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A Georgia Republican congressman said that former Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin, R, was "partly right" in asserting that victims of "legitimate rape" rarely become pregnant.
Rep. Phil Gingrey, R-Ga., a former obstetrician-gynecologist, said at a town hall meeting that Akin was “partly right” in his controversial suggestion, which was widely cited as a factor in his loss to Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill, D, this past November.
Gingrey said, according to the Marietta Daily Journal:
“And in Missouri, Todd Akin … was asked by a local news source about rape and he said, ‘Look, in a legitimate rape situation’ — and what he meant by legitimate rape was just look, someone can say I was raped: a scared-to-death 15-year-old that becomes impregnated by her boyfriend and then has to tell her parents, that’s pretty tough and might on some occasion say, ‘Hey, I was raped.’ That’s what he meant when he said legitimate rape versus non-legitimate rape. I don’t find anything so horrible about that. But then he went on and said that in a situation of rape, of a legitimate rape, a woman’s body has a way of shutting down so the pregnancy would not occur. He’s partly right on that.”
[...]
“And I’ve delivered lots of babies, and I know about these things. It is true. We tell infertile couples all the time that are having trouble conceiving because of the woman not ovulating, ‘Just relax. Drink a glass of wine. And don’t be so tense and uptight because all that adrenaline can cause you not to ovulate.’ So he was partially right wasn’t he? But the fact that a woman may have already ovulated 12 hours before she is raped, you’re not going to prevent a pregnancy there by a woman’s body shutting anything down because the horse has already left the barn, so to speak. And yet the media took that and tore it apart.”
Akin originally told KTVI-TV in August: “First of all, from what I understand from doctors, [pregnancy from rape] is really rare. If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.”
Republicans quickly distanced themselves from Akin, urging him to end his bid for Senate to allow another GOP candidate to step forward. Mitt Romney, then the party’s presidential nominee, publicly said that Akin should end his campaign.
However, Akin, a congressman, resisted the calls for him to drop out, giving Democrats fodder to paint Republicans as out-of-touch with women voters. Another GOP Senate candidate, Indiana’s Richard Mourdock, also gave fodder to Democrats when he suggested that pregnancies by rape were “something God intended.” (Mourdock, like Akin, lost a Senate race on which Republicans had been counting to win.)
Gingrey addressed the cost of those controversies before making his own assessment of the science behind Akin’s remarks:
“Part of the reason the Dems still control the Senate is because of comments made in Missouri by Todd Akin and Indiana by Mourdock were considered a little bit over the top ... Mourdock basically said ‘Look, if there is conception in the aftermath of a rape, that’s still a child, and it’s a child of God, essentially.’ Now, in Indiana, that cost him the election.”
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I hope they keep talking. It is when they stop talking that I will become very worried.
LOL! EXACTLY! Of course, you could smell the burning brain cell (singular, not plural) from half-way around the world if they ever decide to engage what little mental capacity they have before opening their mouths!
GO GOP! GO GOP! You're right! Keep talking about this for the next 2-4 years...PLEASE!
Yet another GOP Congressman who is at least partly a moron.....go figure....
Someone needs to tell this idiot that if a 15 year old girl has sex, even consensual, it is statutory rape by legal standards and the "rapist" can be prosecuted. It's sad to think that there are still these neanderthal men in society, particularly in the medical profession and politics. I think these two and those like them think that women are not equal to men and that rape is no big deal. Women exist for the use of men in their eyes. Have pity on the female patients examined by this doctor.
What kind of people would go to this quack unless they just wanted a few laughs. It would be funny if it wasnt so sad and pathetic.
The TPGOP just cant help themselves. Sunday morning you can see the few remaining moderates in the GOP, distancing themselves from this quack.
As long as the GOP candidates and reps keep opening their mouths on social issues that have NOTHING to do with the effective operation of govt., we will maintain Democratic White House and likely Senate.
This man will be a hero to the Republicons.
Republicans are sooooo stupid.
Politicians are Sandusky sick. Rape is rape. What losers. Halle Berry. Her mothers body did not "shut down."
These nutjobs just do not know when to stop! But like the saying goes it takes a nutjob to elect a nutjob!
About 1000 babies are killed every day in US abortion mills. Are they mostly from rape?
