Todd Akin and the perils of ‘personhood’
Two weeks ago, Missouri’s Todd Akin took a big step in his quest to go from the U.S. House to the U.S. Senate by winning the state’s Republican primary for the seat. Instead of moving toward unseating incumbent Democrat Claire McCaskill, however, Akin may have taken an even larger step back this weekend with his remarks about rape and abortion during an interview with a St. Louis TV station:
First of all, 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 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.
From his bizarre distinction between “legitimate rape” and, well, I’m not sure what (maybe Whoopi Goldberg could help him out with that?) to his crackpot notion that the female body “has ways to try to shut [pregnancy by forcible rape] down,” Akin has created a hot, offensive mess. There are calls from conservative commentators and at least two Republican senators (Scott Brown of Massachusetts and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin) for Akin to drop out of the race and let someone else fight the general election against McCaskill.
Whatever becomes of Akin’s candidacy — he indicated in an interview this afternoon on Mike Huckabee’s radio show that he doesn’t plan to quit the race — I really hope the backers of the so-called personhood amendment have been watching.
Akin might have found the most offensive, least intelligent way of stating opposition to one of the three most common exceptions that many pro-life people would make for abortions (the other two being incest and a threat to the life of the mother). The problem with the personhood approach, which would eliminate at least the rape and incest exceptions, is that there really isn’t a way to put it that persuades most Americans.
Gallup has perhaps the longest record of tracking public opinion about abortion. While the trend over the past couple of decades is clearly in an anti-abortion direction, one consistency is that the position with the most adherents — by far — is for abortion to be “legal only in a few circumstances.” That’s “a few,” not “one” or “none.”
Add the “few circumstances” group to the “no circumstances” tally, and three in five Americans support much stricter regulation of abortion than has been in place since Roe v. Wade. But only one in five supports making it completely illegal.
There is a certain inconsistency to the personhood approach: Why make it OK to take a life in certain circumstances, but not others. Life is life, right?
It’s far from clear, however, that consistency is the top priority for Americans on this issue. It’s more likely the case that Americans want to strike a balance among the sometimes-competing interests of protecting the innocent, personal responsibility and personal liberty.
My guess is the rape exception remains an imperative for most people because a woman doesn’t choose to be raped and cannot possibly be deemed responsible for that action or a resulting pregnancy. However pro-choice and anti-abortion people differ about the question of responsibility in other cases, this one seems beyond debate.
That’s probably a big reason personhood failed in statewide referendums in Colorado and Mississippi. It’s a big reason I’m convinced, despite its showing in a non-binding vote on last month’s Georgia Republican primary ballots, it would fail in Georgia if there were a statewide vote for a personhood amendment to the state constitution.
The vast majority of elective abortions in this country have nothing to do with rape or incest. Right-to-life groups — and aspiring politicians — should focus on those.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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137 comments Add your comment
InAtl
August 20th, 2012
4:27 pm
In other words, atler, you got nuthin’.
Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer's ineptocracy
August 20th, 2012
4:33 pm
Man, I hope he drops out; he is dumber than a turnip or a Biden. That McCaskill lady sure looks like she needs a few days in a spa somewhere, the pressure seems to have worn on her. The GOP needs to nominate someone, who can relieve her.
ByteMe
August 20th, 2012
4:40 pm
Rep. Denny Rehberg, the Republican candidate for Senate in Montana, will donate $5,000 that he received from Todd Akin’s PAC to a teen pregnancy center, Politico reports.
Good and just response.
jconservative
August 20th, 2012
4:48 pm
Today the right to an abortion is a constitutional right. For those of us on the pro-life side this should be the issue. All of this other stuff, i.e. person hood, # of weeks, only takes our eye off of the ultimate target. Some pro-life people spend a majority of their time jousting with windmills.
And, as Kyle points out, the “reproductive rights of women” holds the upper hand in public opinion.
Bhorsoft
August 20th, 2012
4:49 pm
an erection is a medical necessity? The individual’s life would be in danger if they couldn’t have that? Other than sex, what does the erection do for the owner? Point directions?
For some men (particularly politicians), a lack of an erection would impair their thinking…
@@
August 20th, 2012
4:56 pm
First of all, from what I understand from doctors
Akin needs to bring those doctors forward. Surely they didn’t receive their medical license in the U.S..
Michael H Smith
August 20th, 2012
4:57 pm
The vast majority of elective abortions in this country have nothing to do with rape or incest. Right-to-life groups — and aspiring politicians — should focus on those. – (Or pose a threat to the life of the mother or involved gross malformation of a fetus.)
I agree.
snoqualmiefalls
August 20th, 2012
4:59 pm
Can anyone still maintain there is “no war on women”
HMMM let’s put on our thinking caps and spend some time connecting the dots with critical thinking skills, something Mr. Akin lacks.
