By Erin Matson, NOW Action Vice President
“From what I understand from doctors [pregnancy as a result of rape] is really rare. If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.” – Rep. Todd Akin, who is currently running as the Republican candidate for Senate in Missouri.
Rep. Akin is not fit for public service. This isn’t a blooper. An apology or retraction is not sufficient, although by now Rep. Akin has given a backhanded one where he said he even knows some rape victims, and he plans to stay in the Senate race.
Rep. Akin is not fit for public service. Mitt Romney has called for him to apologize. Scott Brown has called for him to step out of the race. President Obama made the rare step to walk into a White House press briefing today and say you can’t just make stuff up, and, “Rape is rape.”
Rep. Akin is not fit for public service. This is bigger than an important election we all care about very much, although it is legitimate to hold a political party that tolerates this behavior accountable — nationwide. Rape culture, hatred of women and the junk science of the anti-abortion rights movement have no place in public policy. Currently, Rep. Akin is on the House Science committee.