Updated 5:18 p.m. — A Republican Senate nominee found himself in hot water on Sunday for suggesting that instances of "legitimate rape" rarely results in pregnancy. 

Rep. Todd Akin, a Republican who's locked in a hard-fought campaign in Missouri to unseat Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill, was answering a question regarding his position on abortion rights in instances when a woman is a victim of rape. 

"People always want to make it into one of those things — well, how do you slice this particularly tough ethical question," Akin said in an interview on KTVI-TV, video of which was circulated by the Democratic super PAC American Bridge. 

“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," Akin said. 

Regarding his opinion on whether to allow for an abortion in such instances, Akin added: “But let’s assume that maybe that didn’t work or something. I think there should be some punishment, but the punishment ought to be on the rapist and not attacking the child.”

In a statement, Akin said that he had misspoken. 

"In reviewing my off-the-cuff remarks, it's clear that I misspoke in this interview and it does not reflect the deep empathy I hold for the thousands of women who are raped and abused every year," he said.

Akin emerged earlier this month from a tough three-way primary in Missouri, where he rallied social conservatives behind his candidacy. Democrats actually spent during that primary to help Akin win, viewing the six-term congressman as a less formidable challenger in the general election. 

McCaskill, who was first elected in 2006, has become a top target for Republicans this fall, given President Barack Obama's unpopularity in the state and successive statewide victories for the GOP. 

Republicans need a net gain of four seats this fall in order to take over the Senate in the next Congress, and Democrats must defend 23 seats this fall. But unexpected Republican retirements and races that have become more competitive than expected have boosted Democratic hopes of maintaining their majority.

http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/19/13365269-missouri-republican-legitimate-rape-rarely-causes-pregnancy#comments

WTF?

Legitimate rape.

Terrible choice of words. Oh well. I feel like the republicans are digging themselves bigger and bigger graves. = The internet sure hates them.

I don't know much about biology. However that doesn't seem right.

Eh,  I wouldn't put too much stock into the internet becuase of the 99-9-1 internet rule.

Which essentially states that of internet users, 99% are lurkers, 9% post, and 1% post regularly.

Actually trying to gain insight from internet comments on the like with general policy is pretty impossible unless you have the right forumlas.

What I do know is that women sometimes have missed periods due to a number of weird reasons including living with girls they're not used to having around, being emotionally distressed, huge change in diet, etc.

Rape would fit under the emotionally distressed one, but since pregnancy happens after ovulation I don't see how her body would be able to prevent it if she already ovulated. 

And these are the people that help make the laws we must live by... Fuck.

I was debating posting this one, but erred on the other side.

"Legitimate Rape" is a thing, sadly, and that makes this whole thing much more sordid when you analyze his language. "Legitimate Rape" means what we all think of when you hear "rape," which is a woman alone in a dark alley, suddenly jumped by thugs (that she doesn't know) who have their way with her, which is a very small percentage of all rape

"Illegitimate rape" is an inherently anti-feminist term, because that's the majority of rape, the kind of thing where you're with a girl and you think she's sending out signals but ultimately she doesn't want it, but you have sex with her anyway. That's the bulk of rape, and you can see with this terminology that this is considered by many to be "less" of a crime.

What this man is postulating is that the distress of a "stranger-assault" rape causes women to shut down their receptivity, which isn't how it works at all.

Someone so ignorant should be kept well away from public life period, let alone any position of responsibility.

Is anal rape,legitimate rape? What the hell is he saying.

This made me sick when I read this on a different site earlier. What a fucking moron. One more ass-clown in the senate making laws... Someone should show him some legitimate rate.