Todd Akin made a statement relying upon outdated scientific material. He said that pregnancy from a rape was rare because of what a woman’s body does during the trauma of a “legitimate rape.” People pounced on the allegation that women rarely get pregnant from a rape and the term of “legitimate.”
Perhaps Candidate Akin should have verified his information, but at least he didn’t pull that belief out of nowhere and put it out there to simply support his position. He was going on an actual scientific study that had once been put out there as verified fact. He had every reason to believe his information was accurate. When he found out differently — he admitted so.
As for the term “legitimate rape”… people knew what he meant, or should have. He wasn’t trying to downplay the horrors of rape or insult victims. He said that pregnancy resulting from rape was rare, not that it never happened. Therefore, it shouldn’t have been considered another case of the victimizing the victim. At worse, it was merely poorly chosen words in this nit-pick society we have become.
Akin may have relied upon outdated material, but it was once the current medical findings. He may have used the wrong adjective and set the world on fire. However, it was Claire McCaskill that has shown her true colors over this matter.
On August 21st and updated September 4, 2012, KCTV5 reported:
> U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill said Tuesday that her GOP opponent should be given the benefit of the doubt about his unfortunate choice of words.
The Kansas City news channel quoted McCaskill as saying:
> “Congressman Akin and I disagree on some things, but he is sincere,” McCaskill said. “And while I disagree with what he said, he has now, just in the last few hours, really apologized for what he said.”
Claire McCaskill was being fair and calling for others to be as well, right?
On September 26, 2012, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, published “Todd Akin moves forward as Claire McCaskill deepens attack with ‘legitimate rape’ ad”, which says in part:
> McCaskill, meanwhile, wasted no time in opening up on Akin over his controversial comments last month on rape and pregnancy, now that she can do so without fear of driving him off the ballot and getting a new opponent.
> “Todd Akin said only some rapes are legitimate,” an announcer says in a McCaskill ad, marking her campaign’s first real foray into an issue that has rocked the national political landscape. “What will he say next?”
Claire McCaskill said her opponent really apologized and should be given the benefit of the doubt. Well, apparently she meant “only” until she was sure he wasn’t going to bow out of the race. Now, she seems to want us to doubt him and the misstatement has become something for her to attack him for.
Akin may have said it poorly, but at least he said what he believed to be true. McCaskill? Well, it looks like what she says is not always what she believes, but hey, this is politics, isn’t it? Fight dirty and hope the people are too dumbed-down to see what is going on right in front of them.
Oh, and next time Claire tells you something, you might want to wait a few days and find out what she is saying then. After all, the Akin situation does show the dangers of trusting Claire McCaskill, the honorable appearing candidate today, but the real politician tomorrow — not so much so.