Was your conception?
Rape is rape. If someone consented, it is not rape by definition. If a teenager lies about being raped, then she lied and should face the consequences for lying. But it is not rape if she consented. The GOP needs to quit making this an issue. It is only making them look dumb.
This man is disgusting. He should talk to my friend who years ago was brutally raped by two guys while she walking home from the library. And she wound up pregnant.
I am glad that this guy is a former ob-gyn.
The ignorance of Republican men make me want to vomit. After this latest comment, from now on I will NEVER vote for a Republican, no matter who the opposing candidate is.
OMG, sometimes smart people just don't apply themselves. Unfortunately even a doctor.
I didn't leave the republican party, they keep throwing bombs PREVENTING anyone to follow them.
So I was wondering who was in the room with Akin when this idea was given clarity. Now we know.
What this doctor is doing is putting all humans with a uterus as being all the same. Yes, some humans with uterus will need a glass of wine to conceive but to say ALL WOMEN are BE THE SAME makes this doctor a nut. And what State voted him in.
My goodness- the stupidity of America's citizens knows no bounds. Democrats are always crying that conservatives don't use science enough- then they're crying because we do know science. The congressman are all correct. Have any of you idiots ever bred livestock? Any rancher or horse breeder knows the validity of these statements. No one said anything about pregnancy by rape being totally preventable- they just said the human body(and animals) have ways of lowering the possibility of conception. Go ahead- research the claims. Liberals- use your purported elevated levels (cough) of intelligence. I have bred animals for decades, many different species, and rates of conception are definitely affected by stress levels. People, as educated liberals claim to know- have the same basic biology as other creatures, and the same rules apply. Quit squawking over scientifically and real- life proven facts.
wow-Lisa...comparing women to livestock... Jesus christ.
On a sociological level I agree with Caroyln......but on an evolutionary level I want to laugh at her for thinking she is not an animal. You are a great ape, like it or not.
@Carolyn- What? Women and livestock don't reproduce? Exactly what does taking the Lord's name in vain accomplish? False indignation- I wasn't comparing women to livestock, you idiot. Re-read my post and educate yourself. I take it you never took Biology in school, nor attended college- it shows.
Lisa,
I don't ever recall a single Democrat ever "crying because we do know science" as we have never seen an example of a conservative who did!
By the way, I don't recall Mr Akin ever stating that "rates of conception are definitely affected by stress levels". I believe he said something like women's bodies have a way of preventing those things by shutting down, which is a completely different statement than you made. Just because it might have a single grain of truth to it doesn't make it true.
"By the way", that's exactly what Mr. Akin WAS referring to- how can you state absolutes like "we have never seen a conservative who knows science"? You are proving yourself wrong with that statement. There are no absolutes in anything relating to biology, or political identification. I think you had better get back to class now, and this time, apply yourself.
Lisa has breed lots of animals. Envisioning her with a German shepherd.
Lisa ,
Quit telling others to use what you obviously don't have. We know your a good ol girl. Now go back to your cow punching and leave this conversation to the adults.
Lisa, let's just say for the sake of conversation that your "explanation" is correct...what difference does that make? What is NOT in question is that Akin was speaking about rape, and making a statement that women who are victims of "legitimate rape" rarely get pregnant. That is COMPLETELY false - in fact, rape victims are MORE likely to get pregnant.
Such statements about rape victims are not only incorrect, they are indefensible, because they were made with the implication that most women who DO get pregnant from rape are therefore LYING about being raped, because it so "rare" because their bodies would have just "shut that whole thing down" if they were actually raped. It's not bad enough that they have been violated in one of the worst ways possible, and then have to deal with the consequence of the unwanted pregnancy, but then are accused of MAKING IT UP by a know-nothing male politician. The icing on the cake? He wants to craft LEGISLATION based on his false beliefs and misogyny.
So, yeah, that's probably something that an "educated" person would feel it worthwhile to keep "squawking" about.
RedBullWife ... thank you for framing the Akin controversy so eloquently. You are so right that Akin's implication was that women who get pregnant aren't really raped. Therefore, they must have enjoyed themselves and, as any GOP right-winger will tell you, any WOMAN who enjoys sex must suffer the consequences.
