Real Rape Victims Don't Get Pregnant

[Alien Space Bats]

The Germans bombing Pearl Harbor was something that another politician actually said a while back, but presumably she meant the Japanese and her mouth just got a little ahead of her brain. Pearl Harbor wasn't the central subject of the speech, just a passing reference that came out wrong. I don't recall Germany getting particularly upset about it.

It was from the movie Animal House.

[Northern Dominus]

Under normal circumstances this would have been the death-knell for Akins.

However in a world where the Republican's War on Women still has traction, where Santorum was a serious contender for the Republican presidential nomination, this probably will be little more than a speedbump, especially since he has the backing of the biggest neo-con propaganda machine ever created.

Under normal circumstances, Akins wouldn't have even had to backtrack until the propaganda machine distracted the public with something shiny. But this is the tsunami of political disaster starting to rise in regards to women's health. First there was the Republican Jobs, Jobs Jobs, Jobortion drive. Then Darrell "Grand Theft Auto" Issa's All-Male Women's Health hearing. Then Rush Limblob calling Sandra Fluke a slut because she testified about a friend losing an ovary to refusal of contraceptive coverage and demanding a porn video from her. Then Foster Friess saying women could just hold an aspirin between their knees if they wanted contraception. At this point I would not be much surprised if a prominent Republican outright said that rape victims were sluts that were begging for it in the first place.

Other Republicans demanding Akin pull out like Scott Brown shows they know this too.

Right, and inter-party shaming works out so well that Bachmann, Gomert, Westmoreland and Franks were forced to step down from the national shame after trying to induce a "terrorist" scare by calling out Huma Abideen in a letter to the Inspector General.

Waitaminute...

Sorry, as ideally as we all like to think this sort of extremism is part and parcel of the neo-con extremists dominated rhetoric reverberating throughout the Republican Party today. So until the republican party starts drumming people out for this kind of baseless nonsense then I doubt it will have much of an impact beyond making for heated debates on various talking head programs, unfortunately.

[Gauthier]

Under normal circumstances, Akins wouldn't have even had to backtrack until the propaganda machine distracted the public with something shiny. But this is the tsunami of political disaster starting to rise in regards to women's health. First there was the Republican Jobs, Jobs Jobs, Jobortion drive. Then Darrell "Grand Theft Auto" Issa's All-Male Women's Health hearing. Then Rush Limblob calling Sandra Fluke a slut because she testified about a friend losing an ovary to refusal of contraceptive coverage and demanding a porn video from her. Then Foster Friess saying women could just hold an aspirin between their knees if they wanted contraception. At this point I would not be much surprised if a prominent Republican outright said that rape victims were sluts that were begging for it in the first place.

Other Republicans demanding Akin pull out like Scott Brown shows they know this too.

Right, and inter-party shaming works out so well that Bachmann, Gomert, Westmoreland and Franks were forced to step down from the national shame after trying to induce a "terrorist" scare by calling out Huma Abideen in a letter to the Inspector General.

Waitaminute...

Sorry, as ideally as we all like to think this sort of extremism is part and parcel of the neo-con extremists dominated rhetoric reverberating throughout the Republican Party today. So until the republican party starts drumming people out for this kind of baseless nonsense then I doubt it will have much of an impact beyond making for heated debates on various talking head programs, unfortunately.

The nutcases have taken over the GOP. If the Republicans maintained any sense of rationality then Dick Lugar wouldn't have been drummed out by a Teabagger.

[Saiwania]

However in a world where the Republican's War on Women still has traction, where Santorum was a serious contender for the Republican presidential nomination, this probably will be little more than a speedbump, especially since he has the backing of the biggest neo-con propaganda machine ever created.

It frustrates me as someone who leans Republican that my party is too tightly controlled by social conservatives, neoconservatives, and theists, when I identify mainly as just an economic conservative. I feel that I can't vote for the Democratic party because of their stances on economic issues, but the GOP doesn't care about classical liberals or right wing libertarians. I probably won't vote as often or just switch to Independent.

[Neo Art]

its early days. i expect ms mccaskill to hammer him on this from now to election day but its quite possible for the people of MS to decide that it isnt as important as replacing the democrat.

"the people of MO" surely. MS is Mississippi.

[Episarta]

Hahaha, haven't you people heard? There are no "victims" in rape. The women (men?) deserve it for dressing provocatively and flaunting it about like a hussy! They were asking for it, of course.

[Silent Majority]

For a party that needs to become more appealing to women, you'd think their candidates would be a little more careful.

[Katganistan]

What are the chances of Akin being kicked out of the race? What makes people make thoroughly ignorant comments like that?

Personally I'd say that he needs his party nomination removed. He should also perhaps spend some time at a rape crisis centre to learn first hand how traumatic rape is. However I suspect that he would probably do further harm if confronted with recent rape victims.

The sad thing is there are Stepford Wives-type conservatives who are all nodding and agreeing with him, and will continue to support someone who spouts this shit. They'll be willing to overlook the hatred of women (because the implication of course, is that anyone who was raped and became pregnant 'really wanted it', right?) because he's one of those supposedly family oriented tools.

