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ROANOKE, VA -- Presumptive Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan became the latest politician to weigh in on the ongoing controversy surrounding Rep. Todd Akin’s (R-MO) comments about "legitimate rape.”
In an interview with the CBS Pittsburgh affiliate KDKA, Ryan tried to distance himself from Akin, with whom he once co-sponsored a bill to re-define "forcible rape," asserting on Tuesday night that “rape is rape.”
“His statements were outrageous, over the pail. I don’t know anybody who would agree with that. Rape is rape period, end of story,” Ryan told KDKA
And asked if abortions should be available to women who are raped, the seven-term Wisconsin congressman said he stands by his record.
“Look, I’m proud of my pro-life record. And I stand by my pro-life record in Congress. It’s something I’m proud of. But Mitt Romney is the top of the ticket and Mitt Romney will be president and he will set the policy of the Romney administration,” Ryan said.
Akin, the Missouri congressman who is currently running for Senate, sparked a firestorm this week when he said if a woman is a victim of "legitimate rape," her body can shut itself down in order to prevent pregnancy.
Rep. Todd Akin, R-Mo., confirms with TODAY's Matt Lauer that vice presidential candidate and fellow congressman Paul Ryan advised him to step down amid the fallout of comments he made about rape and abortion.
Many top Republicans called for Akin to exit the race for so that the GOP would have a better chance of winning this key Senate race. Akin confirmed on the TODAY Show Wednesday morning that Ryan himself called Akin and personally asked him to withdraw from the race.
“Paul Ryan did give me a call and he felt that I had to make a decision. He advised me that it would be good for me to step down,” Akin said in the interview with NBC’s Matt Laur. “I told him that I was going to be looking at this very seriously, trying to weigh all the different points on this—and that I would make the decision. Because it’s not about me. It’s about trying to do the right thing and standing on principle. “
Neither Romney nor Ryan have addressed the Akin comments on the stump this week. Ryan spent Wednesday morning in Virginia – his fourth day in the state in the 12 days he has been running as Romney’s VP – highlighting just how important the commonwealth is in winning the election this November for Republicans.
“I’ve been coming to Virginia a lot these days, if you haven’t noticed that,” Ryan said, adding later that Virginia has a key role in saving “the American idea.”
“It is not too late to ignite the American dream. We can do this. We need the leadership now. We need to win this election. And Virginians of all people have a unique responsibility and an opportunity to deliver Virginia and save the American idea," he said.
And Ryan was quick to play the part of the attack dog for the GOP ticket accusing President Obama of touting an “imaginary recovery.”
The Daily Rundown's Chuck Todd breaks down the latest NBC News/ WSJ poll.
“We've got 23 million people out of work, struggling to find work today, unemployment has been above 8 percent for 42 months, and the real unemployment rate is more like 15 percent,” Ryan said about the Obama-Biden administration while speaking outside Northwest Hardware. “He said that the private sector is doing just fine, we need more government. This is President Obama's imaginary recovery. It's not here.”
Ryan now heads to North Carolina where he will hold two public campaign events there over the next two days.
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Todd Akin shouldn't quit. He was created by Republicans, for Republicans, and forcing him aside would be disingenuous hypocrisy. More on my blog at
The weird/funny part of Akin's comments is that this is exactly the Republicans position on abortion....Akin just said it publicly. Obviously, he didn't say it correctly with the whole "legitimate rape" comment but the whole women should have to have the baby even if they are raped part is the parties position.
I really wish the GOP would step out of the stone age and into the world today.
Willard (LIGHT IN THE LOAFERS) "MINT" Romney changes his position on any subject at the drop of a hat.
SH-T FOR BRAINS Pee. Ryan sponsered a bill with SFB Akin that denied money for abortions except in cases of FORCIBLE RAPE.
It will not be hard fror them to get the votes of the mentally un-balanced that Ronnie REAGAN let out of mental hospitals so he could save money for use for MORE WEAPONS OF WAR.
