Missouri Breaks: The Akin Effect
The GOP convention begins on Monday, and the momentum that the Romney-Ryan campaign seemed to be building after the VP rollout seems to have faded a bit. The two-daily tracking polls — Rasmussen and Gallup, which had shown a small Romney lead of 2 points for several days — now indicate that the race is even (Gallup) or that Obama is up 1 (Rasmussen).
State polling has been a mixed bag, but Obama’s numbers were a bit stronger at the end of this week than at the end of last week in several battleground states such as Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. The poll movement has not been dramatic, but it suggests that there is continuing fallout that is damaging the GOP brand from the incredibly stupid remarks by Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin last Sunday. The Ohio and Florida results are from Quinnipiac, now in a joint venture with CBS and the New York Times for its state surveys. As in the prior surveys by this outfit in these states, they appear to have oversampled Democrats (e.g., 8% more Democrats in Ohio).
It is possible that Akin’s destructive decision to stay in the race may be due to a propaganda poll conducted by the left-leaning group PPP that was released on Tuesday, August 20, the last day Akin could have removed himself from the race without any court order or possible interference by others. The PPP poll comically intones that the results — Akin +1 over Claire McCaskill — were identical to the results of its earlier poll in May, which also showed Akin +1 at a time before Akin had received the nomination of his party. PPP neglects, of course, to reveal that in its prior poll there were 2% more Democrats sampled than Republicans and that in the new version released on August 20 there were 9% more Republicans than Democrats. If Akin were up by the same amount in both polls, but in the later poll only because of a significant shift to a much larger number of Republicans in the mix of those interviewed, wouldn’t that be a sign of trouble for the candidate? You would think so, but the poll says nothing about the changing mix of Democrats and Republicans in the survey. Instead, there is this revealing comment:
‘Todd Akin still has a very decent chance at winning the Missouri Senate race,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “Voters were appalled by his comments about abortion, but not so much that they decided to vote Democratic when they were previously planning to support the GOP. This looks like it will be a closely contested race if Akin stays in.”
In other words: Please stay in the race, Todd. We (the Democrats and PPP) need you.
Two polls conducted later in the week, by Rasmussen and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch/Mason-Dixon, showed Democratic candidate McCaskill well ahead by 10% and 9%. The senator long considered the most endangered incumbent in this cycle is now cruising to victory.
Todd Akin, however, had the one poll he could hang onto to justify staying in the race. And he had the backing of the leaders of the social conservative movement — Mike Huckabee and Tony Perkins, the latter of the Family Research Council. This is just one more grievance to add to their collection of perceived slights directed at social conservatives by the GOP establishment, which they alleged was ganging up on poor Todd Akin. After all, “he had just made a mistake in one sentence” and then apologized. In his new ads, Akin wants voters to know that he really thinks rape is a bad thing.
In reality, this was not some small-bore gaffe, the kind of thing Joe Biden commits every time he speaks. Akin used an obnoxious characterization of rape, “legitimate” (as opposed to illegitimate rape?), and then tossed in some junk science about how the female body allegedly “shuts this stuff down” to avoid pregnancy after the rape occurs. There was a callousness to the comment, in addition to the ignorance.
The social conservatives almost have me in tears. If we can stay on message(fixing the economy and repealing Obamacare) we have a great chance of taking the Senate and White House. Whether you like it or not, Roe v. Wade is currently settled law and there is nothing that can be done about it between now and the election, and if the economy keeps tanking it won’t matter because no one will be able to afford an abortion any way.
We’re on the edge of Mad Max fiscal collapse, and people keep herping-and-derping about gay marriage and abortion. God help us.
And to those who justify Akin by equating moral profligacy with fiscal, even if true it doesn’t matter. Gay marriage and abortion aren’t winning issues in this election, the economy and Obamacare are. End of discussion.
Well, so that’s it. Thanks for showing us the way to win an election. Confuse the enemy by agreeing with them on major issues. That’ll show ‘em. Shouldn’t we also agree about global war…excuse me, climate change, socialized medicine, government replacing all charities, peace at all costs and all the other sxxt these clowns of Demunists say they believe in?
Fred: I didn’t say surrender to them, I said attack them were they are weakest and we are strongest, which is the economy and repealing Obamacare. Abortion and gay marriage are frankly just a distraction this election cycle, which is why the Democrats are so happy to change the subject and talk about it.
Every comment on abortion is a wasted opportunity where we could have driven home the points about the damage Obama has done to the country. I can’t understand why social conservative don’t see this.
He’s not running for President. He’s running for the Senate in Missouri. I listen to Missouri radio almost every day (Dana Loesch’s station) and they still like Akin and hate Clair. This is a case of the national movement starting a circular firing squad, which us Righties are great at.
There is no differentiation between types of rape? Really? Then every State Criminal code had better be rewritten. And all of his other points were on target (false charges are a serious problem, and this is not specifically a Conservative issue, either).
Why can’t we do what they do? Let them define themsleves as a baby-killing party – hang it on them! Ask why a serial predator and rapist like Clinton is headlining their convention. Ask every single Democrat about abortion for sex-selection. Continually.
Why not reverse it? Let’s give in on socialism, and concentrate on stopping the mass murder.
Or do you think that money is more important than human life? Guess you do.
That’s not what he said Fred. If you have to lie, you’ve already lost the argument.
Akin will almost certainly lose his seat, because he showed what he’s really made of, and what he is is ugly and stupid. Why are you backing him?
Hi, Tom.
Take your own advice. You’re lying out of the gate in your comment. Thanks for giving us a beautiful example.
HAven’t lied once here Jaycen, but you have.
There is nothing either in having insisted that Akin should step down or in punishing him as severely as possible–say by running a 2rd candidate at GOP expense–which has anything to do with changing the platform on abortion.
I’ll try to explain slowly, so even you can understand.
When you accuse the truthful of being liars, you are the liar, Tom. There you go. Don’t call someone a liar who isn’t. It’s simple.
Even you, in your collectivist utopia, can understand that. Can’t you? Please?
Name the lie, dude. Quote it.
Dude, don’t call me dude.
And you get to defend yourself, first. You accused Fred Beloit of lying. Point out his lies.
Once you’ve established he actually is a liar, you will have proven yourself. God, but you Progressive Socialists are silly creatures. You make the first jab, but don’t have to defend your postion. I call you on it, and I must defend mine.
Crazy town.
I don’t see anything ugly in Akin’s main point, which is that the child is a victim, and we don’t kill victims. Or innocent people. You know of any State code that doesn’t differentiate between types of rape? You aren’t aware of the fact that rape is both underreported and over- (that is, often falsely) reported, and such an exception will undoubtedly lead to innocent men languishing in jail? Do you hate men, or just babies?
Akin made a mistake in medicine, which he apologised for. Everything else was on target. The national conservative movement’s circular firing squad may lose him the seat, but MO is going towards Romney anyway.
Yes, Fred, that’s exactly what’s being advocated. If you know what’s good for “the team”, then you’ll slide to the Left.
Oh, don’t forget the other critical point being made – Todd Akin is responsible for how Mitt Romney runs his campaign. Clearly, Republicans are parading the “shared responsibility” philosophy of the Progressive Socialists….because they ARE Progressive Socialists.
Forget “personal respnosibility”. That stuff is for Tea Partiers. Those extreme right-wingers who want people to be free to choose life decisions for themselves.
Of course, there’s a major exception to choice in the idea of choosing whether or not people are free to kill their own children. But somehow, I think that choice transcends POLITICAL ideology, unless you’re a Progressive Socialist. Then the ONLY time we don’t want the government telling us what to do is in cases of killing innocent children.
“If you know what’s good for “the team”, then you’ll slide to the Left.”
Not one person is starting a drive to change the platform with respect to abortion, either in relation Akin or anything else at this time. To insist anything like that is what’s going on is a lie. You are lying, so is Fred.
When you’re lying, you’re losing.
” Todd Akin is responsible for how Mitt Romney runs his campaign”
No one has said or implied such a thing, you are making shit up again. Akin’s actions have required Romney to distance himself from Akin, but that was because Akin refused to take responsibility and accountability for mis-stating the Republican platform. Romney could have been irresponsible and supported Akin, but chose not to be.
“Clearly, Republicans are parading the “shared responsibility” philosophy of the Progressive Socialists….because they ARE Progressive Socialists.”
Insisting Akin take personal responsibility for his own screw up, and taking appropriate steps to contain the damage when he fails to do it has nothing to do with “shared responsibility”. When you’re lying, you’re losing.
” That stuff is for Tea Partiers. Those extreme right-wingers who want people to be free to choose life decisions for themselves.”
Which includes the choice to condemn a man as stupid as Akin is, and to oppose him resolutely when he fails again by refusing to withdraw.
“Of course, there’s a major exception to choice in the idea of choosing whether or not people are free to kill their own children. But somehow, I think that choice transcends POLITICAL ideology, unless you’re a Progressive Socialist. Then the ONLY time we don’t want the government telling us what to do is in cases of killing innocent children.”
And again, no one is proposing to change the platform, where have you heard different?
All Akin had to say was, that there is no improving the situation of the crime and tragedy of rape by following it up with a murder. He said his position was something very different and was justified by “facts” which are in fact not true.
Try to respond without lying.
” Todd Akin is responsible for how Mitt Romney runs his campaign”
No one has said or implied such a thing
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That’s ALL you’ve done, Tom. That’s almost 100% of the comments on this blog, not to mention the blog itself.
How else should it be read, Tom? “Todd Akin won’t drop out, so Romney is going to lose.” That’s what you keep saying.
That’s. What. You. Keep. Saying.
Who’s the lair, Tom?
“How else should it be read, Tom? “Todd Akin won’t drop out, so Romney is going to lose.” That’s what you keep saying.
That’s. What. You. Keep. Saying.
Who’s the lair, Tom?”
No question, you are lying. You are the liar. I have not said Akin will make Romney lose. I have said he may make Romney lose, that Akin will almost certainly cost us the MO Senate seat, likely 6 or 8 House and Senate seats down from ones we would otherwise pick up, and will likely cost us a point in the general.
But you just made up a quote. You even put it in quotes. You wrote
“Todd Akin won’t drop out, so Romney is going to lose.”
So no question, you are lying here.
Holy hell Jaycen, with friends like you we don’t need enemies. Yes, republicans have to work together to win, and since Akin has now tanked in the polls winning the Senate just got much harder. Even if we get the White House, without the Senate repealing Obamacare is impossible, and that is a big part of what is damaging the economy.
The way to win is to focus on the economy and Obamacare. Why do you think the Democrats are so happy to change the subject to abortion? Because that’s a distraction and not the Republican’s strongest issue in the voters’ mind. Why is this so hard to understand? Do you want to win or not?
…because Polls determine elections, or am I missing something from your statement?
I just wish I could understand. You all seem so clear on the subject. Todd Akin can’t possibly win his election campaign. Todd Akin’s loss will mean Romney’s loss. Even if Romney wins, Todd Akin’s loss means Obamacare stays in place.
All of this is already true (even though NONE of it has come to pass), because you saw a poll.
Just so I’m clear, am I putting words in your mouths, or do you sound as hysterical and illogical as I think you sound?
I would think the most important outcome of the next election cycle for social conservatives would be the judges who get selected by the next president and confirmed by the next senate. Throwing support toward Todd Akin is a very inefficient at best, disastrous at worst, way to get judges who don’t shoot down social conservative legislative victories. Just imagine how bad judges including supreme court justices could be with four more years of President Obama choices ratified by Sen. Mccaskill. In contrast, imagine Todd Akin dropping out of the race to make room for a more electable Republican. The Romney campaign no longer has to spend a ton of money to keep Missouri’s 10 electoral college votes, Republicans almost certainly gain one more vote in the senate, and Democrats have to run on Obamacare. Make them explain why they diverted money from medical care for old people and “spread the wealth around” to pay for expanded medical care for poor people. Pay all your life to get Medicare, but thanks to Obamacare you only get crappy Medicaid doctors.
Yes, imagine is a good word, because you’re dreaming. You’re dreaming if you think anyone BUT Akin could win this race now.
I think you’re hallucinating because you think the man the Democrats backed–Akin–has a shot.
myth buster,
Ignore the Socialists. We’ve had more than enough of their nonsense for the last 80 years. Tom and his Progressive Soclialist buddies are feeling extremely threatened at the idea of being free to live their lives the way they see fit. So much so that Tom will beg to stay in chains, rather than face the daily realities outside his door without someone telling what to do every step of the way.
You’re a fairly weak troll, Jaycen.
The socons want to ignore the constitution at every turn, and the worst of them like North want it repudiated in favor of what they think would be a biblical republic.
The only people acting to preserve or strengthen any chains here, are Akin’s supporters and Cyncical Wonder.
I don’t use made-up political labels, Tom.
I don’t even know what a “socon” is supposed to be. Southern Conservative? Social Conservative?
What do those terms even mean?
I’m a Constitutional Conservative. I want to preserve the Constitution.
You are a Progressive Socialist. You want creeping socialism.
Now, you want to confuse the debate with meaningless terms.
@Jaycen
Since you are standing up for Akin, or claim to be, I don’t beleive you.
And I’ve proven you lie.
No, Tommy. You’ve stated it.
See, there’s a HUGE difference between what you state and what is true. I can assert any stupid thing I like, but it’s not true if I don’t back it up with fact.
This is such a tough lesson for Socialists to learn. All they do it lie. Statement is another lie to drive home the agenda. The ends justify the means, right Tommy?
I’m a weak troll, because…I’m honest and you don’t like it?
Because Todd Akin chooses judges?
Or because Todd Akin is directly responsible for Mitt Romney’s success or failure?
Right, I keep forgetting that Mitt Romney is such a PATHETIC candidate that his entire campaign hinges on the words of every, single Republican.
Seriously, your collectivist mentality is making my physically sick.
“Or because Todd Akin is directly responsible for Mitt Romney’s success or failure?”
Akin IS responsible for his own failings, and they may well cost Romney MO and a point or two nationally, and as many as 6 or 8 House and Senate seats. That’s because he scrwed up and didn’t say what the GOP platform is, he said somethign else, and then had the gall to stay in.
Everyone is responsible for their own decisions.
Why don’t you think that applies to Akin?
Don’t argue with stupid, your opponent will just beat you to death with it.
I already said personal responsibility applies to Akin. You’re the one who then suggests it doesn’t apply to any other Republican.
I’m getting dizzy from all the circular reasoning.