[Nazi Flower Power]

The Germans bombing Pearl Harbor was something that another politician actually said a while back, but presumably she meant the Japanese and her mouth just got a little ahead of her brain. Pearl Harbor wasn't the central subject of the speech, just a passing reference that came out wrong. I don't recall Germany getting particularly upset about it.

It was from the movie Animal House.

No, someone actually said that in RL. There was a thread about it on NSG.

[Serrland]

On a somewhat tangential but related all the same note: Galloway has decided to say something stupid about rape today, too...

"But even taken at its worst, if the allegations made by these two women were true, 100 per cent true, and even if a camera in the room captured them, they don't constitute rape."
...
"The Bradford West MP suggested one of the women had claimed she invited Mr Assange back to her flat, had consensual sex with him and then "woke up to him having sex with her again - something which can happen, you know".


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19323783

[Dempublicents1]

This guy and Kenneth Clarke should make some kind of joint political statement explaining what constitutes Proper Rape.

Don't forget Ron Paul. He could show up and explain what "honest rape" is, since he has decided that it is ok for someone who is the victim of an "honest rape" to use emergency contraception.

[Northern Dominus]

Right, and inter-party shaming works out so well that Bachmann, Gomert, Westmoreland and Franks were forced to step down from the national shame after trying to induce a "terrorist" scare by calling out Huma Abideen in a letter to the Inspector General.

Waitaminute...

Sorry, as ideally as we all like to think this sort of extremism is part and parcel of the neo-con extremists dominated rhetoric reverberating throughout the Republican Party today. So until the republican party starts drumming people out for this kind of baseless nonsense then I doubt it will have much of an impact beyond making for heated debates on various talking head programs, unfortunately.

The nutcases have taken over the GOP. If the Republicans maintained any sense of rationality then Dick Lugar wouldn't have been drummed out by a Teabagger.

Exactly. And they play to their rabid paranoid base so unfortunately expect more of this rhetoric and non-apologies as the election year wears on.

However in a world where the Republican's War on Women still has traction, where Santorum was a serious contender for the Republican presidential nomination, this probably will be little more than a speedbump, especially since he has the backing of the biggest neo-con propaganda machine ever created.

It frustrates me as someone who leans Republican that my party is too tightly controlled by social conservatives, neoconservatives, and theists, when I identify mainly as just an economic conservative. I feel that I can't vote for the Democratic party because of their stances on economic issues, but the GOP doesn't care about classical liberals or right wing libertarians. I probably won't vote as often or just switch to Independent.

Don't worry, because aside from a few little difference most of the democrats are in favor of the economic status quo too. Feel free to vote democrat, because the differences are all in the social issues anyway.

[Serrland]

Also, only read first and last pages, but Scott Brown came out hard against this buffoon and called for him to withdraw. Good on him. Good on everyone, regardless of party, who calls on him to withdraw.

[Northern Dominus]

Also, only read first and last pages, but Scott Brown came out hard against this buffoon and called for him to withdraw. Good on him. Good on everyone, regardless of party, who calls on him to withdraw.

Aaand coming from another person who's witnessed the democratic machine at work multiple times, short of a federal case ousting them from office what do you suppose will likely get this asinine neighbor of ours to back off and withdraw completely?

[Gauthier]

Also, only read first and last pages, but Scott Brown came out hard against this buffoon and called for him to withdraw. Good on him. Good on everyone, regardless of party, who calls on him to withdraw.

Aaand coming from another person who's witnessed the democratic machine at work multiple times, short of a federal case ousting them from office what do you suppose will likely get this asinine neighbor of ours to back off and withdraw completely?

The Republicans are mobilizing right now. It's too common knowledge that the Democrats would orgasm at Akin staying in the race now.

[Northern Dominus]

Aaand coming from another person who's witnessed the democratic machine at work multiple times, short of a federal case ousting them from office what do you suppose will likely get this asinine neighbor of ours to back off and withdraw completely?

The Republicans are mobilizing right now. It's too common knowledge that the Democrats would orgasm at Akin staying in the race now.

BUt again, this is logic you're attempting to use. You've seen the neo-con war on women's rights and health over the past year and a half, you've seen the wild baseless accusations they're willing to throw around and apparently get away with.

Do you really think the republican party is going to pull a candidate in a confirmed red state that represents a constituency that in all likelyhood will vote for him because he's "like them"?

Ethics don't matter in this day and age, it's about securing a power base and keeping a stranglehold on it. Again I will only believe anything the Republican party does or says when he's ousted by his own party for his commentary, not just verbal slaps on the wrist.

[Serrland]

Also, only read first and last pages, but Scott Brown came out hard against this buffoon and called for him to withdraw. Good on him. Good on everyone, regardless of party, who calls on him to withdraw.

Aaand coming from another person who's witnessed the democratic machine at work multiple times, short of a federal case ousting them from office what do you suppose will likely get this asinine neighbor of ours to back off and withdraw completely?

I would assume that the Party mechanism would be coming down on him, but there isn't much they can do besides threaten funding and ad cuts. They can't be happy about this. They took a very winnable election (Akin had been polling well ahead of McCaskill* lately) and put it up for grabs. This will draw all sorts of Democratic interest and money to the race - the Dems have already sent out a mass email and whatnot to really turn this into a fundraising/headline grabbing issue. It's political gold for them, really.

