President Barack Obama: “Rape is Rape.”
Posted: August 20, 2012 Filed under: abortion rights, Barack Obama, misogyny, Mitt Romney, PLUB Pro-Life-Until-Birth, torture, U.S. Politics, Violence against women, War on Women, Women's Healthcare, Women's Rights | Tags: "forcible rape", "legitimate rape", Paul Ryan, rape, Romney lies, Todd Akin 37 Comments
I have to hand it to President Obama. He hit all the right notes today in responding to the disgusting remarks by Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin. From TPM:
President Obama strongly condemned Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO) during a surprise press conference Monday for his remarks that “legitimate rape” doesn’t cause pregnancy. Obama said Akin’s statement was reflective of the broader Republican Party’s treatment of women.
“Let me first say the views expressed were offensive,” Obama said. “Rape is rape, and the idea that we should be parsing and qualifying and slicing what types of rape we’re talking about doesn’t make sense to the American people and certainly doesn’t make sense to me.”….
Obama, while acknowledging criticism of Akin from within the Republican Party, said that his remarks were indicative of the GOP’s anti-abortion record. He pointedly referenced a House Republican bill co-sponsored by Akin and Rep. Paul Ryan that distinguished “forcible rape” in banning funding for abortion, language that was subsequently withdrawn after an outcry from women’s advocacy groups.
“What I think these comments do underscore is why we shouldn’t have a bunch of politicians, a majority of whom are men, making health care decisions on behalf of women,” Obama said. “So although these particular comments have led Gov. Romney and other Republicans to distance themselves, I think that the underlying notion that we should be making decisions on behalf of women … or qualifying forcible rape versus non-forcible rape are broader issues.”
This is a strong affirmation of the President’s support women’s autonomy that I believe is on a par with the statement he made in support of gay marriage. Michelle, Malia,and Sasha must be very proud today.
During the same surprise appearance in the White House press room, Obama essentially said that Mitt Romney’s entire campaign has been based on a pack of lies. From Greg Sargent:
Obama was questioned sharply by a reporter who pointed to the Priorities USA ad featuring the dead woman and the Obama campaign’s pressure on Romney to release his tax returns, and asked whether he regretted his campaign’s tone. Obama responded, in part:
“I don’t think that Governor Romney is somehow responsible for the death of the woman that was portrayed in that ad. But keep in mind, this is an ad that I didn’t approve; I did not produce; and as far as I can tell, has barely run. I think it ran once. Now, in contrast, you’ve got Governor Romney creating as a centerpiece of his campaign this notion that we’re taking work requirement out of welfare. Which every single person here who’s looked at it says, it’s patently false…
“Everybody who’s looked at this says what Governor Romney is saying is absolutely wrong. Not only are his Super PACs running millions of dollars worth of ads making this claim; Governor Romney himself is approving this and saying it on the stump. So the contrast I think is pretty stark. They can run the campaign that theyw ant; but the truth of the matter is, you can’t just make stuff up. That’s one thing you learn as president of the United States. You get called into account.”
I know some people will condemn me as a “cockeyed optimist,” but I think Obama may have begun developing a backbone since his pitched battle with Republican leadership over the debt ceiling.
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David Axelrod: Todd Akin’s Comments Are ‘Inconvenient’ For Romney-Ryan, ‘Not Inconsistent’
Exactly. Paul Ryan is his partner in all kinds of anti-woman stuff. I don’t know how they’re going to get away with that.
What the hell is the difference between forcible rape and “legitimate” rape? According to definitions that I was raised on, legitimate means accepted legally (there are a few other definitions, but they all come back to it being okay). Rape is rape, and Obama did a great job at addressing the issue. As a rapee (I guess it was forcible – a knife to the throat does that), I don’t think that a woman or a man for that matter would feel any less violated if they were fed rupees or other date rape drugs and were violated while unconscious. What is wrong with these people who believe this crapola – Ryan included. They are very sick, twisted people. I wonder how either of them would feel if their daughter or son were raped. Would they qualify their offspring’s experience by sitting down and telling them they were okay because it was “legitimate” rape. Sick, twisted people.
Yes, they are sick and twisted. And they must be exposed again and again.
I keep wondering how they go home and face their wives and daughters.
Actually, I wonder how their wives and daughters allow them into the house.
HT, again I am sorry for your experiences. As I told fannie in a comment today, the thing that gets me is the amount of survivors within our little group. and that does not include the lurkers out there who are reading this now. Each of us are connected. And my heart aches for all of you who are reliving your assault because of what these assholes are doing and saying.
It would be the same in any group of women. I’ve been reading at dailykos for the past couple of days, and it’s the same there.
Thanks for the post BB, I guess I’m also a cockeyed optimist. Obama did a very good job with his remarks on Akins gross stupidity and talking about the Rmoney campaign.