Thank god this man is no longer a practicing physician.
I wonder where and when this guy went to Medical School? He is comparing apples to oranges here. A couple trying to get pregnant that can't indicates there is already a problem underlying in conception. Two fertile people- one being forced as in a rape situation is vastly different. I know women that have gotten pregnant on their first time having sex. Stress might SLIGHTLY decrease the chances of pregnancy, but that does not mean it is rare.
I can see his point on some women lying about rape, but that happens less then he seems to think. A woman's body does not just shut down because she is in a bad situation- take a look at history and all the rapes that happen during warfare and the children that are a product of that. You can't get much more stressful then being raped in a war zone!
He graduated from medical school in 1969, and "practiced" until 1998. I have no clue how much he studied medicine between 1969 and now, but I think we can reasonably assume he has not been to med school in (at the least) the past 20 years.
Oh Yeah! I thought that surely even the GOP isn't so stupid as to keep up this ridiculous topic and will have learned some lessons from the election. NOPE!
Guess when you're that far to the right of "Dumb as a F*KING ROCK!" then learning from ones own lessons is not possible.
All I can say is GO GOP! GO GOP! Keep it up and we will never have to deal with you ignorant, disgusting pigs again!
The GOP is pretty stupid. Not the rich guys who are leading it around by the nose, but the Joe Smoes who refuse to read and learn.
Another idiot who cannot accept reality.
This guy is another blithering Republican who couldn't find his a** with both hands. I sure would want my wife's health care in his hands. Maybe that's why he ran for Congress, he couldn't get anyone to come to his practice. If you can't do your profession, run for Congress and join the rest of the idiots.
Regardless of party, the topic of rape is like a loose tooth to a child for these fools.
Another ignorant Republican opens his trap. There is no such thing as 'legitimate' rape. There is the horriblly violent criminal act of rape, and on rare occasion there is a false accusation of rape. I am no lawyer, but I believe rape is ANY sexual act done involving a minor or any sexual act done without full consent of both parties involved. This CRIMINAL act is never, in any circumstance whatsoever, legitimate. What ignorant cretins.
This is enuinely how these old white guys think. They are ignorant to the max and they expect to lead. Vote them all out even if they're from Georgie.
As a conservative, I have to agree that Republicans should never engage in a discussion about rape. It's a losing proposition.
But, I do have a question about abortion versus the death penalty for you liberals out there. Why is it okay to kill an unborn child who has done no evil and yet it's wrong to kill an adult who may have done untold evil killing one or more people??
I ask myself the same question, John. Liberals have no logic, it seems.
As long as the adult perpetrating the evil acts is solidly proven beyond any reasonable doubt.. fry em!
And 'conservatives' do? For all your crying over the loss of 'innocent lives' (even when you're talking about little more than a small collection of cells), few of you have any issues with executing wrongfully-convicted people. Look no further than Texas for examples of persons railroaded into a death sentence.
Explain how from your 'high moral Christian ground' how you can justify capital punishment; the bible says 'Thou shall not kill'. Not much wiggle room in that statement.....
For the record, I'm a pro-choice, pro-capital punishment (when proved beyond any doubt) 'liberal'....
The Bible also says, "An eye for an eye." At least we don't believe in the killing of innocents. Explain your logic of killing an infant in the womb, that scientific studies have proven responds to the mother's voice, pain, and other auditory stimuli? The majority of abortions are performed when there is much more than a small collection of cells. I am a mother- tell me how your experience as a man trumps mine as the reproductive half of the species?
Who claims it is wrong to kill an adult who may have done untold evil killing one or more people? They should be fried.
And Lisa, how many of these unaborted children have you adopted?
I love how you liberals always resort to an argument that has nothing to do with the subject at hand. And just for your information, not because you deserve an answer, but because my children deserve respect, I have three children who are adopted. What does that do to your so- called reasoning? Get a job- oh, wait- I forgot for a moment who is president.
What is that old saying? "Those that can, do, those that can't run for office"? Something like that.
Lisa: Do you have a cut and past for "you liberals"? More than once a sentence becomes numbingly redundant - and revealing.
The sad thing is, with Republicans like these, the Democrats don't even have to do anything special to win anymore. They just have to not say stupid sh!t like this. Sad.