I figured if Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin stuck to his guns, all the Republicans who loudly withdrew their support after his heinous “legitimate rape” comments would come slinking back. And sure enough, they did. Yesterday, after he waited out the final deadline for withdrawal, the National Republican Senate Committee changed its tune.
Here’s the party line in August:
“This is undoubtedly a difficult time for Congressman Akin, but the stakes in this election are far bigger than any one individual. By staying in this race, Congressman Akin is putting at great risk many of the issues that he and others in the Republican Party are fighting for, including the repeal of ObamaCare.
“It should not be lost on anyone that some of the only voices not calling for Congressman Akin to do the right thing and step aside are Claire McCaskill and the leaders of the pro-abortion movement. Senator McCaskill knows that the only way she wins re-election is if Todd Akin is her opponent in November.
“We continue to hope that Congressman Akin will do the right thing for the values he holds dear, but there should be no mistake – if he continues with this misguided campaign, it will be without the support and resources of the NRSC.” [emphasis mine]
Note the primary concern has nothing to do with Akin’s magical thinking re: rape and pregnancy. It’s all about the fear that Claire McCaskill would beat Akin like a drum. And, since Akin is now their candidate, like it or not, here’s the new statement:
“There is no question that for Missourians who believe we need to stop the reckless Washington spending, rein-in the role of government in people’s lives, and finally focus on growing jobs in this country, that Todd Akin is a far more preferable candidate than liberal Sen. Claire McCaskill,” NRSC executive director Rob Jesmer said. “As with every Republican Senate candidate, we hope Todd Akin wins in November, and we will continue to monitor this race closely in the days ahead.”
Continue to monitor, huh?
I suppose that gives them some wiggle room just in case Akin says something else stupid. Oh look – he already did:
“I think we have a very clear path to victory, and apparently Claire McCaskill thinks we do, too, because she was very aggressive at the debate, which was quite different than it was when she ran against Jim Talent,” Akin said. “She had a confidence and was much more ladylike (in 2006), but in the debate on Friday she came out swinging, and I think that’s because she feels threatened.”
She’s threatened? Sounds to me like the man who thinks he’s an expert on ladyparts is scared to death of an actual woman. I know some Republicans want to move us back to the 1950s, but apparently Todd Akin thinks he’s already living there. He may know even less about manners than he does about biology.
Perhaps for their next debate he will demand that she wear a Sunday hat and white gloves.
ROUZER: When we get [Romney and Ryan] in you are going to see a big change, you’re going to see number one that America is going to be respected again around the world. You’re going to see all this turmoil that’s taking place, you’re going to see them look up and say guess what, the American people have spoken and maybe we need to cut it out a little bit, maybe we need to tone it down a little bit, because now we have real men in the White House.