Did Akin misspeak in a cringe-worthy way? Yes. And Republicans immediately piled on and made it a thousand times worse than it had to be.

butterflies and puppies on September 7, 2012 at 8:05 PM

No, that’s simply not true. The GOP did not make it worse. Akin made it worse. The national GOP did what they had to do to keep his mistake from tainting every other GOP race in the nation. What Akin said was that bad, and his “apologies” merely confirmed that a) he meant to say what he said in the first place and b) still has no idea why it was so awful. Anyone who says he still has a shot and/or that what he said wasn’t so bad, is in a huge amount of denial.

Just how do you come up with a name to replace him a this point? How can that be done FAIRLY and how it can it be done DEMOCRATICALLY?

One option would be to go with the guy who got the next highest number of votes.

Or – do the Washington DC GOP Ayatollahs just get to “dictate” who will represent the Republican voters of Missouri?

No, the Missouri GOP “Ayatollahs” get to make that decision. It’s the rules according to a statute that was adopted by a democratically-elected Missouri legislature.

And the Conservative Slaves with applaud them when they OVERTURN the results of a primary election that Akin fairly won!

Akin fairly won 36% of the Republican primary vote. 64% of the primary voters didn’t choose him. His claim to a mandate of the voters is extremely far-fetched. (Yes, we’re now going to push for a runoff rule a la Texas to avoid this situation in the future.)

You guy’s will applaud them because you’re so desperate for victory you’ll compromise every principle you have – including the principle that candidates should be determined by the electorate. Once you’ve crossed that line brothers – YOU ARE IN IRAN.

HondaV65 on September 7, 2012 at 11:55 PM

Er, no. The provisions for him leaving the ballot were created in an open and democratic process. There is no time now to have another primary. But there is nothing sacred about the process that put Akin there. It’s not like he took 60% of the vote. He only received a small plurality of the primary vote, and most of the people who say they’ll vote for him this fall still want him to withdraw. This is what the people want.

Remember, he gave up his safe House seat to run for the Senate nomination, and he won it fair and square. If he drops out now, he is out of a job in January – and so are all his staff members, the congressional staff in DC, the home district office staff, and all the campaign staff (who would at least have had jobs through the election).

That is a lot of people to put out of work at one time over one line in one interview.

Adjoran on September 7, 2012 at 7:03 PM

They’re already out of a job. Akin has lost this race. It’s just going to take 60 more days to confirm it. Boo hoo for the soon-to-be-jobless, but I hear there’s a lot of that going around.

Akin is beyond saving. The goal is to save the prospect of a GOP senate majority. And since the objections to Akin are entirely personal, not ideological, in nature, any other Republican has a better chance of winning that race than Akin.

and cast the 60th vote for his signature boondoggle.

For this and the double-dipping with her airplane she MUST go, whatever it will take.

Missouri deserve better than this harlot.

If he’s still in the race on September 25, his name will be on the ballot in November. Tick tock.

Just how do you come up with a name to replace him a this point? How can that be done FAIRLY and how it can it be done DEMOCRATICALLY?

Or – do the Washington DC GOP Ayatollahs just get to “dictate” who will represent the Republican voters of Missouri?

Of course – we KNOW they will!

And the Conservative Slaves with applaud them when they OVERTURN the results of a primary election that Akin fairly won!

You guy’s will applaud them because you’re so desperate for victory you’ll compromise every principle you have – including the principle that candidates should be determined by the electorate. Once you’ve crossed that line brothers – YOU ARE IN IRAN.

Which is EXACTLY why I call the GOP elites “Ayatollahs”. In Iran – the Ayatollahs get to decide who’s on the ballot – here in the GOP – it’s the same old fu***** thing!

butterflies and puppies on September 7, 2012 at 8:05 PM

Well said.

So at this point, I think when this guy wins and some say he just may, the GOP is gonna be real sorry when he’s the swing vote in the senate and they run to kiss his aasss then and find it not available (unacceptable for a dem, so that’ll be the test;).

I wouldn’t blame him for saying “eff you people” but then again a good person would do what’s right for his constituents, not politically …..but of course that’s not the case anymore, or at least isn’t until 2010 came along and we all started paying attention to these people 20/7 because like all criminals they have to be on a short leash.

aunursa on September 7, 2012 at 7:58 PM

It would be in less jeopardy if he had the funds to compete. Kind of hard to argue that he should step down because it is the right thing to do when the Party has abandoned pretty much the rest of the right thing to do items on its platform, dontcha think? But hey, if the filibuster keeps Obamacare around by one vote, at least you showed Akin that your ideology matters. Funny how you do not give me the same credit for not supporting Romney because it is against my ideology to do so… he is too liberal for me.

There is a valuable lesson in all that: a little bit of loyalty goes a long way. Did Akin misspeak in a cringe-worthy way? Yes. And Republicans immediately piled on and made it a thousand times worse than it had to be. One thing I like about “our side” is that we tend not to tolerate criminal or morally reprehensible acts committed by people we elect. But this is not about a criminal or morally reprehensible act. There is no larger principle driving the shunning of Akin than fear that he will tarnish the Republican brand…a fear that will become a self-fulfilling prophecy if we are not careful. But if Republicans would quit throwing rocks at their own candidates and spend as much time and energy fighting the Democrats instead of each other, a win would still be possible.