Actually, if the economy continues the route it’s moving along now, no one will be able to afford NOT having an abortion…
Edgar: well said. His continued presence is hurting the causes he claims to care about, but that doesn’t matter to him. Akin cares about one thing only: Todd Akin.
David would know what’s in Todd Akin’s heart and mind, because David is…
* The Amazing Kretzkin?
* An omniscient God?
* An elitist Progressive Socialist?
Hrmm….
His overwhelming arrogance is manifest in his not understanding his mistake and refusing to hold himelf accountable for it.
Todd Akin has already admitted publicly he shouldn’t have made the statement (recognizing his mistake) and he’s PAID FOR TV AIR TIME TO APPOLOGIZE FOR IT (taking responsibility for it).
Please Tom, tell me again who’s a liar? Tell me again, who’s responsible for the success or failure of Mitt Romney’s campaign?
Tom, can you take one second to close your mouth and think….where DO you stand on any issue?
Sir, your overwhelming arrogance is manifest in presuming to know what’s in another man’s heart or mind, AFTER that man has said what he thinks.
Todd Akin has been more consistent than you, just in your last 8 comments.
Just admit you made a mistake, before your overwheling arrogance costs Mitt Romney the election, Tom.
He’s said he acknowledges a mistake, but he has refused to take accountability for it by staying in the race when he had the statutory opportunity and strategic neccessity of doing so.
Talk is cheap, he should have quit.
Women now comprise 53% of the electorate. The GOP crosses them at their peril. I wouldn’t be surprised that we have a 30 point gender gap come November.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=mg_4O6XmKAQ
No, Romney has done a proper job of throwing Akin under the bus where he belongs. The gender gap will close because the economy won’t improve any before November, and women love their children and want them to have a future.
Dream on. That’s why Romney is out selling Romneycare as a way to appeal to female voters, something you guys bashed Andrea Saul for just a couple of weeks ago. First he was running away from it, now he’s touting it. He knows he’s in serious trouble. Women do love their children, it’s true. And any mother with a daughter will not vote for the party that believes that forcing a rape victim to bear the progeny of her rapist is good family values. This is reflected in the party platform. I didn’t write it. You guys did (and by guys I’m being literal).
Romney is running away from and not “on” Romneycare.
Try some other lie somewhere else.
A great many women don’t believe the crime and tragedy of a rape can’t be improved by following it up with a murder, and I do believe the Democratic party platform of “any and all abortions are ok” is anything but an endorsement of murder. Many women agree, and Akin has been properly ostracized.
The progeny of a rape victim is just that: her own flesh and blood. When it is six months old it will say “Mama”, it will love her and she will love it. Why are you trying so hard to convince people that it will be unloving and unlovable. It is a baby, for God’s sake, like all other babies.
Sorry, tom, you need to keep up. I know that can be difficult with a candidate who changes positions faster than a port star. From Fox:
“With regards to women’s health care, look, I’m the guy that was able to get health care for all the women and men in my state,” Mitt Romney said in an interview on “Fox News Sunday,” before making sure to attack Obama’s law. “There’s talking about it at the federal level, we actually did something. And we did it without cutting Medicare and without raising taxes.”
“So you’re saying, look at Romneycare?” host Chris Wallace responded.
“Absolutely. I’m very proud of what we did. And the fact that we helped women and men and children in our state,” Romney said.”
Does that sound like a guy running away from Romneycare?
Oh, and thanks Bigfoot for sharing your views on rape babies. Sharon Angle would agree with you. She felt women who get impregnated with a rape baby should view the situation as making lemonade out of lemons.
Oh, and bigfoot (and tom), it isn’t a baby or a person any more than an acorn is an oak tree. The potential is there, sure. But it is a false equivalent. The woman has primacy. It is her body and her decision. If she doesn’t want to be pregnant you can’t force her her to bear children for the Fuhrer. That said, even if you consider the developing fetus a person, one person does not have the right to hijack another person’t body and use it as an incubator against her will, especially when the conception was forced upon her. Your comments suggest that a women is nothing more than a sperm receptacle.
A) When Romney changes his tune on repealing Obamacare, get back to me.
B) The Demcoratic party platform is equally extreme, but in the direction of supporting murder.
Guess which one wins. Almost no one believes in abortion on demand at any point in the pregnancy.
Tom Perkins
B) The Demcoratic party platform is equally extreme, but in the direction of supporting murder.
Guess which one wins. Almost no one believes in abortion on demand at any point in the pregnancy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yet, Todd Akin is a fool who should get out of the race so Romney (whom you don’t like due to his stance on Obamacare) can win.
You can’t even hear yourself talking, can you?
Hey, tom, Romneycare and Obamacare are the same thing. In fact, Romney suggested several times that President Obama should copy what he did in Mass. at the federal level. Romney is just Etch-A-Sketching you, but I’ll let Romney speak for himself … lol.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/andrewkaczynski/mitt-romneys-suggested-three-times-in-2009-that-o
And where in the Democratic Party platform is there a plank that says they support “murder?” Last I checked it said they support reproductive choice, which basically means that Democrats feel women are intelligent enough to make health care decisions on their own, free from the interference of busy body religious conservatives. We support their choice whatever that choice is, and that is what most reasonable Americans support as well.
The problem for you guys is that Todd Akin simply stated publicly what he and the party actually believes. It is in the party platform in the form of a Constitutional Amendment banning ALL abortion, and there are NO exceptions for rape or incest. You can deny, deny, deny and say that is not what it says, but the Akin remarks let the cat out of the bag and you can’t put it back in. Sorry, it’s too late. Women are going to hammer you guys at the polls. The GOP is now viewed as the “rape baby” party.
@Jaycen
Akin did not state the party platform on abortion and opposing him is not opposing that platform plank.
“Yet, Todd Akin is a fool who should get out of the race so Romney (whom you don’t like due to his stance on Obamacare) can win.
You can’t even hear yourself talking, can you?”
And only a small fraction of Republicans actually believe the idea that all abortions are murders, which is why the socons who do believe it need to accept that plank in the platform is a figleaf about which nothing will be done anytime soon.
And you should quit lying. When you are lying, you’re losing.
Like Akin.
He may recover, I doubt it.
Yeah! Don’t forget that women vote as a single unit, as opposed to individuals with their own minds.
Well, you probably vote however someone tells you other women are voting. That’s not a huge surprise, but my wife would take issue with your moronic statement.
Jaycen, I have read a bunch of your posts and, frankly, you sound as stupid as the Senate candidate you ardently support. You have not said one thing that makes any sense at all, and worse, you don’t seem to even know that. In fact, I think YOU must be a Democrat troller. ABO2012
Yet another Snovorkian.
Mr. Baker, I have no trouble seeing the truths in Jaycen’s point of view.
And what would these truths be? You are the blind being led by the blind.
That’s rich. Hey Todd, don’t tell us what you REALLY think, you might bring us all down. And Paul (“rape is rape”)… stay ON MESSAGE, it’s only 80-some days, then you can exhale. It’s not YOUR policy, it’s Mitt’s, HE’s at the top of the ticket. Yeh, that’ll work.
“If Todd Akin cares about the outcome of the presidential race, he can do his part to help by recognizing the inevitable — that he will lose, that he is a drag on the GOP ticket, and that he should drop out.”
If he cared about the cause he purports to care so much about, he would drop out. And if Huckabee actually cared about that cause, he would urge him to drop out. I say to both of them, “With enemies like you two, the Devil needs no friends”.
It appears he doesn’t want to drop out for saying something silly. Why don’t you carry on without this noble cause of yours; it seems to be failing as well as being a boring topic at last?
Why can’t we just MoveOn, like that cigar chomping, and slinging, perjurer and hero of the Dems Bill Clinton (bless his heart) and like that other Dem hero, the Lie-on (scotch-slurper) of the Senate, may he rest in…whatever.
Fred, do you not see how Akin has now become a drag? Is the nobility of fighting the mighty cause for conservative social values really getting us anywhere?
I don’t like your version of totalitarianism any more than the other versions being offered. It is sad that the ends are once again used to justify the means.
What are you talking about? Nowhere in my post is any form of totalitarianism denoted.
Trying to legislate morality is difficult, if not impossible in a truly free society.
bob, I’m not fighting a battle for conservative social values, though I admire some of those in that battle. I’m trying to make a few points:
(1) It sure looks to me like lawful candidate Akin is going to hang in, this could change.
(2) What he said and apologized for is minor compared to what Obama and his Demunists say and do every day.
(3) The voters in this country, when presented with openly conservative ideas and candidates, will often vote them into office (see election 2010 and Reagan) and not vote for openly squishy RINOs (see Dole, McCain, Dewey, etc).
(4) Repubs going all asshat like libruls over a bad, unwise, whatever sentence or two spoken in Missouri is as dumb as getting on Mitt for making a lighthearted joke about a serious joke in the White House.
Oh, and bob, while I can’t speak for him, moray may have been referring to your expressed low opinion of trying to be noble.
I agree with you Fred. And you have “spoken for me” in your other post quite accurately.
Sacrficing principles for expediency is suicide.
“…your expressed low opinion of trying to be noble.”
I alluded to the notion that forging conservative social policies isn’t getting us anywhere & you suppose that reflects a “low opinion.” Speak for yourself, not me. I go by what I see & hear. For the most part the American people support a hands-off approach to the social issues; IOW, stay out of everyone’s bedroom. Most as well have accepted R v W as the law of the land & are comfortable with the concept that elective abortion should be “legal & rare.” I cannot count the number of public offices that the Pubbies have lost due to their stance on the social issues. The Dems’ “war on women” bit has now gotten more traction than ever since Akin stepped into it last week. The Republican Party would be much better served by sticking to the issues that should be a priority with everyone: Jobs & the economy. We badly need reforms designed to promote economic growth. This includes deregulation on a number of fronts & more tax cuts!
You forgot rapist and murderer in describing these two noble public servants.
That wasn’t “silly”, idiot. That was idiot, idiot.
Do re mi mi mi.
You won’t say silly
I still say Willie.
Let’s call the whole thing off.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQWbqeYsqp8
The problem with evangelicals is that they want evangelize, above all else. It brings me to tears. I’m an atheist, yet I am with them on so much, but they just have to have it all.
Or noting, and that is what we may all get.
I despise sanctimonious, pious liberals like Jimmy Carter. And I’m having a hard time seeing the difference between them and the sanctimonious, pious assholes in the Huckabee wing. The only difference I can see between Carter and Akin is that Carter wasn’t quite as stupid when he gaffed.
Fortunately for you, Akin is not running for Vice President of the United States. And I bet Akin knows how many states are in our union.
If you think Akin was a shoe-in before his gaffe, you are totally uninformed on Missouri elections/politics. But hey, I guess we can gather all you hate-Akin types and create a new party; The Guppy Party.
You can be an atheist and still not believe in ripping an infant to pieces to remove it from its mother’s womb.
If your FeralCat cared at all about the conservative cause you would quit the endless ranting about Todd Akin and turn your anger toward Claire McCaskill. In case you did not know, you don’t shoot the person next to you in the foxhole, who is wearing the same uniform. Do this, and we won’t rip you for foisting the liberal Romney on the Republican Party, OK? Remember, Romney only won because open primaries in Iowa and New Hampshire allowed Democrats to pick the most liberal candidate for us.
All depends on whether the person in “the foxhole next to me” is helping the other side. Akin is. Obama must be giving praise to Allah 50 times a day.
I see the same wish-fantasy here as with the more committed Birthers. The latter kept longing for some magic intervention from a Deus ex Machina – “If only we could prove that Obama wasn’t born in the U.S., then he wouldn’t really be President, then all his laws and orders of the past 4 years would disappear and then it would be as if he’d never happened!” The progressive conservatives agitating against Akins are the same way: “If only he’d drop out, then everything he said would disappear, then it would be as if it had never happened, then we could go back to the perfect world in which we will be able to win again!” You’re really a bit lazy, you progressive ocnservatives. You don’t want to have to face an unpredictable, messy world, you want a straight, easy line to what you want. Well, this isn’t going the way your fantasy would prefer, so what’s the new plan? Or is it to just enjoy your sour grapes until you lose in November, with the promise of a ready-made scapegoat to explain your failure?
You idiot, Akin did NOT say rape was “legitimate.” I am hopping-up-and-down mad with so-called conservatives saying stupid stuff like that. THERE IS MORE THAN ONE DEFINITION FOR THE WORD “LEGITIMATE,” you dolt! One is “in accordance with the law” while another is “Authentic, genuine.” Which one do you think he meant, Einstein?
If you cannot parse his sentence and come to a reasonable conclusion, you have no business writing for a conservative publication. I hear the Huffington Post allows amateur contributors if you need a place to exercise poor judgement and inferior reading skills. Are you lazy or do you just want to assume the worst about the man and smear him?
I am not a fan of Akin- I don’t live in MO and can’t say who’s a better or worse candidate. Based on what Akin said, it’s entirely possible he’s a moron and a certainty that he was ill-prepared and unable to clearly communicate. What I really care about is people like you who purportedly represent a conservative viewpoint being lazy and accepting and promoting the tropes that the liberals use to beat us over the head with.
While you’re at it, why not Photoshop up a nice picture of Paul Ryan using a D-9 bulldozer to push an entire nursing home’s worth of grandmothers off a cliff? Go ahead and paste a Snively Whiplash moustache on Romney and have him hauling a truck full of moneybags to a bank with a Swiss flag flying over it while giving the finger to a shuttered and decrepit factory.
Am I making sense? Do you get my meaning? It’s not “defend our guys at all costs” (though look at the wonders that did for Democrats, allowing them to maintain control of the House for decades). It’s “Don’t write stupid stuff that’s not true because it’s too hard to work out a way to clearly say what’s true.” That’s relinquishing the messaging high ground to the other side, the equivalent of giving Hamburger Hill back to the NVA. In aiming at Todd Akin, you just end up fragging others on our side. Jerk.
“One is “in accordance with the law” while another is “Authentic, genuine.” Which one do you think he meant, Einstein?”,/i>
Almost for certain he meant authentic, genuine … actual, real. The problem is he wants to ban all abortion even if it’s very early on in a pregnancy and even if the women was raped. He doesn’t even want to allow for a “rape exception”, so he makes the absurd claim that a woman won’t get pregnant if she is raped. In other words, if a woman says she got pregnant as a result of being raped, according to him, she is almost certainly a lair.