Or, alternatively, he should man up, stop bullshitting about how he "misspoke" and just quit. He won't though, because, frankly, he seems like a selfish idiot.

*I typed McCaskey about three times. It seemed wrong...finally caught it in the end.

[Northern Dominus]

Aaand coming from another person who's witnessed the democratic machine at work multiple times, short of a federal case ousting them from office what do you suppose will likely get this asinine neighbor of ours to back off and withdraw completely?

I would assume that the Party mechanism would be coming down on him, but there isn't much they can do besides threaten funding and ad cuts. They can't be happy about this. They took a very winnable election (Akin had been polling well ahead of McCaskill* lately) and put it up for grabs. This will draw all sorts of Democratic interest and money to the race - the Dems have already sent out a mass email and whatnot to really turn this into a fundraising/headline grabbing issue. It's political gold for them, really.

Or, alternatively, he should man up, stop bullshitting about how he "misspoke" and just quit. He won't though, because, frankly, he seems like a selfish idiot.

And he'll probably get elected anyway. You've been to Missouri, all the ignorant chuckleheads that are too stupid even for southern Illinois migrate there.

[Serrland]

I would assume that the Party mechanism would be coming down on him, but there isn't much they can do besides threaten funding and ad cuts. They can't be happy about this. They took a very winnable election (Akin had been polling well ahead of McCaskill* lately) and put it up for grabs. This will draw all sorts of Democratic interest and money to the race - the Dems have already sent out a mass email and whatnot to really turn this into a fundraising/headline grabbing issue. It's political gold for them, really.

Or, alternatively, he should man up, stop bullshitting about how he "misspoke" and just quit. He won't though, because, frankly, he seems like a selfish idiot.

And he'll probably get elected anyway. You've been to Missouri, all the ignorant chuckleheads that are too stupid even for southern Illinois migrate there.

Dunno. McCaskill is a tough campaigner and a relatively conservative Democrat. With all the outside money that will come flowing in, the GOP will want to cut this off before it develops into something that will cost them a seat they would have won. They won't want to risk the seat staying Democratic when there is still time to make a real effort to fix this - starting with pressuring Akin out.

[Northern Dominus]

And he'll probably get elected anyway. You've been to Missouri, all the ignorant chuckleheads that are too stupid even for southern Illinois migrate there.

Dunno. McCaskill is a tough campaigner and a relatively conservative Democrat. With all the outside money that will come flowing in, the GOP will want to cut this off before it develops into something that will cost them a seat they would have won. They won't want to risk the seat staying Democratic when there is still time to make a real effort to fix this - starting with pressuring Akin out.

Uh huh, I'll believe it when I see it. Again, the dregs of Southern Illinois float west after all.

[Mail Jeevas]

It is rather cruel and insensitive for him to say that, but I want to point out that this isn't the first time a similar incident has occured.

In the 1990 Texas gubernatorial race, Clayton Williams (R) lost against Ann Richards for comparing rape to bad weather, saying "If it's inevitable, just relax and enjoy it." He was initially ahead by 20 points but that pretty much derailed his campaign. I hope Todd Akin loses by a landslide, I can't condone what he said.

...Christ. Why would anyone even consider saying that.

Your really trusting FOX news for something that could be used as some anti-abortion crap... infact your really trusting FOX news for well... ANYTHING?!

The OP was using a Fox article. This is stuff the man actually said and many other news websites (Huffington, MSN, NBC, etc) have run stories on it already.
Considering it's FOX (which is well known to be ridiculously pro-conservatives) running the article instead of hushing it up, it's actually kind of interesting.

[Serrland]

Dunno. McCaskill is a tough campaigner and a relatively conservative Democrat. With all the outside money that will come flowing in, the GOP will want to cut this off before it develops into something that will cost them a seat they would have won. They won't want to risk the seat staying Democratic when there is still time to make a real effort to fix this - starting with pressuring Akin out.

Uh huh, I'll believe it when I see it. Again, the dregs of Southern Illinois float west after all.

That being said, they've got a Democrat in the Governor's Mansion, a Democratic Sec of State, a Democratic AG, a Democratic Treasurer, a Democratic Senator, and voted for Clinton and Carter for President. It's not as red as it sometimes seems.

[Northern Dominus]

Uh huh, I'll believe it when I see it. Again, the dregs of Southern Illinois float west after all.

That being said, they've got a Democrat in the Governor's Mansion, a Democratic Sec of State, a Democratic AG, a Democratic Treasurer, a Democratic Senator, and voted for Clinton and Carter for President. It's not as red as it sometimes seems.

For now. Again let's see what's what when the political dust settles...

[Ashmoria]

its early days. i expect ms mccaskill to hammer him on this from now to election day but its quite possible for the people of MS to decide that it isnt as important as replacing the democrat.

"the people of MO" surely. MS is Mississippi.

shit!

i was SURE i was right without checking.

[Dark Side Messiahs]

Looks like we know who opted out of Sex Ed class in high school