Michael H Smith
August 20th, 2012
5:02 pm
the “reproductive rights of women” holds the upper hand in public opinion.
It holds the upper hand in the opinion of the Supreme Court. If public opinion were the reason, abortion would have been passed as legislation rather than “SETTLED” by Roe -v- Wade.
fultonrighty
August 20th, 2012
5:05 pm
Kyle, as long as the pro-life movement focused on the “95%” as you call it, politicians gave only lip service to being pro-life and nothing much got enacted into law in GA. Since 2000 when the standard was raised (goal posts moved, as you would say), we have had significant legislation here and more will come. Personhood is bigger than abortion–it deals with the dignity of those who are handicapped physically or mentally, the terminally ill and all the biotechnology that sacrifices human dignity. Pro-human personhood protection is required to deal with animal-human hybrids, cloning, transhumanism, genetic manipulation, and eugenic customized embryos/designer babies.
Akin made a foolish, uninformed comment, and deserves to be replaced by a wiser one, but his respect for nascent human life is valid. Severely upping the punishment for the rapist when his crime results in a pregnancy sounds pretty good too. Perhaps hefty compensation to the woman?
Jefferson
August 20th, 2012
5:12 pm
Spin it so you win it, eh ?
Michael H Smith
August 20th, 2012
5:13 pm
Oh boy, guess now we have a war on everything or anything, since a few fringe extremists in society is all that is needed for a “war on something” to be declared.
How about a “war on WARS”?
OMG! Then we’ll only have peace to make war on!!
Michael H Smith
August 20th, 2012
5:16 pm
Reality needs no spin.
Archibald Leach
August 20th, 2012
5:19 pm
I dont see why people are surprised by Akin’s comments. This is what most of the Republican party thinks. He just said it out loud. Akin and Paul Ryan share the exact same views. Thats why Ryan and Akin co-sponsored a “personhood” bill.
Whatsamattau With Republicans? How Do You Misplace Sanity?
August 20th, 2012
5:24 pm
Legitimate rape?
“Only the most brutal form of rape — inflicted at gunpoint or after a physical beating — constitutes “real” rape?
O M G!
In all matters of opinion, our adversaries are insane.
Whatsamattau with Republicans?
They have gone STARK RAVING MAD.
SlickRick - glad to not have to worry about suffering through Myth Robme and The Boy Wonder's ineptocracy
August 20th, 2012
5:26 pm
@@ – he’s on your ‘team’; he ‘believes’ in the same ‘things’ you do. own it!
SlickRick - glad to not have to worry about suffering through Myth Robme and The Boy Wonder's ineptocracy
August 20th, 2012
5:27 pm
Michael H Smith – How’s about you seek to control your own wife, k? But leave other women alone.
When Jesus comes back, these crazy, greedy, capitalistic Republicans are gonna kill him again
August 20th, 2012
5:37 pm
@Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer’s ineptocracy
August 20th, 2012
4:33 pm
Man, I hope he drops out; he is dumber than a turnip or a Biden. That McCaskill lady sure looks like she needs a few days in a spa somewhere, the pressure seems to have worn on her. The GOP needs to nominate someone, who can relieve her.
_________________________________________________________________
Whatsamattau with YOU Republicans?
How do you Republicans misplace sanity?
Dave
August 20th, 2012
5:38 pm
“The vast majority of elective abortions in this country have nothing to do with rape or incest. Right-to-life groups — and aspiring politicians — should focus on those.”
Absolutely true; so, you counsel imposing your views on the circumstances where it’s easier to get support for intruding on a personal decision.
I understand morality, I try to be moral; but, morality is almost always the basis for bad law.
You Kyle seem to be accepting immorality in your view where you can’t win and imposing your morality on others when you think you’ve got a shot at winning. Bad idea in my view.
SlickRick - glad to not have to worry about suffering through Myth Robme and The Boy Wonder's ineptocracy
August 20th, 2012
5:44 pm
When Jesus comes back – I’d submit it is very easy to misplace that which you never had in the first place.
Dusty
August 20th, 2012
5:55 pm
KYLE
Just ’cause we have a rare crazy Republican does not mean we need to advertise him.. The DNC will take care of that. You are focusing on the mishaps, not the magnificence of moderate conservative government. ..
Sensible folks will run that ignoramus Akin off the ticket. He got loose before they knew it.
.
@@
August 20th, 2012
6:04 pm
And your side, Rick?
They support terminating life for convenience sake.
Own THAT!
When Jesus comes back, these crazy, greedy, capitalistic Republicans are gonna kill him again
August 20th, 2012
6:51 pm
Life is life, right?
Then why is it Okay to not feed the millions of children who go to bed HUNGRY.
Life is life, right?
Then why is it Okay to CUT FUNDING for the poor.
Life is life, right?
Yet CONS are more interested in the unborn THAN THE ALREADY BORN.