Oh is THAT why he co-sponsored a bill that would limit abortion funding to just forcible rapes and not statutory rapes. /sarc
You REALLY need to start doing your homework. The Dems are depending on conservatives outside of Missouri being completely f***ing oblivious about Akin so that they can feed you all talking points and you’ll faithfully regurgitate them “for the good of the party”.
Todd Akin has been one of the only truly honest and reliable conservatives in the House. He even defied party leadership to vote against TARP. He’s represented my district well over the past decade as a solid reliable conservative. Every time I’ve written his office, he has responded in agreement with me and my objections to government overreach.
So please, stop following the media’s lead and parroting the talking points of RINOs like Rove.
Abortion is on of the biggest enablers of statutory rape there is. Planned Parenthood continues to receive taxpayer money despite being caught on video covering up statutory rape by destroying the evidence, namely, the child conceived by statutory rape.
Two points:
1. Akin’s statement was wrong in trying to differentiate between types of rape and, whether he intended to or not, to imply that some types might justify abortion but there are too few such cases to worry about.
Unfortunately for him, it doesn’t matter how the rapist coerces sex. It is still “legitimate” rape whether the rapist is known to the victim or a stranger or whether he uses battery, the threat of violence against the victim or others, or drugs, including alcohol.
2. People looking for Akin’s motivation for staying in the race need to look at the state of his finances and who is continuing to provide his funding. Democrats played a large role in his primary victory so it would not be a great surprise to find that they are now funding his campaign.
All murders are not the same, all speeding tickets are not the same, in fact no two crimes are ever the same. If they were always the SAME, there would be no reason to allow a DEFENSE.
No two rapes are the same. You just aren’t comfortable talking out loud about the differences. Is it okay to talk out loud about murders and speeding tickets in “Mikelistan”.
All rapes and all murders are crimes worthy of investigation and punishment, and if Akin didn’t want to be fairly accused of meaning something else with respect to rape, he shouldn’t have said what he said.
The Dems are tarring the GOP with Akin’s ridiculous claim that a rape victim “can shut down” conception. (Obviously a lame attempt to weasel out of the issue of whether a rape victim should be able to abort the pregnancy.)
And the problem is, Akin isn’t the only pro-life activist who believes that pseudo-scientific theory. It’s not just something Akin came up with himself on the spot. Rather, it originated with one Dr. John Willkie, a physician and former president of the National Right to Life Committee. To this day, some in the American Family Association subscribe to this theory.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/21/us/politics/rape-assertions-are-dismissed-by-health-experts.html
But it’s flat wrong.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8765248
The pro-life movement was actually doing well when it focused on the moral issues around abortion. But when it starts delving into pseudo-science that is known by scientists to be false, it is going to look ridiculous in the face of Dem attacks–and that will hurt the GOP, given its own strong pro-life stance.
Unfortunately, this election is not about abortion or what some dimwitted Senator wannabe said.Its about getting rid of Barack Hussein Sen. McQuackskill.If you can’t see that then we shall have to measure your intelligence!
The left has pulled out all the stops in Mo. They have sucked us right into a trap that lets a sure loser,Mccaskill now become a sure winner if Akin does not get out.The clock is ticking, we can still pull this one out.
The minute Akin gets out Sarah Palin will pull most any candidate we choose across the finish line. The left will lose its “Republicans hate women” argument and we will get another desperately needed Senator.
If you can’t see that you better start looking.
“They have sucked us right into a trap that lets a sure loser,Mccaskill…”
You and your friends are the ones getting sucked. What we should do now is drop it and MoveOn to delineate the sins of the morons and sharks who are now the majority in the Senate. Akin doesn’t want to quit. Get over it.
And how, pray tell, do we “drop it” when the Democrats will run the clip of his making that stupid remark over and over, putting it in ads, till November ? The only way this CAN be dropped is if that selfish, arrogant moron drops out of the race and is replaced!
You punch back twice as hard! You say, “McCaskil and Obama hate religious freedom!” Then you show Catholic bishops warning that if this outrageously pro-abortion administration is not stopped, there will be no Catholic hospitals by this time next year.
Escuchar, Chica. Romey’s campaign has a lot of money to run the many, many clips of Obama/Biden making complete asses of themselves.
“What has a man advantaged if he gains the whole wide world, and then loses his soul.”
I am an athiest, and I fully understand what that means. Life is something you live now, not later. We are what we become, and vice versa. We are not separate from our actions, we are defined by them.
Right on target.
One would think that the folks on our side of the political spectrum had heard of the Duke Lacross rape case and how those rape charges were ILLEGITIMATE (and it’s probably too much to ask to go all the way back to Tawana Brawley), and that just maybe Akin was thinking of this, but the conservatives who despise the social conservatives apparently are just too eager to do the bidding of the left. Perhaps you folks who are continuing to criticize this case should start thinking about how much damage YOU ARE doing to the cause.
You nailed it, E.A. They are “so-called”, because they AREN’T Conservatives. These people are Progressive Socialists.
I’m as disgusted and frustrated by their circular logic, hypocrisy, and mental gymnastics as you are, my friend. Logic is irrelevant. They’ve been fed their narrative, and they will now regurgitate it ad infinitum.
Notice the constant focus on either name-calling or shared responsibility. You see, Mitt Romney isn’t responsible for how he runs his own campaign. Mitt Romney isn’t capable of answering his own questions or having his own thoughts.
Mitt Romney is simply buffeted on the winds of Todd Akin’s free thoughts. Ask any commenter on PJ Media.
This is really depressing to me. His remaining in the race can doom the repeal of Obama-care. It WILL condemn his state to six more years of McCaskill. It can cost Republicans the Senate and maybe it can cost us the White House.
Aiken displays no consideration here for his state, his party or his country. He only seems to care about his political career. And that went down the toilet the moment he opened his mouth on TV.
He’s selfish, at the expense of everyone else. And that’s not very Christian of him. And he is going to lose big.
Your post summarizes every position that is absolutely wrong with the anti-Akin crowd and shows that your views are totally driven by the leftists who live inside your head. If all it takes is one stupid statement by one guy in one state to completely break down the ability of the Republicans to get rid of the absolute monster Hussein with all that he and his gaggle of communists have perpetrated during the last four years, then this country is already lost and we can’t ever get it back again short of bloody civil war.
Why keep blaming the GOP for not getting behind him? Going to elaborate and conspicuous efforts to defend a moron only associates all your other candidates with said moron. The only reason it’s a disaster now is because Akin had to play the role of hard headed crusader, gifting the Democrats a Senate seat they were almost certainly going to lose. And it may end up preventing the repeal of Obamacare. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.
It seems that Akin’s dwindling band of defenders are keen to blame his plummeting numbers on the GOP for piling on. Might his decline have a little something to do with his own statements and positions? It wasn’t his use of the word “legitimate” that’s the real gaffe, it was the underlying belief that A) a woman who seeks an abortion because of rape is almost certainly lying about the rape, because B) her fancy lady parts have ways of preventing conception if it was really against her will.
Sorry, Akin and his defenders own this fustercluck. He could have stepped aside and let an undamaged candidate run, but he didn’t. This was no Establishment witch hunt. Even stalwarts like Mark Levin and Limbaugh said he should have dropped out.
Your post illustrates how misguided you are with regard to those of us who don’t support Akin. Unlike the Democrats, we prefer to expunge from our ranks pols with unreasonable positions on important issues. The evidence has already pointed to the fact that Akin is a drag on the MO senatorial race & may even become a drag on the presidential race for Romney. Nothing at all like being the poster boy for what the Dems scream about the Pubs from the top of their lungs at every turn: That we are nothing but a bunch of stupid, knuckle-dragging misogynists who want to return all women to second-class status replete with back-alley, rat-on-a-string modes of ridding themselves of unwanted pregnancies.
So, keep at it. If we do lose the Senate because of this idiot, we will all be here to say “I told you so!”
Lookit. I am not an Akin supporter. And I don’t live in Missouri. But you anti-Akin screechers and your anti-Akin screeching does not change what I wrote above one whit. I repeat, if the removal of the monster Hussein and his gaggle of communists hinges on a single stupid statement of one guy in one state, regardless of the absolute evil that we’ve all seen unfold before our eyes these past four years, then this country is so far gone that only bloody civil war will reclaim our republic. And I stand by that statement.
You are right to an extent. AFA Akin is concerned, the Republican Party’s position in the political arena of ideas & policies is continually & perpetually precarious to the point that “any port in a storm” applies. The loss of that one seat in the Senate may imperil chances of seeing Obamacare repealed. I hasten to add as well the point that we should never sink to the level of the Democrats who circle the wagons around their losers no matter how much political collateral it may cost them. I don’t think that is such a good example to follow. Pardon me if I prefer to have people who are not so painfully ignorant up there in Washington representing the American people; we have enough of that going on as it is.
Bang on the money Blackelk.
If he is all it takes to lose then the country as we knew it truly is
kaput!
Actually, it is exactly that precarious. We have had a demographic tidal wave building for decades, and it just about to crest. Soon it will be mathematically impossible for Republicans to win the White House, or obtain a legislative majority.
Hence, this election is the last chance at halting that tide and why it was so important to not have stubborn dunces making it even harder than necessary.
I would rather not lose the war in order to allow one buffoon to continue his lost battle. I say we have to cut our losses and move the battlefield. Too many more of these backwater blunders will give us the Communism Obama wants us to have. We are past the point where we can afford any losses based on our high minded principles. We are in a battle for our future as free men and women, WE HAVE TO WIN THE SENATE AND PRESIDENCY THIS YEAR, and we can’t squabble about non-policy issues until we have done that. If getting an idiot off the ballot in Missouri is required, so be it! All of you so called so-cons can either get back on the wagon or you will end up with no freedom to object to abortions for any reason. The real choice we face is that we really have no choice but to fight our common enemy before we get to return to arguing among ourselves. ABO2012
Just some friendly advice from a foreigner: Woha. Are you saying that if the GOP looses the election (wich is a very real possibility for a lot of vectors both known and unknown), you will become a terrorist? Thats pretty harsh. Its that kind of language that will cause you too loose the normal families. All the hating on the rightist blogosphere is propably what is going to mobilize the Facebook generation for the dems.
Btw, Romneys doing a good job keeping the kontra-jihadists at bay.
He’s selfish, at the expense of everyone else. And that’s not very Christian of him.
Was Tom Coburn’s donation to Joe Manchin selfish and not very Christian?
Right! Because the entire election and the next four years HINGE on Todd Akin.
My God, Todd Akin is the MOST POWERFUL MAN IN AMERICA! Hey, Barrack Obama, it doesn’t matter if you’re re-elected or not, Todd Akin has already been elevated above you. He’s floating above the White House right now, shooting Socialists with the lasers that come from his eyes.
Whew. Thank goodness. I was worried.
It is not Todd Akin. It is the Missouri Senate seat and your freedom, Bozo ABO2012
Since you don’t live in Missouri, I’m not surprised that you don’t have a clue about the subject. However, if you don’t have a clue, why open your mouth and look like a douche?
No one who was going to vote for Todd Akin is now going to vote for Claire McCaskill. Perhaps that kind of flip is possible in YOUR mind, Max, but most people with an ounce of independent thought stick with the choice that comes SOMEWHAT close to their own political beliefs.
I’m sorry I had to explain this to you in excruciating detail, but you seem to be too dense to understand the basic concept of “common sense”.
Akin and his supporters have spent a considerable amount of time and money on his campaign. It makes no sense to quit. He is obligated to his people to fight on.
Rush Limbaugh posed an interesting query on Friday. It was stated something like this: America could survive another four years of Obama, but could it survive an electorate that would give him another four years?
It is amazing how many people I meet who are going to vote for him. It’s mind boggling.
“It’s mind boggling.”
Is it really? After 40+ years of shoddy public education, a powerful mass media outlet network that churns out propaganda endlessly, a well-entrenched entitlement mentality that permeates even the Tea Party (“Hands off my medicare!”) & a populace in which almost half don’t pay income taxes & you wonder why Obama enjoys this amount of support. He’s the candy man!
Who in the Tea Party is taking the attitude “Hands off my Medicare”?
Everyone I know says the same thing, “Let people 55 and older have it, but shut it down as those people die. I know I’m never going to see that money. I just want to know it’s going to stop!”
Maybe you don’t actually know many Tea Partiers. If you think most of the folks here qualify, I’d say you’re running in the wrong circles.
Take a peek here: http://www.google.com/search?q=tea+party+get+your+hands+off+my+medicare&hl=en&client=safari&tbo=u&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=8tM6UL-4JY2G9QTYoICoBw&ved=0CDEQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=672
So, let’s just get this straight…
Senior citizens, who are currently on Medicare, don’t want Obama to rob Medicare to pay for Obamacare. That’s the same thing as “the Tea Party”.
Hey, bobbcat, try a little intellectual honesty, would ya?
Yet, Todd Akin’s supporters, staunch Tea Partiers, are the kind of people that can help America survive.
Talk about mind-boggling. The Progressive Socialists in the Republican Party will happily throw us under the bus, so long as “their man” makes it into the Presidency.
Talk about SELFISHNESS. You people don’t care about America. You only care about your team, your guy. You don’t care about his principles, or lack-there-of, you don’t care about anything but “winning”, even if it means the rest of the country has to lose.
Who’s trying to “lose the war”? You are.
Guess you’ll have to learn the hard way that no victory is going to come our way by supporting pols with kooky ideas like those held by Akin. It is already looking as if he is bound to lose the race against McCaskill if he stays in. Facts. They can be hard to swallow at times……
“Our” way?
I’m not a Progressive, bobbcat. I’m a Constitutional Conservative, so I doubt we’re in this together.
And I just want to make sure I’m on the same page with you…. People who don’t want parents to murder their children is a “kooky idea”?
Thanks for making your position clear.
What’s up with this habit of putting words in another’s mouth as a means of putting up an argument? Go look up Akin’s comments again & perhaps you can discern just what it was he said that was so outrageous. Then again, perhaps I am mistaken to assume that you don’t buy into the notion that rape has to be qualified as “legitimate” in order to be taken seriously or that you don’t think women’s bodies have a magical ability to “shut down” when infused by the semen of a rapist.
Talk about kooky……….
Re-stating your position is “putting words in your mouth”?
When your own positions are reflected back at you, you don’t much like them do you?
You said Todd Akin had kooky ideas. He’s against government spending. He wants to treat abortion the same way we treat murdering any other innocent human being.