Until we figure out how to present a united front, we’re toast. Unity. Unity. Unity. We stink at it, but it is our only hope. Akin decided to stay in–something he had every right to do. So let’s circle the wagons–around all of our people–and win one for the Gipper.

Remember, this election is the MOST important one in the entire history of mankind. Yet here you all are sitting around leaving the senate in jeopardy by not sending him your money he is putting the seat in jeopardy rather than taking responsibility for his incompentance, dropping out, and ensuring that a candidate without his baggage will keep the seat for the Republicans.

astonerii on September 7, 2012 at 7:52 PM

From Slate… or are these fakey funny ones.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2012/09/06/todd_akin_claire_mccaskill_senate_race_gop_climbs_back_into_race_polls_show_.html

and he’s so vain, he’ll fall for it until he loses 60 40

and all the red-diaper babies will lift a glass to ole’ todd.

fabrexe on September 7, 2012 at 6:31 PM

1. It’s not a matter of one stupid comment. If that’s what you think, then you haven’t been paying attention.

2. No single person is more important than control of the Senate. He is not the only person who can be the Republican nominee, but he is the only Republican who could lose to McCaskill and ensure the complete implementation of Obamacare.

aunursa on September 7, 2012 at 6:35 PM

Akin’s premise is that he can say anything he wants and as long as he apologizes there are no consequences. Well, there are consequences. I am not commenting on whether it is fair or not, but making a national issue out of his comments and losing a presumably 14 point lead is not helpful.

I don’t have a problem with Akin if he stays in and wins. However……he is the one rolling the dice. It is his decision and the party made a decision that was theirs to make in pulling their support. There are a lot of candidates who could beat McCaskill but only one whose intemperate remarks have reduced his lead and made it more difficult.

If Romney wins, it matters a lot in the Senate. If Romney doesn’t, then we probably won’t make enough gains, (if any), to take control and Akin’s failed bid will be irrelevant for now. Overspiritualizing his candidacy simply simply reveals a man who thinks he is the only one who could serve — and anointed to do so. Akin likes to tout the fact that he won the primary. Lucky for him, his comments came after he won a tough 3-way race. If he had that interview during the primary — we would not be talking about any of this.

Conservative or not, don’t blame the RNC for Akin’s financial woes. Akin did that to himself. Not to mention, he should have done the right thing by dropping out of the race. Last I heard, personal responsibility is just one of the things conservatives have always done better with than the liberal Dems do.

Akin doesn’t seem to care about those values…so why should the GOP?

JetBoy on September 7, 2012 at 7:23 PM

Thank you for saying it better than I.

I hope no one else gives the RNC a penny until they decide to help all R/Conservative candates…sorry, the RNC only supports the ones the back room wants. Regardless of Akin’s stupid views on reproduction from rape, he is and always has been solid Conservative, not just another wishy washy R, and that is his main problem when it comes to RNC backing.

aposematic on September 7, 2012 at 7:09 PM

So you’re suggesting we just sweep his insane comment under the rug, and compromise our personal integrity and the integrity of the GOP because Akin has an “R” after his name and isn’t really “all bad”…?

Conservative or not, don’t blame the RNC for Akin’s financial woes. Akin did that to himself. Not to mention, he should have done the right thing by dropping out of the race. Last I heard, personal responsibility is just one of the things conservatives have always done better with than the liberal Dems do.

Akin doesn’t seem to care about those values…so why should the GOP?

I didn’t read that they pulled ads because they got the shaft, they pulled them because they didn’t get the money on time. If you are not buying KMOX, KUMO you are not serious about winning.

sorry, Todd, thx for playing the weasel game. (and no, he may not get out he may fervently believe that God will provide)…or at least he’ll be damn sure to not leave until the damage done is already done and the R party won’t win anyway. WWJD?…right Todd

“This story is simply false. Our television buyers have paid for every ad that has aired and even bought more ad time today. A political campaign, like an advertiser, makes constant decisions about where and when we want our ads to air. This is standard practice in campaigns across the country. Unfortunately, a particular television station decided to twist the facts and created a story that is simply untrue. We are still on the air across Missouri. However, we will not be doing any more business with KOMU-TV because they have lied.

“KOMU should be ashamed for publishing a false story when they know what the truth is. No ad was pulled because no ad ever airs without being paid for. Ads are only ever “pulled” from the air for legal or ethical reasons, and this ad is 100% accurate regarding Claire McCaskill’s record.

“We are exceeding our fundraising goals and have raised over $400,000 online alone in the last 20 days.”

The campaign added that they bought more broadcast ads and pulled all ads from KOMU-TV because of their unprofessionalism.

sorry, the RNC only supports the ones the back room wants. Regardless of Akin’s stupid views on reproduction from rape, he is and always has been solid Conservative, not just another wishy washy R, and that is his main problem when it comes to RNC backing.

aposematic on September 7, 2012 at 7:09 PM

No. He had the complete support of the RNC until his candidacy became toxic and endangered what had been considered an easy pick-up — entirely due to his own idiocy.

I lost any and all respect for Phyllis Schlafly, who doesn’t have the guts to publicly call for Akin to drop out.

bluegill on September 7, 2012 at 7:01 PM

…she reminds me of somebody!