Life is life. Right?
SUCH HYPOCRITES.
That is why God is EXPOSING CONS EVERYDAY.
md
August 20th, 2012
6:58 pm
“For some men (particularly politicians), a lack of an erection would impair their thinking…”
Actually the other way around…..man was blessed with a brain and the other brain, but only enough blood to power one at a time
bu2
August 20th, 2012
7:13 pm
“Before hyperventilation kicks in for some of you, try this:
Close your eyes, pretend you’re floating in air, then imagine that these offensive words were uttered by our VP.
Now this becomes a non-issue; just Joe being Joe. No media outrage except just at those who express outrage about the comment. Excuses made and accepted on all the Sunday shows.
Feel better?”
Then there was our own Hank Johnson wondering if the island of Guam would capsize if we put too many soldiers on it.
Is there something about politics that draws total idiots? Or maybe its just the ego involved encourages them to open their mouth and remove all doubt.
too much
August 20th, 2012
7:32 pm
Dusty
It is called fair reporting. Those who do not like to see the good and bad on both sides are usually individuals of all political stripes who are best kept in the shallow end of the pool.
Place where one doesn’t have to think much.
You might want to sit on the edge of the shallow end for now and just get your feet wet
Ted
August 20th, 2012
8:25 pm
“Ryan is joined at the hip with this guy legislatively. Wake up people. This is the kind of crap you will get from a republican administration.”
Yeah he is and Kyle didn’t mention this at all.
Ted
August 20th, 2012
8:30 pm
The other aspect of the personhood amendments (especially the one in MS) is that they would ban birth control. That was another ridiculous aspect of that amendment and another reason why it went down in flames. Even the voters of Mississippi found that to be too extreme. I love how the Republicans are wringing their hands about Akin. He’s an absolute disgrace.
Whatsamattau With Republicans? How Do You Misplace Sanity?
August 20th, 2012
9:05 pm
@bu2
August 20th, 2012
7:13 pm
“Before hyperventilation kicks in for some of you, try this:
Close your eyes, pretend you’re floating in air, then imagine that these offensive words were uttered by our VP.
Now this becomes a non-issue; just Joe being Joe. No media outrage except just at those who express outrage about the comment. Excuses made and accepted on all the Sunday shows.
Feel better?”
_______________________________________________________
In view of the fact that God limited the intelligence of man,
it seems unfair that he did not also limit your stupidity.
Whatsamattau With Republicans? How Do You Misplace Sanity?
August 20th, 2012
9:10 pm
It is awfully quiet tonight on this blog.
I guess the CONS are hiding in shame.
Shameonya……………………………………
God is taking names.
Whatsamattau With Republicans? How Do You Misplace Sanity?
August 20th, 2012
9:15 pm
It costs to be stupid. The stupider you are, the more it costs.
IT IS GOING TO COST THE CONS DEARLY.
fair and balanced
August 20th, 2012
11:09 pm
Great editorial Kyle- one more reason to vote against Romney since his vp choice and Mr. Aiken have identical viws on abortion, personhood and rape. Did you check on how many anti-abortion bills those two co-sponsored. Whatever Aiken’s views on rape are, they are also Paul Ryan’s aside from his typica; flip flop like every other issue he has gotten called on in the past week. Hee is going for Olympic gold in the summersault contest.
bu2
August 20th, 2012
11:22 pm
@Whatssamattau
You should read my post more carefully. You might learn something.
fultonrighty
August 21st, 2012
6:50 am
Sorry, @Ted,
In MS the opponents said it banned “birth control.” Some of what they call “birth control” operates by preventing conception (the Pill, condoms), but others don’t (Ella, RU486). Does it control the uniting of egg and sperm (conception) or does it control birth? Because of these new technologies, there is now a distinction is between “contraception” and “birth control.” [Ultimately all abortions could be called "birth control," because they control birth.]
In MS Planned Parenthood used the confusion between the two to scare pro-life people out of voting for it. That and Haley Barbour’s waffling tv clip.
gm
August 21st, 2012
10:37 am
Just wait till all the facts come out on the rich golden boy Ryan another women hater who has voted against every bill from the Ledbetter act equal pay for women to voting against Parent Planning Hood.
The GOP really believe all rights are for white males and women and minorities have no role, yet rep women are out there supporting these women haters, makes you wonder whats wrong menally with these rep women???/
Old white men making health decisions for women
August 21st, 2012
11:41 am
Yeah, that makes sense. Especially when old white men have understood from doctors that a woman’s body can shut that whole thing down when it wants to.
Or that old white men have understood that abortions are over 90% of what Planned Parenthood does.
Old white men need to stay focused on things they know: Matlock reruns and growing ear hair long enough to braid.
SBinF
August 22nd, 2012
10:03 am
Akin said what millions of GOPers really think.
What’s wrong with that?