The Anti-Missle Defense System which worked so well against Sadam's SCUD MISSLES. Not a one hit.
Really, Ryan believes the same. Alot of people are not lower thinkers. Ryan believes that we are. Ryan and the party of NO has raped the American People for the last 12 years. And will continue to do so. We have to stop the mess. Please people open your eyes, R&R will destroy this country. They are not fit to run anything except their mouths, and that is alot of BS......
Ryan is like all Republicans caught between his personal war on women and the impolitic speech of his own party members. He clearly favors the right to life for a fetus, but no so much the right to life of a child. He is less in favor of the right to life of an adult and has voted against women health issues, as well as a womens right to choose on multiple occasions. He is mainstream for the new republican party, that has driven many away , John Hunstman for example. Ryan feels old people should pay again fro health care that should be everyone's right. He supports statutory rape ( it is glaringly missing from his definition of Forcible) and he is in favor of a Constitutional Amendment to reverse half a century of US Constitutional law. The extremists are slightly more subtle than the zealots in Afghanistan or Iraq or Timbuktu where their perception of their religion's hegemony precludes the recognizing the views of others. These religious conservatives world wide attack women on a daily basis. Totalitarianism is the same the world round also, in Ryan's case he uses the teachings of Nietzsche passed through the filter of Rand to justify his attack on what it is to be an American. Putin and his understudy learned their morality and verity at the same altar that Rand did, Ryan is a heartbeat away.
So a 9 year old girl who is molested by her uncle and got pregnant should have no access, even if her parents okay it, to an abortion. She should have the baby of her rapist because that is a gift from God, and then she should quit the 5th grade so she can get a job to support her baby that was a gift from God. How dare she apply for welfare, foodstamps, WIC, or any other public services because that makes her a freeloader on the tax payers. You can't force women to have babies and then grip because they take government assistance. Especially when so many of you conservatives are not opening your homes and bank accounts to support these women and babies.
I know the argument of why doesn't she give the baby up? Would you take in a baby who may growup and be a rapist? Would you raise that baby boy in your home with your daughters knowing he maybe genetically predisposed to rape? Oh, I forgot you cons don't believe in rape. You think women who are forced to have sex are really playing hard to get. So when your adopted son sneaks in to your precious 4 year olds room remember she was ASKING for it! What about children of incest? Are you willing to put your money where your mouth is and raise a child who may have severe birth defects? What about babies born drug addicted? You cons want to tell people what to do you but you certainly don't want to help solve the problem!
However, you support Romney off-shoring his earnings to protect then from being taxed. Exactly here who is the biggest FREELOADER, Mitt Romney or the girl who compassionate conservatives want to saddle with a baby?
Recent story of a young girl with cancer prevented from receiving medical treatment because of a Dominican Republic anti abortion criminal liability law that prevents treatment or abortion if it will hurt the fetus. By the time it cleared the courts and the court of public opinion and she got chemo, it was too late. So much for a "no exception" law.
"Rape is rape" says Ryan.......but he still wants a ban on abortion in cases of rape and incest.
Even worse, he wants a constitutional amendment which would prohibit abortion in all instances by granting constitutional rights to a zygote.
What's the deal here? Aikin's position is the same as the GOP platform, so why are they so upset with him? Personally, most of us are sick of this abortion debate. A women's right to choose is established law and has been for close to forty years. Abortion will never be illegal, in spite of the pandering GOP politicians playing to their fringe base. Most Americans are in favor of choice, at least in some instances. It's time to move on and away from this issue. There are much more important issues facing this country.
no law will stop abortion.... only legal access....
Government health care could.
Right !!! The RICH don't have Abortions-----------They go on a short "Vacation" !!!!!
Wheels on the bus go 'round 'n 'round....
Every politician will toss anyone under the bus to get one vote.