Which one was the kooky idea again? How am I putting words in your mouth?
Maybe the real problem is that you don’t think about the words you say until they’re already out of your mouth.
You talk in circles. I made it abundantly clear what it was that Akin said that I deem to be “kooky.” If you cannot see it, that is your problem, not mine, dear confused one.
In the context of his remarks it seems pretty clear that “legitimate” was meant to convey “honest.” As in, NOT concocted by a faux victim to derive some kind of advantage — not of course that that ever happens. I agree that this pretty straightforward interpretation has more or less eluded the majority of ordinarily sensible pundits on the right.
That said, he should absolutely drop out. Yes, yes, yes the left media will always try to burn down Republican candidates but this kind of mangled messaging and tunnelingly bad judgement hands them a flame-thrower.
Yes – exactly! One thing that has disturbed me over the years is women who have used the claim of grape as a weapon against men. It cheapons the actual victims of this crime.
I also agree that Akin should withdraw as soon as possible. He’s now nothing more than a distraction.
There’s a real easy solution to this: start prosecuting women who falsely accuse men of rape and impose a mandatory sentence of 20 years, eligible for parole after no less than 10. Let her plea bargain down to 1 year for lying to police if she’s willing to confess the whole thing.
Well, Todd Akin is running in MY state, so unless you’re a Missourian, I think you should shove your opinion as far up as it will go.
I wouldn’t DARE tell someone in another state who should and shouldn’t be their representative. This is just insane. Until this happened, I always thought PJ Media was a fairly Right-leaning website.
I guess I’m a bit naive.
Missouri voters will decide their elections. But the reality is that there are a ton of futures hanging in the balance of the Nov 6 outcomes. With good reason there are a lot of people fearful about the prospect of America being laid to ruin by a second Obama turn. Everything is magnified. Everyone has an opinion. Every race will have an effect. And the outcomes will affect not just Missouri, or New York, or Michigan. They will affect the USA. And they will affect the hopes and dreams of fearful citizens of numerous countries around the world, looking for a reason to believe that the USA will not abandon the principle that individual rights trump everything else, and that it will not slide into socialism and make its bed with totalitarians.
Lots of people care about this. We just don’t agree on what should be sacrificed to bring “victory”. Some of us are saying that there is no “victory” if we obtain it through deceit. That we are tired of political correctness, and that people must be allowed to express themselves the way they choose to (within the limit of the law).
And everyone should have an opinion about these things. Whether they are from Missouri or not.
(Respectfully)
Waiting for Akin to drop out is a waste of time. A write-in candidate should be designated now. A well-known moderate Republican or independant (who will caucus with the Republicans), with ability to draw independant and possibly some Democratic voters. The Joe Liebeman, Lisa Murkowski model can work in Missouri 2012.
You’re right. These are extraordinary circumstances. The Tea Party should run a write-in candidate. Starting yesterday.
I know you’re too Progressive to understand this, but Todd Akin IS the Tea Party candidate. I wouldn’t write someone else in his place. Todd Akin is a Constitutional Conservative.
It’s okay. I know. You don’t understand any of what I just said. Smile and nod. Smile and nod.
Republicans should quit moralizing on social issues! The government has no right whatsoever to legislate individual moral behavior. It’s the very reason they loose elections. The government’s only role is to protect individual rights from being violated. Leave the rest alone!
“The government has no right whatsoever to legislate individual moral behavior.”
And yet they do…al the time since America’s inception.
The damage by Akin is done and his supporters are in no mood to be reasoned with, convinced, lectured, spoken to sharply, yelled at, ordered to face the reality of the situations or… Look they are mad at the rest of the party. They ‘swallowed the dog’ one too many times this year and they aren’t going to change their minds about Akin.
The MO senate seat is lost, that isn’t changing even if Akin dies tomorrow, the damage is done. So it may as well be Akin that looses the race if it makes certain the SOCONs turn out in November.
We. Can. Not. Win. Without the Social Conservatives.
Suck it up, smile and for God’s sake heal the wounds. There has never been a more important election than this one.
For the Right to Life Movement, more than anyone.
Two conservative justices are 76 this year. Liberal-Ginsberg is 79. One of these three is unquestionably going to leave the court in the next the four years.
When Justice Blackmum wrote the opinion for Roe V Wade he dictated a constitutional amendment from the bench. No congressional challenge can defeat it, it’s been tried repeatedly and failed in the Supreme Court every time. The only hope for overturning Roe is (1.) a constitutional amendment. or (2.) control the Supreme Court.
That means control of the White House and the Senate.
My Social Conservative friends, please bare in mind. If we loose this election and Obama picks another two young liberal justices. Roe will be unassailable for the next thirty years.
You know something? I don’t think they care. The people defending this dope would rather be holy than successful. And if tens of millions of babies are killed as a consequence, they can pat themselves on the back for being holy.
You want to know why we have this problem? Because fishcons like you have been using us for 30 years without producing results! We’re fed up with the Republican Party, and we demand that the Republican Party give us what we want in exchange for our votes. If the Republicans aren’t going to do squat to ban atrocities like abortion, then why bother voting for them? To save YOU money? To save YOUR liberty? Not likely if you only care about yourself.
And there are so few of you, and your idiocy born of unconstitutional theocratic inclinations is so damaging to the Party electorally, that a platform plank you understand we will never act on is really more than you can expect.
A human life amendment requiring making clear that fetuses which have gestated for 6 months or more are persons is reasonable and acheivable–one claiming legally protectable human life begins at conception will never happen–because God gave us brains, and some of us use them properly to reject such nonsense which is simultaneously unjustified by either science or the bible.
“We. Can. Not. Win. Without the Social Conservatives.”
You are right. What’s your point?
They deserve every scrap of abuse they receive for expecting the rest of us to tie the Akin anchor to our waists with a short rope and expecting us to try to swim. As long as they insist on that, to hell with them.
Although, with proper adjustment to the platform, we both rid ourselves of the AlQadae lite the worst of the socons represent, and garner the support of the libertarians, who consistently don’t bother to vote and when they do vote, have 2-3% of the electorate. Getting rid of party platforms we have no intention of acting on is a bonus.
Just curious. When you’re wrong, will you come back here and appologize?
“There was a callousness to the comment, in addition to the ignorance.”
Tell me about it. Anybody who makes such a strange statement isn’t dealing with a full deck. On the one hand, I don’t want a fool like this representing the Republican Party for anything, let alone Senator. But on the other hand, I don’t want to lose the seat to a Democrat who should have lost. We need that seat too badly to defeat and repeal ObamaCare. So if this bum doesn’t get out of the race for the good of the country, we may have to elect him to save the Senate.
Well, the only comfort I take in any of this is that if the Democrats can elect and embrace an idiot like Al Franken, then we may have to do the same with a fool like Akin. Politics sure does make strange bedfellows.
It was callous, and it was scientifically boneheaded. Among the many gifts this jerk gave to the DNC is another red herring to use in the climate debate. When one of them is losing the argument on science, they can always play the Akin card.
They’re going to be playing the Akin card 20 years from now. Even if the guy dies tomorrow. He’s become the new Joseph McCarthy.
Thanks a lot, dumbfook.
Listen you moronic mouth-breathing so called libertarians. You can hem and haw and blame “social conservatives” all you want, but I’d venture to say most of us thought what Akin said was stupid, and what Huckabee did was even more so. I for one wanted him to drop out of the race. If you seriously think we won’t turn out to vote for the big government centrist you foisted on us November, then you are completely and utterly wrong. Funny, Romney is part of a religion that has one of the most aggressive missionary programs on the planet, but I guess libertarians like him because he has show a propensity to act like a Democrat. Funny how your anti-religious bigotry only has one flavor.
Where do you get your nonsensical data that this mythical boogeyman “social conservatives” will stay home out of spite. That’s ludicrous. I promise, however, had it been Santorum, most of you would have stayed home, and you’d have been apoplectic in every forum that would have accommodated your conspiratorial ramblings.
My only problem with the whole Akin mess is the hypocrisy of watching the lynch mob that was the Republican establishment, showing up at Akin’s castle with pitchforks and torches and vitriol they would never in a million years use with actual criminals in the Democrat party.
Holder has murdered American by subverting gun laws and arming Mexican drug cartels, and all Mitt Romney, Scott Brown, Reince Priebus and other can do is jump and and down about a guy who said something idiotic about abortion. That’s our real problem, not Akin. And because of that, no So-con is not going to show up in November to defeat Obama.
Rik: there is a second side to your story. As a life-long fiscal and economic conservative, I’m tired of having to kow-tow to the religious types who want to cram their beliefs down the throats of everyone else. Your very first comment insults those conservatives who don’t share your religious views.
Republicans having been losing elections here in Colorado since 2004 because the so-called social conservatives took over the party’s grass roots. We had a great chance to take a US Senate seat in 2010, but had a weak candidate, a local DA, who didn’t aggressively pursue a woman’s rape complaint because he thought she just had “buyer’s remorse.”
The Colorado House may join the State Senate in being in Dem hands in Nov. because of a bungled civil unions bill at the end of the session last May; bungled by the religious types who control the Republican House caucus. Thanks to you so-cons, we likely will have a “personhood” ballot initiative for the 3rd general election in a row, even though previous initiatives got a grand total of 27% and 29% of the vote. The Dems are already tying Romney/Ryan to the radical so-con agenda.
Not my problem! Either suck it up or lose, because you can’t win without us and you know it.
…because you can’t win without us and you know it.
This is a wonderful day, and Akin is a gift. It is highlighting a fundamental truth that has been a long time coming. And what truth is that? Simply put, son, you’re full of it.
First, let’s discuss math. Look at the Roger Simon article from the other day. 30% of the republicans are so-cons. Not most, not half, not a majority by any stretch. That means that in the electorate, 15% of them are so-cons. Fundamental truth #1 is that the GOP needs to appeal to the 85% of the electorate, not the so-cons. You evangelical totalitarian wannabes can go vote for whomever you like. If you don’t vote GOP and the GOP loses the first couple of cycles accordingly, that’s a bonus; it speeds up the process of pushing you through the large colon and being done with you for the betterment of the party and ALL the voters.
Second, look at the discussions being had here and elsewhere, where the majority of the republicans appear to be waking up to the fact that the so-cons are fouling everything they touch. They are calling for the head of Akins because they know that pet so-con issues are a LOSER for 85% of the electorate. This too is a sign that the majority of the GOP is fed up to the eyebrows with your bullshit. You are toast; it’s a matter of time at this point, but the decision has been made. It really is a glorious day.
And yeah I know that your reply as well as others of your pathetic ilk will be that the US will go down the tubes because it lacks the morals given by your powerless deity, e.g. “who cares about the economy if the re is no moral grounding” and yadda yadda yadda, and you know what? Get over yourselves. You totalitarian wannabe b*stards do NOT have a corner on morals. In fact, it’s ironic that you twits are largely the most amoral “republicans” that exist; each and every one of you are willing to sacrifice the good of the country and stay home and so on just so you can feel smugly superior. Great example.
I hope you have a smurfy day, son, because I know *I’m* having a wonderful day seeing that there really is a non-totalitarian dominated future for the GOP.
That 85% includes people who have zero interest in limited government and will consistently vote Democrat. Good night, Whig Party. I mean seriously, do you think that the morals of this country can burn down without crippling the economy? Why do you think we’re in this mess? It’s a lack of self-control.
Yes this is a wonderful day. And freedom belongs to the individual, not the collective. So have fun with your equations, you are free to espouse them. And since those who do not agree with you, cannot (per your math) cost you your “victory”, you surely won’t mind if we freely speak our minds (regardless of where we are in the election cycle).
That 85% includes people who have zero interest in limited government and will consistently vote Democrat.
That’s pure fantasy and intended to rhetorically inflame, or perhaps you really are that stupid. If the former then I’ll play along anyway: the same polls the tea partiers whip out to claim widespread agreement with *their* fantasies show ultimately that most people consider themselves conservative. What you and the partiers are missing is that this means that *most* people are in fact all over the notion of governmental limits and reasonable fiscal conservatism.
On the other hand if you really are this stupid, then be thankful it’s not illegal to be so.
“That 85% includes people who have zero interest in limited government and will consistently vote Democrat.”
BS. It also includes the libertarians who would vote consistently with the GOP if the Socons were ditched, and they would make up for the loss of the Socons. And I’d love to see the socons try to go back to their original home the donkey party now.
That would be entertainment.
Tom, social conservatives have never been welcome in the Democratic Party. Social conservatives started the Republican Party; it is you fishcons who are the Johnny-come-latelies. The Republican Party wasn’t founded as the party of low taxes and limited government, but rather as the anti-slavery party. Here’s a hint: we left the Whig Party and formed the Republican Party because the Whigs refused to address the problem of slavery. The Whigs have been defunct since the Lincoln Administration because they only cared about economic issues and not moral issues.
@mythbuster
“Tom, social conservatives have never been welcome in the Democratic Party.”
Sure they were, just not the last 50 years. You do know history didn’t start 50 years ago, right?
“Social conservatives started the Republican Party”
No, Clay’s political descendants and anti-slavery agitators started the Republican party.
“it is you fishcons who are the Johnny-come-latelies.”
No, but the TeddyRoosevelt/Taft idiots in the GOP establishment have been a drain on the country for the last 100 years or more. Teddy was good for a lot of things, but domestic policy wasn’t one of them. Taft was just a big joke.
“The Republican Party wasn’t founded as the party of low taxes and limited government, but rather as the anti-slavery party. Here’s a hint: we left the Whig Party and formed the Republican Party because the Whigs refused to address the problem of slavery.”
So you do you know some history, you just can’t draw a rational conclusion.
What was socially conservative at the time was support for slavery, and in fact whatever his personal feelings on it, Lincoln had to promise not to touch slavery where it existed to be elected.
“The Whigs have been defunct since the Lincoln Administration because they only cared about economic issues and not moral issues.”
They didn’t agree on the moral issue of slavery, and were too much in bed with the narrow sectional interests of northern industrialists. By offering free soil to planters in the midwest wanting to settle west, the Republicans had broader appeal, and supplanted the Whigs.
Social conservatives started the Republican Party; it is you fishcons who are the Johnny-come-latelies.
This is quite inaccurate, but since you’re vapid enough to be unintentionally ironic, I’ll work with it. So… fast forward 150 years and the anti-slavery social conservatives are now ADVOCATING SLAVERY of women who become unintentionally pregnant (walking incubators against their will.) Yes this is how I view all of you santimonious bible beaters — advocates of slavery and repression.
