It was bad enough that Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin made his comments on “legitimate rape” in the first place. The comments are offensive to all women. It was worse from Romney’s perspective that his vice presidential candidate has a close affiliation with Akin on a bill before the House that gives full rights of personhood to eggs upon fertilization (Turn out the lights, the party’s over) Now this!
Mr. Akin’s comments, made in an interview Sunday with a St. Louis television station, were not the only factor propelling abortion prominently into the national political dialogue. Meeting in Tampa, Fla., ahead of next week’s National Republican Convention, the party’s platform committee on Tuesday adopted a policy statement calling for a ban on abortion without an exception for rape. The Democratic National Committee immediately labeled that “the Akin Plank” as they tried to create a gender gap in both the presidential and Congressional races. Akin Says He Is Staying in Senate Race, Defying G.O.P., New York Times, August 21
Republican stalwarts gathered and drank the Cool Aid with the provision calling for a ban on abortion even in cases of rape. This is the equivalent of political suicide. This minority of the nation is so utterly callous and offensive. It is not going unnoticed. Now that it’s a part of the platform, what will Romney do? Run against his party.
Ed Rollins, H.R. Haldeman, even Ronald Reagan would have shut this down with absolute force early on. Too late. Name it and claim it Republicans. You are unmasked.
