# Senate nominee from Missouri Todd Akin is a feeble-minded moron. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 19, 2012, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-nominee-from-missouri-todd-akin-is-a-feeble-minded-moron/631993 "2012-08-19T19:50:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-nominee-from-missouri-todd-akin-is-a-feeble-minded-moron/631993/181 "2012-08-21T20:53:59Z")
Akin is toast. > **[Limbaugh: Akin's Comments Were 'Stupid'](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/rush-limbaugh-todd-akin-rape-stupid_n_1819449)** > > Limbaugh: Akin's Comments Were 'Stupid' > [@](#): > > Rush Limbaugh: Todd Akin’s Comments Were ‘Stupid’ Even Limbaugh won’t try to defend him. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-nominee-from-missouri-todd-akin-is-a-feeble-minded-moron/631993/182 "2012-08-21T21:00:32Z")
> [@Kolga](#): > > More like they think its 12. > > B.C. > > And jesus christ on a rubber pogo stick, how many times do they have to say these things before women STOP VOTING FOR THEM? … how many times do they have to say these things before **EVERYONE** STOP VOTING FOR THEM? All I can see is, as stupid as they are, they get elected, which means there are a lot of OTHER stupid people. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-nominee-from-missouri-todd-akin-is-a-feeble-minded-moron/631993/183 "2012-08-21T21:00:34Z")
Glen Beck was virtually blowing him this morning, something about – “He just had the wrong information, that’s not a crime, he’s a good man, it’s his character that counts” … etc. etc. I was screaming at the radio; he didn’t just happen to run across wrong information, he cherry-picked the wrong information according to his own confirmation bias for the express purpose of advancing his backward thinking. Where’s the character in that? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-nominee-from-missouri-todd-akin-is-a-feeble-minded-moron/631993/184 "2012-08-21T21:16:20Z")
> [@LavenderBlue](#): > > Republican men are reminding me more and more of not so bright teenaged girls who idolize pregnancy. They think it’s all cute baby clothing and glowing all day. Mature adults know it’s more like get up puke, puke some more, puke even more, grab your aching back, watch your ankles swell into golf balls that won’t fit into any shoes followed by three hours of shrieking until the OB decides you’re dilated enough to get an epi and then six months of leaking and baby chewed boobs or formula guilt and thinking five hours is a good night’s sleep. Parenting has been the single most rewarding and fulfilling experience of my life, bar none. And I wouldn’t do it again for all the whiskey in Ireland. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-nominee-from-missouri-todd-akin-is-a-feeble-minded-moron/631993/185 "2012-08-21T21:18:18Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Glen Beck was virtually blowing him this morning Pix or it never happened. When Limbaugh is the voice of sanity in your party, you start to think “Uh, maybe I screwed up on this one a little…” ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-nominee-from-missouri-todd-akin-is-a-feeble-minded-moron/631993/186 "2012-08-21T21:28:42Z")
> [@Kolga](#): > > More like they think its 12. > > B.C. > > And jesus christ on a rubber pogo stick, how many times do they have to say these things before women STOP VOTING FOR THEM? What do you have against 12 BC(E)? In many parts of the world — such as Rome — it was vastly more civilized than where Mr Akin _et al_ want to take us. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-nominee-from-missouri-todd-akin-is-a-feeble-minded-moron/631993/187 "2012-08-21T21:29:21Z")
The poor guy is probably terribly confused. After all, all he did was cite unscientific shit to support his ideology, like all the other Republicans do. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-nominee-from-missouri-todd-akin-is-a-feeble-minded-moron/631993/188 "2012-08-21T21:31:38Z")
And the hits keep coming. [http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/08/21/missouri-republican-official-god-chose-to-bless-women-with-pregnancies-from-rape](http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/08/21/missouri-republican-official-god-chose-to-bless-women-with-pregnancies-from-rape) > [@](#): > > An official from Missouri’s Republican Party on Monday defended Senate candidate Todd Akin after he suggested abortions should not be allowed in any case because victims of “legitimate” rape victims could not get pregnant. > > GOP 4th Senate District Committeewoman Sharon Barnes told The New York Times “that abortion is never an option.” > … > Barnes “echoed Mr. Akin’s statement that very few rapes resulted in pregnancy,” according to the Times, and she added that “at that point, if God has chosen to bless this person with a life, you don’t kill it.” I guess some of them haven’t gotten the memo yet. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-nominee-from-missouri-todd-akin-is-a-feeble-minded-moron/631993/189 "2012-08-21T21:36:48Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > And the hits keep coming. > > [http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/08/21/missouri-republican-official-god-chose-to-bless-women-with-pregnancies-from-rape](http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/08/21/missouri-republican-official-god-chose-to-bless-women-with-pregnancies-from-rape) > I guess some of them haven’t gotten the memo yet. Well hell, at least that one was willing to admit that rape **could** result in pregnancy. Frankly, I don’t mind if anti-abortion Republicans are honestly advocating their honest opinion that abortion should be totally banned, no exceptions. Don’t agree with them, but hey, it’s a free country. It’s using lies to gull the voters into thinking that such a ban won’t seriously affect rape victims that’s unscrupulous and despicable. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-nominee-from-missouri-todd-akin-is-a-feeble-minded-moron/631993/190 "2012-08-21T21:51:07Z")
What kind of diseases might a rapist carry? What sort of degenerate DNA? If a woman were looking to pick a sperm donor, having “rapist” on the genetic resume, this is a selling point? If the woman is married with kids, or single with kids, what sort of mayhem would this inflict upon even a solid and healthy family? Never mind normal families, the kind most of us actually have. Parenting should be strictly volunteer, no draftees, no press gangs. Tough enough when you want to. And a gift from Jesus? The one I learned about in Sunday School, with the glow and the beautiful auburn hair and neatly trimmed beard, loves all the little children of the world, that Jesus? Sends a rapist to give you a _gift_? These people must have gone to Sunday School in a meth lab. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-nominee-from-missouri-todd-akin-is-a-feeble-minded-moron/631993/191 "2012-08-21T22:18:05Z")
And [he’s officially in the race to stay](http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/two-minutes-after-missouri-deadline-passes-dscc-mocks) (unless he gets a court order and pays for a new ballot printing). ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-nominee-from-missouri-todd-akin-is-a-feeble-minded-moron/631993/192 "2012-08-21T23:15:42Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > And [he’s officially in the race to stay](http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/two-minutes-after-missouri-deadline-passes-dscc-mocks) (unless he gets a court order and pays for a new ballot printing). Well, he’s locked up the highly sought “illegitimate rapist” demographic. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-nominee-from-missouri-todd-akin-is-a-feeble-minded-moron/631993/193 "2012-08-21T23:28:54Z")
As a Democrat, I’m glad he’s staying in. As a Missourian, I’m scared shitless he’s going to win. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-nominee-from-missouri-todd-akin-is-a-feeble-minded-moron/631993/194 "2012-08-21T23:46:51Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > What sort of degenerate DNA? If a woman were looking to pick a sperm donor, having “rapist” on the genetic resume, this is a selling point? . I don’t care about this issue at all but do people really believe DNA is morally tainted or degenerate?:dubious: If your father was a rapist I don’t think that reflects a damn thing about you. IS this the limit of foot in mouth politician statements? I mean how much further out into insanity can you get than saying rape doesn’t result in pregnancy? Next he will clarify that if a woman got pregnant during a rape it was because she secretly enjoyed it:smack: I mean this is so far beyond the pale it seems like parody. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-nominee-from-missouri-todd-akin-is-a-feeble-minded-moron/631993/195 "2012-08-21T23:56:54Z")
> [@grude](#): > > I mean this is so far beyond the pale it seems like parody. The thing is, I thought that at first too - that this was obviously just one guy saying something completely f’ed up. But really it’s a not-at-all-uncommon belief in extreme pro-life circles (I’m defining “extreme” as abortions banned with no exceptions at all, even if you don’t consider that extreme). The basic idea was laid out by Dr. Jack C. Willke, former head of National Right To Life and other anti-abortion groups. Here are a few quotes from a 1999 [article](http://www.christianliferesources.com/article/rape-pregnancies-are-rare-461): > [@](#): > > First, let’s define the term “rape.” When pro-lifers speak of rape pregnancies, we should commonly use the phrase “forcible rape” or “assault rape,” for that specifies what we’re talking about. Rape can also be statutory. Depending upon your state law, statutory rape can be consensual, but we’re not addressing that here. > [@](#): > > To get and stay pregnant a woman’s body must produce a very sophisticated mix of hormones. Hormone production is controlled by a part of the brain that is easily influenced by emotions. There’s no greater emotional trauma that can be experienced by a woman than an assault rape. This can radically upset her possibility of ovulation, fertilization, implantation and even nurturing of a pregnancy. I’m sure this is the doctor that Akin was referring to, and you’ll notice that the term “forcible rape” has found it’s way into a few anti-abortion bills at the state level lately. They honestly do believe that victims of statutory rape should not have access to abortions, and many would include all rapes (God, the idea that we need to delineate…). ETA: I’ll add that this is why I think Akin might not be quite as “dead in the water” as some folks think. He was 10 points up before this, and there are plenty of conservative Christians in MO that will still vote for him. And a not-insignificant percentage will actually agree with his underlying point. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-nominee-from-missouri-todd-akin-is-a-feeble-minded-moron/631993/196 "2012-08-21T23:59:37Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > (I’m defining “extreme” as abortions banned with no exceptions at all, even if you don’t consider that extreme). Welcome to the 2012 Republican party platform. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-nominee-from-missouri-todd-akin-is-a-feeble-minded-moron/631993/197 "2012-08-22T00:03:06Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > Well hell, at least that one was willing to admit that rape **could** result in pregnancy. There you have it: the Republican Party is so insane at this point that knowing where babies come from is progress. > [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Welcome to the 2012 Republican party platform. Yup. Thanks to Todd Akin, that’s going to get a lot more attention than it otherwise would have. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-nominee-from-missouri-todd-akin-is-a-feeble-minded-moron/631993/198 "2012-08-22T00:05:14Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > But what I find really scary is the scientific factuality or lack thereof means nothing to these people, he could’ve had a dozen daughters impregnated after being raped by a gang of bikers and that wouldn’t change his outlook. Actually, it’s a bit more banal than that. These folk just don’t believe what they haven’t personally experienced. If such a horrible thing really did happen, he’d 180 on abortion so fast you’d feel the earth shift. Dick Cheney was never seriously anti-gay and eventually came out as pro, which for a Republican is relatively laudable. But do you really think he’d have taken the same position, in _that_ administration, if his daughter hadn’t been gay? It’s ideology mixed with a lack of empathy. But once it happens to them or the people they care about, ideology doesn’t hold up well at all. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-nominee-from-missouri-todd-akin-is-a-feeble-minded-moron/631993/199 "2012-08-22T00:11:47Z")
Is it just me or does there seem to be some kind of assumption that pregnant rape victims are being forced to have abortions or something? I know that sounds weird but that is the vibe they seem to be putting off, hey you don’t have to abort! Like some evil abortionist is strapping down rape victims and aborting their pregnancies against their will. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-nominee-from-missouri-todd-akin-is-a-feeble-minded-moron/631993/200 "2012-08-22T00:23:10Z")
> [@grude](#): > > Is it just me or does there seem to be some kind of assumption that pregnant rape victims are being forced to have abortions or something? I know that sounds weird but that is the vibe they seem to be putting off, hey you don’t have to abort! > > Like some evil abortionist is strapping down rape victims and aborting their pregnancies against their will. But if their rapist DID strap them down and forced them to have an abortion, what really could anyone in this liberal society? There are NO LAWS against your scenario! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-nominee-from-missouri-todd-akin-is-a-feeble-minded-moron/631993.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-nominee-from-missouri-todd-akin-is-a-feeble-minded-moron/631993.md?page=11)