First, let’s discuss math. Look at the Roger Simon article from the other day. 30% of the republicans are so-cons. Not most, not half, not a majority by any stretch. That means that in the electorate, 15% of them are so-cons.
Actually, at best hard core SoCons are 5% of the overall electorate and less than 20% of republicans. What they lack in number they make up for in commitment which is why the consistently punch over their weight in primaries. But even so, they are far from a majority of republican primary voters as demonstrated by Huckabee’s failure in 08 and Santorum’s this year.
It’s way past time for the republican party to tell those loons to f-off.
Go vote democrat, their anti liberty attitudes are better fit with the socialist anyway.
It is your problem because you can’t win without us either. ABO2012
We libertarians didn’t foist Romney on you. It was the RINOs, the system and the Old Media. We are all victims, but we are foremost victims of Obama. so let’s get him gone, then pile on Romney and the Rinos.
Agreed. Let me add though, for months during the primary I kept reading the same rhetoric. The so-cons are going to cause us to lose if we don’t get behind Romney. Despite his ludicrous views on foreign policy, I would have actually liked Ron Paul, and I’m, for all intent and purpose, a so-con, though I have very libertarian leanings. I wasn’t at all happy with the final three, but that is the nature of the beast.
Actually, nobody “foisted” Romney on anybody. He’s the legitimate winner of the primaries and caucuses across the country. If you don’t like it, you don’t like it, but there’s nothing suspicious or skullduggerous about it.
Romney’s supporters–disproportionately from inside the beltway and the GOP elite commentariat–promulgated lies about Romney’s opponents and tendentiously minimized his weaknesses. It’s a tragedy and a missed opportunity that it worked.
His pick of Ryan inclines me to believe he understands the fiscal crisis and the requirement that it be effectively addressed. It may persuade me to vote for him.
My support for his candidacy is paper thin and will not survive his distancing himself further from what Ryan represents in any way.
and Akin is the legitimate winner of his primary.
and we’ve been told all along its ABO and anyone who does not vote for romney is voting for obama.
so anyone who does not vote for akin is voting to mcaskill.
isn’t karma a bitch….
“and Akin is the legitimate winner of his primary.”
By about as spare a plurality as possible, not a majority. The rules permitted him to withdraw and he should have done so. He should be punished as severely as possible for failing to do so.
Where is the damned write-in campaign? The third party campaign? If the man won’t drop out, then drive him into the gutter.
Why don’t you do the driving Hooley. The rest of us will pass. We have an election to win. Your whining won’t help in that effort. Accepting reality is sometimes hard. One reality is the election of 2010. Remember?
The Dems are basically toast, and they jumped into the toaster. It is still hot in there and there is room for more if you and yours will only focus on winning. Akin doesn’t act like he will quit. He is the lawful candidate.
A little prayer from someone who almost never prays: Lord, please give them the light that was denied to Don Quixote.
Is one thing to believe in the sanctity of life, is another thing to dismiss human biology all together. Thia Akin guy is religious zealot who can care less if his country goes to hell. For guys like him destroying the country is the first step of rebuilding new utopian society, just like Hussein O in the other end of the political spectrum.
Another of my posts under the title “Conservatives Driving Off a Cliff”. That is Conservative with a capital “C”.
This article reveals the fears of Conservatives very well. Not that the fears aren’t real – they are. It’s that the solution, or the implied solution, is wrong – wrong as in ineffective.
The article stresses how Atkins is in bad trouble now. And he is. It shows that Atkins, who was almost a sure winner in his race, has deteriorated to the point that it isn’t anywhere near so sure that he can win.
That is in their view, and the article shows, that Atkins now is in the same position Romney finds himself in the Romney/Obama seesaw in swing and other states. And somehow the author blames Romney recent one point deterioration Atkins. The follows directly from the Conservative calls for an Atkins step aside the day he made his egregious comments. Conservatives felt both that Atkins threatened the taking of a Senate seat and, no less, he would do damage to the national ticket.
Conservatives have accepted the Karl Rove strategy, differing only in how strictly and rabidly they protect the base already declared for Romney. Briefly this is the Karl Rove strategy. Romney is ahead in all the states McCain carried plus Indiana, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Nevada, North Carolina, and Colorado.
In Florida, Virginia and Ohio we see Obama’s lead shrink from 4 or 5 points to 2 or 1 point. In Iowa, New Mexico, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey Obama is leading by a minimum of 4 points but the larger number of undecideds reduce Obama’s share of voters to well under 50%.
The strategy is that the trend in the states where Obama’s lead is shrinking will go on shrinking and Romney will take the lead by 1,2, or 3 points – and keep it. In other of these states the undecideds will break for Romney.
Now also lets be clear – this strategy could result in a very very a large Romney victory. It doesn’t depend on a surge, it depends on making permanent the erosion of Obama’s positional lead in the states.
So the fact that over all Romney slipped one point since Atkins is a real danger. But absent Atkins guffaw, would the one point slippage have happened anyway?
I have no idea. I can only say we find ourselves in this position because of the strategy we have agreed to. Rush Limbaugh said we can afford another 4 years of Obama, but can we afford an electorate that voted him in again? Lets turn that around and ask Can we afford a victory if we do not get an electorate that is the permanent base of a political and historical movement?
We saw this in Reagan who unified a country, only to have that unity wither away – the Reagan base did not cohere. And the Conservative Establishment was, and is, unable to lead that coherence.
I believe this is the significance and origin of the Tea Party. And Conservatives aren’t doing any better today. Romney picked a Vice President who is not an identified Conservative – he is an identified Tea Party member.
So what is wrong with the strategy I outlined. It is that a Romney victory will be the more significant, and the more assured, with a larger than normal turnout. The turnout that gave Reagan if not history then certainly the size of his victory will give Romney his, and our, victory.
Then the task before us is to cohere the Americans who made that victory to keep the government ours. That is the Tea Party – not the Conservative Establishment.
“So the fact that over all Romney slipped one point since Atkins is a real danger.”
The polls have margins of error between about three points and five points. A slip of one point means essentially nothing at all. Consider that the media reports some polls have Obama “leading” by one or two points. That means we don’t know who is leading, or it may mean there is a tie.
LET IT GO …
This too shall pass: http://vimeo.com/8718627
This too shall pass: http://www.wscribe.com/parables/pass.html
Gam zeh ya’avor
Your Tamagotchis of Loserdom have all been aborted in the womb.
His support is slipping because supposed Republicans have trashed him for the past week. If conservatives had spent the last two oaths trashing Romney because he had spoken out loudly for abortion, higher taxes, global warming taxes, increased government spending, affirmative action, government investments in green technology then his polling would suck too. But conservatives have bitten their tongues and gotten behind this liberal candidate for the good of the country. They have done what the moderate Republicans are refusing to do now. Get behind a candidate that they personally don’t like. I personally don’t like Romney and his complete lack of principles and willingness to say or do anything to get elected. His totally flexible positions remind me of Clinton and Obama. But I know he is better than they are. I think. So I support him. Now, you Akin despisers, control you animal hatred of this guy you have decided in the last week to despise because he is pro-life. And get over it. You ask me to get over Romney and I have. Now you do the same.
I don’t have a problem with Akin’s case of being pro life. I have supported pro-life pols plenty of times in the past & will happily do so in the future. The problem is his glaring case of ignorance & inappropriate attitude towards women. These are most objectionable; the Republican Party does not need people with attitudes such as this among their ranks. This man should be shunned; may he reconsider his decision to stay in the race as he continues to see his chances of winning this seat deteriorate to absolutely nil.
If he withdraws, we WILL lose the seat. Stand by him, and he just might win.
If every Republican stands by him, it will cost 6 or 8 House and Senate seats. If Romney stands by him, it may lose the Oval Office.
What part of “only 10% of the voting public support the notion that abortion is always murder” don’t you get? It’s only in the platform as a sop to the Paleo SoCons who are stupid enough to be bought off by it. It will never be promulgated towards being law by the GOP.
And damn near every person in this country feels every rape is illegitimate, and is a crime and should be treated as such. To use the word legitimate, where the opposite is illegitimate, is such a bad use of language, it’s a certainty something else vile will come out of his ignorant mouth later.
We should have the wisdom and courage to show our Bidens the door.
Then don’t stand by him- sufficient for our purposes that the rest of the country ignores him. Akin has committed to either win this race on his own or go down fighting, so stop harassing him to get out of the race and let him run his campaign his way. All Romney has to say is that it’s too late for Akin to get out of the race, so he’s our nominee whether we like it or not.
@mythbuster
“Akin has committed to either win this race on his own or go down fighting”
And he ought to try and do it on his own if he doesn’t have the wit to get out. What the rest of the party should do, to better inoculate all other campaigns from Akinitis, is to put forward a 3rd candidate, one of the runner-ups, and back that person to the hilt. It can’t guarantee the seat to the Dems any more than Akin has already.
And Akin and his acolytes should expect no less.
They have done what the moderate Republicans are refusing to do now. Get behind a candidate that they personally don’t like.
Math impaired merde-for-brains, listen up. The moderates comprise nearly 3/4ths of the GOP and have no need to put of with the likes of Akin (or you) focusing the national GOP message on things that are not important to nearly 3/4ths of the GOP voting block. That would be >85% of the electorate.
“moderates comprise most of the Republican Party”. – yeah that is why Romney had to change his pro- abortion position to pro- life to have any chance at a Presidency. I will forgive your ignorance and assume it is just due to incredibly dull witted union teachers you had in government run schools.
yeah that is why Romney had to change his pro- abortion position to pro- life to have any chance at a Presidency.
Are you really that oblivious? Romney was, like those before him, told by his handlers and advisors that he has to throw a bone to the so-cons because the conventional wisdom says that the party needs to be unified. As for the numbers, read Mr Simon’s piece where it clearly states that so-cons comprise 30% of the party (and some 15% of the electorate.)
The facts on the ground are that the GOP not only does *not* need the so-cons to win, it would stand a much better chance of winning without them. The GOP should stand for freedom, not statism, and the sooner the statist so-cons are gone, the better.
His support is slipping because supposed Republicans have trashed him for the past week. If conservatives had spent the last two months trashing Romney because he had spoken out loudly for abortion, higher taxes, global warming taxes, increased government spending, affirmative action, government investments in green technology then his polling would suck too. But conservatives have bitten their tongues and gotten behind this liberal candidate for the good of the country. They have done what the moderate Republicans are refusing to do now. Get behind a candidate that they personally don’t like. I personally don’t like Romney and his complete lack of principles and willingness to say or do anything to get elected. His totally flexible positions remind me of Clinton and Obama. But I know he is better than they are. I think. So I support him. Now, you Akin despisers, control you animal hatred of this guy you have decided in the last week to despise because he is pro-life. And get over it. You ask me to get over Romney and I have. Now you do the same.
I’m trashing Akin not just because he said something that was stupid in and of itself, but he was also too stupid to realize that no right-of-center candidate can open themselves to ridicule by the MSM by saying something stupid.
It’s not fair, but conservative and libertarian candidates have to be more articulate than their progressive counterparts. Akin is a loser because he doesn’t understand human biology and he doesn’t understand the adversarial role that the media plays for right-leaning candidates of any stripe. Libertarians like me get no more of a pass than do social conservatives like Akin.)
Akin is also a loser because he doesn’t understand that his failure to grasp these two facts has cost him a Senate seat, and he is too stupid or selfish to do the right thing and drop out in favor of someone who can still beat McCaskill and stop the statists.
Yoikes!
“Akin is a loser because he doesn’t understand human biology…”
What test did you run on him Midnite [BF, not a spelling test I hope...though I'm open to that one myself]? Was it an undergrad, Masters, or PhD level test? The first thing I want to know about candidates for the Senate is what were their grades in Human Biology courses, so I feel your paygn. I guess all Libertarians feel the same way. Human Biology. You can’t live with it, you can’t live without it.
Let’s turn that question around on you, Einstein. What exactly are Akin’s scientific qualifications, and where exactly did he get this crackpot theory? It came from some place between a couple of cheeks.
snork called me idiot, called me Einstein. Hahaha. Guess snork can’t make up his mind. There’a a real conservative logician using persuasion to convert the less gifted than he. Very impressive.
Here’s a hint. The ability of comprehend irony is a sign of intelligence. The converse is also true.
Akin claimed that during “legitimate rape” the human body shuts down and prevents conception. This is complete nonsense, and one need not hold a BS in Biology to know it. Akin’s belief in such nonsense does not disqualify him from higher office, but his idiocy in expressing such pseudo-scientific garbage in public does.
Furthermore, Akin was dumb enough to use the term “legitimate rape”. In this case, aside from his total ignorance regarding human reproduction, Akin showed that he lacks the ability to articulate himself in such a fashion that the MSM won’t grab what he said and turn it in to a meme.
For these reasons, Akin should do the right thing and quit now, but he is too dumb and/or selfish to do so.
No – you are trashing him because you are gutless. You want me to support the liberal Romney whose entire life has been promoting liberal policy but you won’t just shut up about one comment made by a rock solid limited government conservative. I am going to start writing three anti Romney rants for every stupid Akin diatribe I see. Let’s get all TeaParty folks to trash the liberal Romney for what he is on the Internet for the next month. That seems to be what Midnight Rambler and FeralCat and Ann Coulter think is a good way for a conservative to spend their time for the next two months.
One. It isn’t a gender gap. It has never been a gender gap. It’s a marriage gap. Many single and divorced women expect the Federal government to be a spouse or father.
Two. Shut up about Akin!!!!! He is in full martyr mode. The more out of staters from his own party push the more obstinate he will be. Huckabee gave himself a huge out after Akin’s pathetic press conference on Friday. He noted the polls have to swing back and Akin has to show he can still raise money. Not being able to raise money will be a game changer for the Huckster. Look at the people around Akin and ask yourself how much money you think they can raise? So give it a rest. I suspect that once the spotlight is elsewhere Missouri Republicans will find a way to solve this problem.
Fine. Then “Akin must go” has now become “Akin Delenda Est.”
He will have to be made to leave. Third party or write-in will guarantee a McCaskill win. Period.
Akin Delenda Est.
