# Stupid Republican idea of the day **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 26, 2009, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897 "2009-03-26T18:48:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 324
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6461 "2012-08-20T10:43:23Z")
Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.), GOP Senate nominee, when asked about abortion in the case of rape or incest said "“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. But let’s assume maybe that didn’t work or something. I think there should be some punishment, but the punishment ought to be on the rapist.” So is he lying when he says that “the doctors” that told him that? I think so. Does he believe the female body can “shut that whole thing down”? Probably. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6462 "2012-08-20T11:47:44Z")
> [@Ca3799](#): > > Does he believe the female body can “shut that whole thing down”? Probably. Well, the female body (and especially the area “down there”) IS, after all, a Great and Wonderful Mystery Of Nature which decent people would never try to know too much about… ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6463 "2012-08-20T11:53:54Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Well, the female body (and especially the area “down there”) IS, after all, a Great and Wonderful Mystery Of Nature which decent people would never try to know too much about… …hence the need to shun anyone using the V-word in polite company. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6464 "2012-08-20T13:35:45Z")
Well, to be honest, Va-jay-jay just sounds stupid. Oh wait, you mean the other V-word. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6465 "2012-08-20T15:03:49Z")
> [@Ca3799](#): > > Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.), GOP Senate nominee, when asked about abortion in the case of rape or incest said "“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…” How could any woman vote GOP, at least if this sort of nonsense is publicized properly? From a news article > [@](#): > > Medical experts estimate that about 30,000 American women each year become pregnant as a result of rape. To put this in perspective, it means most smallish towns have women pregnant from rape right now. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6466 "2012-08-20T15:28:12Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > Well, to be honest, Va-jay-jay just sounds stupid. > > Oh wait, you mean the other V-word. In the female, the generative organ is subject to wild hormonal influences. In the male, the generative organ is discerning and rational, and can be relied upon for solid and responsible decisions. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6467 "2012-08-20T15:30:46Z")
Let’s dig deeper into the phrase “legitimate rape”. This presupposes the existence of “illegitimate rape”: you may say it was rape, but you really consented and probably enjoyed it. In other words: in Akin’s eyes, if a woman is pregnant and says it’s because she was raped…she’s lying. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6468 "2012-08-20T15:58:54Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > How could any woman vote GOP, at least if this sort of nonsense is publicized properly? > > From a news article > > > [@](#): > > > > Medical experts estimate that about 30,000 American women each year become pregnant as a result of rape. > > To put this in perspective, it means most smallish towns have women pregnant from rape right now. Yes, but those are not from legitimate rape. Everyone knows how women work. Sometimes their eyes say “yes” while their mouths are saying “No.” And this business about “marital rape.” Everyone knows that if it’s between a husband and his wife, it’s not rape. There’s also “non-consensual sex.” If she didn’t secretly want it, she wouldn’t have dress like that, and had those drinks. Especially, the one with Rohypnol in it. She should have had a friend watching her drinks, if she weren’t looking for it. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6469 "2012-08-20T16:21:06Z")
> [@Ca3799](#): > > Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.), GOP Senate nominee, when asked about abortion in the case of rape or incest said "“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. But let’s assume maybe that didn’t work or something. I think there should be some punishment, but the punishment ought to be on the rapist.” > > So is he lying when he says that “the doctors” that told him that? I think so. Does he believe the female body can “shut that whole thing down”? Probably. My favourite bit of the statement (in a staring at a slow-motion car crash kind of way) is “legitimate rape”. You know, because he felt the need to underscore that he’s talking about really \*rapey \*rapes. Not one of those half-rapes where you can tell the sleazy slut is really into it, even as she’s crying for help and begging Daddy to stop in between sobs. Raping those girls is just fine. It’s really illegitimate to call \*that \*rape, amirite guys ? And that’s where the whole female body shit gets off the ground : if she gets raped and winds up preggers, she must have been a slut all along and it weren’t rape ! Oh patriarchy, you so dreamy. Mr. Todd Akin ? Fuck off, would you kindly ? Keep fucking off. Never stop fucking off. ETA: goddammit, ninja’d so hard. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6470 "2012-08-20T16:25:02Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > How could any woman vote GOP, at least if this sort of nonsense is publicized properly? > > From a news article > > To put this in perspective, it means most smallish towns have women pregnant from rape right now. Assuming, conservatively, that 75% of those pregnancies are terminated within two months, about 6700 women are pregnant as the result of rape at any given time. More than a third of the US population lives in the 15 largest cities, so that leaves ~4500 women. The “most smallish towns” thing seems like a bit of a stretch. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Greenjeans](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.greenjeans/32/551_2.png) [@Mr.Greenjeans](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Greenjeans)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6471 "2012-08-20T16:53:10Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > ETA: goddammit, ninja’d so hard. Did you enjoy it? If you did, you weren’t really ninja’d. ---
