Month: August 2012
McCaskill Responds to Idiotic Akin Rape Gaffe
It is beyond comprehension that someone can be so ignorant about the emotional and physical trauma brought on by rape. The ideas that Todd Akin has expressed about the serious crime of rape and the impact on its victims are offensive.
— Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO), in a statement on her rival’s controversial position on abortion.
Romney Campaign Tries to Cover Up Paul Ryan’s Position on Abortion, Denies He Advocates Banning Abortion for Rape Victims
A campaign statement that neither Mitt Romney nor Representative Paul D. Ryan opposes abortion in rape cases contradicts Mr. Ryan’s earlier position on the issue.
The statement was issued late Sunday in response to a widely condemned comment earlier in the day by Representative Todd Akin, the Republican Senate nominee from Missouri, that in cases of what he called “legitimate rape,’’ women’s bodies reject a pregnancy. Mr. Akin was explaining why he opposes abortion in the case of rape.
“Governor Romney and Congressman Ryan disagree with Mr. Akin’s statement, and a Romney-Ryan administration would not oppose abortion in instances of rape,’’ a Romney campaign spokeswoman, Amanda Henneberg, wrote.
Reporter at Right-Leaning Politico Agrees with Tea Party’s Akin That ‘Legitimate Rape’ Rarely Leads to Pregnancy
Politico reporter Dave Catanese took to Twitter to defend comments made by Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.) about rape.
“Poor phrasing, but if you watch the intv @ToddAkin meant to convey that there’s less chance of getting pregnant if raped,” he said…
Catanese tweeted that Akin’s comments, while poorly phrased, were worth discussing.
“So perhaps some can agree that all rapes that are reported are not actually rapes? Or are we gonna really deny that for PC sake?” he said. “So looks like he meant to say — ‘If a woman was REALLY raped, it’s statistically less likely for her to get pregnant.’ What’s the science?”
Huffington Post cites data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showing that 32,000 women are impregnated by rapists every year.
Paul Ryan Co-Sponsored ‘Forcible Rape’ Bill Last Year with Missouri Tea Party Senate Candidate Rep. Todd ‘Legitimate Rape’ Akin
AKIN: Well you know, people always want to try to make that as one of those things, well how do you, how do you slice this particularly tough sort of ethical question. First of all, from what I understand from doctors, that’s really rare. If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.
But let’s assume that maybe that didn’t work or something. I think there should be some punishment, but the punishment ought to be on the rapist and not attacking the child.
This was not a gaffe. It reflects a policy position, and Akin — who is running to unseat Sen. Claire McCaskill — is not alone in advocating misogynistic views on rape. Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan co-sponsored the bill with Akin last year that introduced the term “forcible rape” into the political lexicon:
Romney Was Arrested for Disorderly Conduct in 1981
According to what Romney told the Boston Globe in 1994, he had taken his family off to Wayland, Mass.’s Lake Cochituate, about an hour outside Boston, for a summer excursion. As Romney prepared to put his family boat into the water, a park officer told Romney not to launch because his license appeared to have been painted over. The officer told Romney if he put his boat into the water he would face a $50 fine.
Breaking: Tea Baggers Steeped (Naked? OMG!) in the Sea of Galilee
This story is too great to believe — but it’s the sometimes right-leaning Politico breaking it, so we must.
Hooo-weee.
The FBI probed a late-night swim in the Sea of Galilee that involved drinking, numerous GOP freshmen lawmakers, top leadership staff – and one nude member of Congress, according to more than a dozen sources, including eyewitnesses…
During a fact-finding congressional trip to the Holy Land last summer, Rep. Kevin Yoder (R-Kan.) took off his clothes and jumped into the sea…
These GOP sources confirmed the following freshmen lawmakers also went swimming that night: Rep. Steve Southerland (R-Fla.) and his daughter; Rep. Tom Reed (R-N.Y.) and his wife; Reps. Ben Quayle (R-Ariz.), Jeff Denham (R-Calif.) and Michael Grimm (R-N.Y.). Many of the lawmakers who ventured into the ocean said they did so because of the religious significance of the waters. Others said they were simply cooling off after a long day. Several privately admitted that alcohol may have played a role in why some of those present decided to jump in.
The Sea of Galilee, a Christian holy site, is where Jesus is said in the Bible to have walked on water.
The story is well reported by Jake Sherman and John Bresnahan, so please read it from the source.
Rep. Todd Akin: Rape Won’t Make You Pregnant
Meet the man running for U.S. Senate from Missouri against Sen. Claire McCaskill (D). You’ve heard he’s very far right. You’ve heard he’s backed by the tea party. But have you heard that Rep. Todd Akin is nuts? You have now.
Akin’s bizarre theory that the female body has a way of guarding against pregnancy in cases of “legitimate” rape is just wacko. What way might that be, Todd? Does it secrete natural spermicides? Does the uterus jump out of the way of the incoming sperm? Does the female brain send a signal to the uterine wall to sneeze? Break it down for us.
In fact, about 5 percent of rapes of women of childbearing age and ability in the United States annually leave the victim pregnant. Notice I just said, “rape,” not “forcible rape,” or “legitimate rape,” or as Akin might put it, “real rape.”
Why are some men trying to pass laws about what women can and can’t do when they have no more understanding of women than a 12-year-old?
h/t to TPM
Fast Forward
Can’t we just skip to the part where Obama’s halfway through his second term and Paul Ryan’s on Dancing With the Stars?
@TheDailyEdge, on Twitter
Paul Ryan Was a Vocal Advocate for Bush’s Stimulus Bills: ‘You Have to Spend a Little to Grow a Little,’ He Said in 2002
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Last week Congressman Paul Ryan was caught lying about the fact that after he voted against the stimulus bill he requested at least $25 million in stimulus funding for his district. Now, via Huffington Post, we learn that in 2002 he was a strong advocate of Republican efforts to pass George Bush’s stimulus bills:
