in your thinking does the woman, already a victim, come into your calculations. She gets forcibly impregnated & then is forced to carry & bare the child of her attacker.
This is one issue where men should not get a vote.

[paultron]

it is a terrifying world we live in where people like that are wielding power

[davy]

thanks for the compliment and good luck on your debate!

[caitidids]

It wasn't national, it was local. That said, he's still done for. Even the local republican party is calling for him to step back.

[ffliz]

The guy said that a woman's body can stop pregnancy if she has been raped "legitimately".
The most offensive thing about that is the insinuation that a woman who has fallen pregnant after being raped can have her claims questioned based on the fact that she's pregnant. It also ignores the various ways a person can be violated (after being drugged, if they're in an abusive relationship). What does "legitimate rape" mean if pregnancy is "rare". At best it was an idiotic choice of words.

[BottleConcreteBlond]

He didn't "use inappropriate language". He didn't say "Ohio" instead of "Omaha". It's not about language. It's about lying at worst, stupidity at best.

[kaysandesses]

" Various studies have found anywhere from 8% to 41% of rape allegations are false."

Give the citations for those studies.

[forgetititititit]

"What was he thinking?"

What do you mean? He is a Republican! The last Republican capable of thinking died out with the Neanderthals.

[Meatbag]

Supply side economics does put people in chains. By reducing wages, breaking unions, removing social services, and manipulating the stock market, corporations are creating a neo-feudal system.

[erauprcwa]

The guy in the middle has been in a ton of movies and hosted the American television show "Guinness book of world records" back in the 90s

[baboonaiih]

Not "a unmistakable message" it's "an unmistakable message"

[yesme]

"The good people of Missouri nominated me and I'm not a quitter. My belief is we're going to take this one forward, and by the grace of God, we're going to win this race" - Akin

We are going to find out the IQ of voters in Missouri