Akin asks for forgiveness in campaign ad

Rep. Todd Akin, R-Mo., and his wife, Lulli, talk with reporters at the Missouri State Fair. Photo by The Associated Press.

By The Associated Press, News Tribune

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

The Todd Akin campaign released a new advertisement today titled "Forgiveness." The Akin campaign reports it's taking his apology for his controversial comments about rape to the airwaves in Missouri. (See the video below.)

Akin spent Monday trying to salvage his once-promising bid against incumbent Democrat Claire McCaskill in a race long targeted by the GOP as crucial to regaining control of the Senate. But ominous signs were mounting against the six-term legislator from suburban St. Louis, mostly notably the apparent loss of millions of dollars in campaign advertising money.

Akin went on two conservative radio shows Monday, pledging to keep the campaign alive, even as some people in his own party urged him to step aside.

The decision has some urgency. Missouri election law allows candidates to withdraw 11 weeks before Election Day. That means the deadline to exit the Nov. 6 election is 5 p.m. Tuesday. Otherwise, a court order would be needed to remove a name from the ballot.

"I was told the decision has to be made by 5 tomorrow, but I was calling you and letting you know that I'm announcing today that we're in," Akin told radio host Sean Hannity.

In a radio interview with former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, Akin repeatedly apologized for the remarks but also vowed to stay in the race.

"The good people of Missouri nominated me, and I'm not a quitter," Akin said.

The uproar began Sunday, when St. Louis television station KTVI aired an interview in which Akin was asked if he would support abortions for women who have been raped.

"It seems to me, 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," Akin said.

Later Sunday, Akin released a statement saying that he "misspoke" during the interview.

In the interviews with Huckabee and Hannity, he apologized repeatedly, acknowledging that rape can lead to conception.

"Rape is never legitimate. It's an evil act. It's committed by violent predators," Akin said. "I used the wrong words the wrong way."

Akin issued a press release this morning announcing the new campaign ad, with a link to the ad being hosted at YouTube.

Video

Todd Akin's apology ad

More like this story

seeno 10 months ago

What the Frack! This guy is on the U.S. House of Representative Committee on Science and Technology.

newone 10 months ago

He just handed McCaskill her win. What an idi*t!

Silverado_Phil 10 months ago

Read this article concerning Akin's source: w*w.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/akin-appears-to-have-picked-up-conclusions-from-article-now/article_f267f02f-c9eb-515d-9a42-201de9b92d64.html

seeno 10 months ago

Totally Ludicrous!!!! If this is where Akin's got his idea about rape then I'm exceeding glad to see the blinders pulled back. What a sick mind Fred Mecklenburg must have. It's enough to make you want to puke.

dokeus6 10 months ago

With so much information at your fingertips in today's digital society, there is no place for forgiveness of such ignorance and arrogance. It is survival of the fittest. Todd your mouth got you in wayyyyy over your head.

GrumpyGus 10 months ago

He was the dimmest of the two dimwits in the primary...McCaskill knew it and threw money at his campaign. Of course she couldn't win based on her vote for Obamacare or her other half-brained votes, but she knew she had to find an opponent who made her look smart by comparison. The third primary candidate would have mopped the floor with her.

newone 10 months ago

I have to agree with you, McCaskill would have and should have been gone but this is who the Republican's voted to represent them, doesn't speak well for them that is for sure. And what gets me is that he says he choose the wrong words which tells us that he isn’t sorry for what he said and that he still believes in what he says he just should have used different words to get his point across, shame on him!

dokeus6 10 months ago

Don't forget people vote for who they feel represents their interests.

The Republicans of this state voted to put this man to represent our state.

Shows the rest of the country how narrow minded and ignorant the conservative bible thumping republicans in this state are.

Silverado_Phil 10 months ago

Sorry, but I have to disagree why people vote for who they did vote for. Sometimes its name recognition and other times its the lesser of the evils. Not because the person represents their interests. That's why candidates spend big bucks just to get their name recognized.

asb 10 months ago

I dunno Phil, name recognition and lesser of evils both give a candidate a leg up in the Who Best Represents Me contest, even if the winner brings up my lunch.

GrumpyGus 10 months ago

Name calling will get you nowhere doke...but I guess thats all ya got. The Dems are just lucky Akin won the primary. He was the only one that made McCaskill look effective in any way.

dokeus6 10 months ago

Stupid is as stupid does Gus.

I guess the truth hurts.

JCLifer 10 months ago

The democrats crossed over in the primary and voted for Aiken and for Kinder to get easier competition for the demo candidates. Neither one of these doofusses could have won any other way.

asb 10 months ago

Mr Akin asks the public for forgiveness, and I wonder what he's asking of the GOP for bowing out? What would the Koch Brothers pay him to make a quick exit? Legally of course. Who will the Missouri GOP bosses put on the November ballot? Sarah Pali . . . er, Steelman? Oh joy; catfight! Actually I'm amazed the national GOP pulled their support and money so quickly . . . Akin could've been healed by a top spinmeister and actually made into a poster child for the pending battle over abortion. There is yet room on the Right and a contrite Akin, with his words more carefully chosen, could be the voice of total opposition to abortion and any other woman-based government activity, all while keeping the presidential ticket free of the stench.

tonto_goldberg 10 months ago

This presents a unique opportunity for some GOP candidates to pander to women by piling on Akin. Thinking something is one thing, but saying it is unforgiveable when it might cost you some votes. That seems to be what it comes down to.