And for those who keep repeating that ridiculous phrase “You can’t legislate morality” stop and think for a minute. (It’s one of the reasons I call Libertarians “Liberal-tarians.” They’re just thrifty liberals.) You’re advocating nihilism when you say that. What, if not someone’s (moral) perception of how things-ought-to-be, is legislation about? They can be right, wrong or, usually, somewhere in between about the matter, but legislation is inherently prescriptive or proscriptive (usually both: you shall do this, and NOT that) and therefore the passage of legislation, even the most seemingly trifling law, is an inherently moral question on some level. Put another way, every piece of legislation is about something moral, some good that will accrue to us or some evil that will be avoided, because of the legislation. Legislation is about “ought” not “is.” The minute you dive into ought, you are thinking morally. To one degree or another it is always about morality. The laws of nature may be amoral (though at the deepest levels, I don’t believe that either.) The laws of men, anything but.
“In his new ads, Akin wants voters to know that he really thinks rape is a bad thing.”
And much like Christine O’Donnell running an ad that stated she “was not a witch”, if you need to convince voters you think rape is a bad thing you have already lost.
The silver lining is that recent polls show Scott Brown leading Fauxcohontas by five points in the Massachusetts Senate race. Yes, Brown is a RINO, but that’s as close to a fiscal conservative and advocate of limited government as we are likely to get from a statewide election in Taxachusetts. I’ll take Brown over Warren’s redistibutionist policies any day in that context, much like I’ll take Romney over 0bama.
Got it!
There is to be no discussion about rape. There is to be no discussion about abortion. We are just all to pretend that we are either all in agreement, or all is disagreement. (Guess we’ll never no, since we’re not allowed to have the discussion.)
Will you allow us to discuss islam?
It’s the economy stupid. Emphasis on stupid.
Abortion has cost us about 60 million lives (including projections for the offspring that those aborted since 1973 would have had by now) and $35 TRILLION in economic output. You think those aren’t issues? And if you’re going to ignore us, then I want us to lose. Stew in your rage as the nation burns down because you love money more than life and liberty!
You win by winning the independents. They care about the economy. They don’t care about abortion. Clinton understood this, and got two terms because of that. If you want four more years of smoke and flames, keep pounding that abortion drum.
We will cut off our nose to spite our faces. If you abandon the only party that will let you be pro-life, you will lose more than an argument with people who don’t completely share your beliefs. I hope you aren’t that stupid. That is what Akin is doing and your only allies will lose the Missouri Senate seat if he stays in. Chalk one up for the Demcommies. They lose with the blue eyed blonde Cherokee from Massachusetts and they win with the useful idiot McCaskill because of the abortion stance of an idiot. It is all even now, I reckon. One for the Communists and one for freedom loving America. God help us. ABO2012
No.
There is to be no discussion of idiotic drivel like the idea that the human body can shut down and prevent conception in the case of rape.
There should also be no use of moronic terms like “legitimate rape” that only hand a club to the left with which they can bludgeon all believers in limited government.
Ideally, there would be discussion of returning the right to abortion to individuals, but some social conservatives are too in touch with their inner socialist to let that happen.
How about an idiotic discussion about what the meaning of “sexual relations” is, is? (sic).
How about an idiotic discussion about what it means to give “consent”.
snork say to moray: “It’s the economy stupid. Emphasis on stupid.”
But then snork immediately say: “You win by winning the independents.”
So if moray is an independent this is how snorky wins moray over to his side. Once again, very impressive.
Yeah. And those “Republican women” in the Obama ads are Republicans, aren’t they?
No, they are not all Republican women. Two of them have been determined to be Democrat women and I suspect the other two will be outed as either Democrat or RINO soon.
With all you morons toting water for the McCaskill campaign she is having to spend less money so you are in effect giving aid to the enemy of Liberty and Freedom.
Stupid to the extreme.
“Ideas” can be frightening to Snorkovians. So ideas are to be quashed by suppressing those who present ideas. Ad hominem attack is the Snorkovian’s first, and some believe only, line of defense.
Republicans need to stop bashing this guy and work to get this lady out of office. Once again a very rich lady taking advantage of the people she governs.
http://www.truthaboutclaire.com/2012/04/is-this-fair-claire-mccaskill-gets-rich-from-1-17-trillion-stimulus-bill/
Looks like we got another Pelosi here!
Talk about rape.
the moment the words were uttered from akin’s lips his handlers should have been spinning in this direction
instead of apologizing akin could have gone on the offensive by standing by his stance on abortion with some thought out response then immediately go after mccaskill as the true rapist in our midst
if the republican king-makers had remained silent all that would have been heard was the usual song and dance from the dems as they cry wolf over everything – this is needs to be exploited but there is some weird mojo happening where many repubs desperately want to be appreciated by the liberal establishment-
if liberalism is a disease what is the definition of certain republicans who want to appease liberals at all costs?
If yout think pseudo-scientific drivel like that Akin expressed can be defended, and you think a candidate who uses terms like “legitimate rape” is a potential winner, you should probably not go in to political consulting.
Dump Akin now.
well our current crop of “consultants” are real winners arent they
playing to the “rules” dictated by libs is a brilliant strategy as well
That’s why the GOP needs somebody with at least two digits in his IQ to go against her.
So what you are saying is that you are not eligible to run. Good.
If Akin is now the poster boy for social conservatism, then it looks like the preservation of arrogance is their number one cause. Sorry, but we already have too much of that in Washington.
If I lived in MO, I’d write in a candidate. Is it too late for a third-party candidate?
First para: agree completely.
Second para: too late for 3P candidate; don’t think write-in will accomplish much even if allowed. Voters in MO have their work cut out for them. The well is now so poisoned, I guess you just have to trust to instinct — the inglorious basterd Akin will likely help Democrats in other contested states. The blame there rests with Romney and party brahmins.
Which doesn’t help the MO voter at all; FWIW (tea and sympathy) the rest of us won’t be judging you harshly.
The write-in worked for Lisa Murkowski 2 yrs. ago.
In Missouri a well-known moderate Republican is selected, they campaign, do ads, etc. Hopefully the write-in moves to #2 in the polls after McCaskil, with Akin #3. At that point the dynamic of the race shifts to a contest between McCaskil and the write-in.
“The blame there rests with Romney and party brahmins. ”
How the hell do you figure that? They didn’t get foot-in-mouth-to-thigh disease; and they didn’t double down on stupid after Akin did.
They failed to control the damage.
I am a so-con and despise the RINOS but Akin needs to bail. The guy is a third rate clown who thinks he in dispensable when in reality he’s another intellectually challenged hack. Ironically the mainstream GOP and crossover Dems got him the nomination in the first place. Be a real martyr Todd and jump on a grenade for the party.
Ia Drang, I mean yeah, trang. You know I always thought, because I and everyone I know well have said stupid things at times, that everybody has said stupid things at times. I’ve learned my lesson though. It is quite plain to me now that a lot, a really lot of folks, like many of the commenters at PJM and like Democrat officials everywhere have never ever said any stupid things. No wonder they are so full of unforgiving disdain for those of us who have. First these folks read it, then they chew it, then they eschew it. Bless their hearts.
Everybody hear has said stupid things. What sets most of us apart from Akin is we accept responsibility and the appropriate consequences for the stupid things we’ve said. Akin is refusing the proper consequence for his grotesque error in judgement.
Get it? “hear” vs “here”
Heh.
People will lay down their lives to defend those they love; people will never lay down their lives to defend what they hate, though some will lay down their lives to destroy what they hate.
MEMO
TO: All Republican Candidates
SUBJECT: How to respond to questions from the media about Akin
Your response should be: “If a stupid comment from one lone congressman defines his entire party then by that measure all Democrats believe that the island of Guam is in danger of capsizing”
Then say noting more
Good, but it should have been said by Romney/handlers on day two, ideally on day one. The horse left the stable long ago. Why do I think of the band on the Titanic? At least they were men of courage.
How about:
“This is the United States of America. And I believe in the freedom of speech. I don’t agree with every opinion which is expressed, but I do believe that if someone,including Mr. Akin, is not inciting hatred or violence, that he has a LEGITIMATE right to freely speak his mind.”
And he is the LEGITIMATE candidate.
Not after that boner, he isn’t.
He’s the man the LEGITIMATE VOTERS selected. Now the “elite”, now the “outsiders” — now the frenzied hystericals want him booted.
The voters of Missouri have more sense. Trust them.
Snork – how dense are you? He is the candidate. Look it up. If you cant read, have an adult do it for you. Now, STFU. Have.a nice day!
@bvw
He wasn’t selected by a majority, but by the sparest plurality of GOP primary voters. He should recognize that his appalling error will cost him his seat and that supporting him will cost other Republicans their races. He should have the wisdom and humility to quit.
He doesn’t. Why do you expect any other GOP or conservative to go down with his ship?
Freedom of speech does not absolve one of the responsibility & accountability for what one has said. To date, I have yet to see anyone challenge Akin’s right to air his opinion, but he owns it. He will reap what he has sown. You watch.
You seem to convey that the Constitution should be followed unless it is inconvenient for your position. But many believe that the most important time to abide by the rules is when things are difficult.
You seem to have a predilection for playing fast & loose with people’s words. You lost this argument a long time ago. Give it a rest; you’re making a fool of yourself.
The Republican National Committee is a club. They are not the Federal Government. The Republican Nation Committee is free, as a private organization, to cease supporting a member for any reason. Akin could, if he wanted, take legal action against the RNC. If the Federal Government were to make Akin step down due to his statement, that would be a violation of the First Amendment. The irony is the Federal Government, at the moment, is overjoyed by his comment and will likely not attempt to silence him.
People have got to stop using the First Amendment as some get of our jail free card that allows them carte blanch authority to say whatever they want with no ramifications. It is that kind of Constitutional ignorance that has led to Democrats.
“People have got to stop using the First Amendment as some get of our jail free card that allows them carte blanch authority to say whatever they want with no ramifications. It is that kind of Constitutional ignorance that has led to Democrats.”
Exactly what I tried to say above ISMW. Somehow though it doesn’t seem to get across to some. Perhaps you will have better luck……
As an American citizen, he has a First Amendment right to say any stupid thought that comes to his mind. As a candidate for the US senate, he has responsibilities. He has handed this responsibility to get elected and be effective. That’s where he FAILed. Miserably.
The people defending this good man, who was just selected by the good Republicans of Missouri, are doing so because they want to defeat Claire McCaskill. Te people attacking Akin who are Republicans are doing so because they like shooting their friends. I, for one, am getting close to ripping my Romney sticker off and voting for whatever third party my finger lands on. I am sick of the linguini spined gutless cowards telling conservatives to suck it up and vote for liberals like Romney while they stick the knives in conservatives like Akin. Those of you screaming about Akin killing the chance of getting rid of ObamaCare, remember, Romney aides went to the White House and helped draft ObamaCare. How stupid are you?
All that “expunging” of the “misguided” going on in your world. No totalitarianism there. No debate. Just final solutions.
In an effort to make the punishment fit the crime, I would sentence Akin to a permanent position as a rape counselor….without any control over abortions and with no contact with the zealots who currently support him.
Or maybe a week in a cell with Bubba.
Will all rape victims require the same kind of counselling? Why or why not?
For all you campaign historians who want Akin to go… how many walk on candidates actually went on to win? Alan Keyes? How did he do? Wouldn’t the best strategy be to do what the democrats would have done which is to circle the wagons around the candidate? The decline in Akins and Romney’s polls can in part be attributed to the loud attacks coming from the Republican estabilshment.
The establishment needs to be have more campaign discipline and get the message back on track. But instead they fill the airwaves with hand wringing and invective again the social conservatives who they blame for the RINO lack of success.
Any of the other candidates on the GOP side would be good replacements, Akin only got 36 percent of the vote, a plurality, not a majority. If they can get in soon, they may well win. There’s a reason the Democrat in the race paid so much money to make sure Akin was our candidate.
The MO senate seat should be conceded, Akin blew it. It is possible one of the other candidates could win it, Akin can not. Supporting Akin such that he has a snowball’s chance in hell of winning means conceding a half dozen other seats and maybe the Oval Office.
What amazes me is how many supporters he has who are so stupid they cannot see why what he said was so stupid. Rejecting Akin has nothing to do with rejecting the abortion plank in the platform–although since the GOP has no intention of following through with it, we should alter it into something acceptable to at least a majority of the rightmost half of the electorate. It has to do with having higher standards than the Dems, who for example are happy with Biden. Akin is far worse than Biden.
Akin couldn’t properly restate the abortion plank of the platform, and mis-stated it disastrously, and if he won’t go, then he should be shunned by all other Republicans and conservatives purely as a matter of principle–the principle that we won’t reinforce stupid.
Its so funny. You won’t mind in the slightest if someone has to “hold their nose” and vote for Romney in order to avoid Obama being elected, but you display righteous indignation for the idea that someone voted for Akin to keep some other candidate for getting the nomination.
The difference is, Romney isn’t a drooling idiot with his finger permanently planted up one nostril.
Snork. – yes Romney is. He implemented ObamaCare in Massachussetts.
Snork – wipe the phlegm from your chin and pull your arm out of your nose. If you grew a brain, you wouldnt have such vast sinus congestion.
Supporting Akin has nothing to do with supporting the abortion plank of the platform, because Akin didn’t support it either–he stupidly edited it to claim a load of crap is in it that isn’t there. That’s why he should go.
“You won’t mind in the slightest if someone has to “hold their nose” and vote for Romney in order to avoid Obama being elected”
I hope sincerely someday you learn just how much of an ignorant moron you have to be to have written that statement.
Ah! Another Snorkovian. It’s an invasion.
So your on point reply refuting even one thing I’ve said is what?
There is only one point Tom. And it is that Akin is the nominee, and he became so by following the rules. He didn’t require a majority of support, he required a plurality. He is not required to step down. End of story.
If you don’t like the nomination rules, I suggest you get involved to change them prospectively.
“And it is that Akin is the nominee, and he became so by following the rules.”
No that is not only not the point, it is not a point at all.
He had an obligation when he screwed up so badly to step down as the rules allowed and let a viable candidate proceed. Since he failed the nation and party so badly, we are under no obligation to support him in any way, and should in fact oppose him as effectively as possible, including backing a 3rd candidate to undermine him.
Yes Tom. I am well aware that you are blind to the point that is at issue. Mr. Akin is not “obligated” to step aside. And thank goodness you are not in a position of authority that would force such an “obligation” upon him.
One. More. Time.
There are different rules for donkeys and elephants. Life isn’t fair. Get over it.
Life is not fair. But it is sad that you grew up without courage, a brain, or a heart. You should go to Oz.