**Author:** ![Sinaptics](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Sinaptics](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinaptics)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6472 "2012-08-20T16:58:29Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > Yes, but those are not from legitimate rape. Everyone knows how women work. Sometimes their eyes say “yes” while their mouths are saying “No.” And this business about “marital rape.” Everyone knows that if it’s between a husband and his wife, it’s not rape. There’s also “non-consensual sex.” If she didn’t secretly want it, she wouldn’t have dress like that, and had those drinks. Especially, the one with Rohypnol in it. She should have had a friend watching her drinks, if she weren’t looking for it. I’ve seen a quote from Rand Paul (which I can’t find at the moment) that basically says that if a woman really was raped, the hospital would have dispensed contraceptives. Of course, the flaw is this reasoning is apparent to anyone with any critical thinking skills. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6473 "2012-08-20T17:04:25Z")
> [@Sinaptics](#): > > Of course, the flaw is this reasoning is apparent to anyone with any critical thinking skills. Well, it depends. Was that his legitimate opinion, or just something he said? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6474 "2012-08-20T17:07:45Z")
What women say is, “I’ve been raped.” What these clowns hear is, “Um, I’ve been raped. Yeah, that’s the ticket – raped. Even though I was dressed real sexy and teased him, it was really really rape. I’m pretty sure.” ---
**Author:** ![Sinaptics](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Sinaptics](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinaptics)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6475 "2012-08-20T18:01:44Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > Well, it depends. Was that his legitimate opinion, or just something he said? Found the quote, it’s from a CNN interview. Pulled from a lefty site, still trying to find the original CNN link. Not quite what I remember. He appears to be differentiating between those who seek abortion for rape and those that seek abortion and just claim rape to get the abortion. Some hysterical people on the left latched on to the “honest rape” part of the quote and had a fit. Here’s an excerpt: > [@](#): > > MORGAN: Here’s the dilemma, and it’s one I put to Rick Santorum very recently. I was surprised by his answer, although I sort of understood from his belief point of view that he would come up with this. > > But it’s a dilemma that I am going to put to you. You have two daughters. You have many granddaughters. If one of them was raped – and I accept it’s a very unlikely thing to happen. But if they were, would you honestly look at them in the eye and say they had to have that child if they were impregnated? > > PAUL: No. If it’s an honest rape, that individual should go immediately to the emergency room. I would give them a shot of estrogen or give them – ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6476 "2012-08-20T18:06:16Z")
How about a link to where you found his interview? ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6477 "2012-08-20T18:43:38Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Assuming, conservatively, that 75% of those pregnancies are terminated within two months, about 6700 women are pregnant as the result of rape at any given time. More than a third of the US population lives in the 15 largest cities, so that leaves ~4500 women. The “most smallish towns” thing seems like a bit of a stretch. I sit corrected. I’d hoped the small_ish_ would give me a fudgish out, but in fact overlooked that most the pregnancies would be aborted. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6478 "2012-08-20T18:45:10Z")
More in the history of Republicans making shit up about rape pregnancy: [http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/wp/2012/08/20/rep-todd-akin-is-wrong-about-rape-and-pregnancy-but-hes-not-alone/](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/wp/2012/08/20/rep-todd-akin-is-wrong-about-rape-and-pregnancy-but-hes-not-alone/) ---
**Author:** ![Sinaptics](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Sinaptics](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinaptics)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6479 "2012-08-20T18:54:03Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > How about a link to where you found his interview? If was a lefty site with only a transcript, no video. Didn’t want to link to it. Additionally, it was Ron Paul and not Rand Paul as I had thought. Here is a link with video. Still can’t find it on CNN: [http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/ron-paul-if-its-honest-rape-woman-should-g](http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/ron-paul-if-its-honest-rape-woman-should-g) ---
**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 20, 2012, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/6480 "2012-08-20T21:09:00Z")
Board rules bar me from using a quote, but I have to point out that **jayjay** was a little off the mark:Well, the female body (and especially the area “down there”) IS, after all, a Great and Wonderful Mystery Of [DEL]Nature[/DEL] GodAlmightyThroughThePowerOfJesusChristAllPraiseHisNameAmenHallelujah which decent people would never try to know too much about…Incidentally, while I can’t find a link, I distinctly recall hearing another Republican legislator making a similar claim. Except in that case, he said that the Holy Ghost\* would intervene and prevent the pregnancy. Anyone else recall that? \*Makes sense, since the HG already knows his(?) way around the female reproductive system. I mean, it worked with the Virgin Mary, didn’t it? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=323) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=325)