Paul Ryan FINALLY said it : "Rape is Rape". Tell me, WHY are the Republicans ALWAYS the "Late Adopters" on social issues---Isn't it obvious they haven't been paying attention or maybe they just don't care what society thinks of their "Official" policy on Rape & Abortion that rep. Atkins so inelegantly but Truthfully stated.
But the conservative philosophy of limited government is the one thing that keeps ANYONE from implementing things against the peoples will.
I'm still waiting for the Republicans to come forward with their definition of what constitutes "illegitimate rape."
Republicans are for death penalty for rapist, liberals are not. Does that mean they condone rape at some level.
We can be immature all day if you want.
lvingbarefoot,
And jail for the rape victim, apparentley, if she has an abortion.
If "rape is rape", Paulie boy, why did you co-sponsor a bill to only fund abortions for "forcible" rape???? You're a weasel who got caught, and now you don't want to own up to your backwards beliefs. Boy, how quickly you give up your "principled" positions.
Mr Ryan does H.R.3 ring a bell with you and the entire Oklahoma delegation.
Repub leaders are backtracking so fast, a new Olympic event is slated for Brazil in 2016 - The 100 meter backward sprint, and the committee is thinking about the new Spinning event dedicated to repubs also. Just watch their eyeballs with all this spin and dodging, they will look like those slot symbols on the Slot Machines spinning at the casino to see if they get lucky enough to give you an accurate response to any question.
I am for abortion being legal because I believe the vast majority of the people would have an exception and you can't have exceptions in laws.
This is also the same exact reason I do not want government health care. That is the only way they could have that much power over us.
Just @!$%#ing say that you would like the Federal government to pay for abortions. Let's put it on the Presidential ballot as a federal referendum. This game is getting old. War on women..... my hairy ass.
They're trying to redefine what constitutes rape so they can get away from the federal funding exception. If it doesn't constitute their definition of rape, it won't be covered. They're the ones bringing up this legislation. They're forcing the issue. How isn't this a sign of a war on women? Especially when they're the ones also creating legislation for medically unneccessary ultrasound and vaginal probe requirements on women obtaining perfectly legal procedures?
I's the hypothetical answering the hypothetical. Old tired debate.
Here is one:
Cry rape and it's free. Why should we pay to erase Trish and Biff's inconvenient little miracle just because tuition is due and they have an I pad to purchase?
Liberals I am confused.
You don't want government telling you what to do with your body, but you want government health care?
Makes no sense.
Comes down to who will have the ultimate control over the means of reproduction....many men don't want women to have that kind of control.
Statutory rape is not forcible. That's the distinction. So the inclusion of the term "forcible" is not outrageous.
By definition, statutory rape is nonconsensual!!!!! Hello, that's the whole purpose of it! The victim was too young to be able to consent to the act!
I feel raped even listening to this guy
Akin is a total IDIOT, he'd fit right into a political position.
Mr. Ryan you wrote it down!!! "Forcible rape". You co-sponsored the bill!!
How the hell is he going to back pedal on that?
WOW!!!!!!!
Stop it with the feigned outrage and hysteria. Don't put Akin's words in Paul Ryan's mouth for political gain.
Statutory rape is not forcible. That's the distinction. (The bill was over fed *funding* for abortion; not abortion itself.)
This is so the irresponsible doesn't fleece us when certain(defined) abortions are Federally paid for. Wow...not very.
"...and he will set the policy of the Romney administration". Fortunately he won't need to. In the unlikely case he does, he'll have to convince SCOTUS to reverse Roe v Wade. Good luck with that.
WOW. And it only took Ryan three days to figure out Rape is Rape!!!! Sharp as a tack.
He IS sharp as a tack. He can do math! Where have you EVER seen a ticket from either party with 2 candidates who can both do math !?
This is another cheap divisive maneuver by the Democrats to score points in an election year. Democrats only get elected by dividing us along gender/race/class/etc boundaries. Don't be tricked.
GOP candidate Akin bought the issue to the forefront not the dems.