Why should we get over it? Why should we play by their rules? Akin is exactly the kind of standard bearer the GOP needs: someone who isn’t afraid to offend people and stick to his guns. Cowards lose and courageous people win, it’s that simple. If you’re running scared, you can’t do anything. So here’s the question: Do you want to win? If you want to win, then you’ll shut up and back the social conservatives. If we can’t win on a platform of social conservatism to save the country, then this country is not worth saving, and I have no interest in saving a country where the slaughter of babies is legal.
“Akin is exactly the kind of standard bearer the GOP needs: someone who isn’t afraid to offend people and stick to his guns.”
Someone who can’t accurately restate the party platform is the standard bearer we need?
If he wanted to be punchy when replying to the question, he should simply have said, “The crime and tragedy of a rape cannot be made less or the world made better by letting the victim commit a murder.” That’s all he needed to say.
He couldn’t manage an on topic, non-self-damaging reply to a question he ought to have been prepared for.
He should have withdrawn, and he should have no support from any other GOP person in penalty. Instead, we should put up a 3rd candidate to kill his chances stone dead.
It’s the only way for the party to best minimize the damage the man has done.
I’m not convinced he can tie his own shoes.
What I don’t understand is why this misstatement of Akin’s cost him more and cost it more quickly than all of Elizabeth Warren’s lies and hypocrisies have cost her at all. While I think Akin’s comments were pretty egregious, they certainly have gone no further down that road than Warren’s.
That’s because there is a glaring double standard, one rigidly enforced by the media. Alas, it just is. It’s unfair in the same way it was unfair for the Japanese to use kamikaze attacks — doesn’t change things as they are and you just have to figure out a way around them.
Why was it unfair for the Japanese to use kamikaze attacks?
What I don’t understand is why this misstatement of Akin’s cost him more and cost it more quickly than all of Elizabeth Warren’s lies and hypocrisies have cost her at all.
I wouldn’t think the articles on this site were unclear, so I’ll whip out a gigantic crayon for you and others who have stupidly made similar statements involving Wiener, Clinton, etc… there’s apparently a common cognitive dysfunction with some of you far right types. Maybe — just maybe! — you’ll grasp this.
Warren’s nonsense affects only Warren.
Akins’ nonsense speaks directly to the notion of what democrats really think republicans believe, it is affecting ALL republicans, and will possibly cost Romney an election.
See how this works?
Silly action/statement by affects
Silly action/statement by Akins feeds opposition prejudice and affects ALL.
I must say you have to be rather dull not to be able to comprehend this.
Please explain how Elizabeth Warren’s affirmative action deceits affected only Elizabeth Warren? It seems the entire Cherokee Nation takes issue with this poseur and it is likely that an actual Cherokee Indian did not get a Harvard education because of it. No? Please explain how Anthony Weiner’s weiner did not offend the people at whom he wagged it? Please explain how Ted Kennedy’s little mistake at Chappaquiddick didn’t harm anyone else but himself? I am sure the family of Mary Jo Kopechne would like to hear how. How is it that Democrats can be Communists and it will still be said that they are enlightened. How is it that any person, who is a Republican, is also “moron”, as you seem to believe? How is it that you got through grammar school, randomengineer?
Isn’t life amazing? The networks are gearing up for a national convention. History will be made. The economy is in the toilet, we are stuck in unending war, the middle east is exploding, and what was the universal questioning on the Sunday “News” shows. For the sixty fifth time, why do Republicans favor legitimate rape? Ten days ago, the question would have been meaningless. It is today. So why are people so riled up?
It is hard to answer.
The voters in Missouri have a big problem. It is clear they have two candidates, neither of which is playing with a full deck. One will win. He/she will join a Senate headed by Harry Reid, or Joe Biden.
America has a huge problem. We are going out of business. But candidate Akin is not that important, even if he drools regularly.
Occasionally you learn facts. He and Ryan worked on a bill, with others, in which they were trying to separate a funding policy for other than statutory rape, typically age related. People tried “forced”, “legitimate”, or other handles, but gave up due to other matters. The concept is that the government should not pay for your booze or sex. That tab is on you. The issue has two parts, what is crime, defined by state law, and what should all taxpayers pay for? Since Planned Parenthood makes most of their money on government funded abortions, I expect more squealing by the biased media, on this absurd nonsense.
It is worthy of debate, but not now. America has much bigger problems than “legitimate” rape.
At some point, I just wonder at the stupidity and lying, isn’t life amazing?
R.E.: existing laws on the books forbid use of federal taxpayer dollars to fund abortions. Only 3% of PP’s budget funds abortions.
Regarding the “huge problem” you reference, Dow Jones Newswires columnist Al Lewis had interesting thoughts in today’s Denver Post business section. The pending “fiscal” cliff may be what’s needed for national security even if the ensuing recession is tough. One way or another, the federal government gravy train needs to end, and it doesn’t matter if there are cuts in Medicaid or at the Pentagon or tax rates returning to what they were before 2001. He calls it “free market forces.”
Lewis notes the whole issue of abortion was settled in 1973 (and access to contraception, without government interference, in 1965). Yet the anti-abortion lobby just can’t live with not getting their religious views made the law of the land (for the 3rd general election in a row, Colorado is likely to have a “personhood” initiative on the ballot). Lewis points out what a lot of Republican women are reading these days; it isn’t the latest anti-abortion diatribes. It’s “50 Shades of Grey.”
“Lewis notes the whole issue of abortion was settled in 1973 (and access to contraception, without government interference, in 1965).”
And the whole issue of slavery was settled in 1857 (and slave-owner access to Missouri in 1820). Slavery is settled law of the land, isn’t that right? Only those pesky troglodyte so-cons complain about it.
So Planned Parenthood spends 3% of its budget on abortions. That’s a magnificent sign of the triviality of those who’d wish to defund it entirely, eh? Why do the so-cons interrupt the classy activities of economic level-headed Republicans, such as reading “Fifty Shades of Grey” or attending performances like the “Vagina Monologues”? It’ SO abrasive and distasteful.
Of course you are saying that great mass of Missouri voters are more in that classy stiletto heeled Helen Gurley Brown kind of demographic than the tiny splinter demo the so-cons represent.
Anyway, there’s no bridge here from me to you, from ich to du. So let me just toss in this fact of history: In 1939 the German budget was 32 billion Reichmarks, and off-budget ledger spending on concentration camps was ONLY 125 million. That’s around 0.3%. That must make you feel damn good about the old Third Reich, eh? Such low spending on the extermination of the weak. A truly modern society! In your book, by your words, eh?
Do I understand you right?
Truly there’s no bridge. You and your kindred in this matter are going to continue bashing and villifying Akin, or Palin, the “birthers”, the “so-cons”. Name-calling, bastardizing, nasty epithet throwing without pause. De-humanization. You see the world very differently than I, that’s for sure.
I speak from the Untermenschen view. I’m just not as modern and faddish and sociable as you, as all of those who bash and mock so readily.
Palin never said anything stupid like Akin.
Matter of fact, Sarah Palin not only wants Akin to step aside, she wants a third party write-in campaign. Is she a RINO?
We are being lied to. I expect this in all political conflicts so I use math to assess if I am in the ball park. The only verifiable number from Planned Parenthood is the $490 Mn received from the taxpayer, about 1/3 of their claimed income. And they claim they spend only 3% of their income on abortions and do 340,000 abortions per year. Using their (rough) numbers they do an abortion for $150. Is that credible? Would you take a loved one to a clinic, pay $150, and expect honest competent medical treatment? Who pays for the rest of the cost? The father? The stork?
Others dispute their numbers as being nonsense. I do not know. No one does, money is fungible, untraceable without lots of non existing accounting. My guess: we can rule out the father as paying for the bulk of the cost over run. (Notice, I have not brought up religion or rape, just who pays.) Why all the turmoil for 3%? It smells. I conclude: We are being lied to.
At the Presidential policy level, I say that every one must pay for their own booze and sex, unless death is probable. That is good enough for next week, the next 80 days. And Akin is not my concern, or very few others.
Full disclosure: I will vote against Obama, in part, because of his abortion, energy and fiscal policies. To me, morally, one is homicide, the others, stupidity and theft.
…….and you know? We haven’t even started with the Ron Paul eruption yet…….
Politics ain’t beanbag and it ain’t for the weak kneed. Note to Ann Coulter et al = don’t call for your guy to step aside unless you know he is going to do it. The Dems would never make that mistake and would defend their guy to the last man. Look what they did with that spooge stain Anthony Weiner. Here they had a actual pervert with the personality of a veneral disease who is married to the bride of Al Qada and they will still eventually resurrect him and elect him to something, maybe mayor of NY City. I actually admire the Democrats for that.
The first rule when you say something indefensibly stupid is to get the subject changed and the best way to do that is to say something equally outrageous but easily defensible and then watch your most extreme enemies fly off the handle. I would call my opponent a baby butchering genocidal bigot and doctor here picture into the one where Margaret Sanger is speaking in front of hooded hooded Klansmen on a stage. Go overboard but make the debate about abortion not rape and make it about eugenics which is what this debate is really about anyway. The rich white women running Planned Parenthood and NOW are no really worried about their daughters reproductive health anyway. They know they will always have access to whatever they want. What they are afraid of id little black babies growing up and having sex with their daughters.
The mainstream republicans need to grow a set of balls on these social issues or they are going to be permanent losers (well maybe it is too late for that). There is no crying in baseball. There is only the law of the jungle. You throw at my guys chin and I guarantee you will be backing out of the batters box before my guy finishes his windup because the catcher is going to setup on his right ear.
“I actually admire the Democrats for that.”
And you disgust me. It looks like you think a body has to remove their own heart and brains both to “grow a set of balls”. A healthy male has all three.
But at the core he is right. Aside from the medical mistake, for which he apologized, everything Akin said was solid and should have been defended. By giving in to bullies we lost these points and make people scared to make them.
We should learn from the Democrats and pivot. Ask about Clinton. Ask about abortion for sex selection. Hang the baby-killer label on the Democratic party. Again and again and again.
Before Roe v Wade most babies born were born to intact families, having a mom of the female DNA type and a dad of the male DNA type, and being born in the US wasn’t a ticket to poverty, ill-health, criminality, short-lifespan, and nigh illiteracy.
Today, a few decades beyond a ruling based on a illegitimate case of rape, that Roe v Wade, just being born in the US is for nearly half of those born here, such a ticket. A ticket to despair, poverty, criminality, illiteracy, ill-health and nearing death a cry to our dear G-d of “Why was I born to live this terrible life!”. Without ever a Dad, with a Mom who struggled and was buried under it. Nigh 80% of the poorest of black children born out of wedlock, and “Hispanics” just almost as high, whites and even Asians falling into the pit of bastard birth at increasing rates not far behind. A guarantee that after 12 years of age, poverty, bad and badder behavior, despair. But the nasty anti-Akin commentators here don’t know of it, it is outside the narrow precincts, the lush precincts in that narrow land in which they conduct their lives.
Dear Joe Hill, you are honest, unblinkingly honest as to what has happened and what is happening. And for it you are ridiculed. Mocked. That is their way.
Only unequivocal and repetitious condemnation of Akin from Romney, Ryan, and the remaining speakers at the Republican Convention, can defeat the damage being committed by Akin with his egomaniacal jaunt.
Akin, and his banner of stupidity, have to be obliterated from the sky.
Yes. They have the audacity of hope, and we have the banality of dope. Who’s going to win that one?
snork;
My friend; I’ve done some “dope” in my time. And it didn’t impair any of my cognitive abilities.
It may look like “dope” to you; And, the antidote to the Obama Regime may appear to be “banal”, but, at least IT IS THE CORRECT COURSE to put our country on.
Romney, nor Ryan, is THE incompetent punk Obama continues, and intends to be.
And to correct the damage the Democrat Party has inflicted on the U.S.A., it is going to take several Conservative administrations to repair the inevitable devastation.
What you people don’t seem to understand is that Akin’s remarks were not some “egomaniacal jaunt.” He just made the classic republican mistake of stating publicly what he and the party actually believes. This can’t be denied.
The view that a woman who has been raped must be forced to give birth to the offspring of her rapist is codified in the party platform in the form of a Constitutional Amendment banning ALL abortion. There are no exceptions in that plank for rape or incest. It is there in plain English, so I suggest you read it.
And the guy you idiots put into the White House voted for unwanted babies to be put into a closet unhelped to cause them to die.
You run with that, go ahead.
Of the two extremist opnions, I know which one sells better if it comes to it.
Yes, tom, keep telling yourself that the “rape baby”position is the one the party should run on. You run with that, go ahead. Good luck kiddo … lol.
The view that a woman who has been raped must be forced to give birth to the offspring of her rapist is codified in the party platform in the form of a Constitutional Amendment banning ALL abortion. There are no exceptions in that plank for rape or incest. It is there in plain English, so I suggest you read it
As with everything else Gullible Wonder says, this is a bare-faced lie. There is nothing in the Republican platform about “banning ALL abortion .. no exceptions for rape and incest”.
Not even close, unfortunately. As long as the GOP includes the abortion culture warrior plank in the platform, they can’t denouce Akin without looking like they’re pandering (which is precisely they would be doing.) The reality is that the GOP needs to unload the so-cons and their culture war issues AS A NATIONAL POLITICAL PARTY.
It’s one thing to support culture war issues at the state level. It simply has no business being an official part of a national party, at least not one that intends to elect majorities and presidents. In 2008 McCain’s messages re energy and jobs and foreign policy was torpedoed by the culture warriors and their gay hatred. In 2012 it will be Akin and — once again!! — abortion that will torpedo the Romney campaign.
I honestly have no idea why this is hard for the right to understand. Culture warrior issues are the kiss of death, distracting from the stuff that needs attention. It’s really that simple.
If you think you can win a national election without the social conservative base and a weak kneed “capitalist” who instituted socialized medicine in his own state you are fool. Worse if you think you can intellectually defend free market capitalism by keeping liberty and the pursuit of happiness but throwing life under the bus then you are a mental lightweight. Life, liberty, and Property stand together or they do not stand at all. Each is necessary for the other two.
This might not be a fight you want to make or the guy you want to make it with but you don’t always get to choose your friends. In the short run and the long run abortion IS a winning issue for conservatives if we truly make the argument and point out the sleezy, twisted, racist eugenics that are at the heart of the pro=abortion movements thinking.