GrumpyGus 10 months ago

tg...nope, most conservatives don't share Akin's point of view on this. We're typically just not for abortion to cover up an unwanted pregnancy following un/under-protected consensual sex. I'm pandering to the collective human conscience with this point of view, not just women. Wanting more life in this world is not a bad thing...

tonto_goldberg 10 months ago

That's the way it looks to me, so help me out here, Gus. A no-exception ban on abortion is part of the GOP presidential campaign platform. Do conservatives not want to talk about the details?

tonto_goldberg 10 months ago

The Koch Brothers (Americans for Prosperity) and the National Republican Campaign Committee have stopped advertising on Akin's behalf - at least they announced they had stopped. It would be difficult to find any other meaning in that than "Quit, quit now, go away, and stop embarrassing us!"

John 10 months ago

This really does need to be put into perspective. Akin spoke and, while speaking, said something stupidly. He was trying, I believe, to share his beliefs and did not go far enough to explain what he meant.

He based his comments about the medical portion of his reply upon a 1972 medical report that was contested and generally accepted as invalid. Okay, his medical knowledge is lacking severly.

I believe the "legitimate rape" comment was meant to define forcible rape from statutory rape (often consensual) and from the "Oh my goodnes! What did I do and what am I going to tell my folks?" crowd. It does not matter whether you agree with this or not, the law has to deal with making this kind of decision every day; "Was it really rape or is it a case of conscience?" He stated his views badly, the election will out.

He is obviously a man who believes that ANY abortion should be illegal. Instead of simply stating this and saying it is his position on abortion and (perhaps) a decision he has made based upon his faith, he tried to explain it away. Upon matters of faith, this attempt often goes awry.

It is ironic that many are quick to say that Gore's claim to have invented the internet or the gaffes from EVERY politician and public speaker, regardless of genre, should be accepted as just that, gaffes, and yet they are unwilling to give that kind of forgiveness to Akin.

tonto_goldberg 10 months ago

Nope. He meant what he said and he said what he meant. The "Apology" and the "Begging Forgiveness" are his third and fourth efforts to redefine his spoken comments. The first one was "misspoke" and the second was "a word in the wrong place". He got busy trying to backtrack only after the national GOP started to desert him.

John, there is a plank in the GOP presidential campaign platform for a no-exceptions ban on abortions, and Akin's comment was a premature volley in the battle to justify it.

John 10 months ago

I do not know how you can write what you did. You have now way of knowing what he meant. "Misspoke" is simply another word to use in explaining what someone on here typed as, "a slip of the tongue." It is obvious you do not like Akin and will find a way (as will all people) to make your point and further your position. However, it is patently obvious you are not him and have no way of knowing his thoughts, only his words. As I previously wrote, you are quick to explain away gaffes from liberals but not from conservatives.

As far as the plank in the GOP platform: that in no way is in disagreement with what I wrote. Whether you agree or disagree with the stance on abortion, it is out there, a lot folks believe that is the way it should be.

tonto_goldberg 10 months ago

John, I can write what I did because I looked at Akin's history of pronouncements on this topic. What he said was a little more crude but entirely consistent with that history. You could do the same and if you find something different, please let us all know.

him 10 months ago

Turns out you are correct on what he meant by "legitimate rape". And don't forget about Biden saying in front of a black audience the comment about putting them back in chains just last week.

jcguy25 10 months ago

It's the fact that he is stupid enough in 2012 to even attempt to back up his view based on a 40 year old medical report, that makes him a definite wrong choice. Seriously, with all the technical advances in medicine and information on the web and he's trying to use a report that old. Unfortunately, people will still be voting for him. He could swear the earth is flat and they'd still vote for him. The RNC is mad because it brings to light their plank on abortion also makes no exceptions for rape or incest. Not what they want when they are trying to garner the votes of women.

asb 10 months ago

This was only a gaffe in the choice of specific words. It was a clear statement of why he would exclude rape as an reason for abortion. Exactly how rape isn't a good reason to abort isn't the issue, it's his belief, and that of the language drafted for the GOP platform, that rape isn't a good reason. It's not a gaffe, it's a scientifically nonsensical choice of words to express the greater issue . . . rape is no excuse. That is what the argument will turn on, and he said it and meant it. The GOP and the Koch's will call his bluff and then start paying for his ads again. This is the religion-based issue that the monied have tied themselves to, and they cannot make it go away any more than a business party in Pakistan can ignore the Taliban, they've made that bed and now must sleep in it and cuddle up to it, forcibly or joyfully. This is the price paid for courting fundamentalist forces. And I'd add that if his science gibber is based on a 40 year old study debunked at its publication, Mr. Akin would be one of the last people I'd sit down to a committee table about science, but again, the further to the right and faith-based politics we go, the harder it will be to find competent people to put at that table.

seeno 10 months ago

I agree. But if conservatives really believed this about women who have been raped and got pregnant, they would support free prenatal care for them, provide material care for the women,counseling for the women as needed,food stamps, and medical care for the children. In fact, they should demand it.

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