Frankly as a conservative I am getting fed up with the wishy-washy capons the Republican establishment keeps cramming down our throats as candidates. Most of them are nice enough guys but born losers. We are not going to win these national political fights from the middle. We are only going to win them is we treat the American electorate as if they really are adults with fully functioning brains who can digest an honest to God rational argument.
In the short run and the long run abortion IS a winning issue for conservatives if we truly make the argument and point out the sleezy, twisted, racist eugenics that are at the heart of the pro=abortion movements thinking.
You’re astonishingly deluded. Normally I wouldn’t bother with the likes of you, but your attempt at commenting may be instructive for others. I’ll share 3 simple thoughts with the readership herein.
First, there is no “pro-abortion” movement. There is an anti-abortion movement struggling pointlessly to overturn a 40 year old decision, and this group is a bit like a fly — annoying but otherwise powerless. Nobody else, for the most part, really gives a damn or otherwise thinks about abortion unless the kooks (like you) are spouting their ugly anti-women rhetoric, and all that your rhetoric accomplishes is confirmation of your rightful place in the kook column. The more you complain, the dumber you look.
Second, political moderates generally don’t represent well in formats such as this one. Why? They’re not idealogues. Sites like this attract a lot of ideological flies like you. When the RNC “leadership” tries to take the pulse of the membership by looking at sites like this one, what they see is a skewed picture; so-cons are overrepresented *because* they’re idealogues. The moderates are busy doing other things. The “leadership” therefore doesn’t have the benefit of knowing much about what moderates think. Of course with as much anti-abortion dialogue as they see on sites like this, they will perceive a lot more “concern” than actually exists. As a result, the RNC inserts a platform plank regarding abortion in the mistaken assumption that the so-con kook brigade is powerful and influential. Unfortunately for *everyone* this is turning out to be a rather shortsighted assumption. And ultimately, all it takes is one clown like Akin to make it appear that all republicans are knuckle draggers (like you.) Akin can torpedo the Romney candidacy by merely making the majority of the country come to view Romney as a fellow traveler kook (see above.) Abortion certainly isn’t going to win *this* election.
Third, none of you kooks seem to have mastered even a crayon level of understanding of technology. Suppose by some Dante inspired circles of hell nightmare that you imbeciles manage to outlaw abortion and thereby turn women into slaves (i.e. unwilling incubators.) What do you think will happen? I’ll tell you. Women who want to terminate a pregnancy will get on aircraft and fly to a civilised place (i.e. one that isn’t the statist theocracy of our nightmare.) Air travel is a lot cheaper than having kids. In other words, Einstein, you can’t stop abortion; technology all by itself says “all your statist ideaologies are belonging to us.”
In sum: the long and short of things is that abortion is a LOSING issue, one that cannot be won even if you guys in the kook brigade were to somehow outlaw it. There is no possible winning position. You lose. Deal with it.
I’d modify that a little, but your conclusion is correct. The pro-life movement needs to have it’s Gramsci moment. They need to understand that this isn’t a political controversy, it’s a cultural controversy. And as Gramsci correctly concluded in the 1920s, you can’t win the political battle without winning the cultural battle first. A pro-life movement that wants to succeed need to understand that they need a multi-generational march through the institutions. They need to do what the communists have done. Anything short of that is guaranteed to crash and burn.
Trying to run on abortion as an issue now is like trying to run as a communist in 1960. It just won’t fly. But spend 50 years working through the institutions, and you can run a communist in all but name for president and win. They did it. That’s the only way the pro-life movement can win. If it happens, none of us are going to be alive to see it.
Get rid of this fool Akin now. He’s doing about as much good for the GOP now as McGovern did for the donks in 1972.
The McCain wing of the party tells me I am deluded – like they know anything at all about winning elections or changing minds. They think because they believe in nothing, neither life nor real free market capitalism that their inoffensiveness will endear them to the electorate. Then they get thoroughly trounced by a little America hating commie bastard and the dumbest senator to grace the halls of Washington in several generations and don’t know why.
They think because they believe in nothing, neither life nor real free market capitalism that their inoffensiveness will endear them to the electorate.
Unsurpisingly you never addressed anything of substance, instead doing the (usually leftist) statist thing and slinging wild accusations. I’ll address your accusations, however; I’m between tasks for a few minutes.
First, moderates may not be idealogues, but this doesn’t imply that moderates don’t believe in things. They/we simply aren’t wedded to *your* pet beliefs. Generally moderates lean socially liberal. We’re OK with gays getting married. We think this right and proper. We don’t necessarily like abortion, but we’re even more reluctant to enslave women as incubators as a cure. And so on.
Second, moderates lean fiscally conservative. On the other hand phrases like “free market capitalism” and “smaller government” are intellectually bankrupt bumper sticker mentality nonsense slogans and little more. One teensy example as to why: nuclear power. You don’t want the keys to that much potential damage in the hands of “pure free market capitalists.” To properly safeguard the public and guarantee that standards are upheld takes government. And this means government growth. Another example: aircraft. You simply can’t let each state decide what is safe to fly, what maintenance needs to be done, etc and expect the system to work. That means government oversight. The government grows with each technical advance that affects the public. The government can’t get “smaller” unless you whack programs. (Do I agree that there are programs that deserve to be terminated? Of course!) But overall as technology progresses the trajectory demands more government.
Third, the GOP is the party of government investment and has been for your entire existence. Ike was president when the interstates were created; this was a republican triumph that brought untold wealth and benefit to most of the citizens. The interstates also created… what? Test time! Why, larger government, of course. It was republican investment that kick started aviation, the computer revolution, GPS… the list goes on. But it’s the republican MODERATES who are creating this wealth. It’s not the loony bible beating social conservatives nor the tea party “self appointed constitutional experts” who are responsible. All these clowns can do is stop progress in their misguided attempt to live by their bumper sticker slogans.
In short, sparky, the fact that you have a computer and an internet to bitch about the RINOs with is the direct result of RINO moderates having been in charge. It’s not cute that you feel the need to show such disrespect to your betters. It’s unbecoming.
I really do not feel better or safer having government inspect nuclear power plants or air planes. In fact here is a little factoid to chew on – to date a government is the only entity that has used atomic energy to deliberately kill people and almost the only ones to use airplanes to kill people. In fact in both the history of mankind and the USA governments including ours have used their expressed monopoly on the use of force to kill more of their own citizens than foreign citizens.
Fact is I would be very happy if my government would stick to killing my enemies, building a few roads, and making sure nobody foreign or domestic including my own mother crushes my skull, dismembers me and flushes me down the to toilet. Call me selfish because I don’t want to die for someone elses’ mistake or someone elses’ crime but that is the way I am.
But of course you are so sophisticated that you know that a GS13 content to spend his entire career is a dismal government office and bureaucracy is way more concerned about the safety of a nuclear power plant and informed enough about its operation to make the operating rules for it than say the people who own it and have hundreds of millions of dollars invested in it. In fact those bureaucrats are so concerned and competent at rule making that some hopped up pill popping painter with girlfriend problems who wanted off work early just set a nuclear submarine on fire. http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jul/23/nation/la-na-nn-nuclear-submarine-fire-20120723
Yeah bigger government is the answer if the question is how to I set $450 million on fire. But what the heck its more Bacon Davis “prevailing wage” pork for lazy incompetent rent seeking big government fans like yourself.
By the way while we are on the subject of all the glorious things that big government RINOs have brought could you spend a few minutes extolling the virtues of George W Bush’s two greatest contribution to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness the Transportation Safety Administration and Chief Justice John Roberts, a RINO moderate so immoderately confused that he wrote both the majority and minority opinions in the biggest case that has come before the court in the last60 years.
By God what would we do without balless RINO moderates to show us the way. You folks are the Jüdische Ghetto-Polizei of American politics.
Patty Murray has Obama beat 15 ways from Christmas in the dumb department, and so does Babs Boxer. And several others, including Joe Biden.
You would possibly be a little more convincing to us morons after you get over your superiority complex. Well, not likely, but you might want to try anyway. ABO2012
We need to pick up both the Missouri Senate seat and the office of the President. The skates are too high to achieve anything less.
I know what you are sayin’;
My skates are hard enough at the normal level!
Akin wants pregnant women whose live are endangered to DIE! That’s what wrong with Akin and his ilk here! WE DON’T WANT REPUBLICANS WHO ARE SO ‘PRINCIPLED’ AS TO LACK SCRUPLES. Kill an innocent life to save and innocent life – Old Testament Values uber alles!
Just a bit of hyperbole but it is the case that women’s reproductive rights trump any & all arguments against choice. JMO.
Akin supporters are willing to lose the war simply to fight an unnecessary battle over “fairness”. Your struggle for fairness may very well help you sleep better at night….until Nov 7th when that fool McCracksill is reelected and we miss our chance to win the senate.
I don’t know Todd Akin, and honestly, I had never heard of him before he ran for the senate. He may be a great guy and staunch conservative, but he is also something else – a typical, selfish politician that puts his own career and personal gain above what is best for the country. Todd Akin put Todd Akin in this position; he shot himself in the foot, nobody set him up or took anything out of context. His refusal to do the honorable thing, refusing to act with with courage and conviction illustrates his true colors.
IF he stays in the race and loses, allowing this fool to retain her seat and for democrats to retain control over the senate, Todd Akin should FOREVER scourged and forever banished from conservative politics. If he wants to salvage his career, do the honorable thing and step aside, for our country.
….should be FOREVER scourged…..
“But his continued presence in the race will provide fodder for the Democrats to change the subject and keep the GOP candidates off message”
GOP candidates should throw the subject right back in Dems faces by reminding them how Obama has been not only extreme but also unapologetic in voting for medical providers to kill babies that survive an abortion. Then move on to the no jobs, too big government, too much regulation, etc. legacy of Obama and his cronies.
GOP candidates should throw the subject right back in Dems faces by reminding them how Obama has been not only extreme but also unapologetic in voting for medical providers to kill babies that survive an abortion.
So, you advocate they throw Akins’ idiotic abortion mention right back at the democrats by whinging even more about abortion?
There are three types of people: those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who have no clue. That last group includes YOU.
Everyone knows that a woman can “give up” their rapist’s baby, which would also be the rape victim’s baby by the way. The question is whether or not the rape victim should be legally required to produce the rapist’s baby and then not be able to keep her own baby and “give up” the rapist’s baby at the same time. You can’t very well cut the baby in half. Why shouldn’t a woman be able to decide who her baby’s father is, or at least have some choice? Now if the woman waits until she has been pregnant for quite a few months that’s a different situation, but if she wants to terminate the creation of a baby before there even is a baby by taking the “Morning after” pill or get an abortion just as soon as she can why should she not be able to? Why should she be forced to go ahead a create a baby with a rapist, and not just any rapist but the rapist who raped her, because some proclaim they know it to be G_d’s will and that G_d says even a day after the sperm meets the egg, it’s a baby? This is so wrong and so illogical it is absolutely astounding.
So you have some Divine revelation telling you it isn’t a baby? Are you aware of the recent ethicists’ paper saying that if abortion is OK, so is infanticide, which the Romans were fine with?
Since there is no logical place to put the line, put it at the beginning, because human life is of ultimate value.
I don’t know about MO, but I know in at least some states any woman can give up her baby for adoption, no questions asked. (I’ll take it.) The baby is aa victim, which was what Akin said in the next paragraph. Americans don’t blame victims.
No reason and no logic is involved with this, FG. There is only hope G_d can and will forgive though mortal men cannot. And a brick crushing in a small head to start the drama……..
Todd, do the right thing for Missouri, the nation, and yourself, and step down before it is too late. Clair’s seat was to be a slam dunk, but now she looks like a winner with you staying in the race. You will have to live with yourself with a big loss if you stay in the race. Do the right thing and you will be a hero.
Me conservative.
I think one of the problems is that both MaCaskill and Akin are both dealing with dimished intellectual capacity. Both represent Missouri poorly.
Now they are in the race to stroke their own egos. Neither of them to my recall have done anything I can think of that would better my life.
It would be best for Akin to drop out. I have watched his “forgiveness ad” and remained unmoved. His heart is not in it. MaCaskill is just another part of the Democrat-Carnahan-Hearns sleezely political group that have held Missourians in low esteem while raking in gobs of their dollars.
Karl Rove on Monday predicted Rep. Todd Akin will lose by the widest margin of any Republican candidate in modern history if he remains in his Missouri Senate race against Sen. Claire McCaskill.
Dude. It’s over. Pull the plug.
Interesting. To Cynical Wonder and Jaycen.
Are one and the same?
Ah, the old “you sound like someone else, so I get to claim you’re the same person and ignore any of your logical debating points” argument. Classic.
Hey, Mr. Lucky. Are you the same person as snork and FeralCat?
Ever notice that Satan and Santa are never in a picture together? They have the same letters in their names. They both where red and black? Coincidence?
No debate put forth here. Just a simple question. And unanswered, with quite a bit of avoidance window dressing, for all to see.
No, I post only as myself. Simple. Honest.
Come on Jaycen. So are you one and the same? Can’t go there? Yes or no. Why? “Classic”.
Seems you know this place quite well for a new comer. “Classic”. And where is Cynical Wonder?
Now disappear.
How long have you been posting on PJM under the name Jaycen, hot shot?
In reality, this was not some small-bore gaffe
Bullsh1t!!!
In reality, this was not some small-bore gaffe, the kind of thing Joe Biden commits every time he speaks. Akin used an obnoxious characterization of rape, “legitimate” (as opposed to illegitimate rape?), and then tossed in some junk science about how the female body allegedly “shuts this stuff down” to avoid pregnancy after the rape occurs. There was a callousness to the comment, in addition to the ignorance.
When PJM made the decision to be an outlet representing Jews to conservatives rather than conservatives to Jews, remarks like this were inevitable.
You see the consequences of that decision in all sorts of ways here at PJM, including the editorial decision to endorse open borders. For America – not for Israel of course.
What the HELL are you talking about? Judaism prohibits abortion-on-demand. I’m pro-life because I’m Jewish. Where do you think Christinaity got it from?
Why doesn’t someone ask keynote speaker Bill Clinton, his opinion on “legitimate rape”. Be nice to hear from Paula Jones on that. And Juanita Broderick. And Kathleen Wiley
Yes, precisely. And ask every Democrat about abortion for sex selection. Why can’t we pivot? Why didn’t the stupid national conservative movement bother talking to anyone in Missouri?
And why are they running away from the very serious points – aside from the medical mistake – that Akin made. What are we, a bunch of illogical Leftists under the skin?