Ryan should be tied to Akin with a chain until they all sink.
John Cole: About Akin
About the campaign, Steve Benen has a point that if Obama’s presidency has really been so bad, it should be easy to attack him with truthful statements. So, why are the two biggest points of attack we are seeing right now based on complete lies?
Exactly.
Excellent riposte – thank RalphB – as usual, you are point man on giving us additional references. I thought Pierce’s posting was on point as well. How do these people look at themselves in the mirror every day, or hug their children without feeling like hypocrites. It’s okay if it happens to other people? disgusting excuses for humans.
BTW, when I was exposed to rape by being subjected to it, I was a middle class white girl. It transcends class, as the William Smith situation exposed. Why politicians thinks it’s okay is beond me, and why they hide the issue when it happens to one of their own is even more puzzling.
I really don’t know how anyone can do what they do and look at themselves in the mirror. The insane behavior is beyond my comprehension.
I haven’t said much about Akin because, as a man, I just can’t adequately get beyond rage at him and his kind to make any sense of it. We just can’t apologize enough.
Ralph, you have nothing for which to apologize. You have not raped, and you are not responsible for the assholes who do. Just because you are male – no, you have no responsibility for the men who decide it’s okay to indulge their power trips – and rape is a power trip. Do not ever apologize for anything that happens to be perpetrated by your sex, same as I do not apologize for women who happen to decide it’s okay to kill. Just continue to work against violent perpetrators, wherever it occurs.
Because if they really said what they mean: “We hate the black guy!” all hell would break loose.
This way by using code words and the birther issue there is something to hide behind.
Right now they would vote for Jerry Sandusky if it meant getting rid of Obama. There is very little critical thinking going on here, just a kneejerk reaction to a black guy who won handily in 2008.
Critical thinking would have any rational person running like hell away from this party that is now populated with more crazies than ever.
Even abject racism should only get you so far though, The only difference between Akin and the rest is Akin slipped up and spoke aloud what most of them think.
About the media! Bingo!!!!
This is really nothing new: they have been advancing this theory for the past 10 years or so with the aid of Republican legislatures in quite a few states. It is only recently that some in the press finally woke up and delivered the news that there is indeed a “war on women” and the Dems did not start it.
How else could Sharron Angle get away with calling rape and incest a “blessing”. Or Bob McDonnell instituting a vaginal probe against a woman’s will. Or offering up laws that turn zygotes into “persons”.
They overreach but they never give up. With just enough effort should the congress turn 100% Republican these measures could become the law of the land in due time.
Which tells me that anyone actively voting GOP this time around is braindead. There is nothing that Obama or the Dems can come close to in their agenda that could ever match the hatefulness and ignorance of what this party has become.
One can only hope that this over reach will mean the end of their bigotry. No war on women? Indeed, how stupid can the electorate get, when it’s all there right in front of their noses.
They really don’t even try to hide it anymore. I think Vulture/Voucher have decided this is going to be a “base only” election and they have to get those angry white people madder and keep them that way until November.
Understood, but Ralph, I am a white woman who was middle class, who is now on pension. I do not understand how people who are taking advantage of government programs that were designed to ease seniors’ lives now begrudge anyone else from benefiting from government programs that they themselves took advantage of (yes I know, never end a sentence with a preposition).
I just do not understand these people who are supporting these subhumans (sorry, that is probably inaccurate, but I’m a tried and true liberal, and proud of it). I just do not understand. The infrastructure in the states is crumbling. I read an article today that indicated that most bridges were at the point of being unsafe, or soon would be. There is drought all over the midwest, there are fires all over the midwest, there are crop failures – and yet, people still will vote for the people who offer them nothing other than parroting about tax reductions to the multi millionaires. What is wrong with people. I just do not understand. and no, I”m not a marxist, nor a communist (there is a difference), but I am a socialist – the true meaning of the word and not the silliness expressed by the republicans, who wouldn’t know a socialist if they came up and smacked them in the face wtih a dead fish. And by the way, you have socialist programs – they were what helped your country come out of the Great Depression – TVA anyone.
HT, I’m an FDR Democrat so that makes me a socialist to in the eyes of the right and kind of in my own as well. I was brought up to believe that societies are not judged on how they treat the wealthy and powerful but on how they treat and help the poor and infirm. No one has ever given me any reason to change my mind so I believe we are in complete agreement.
HT, I’m also a straight white male of 65. Should be right in the republican’s demographic. Guess I’ll just never fit in 😉
Ralph, the fact that you don’t fit their demographic (the GOP) to my mind is a point of pride. (hate to tell you, I’m younger than you by two years – freedom55 and all that but only by virtue by being bought out during a downsizing). If you ever do find your way up here, let’s do dinner. I live in a urban area surrounded by beautiful rural areas. You would like it, as would your partner. Think upon it.
Where are you in Canada? Sounds nice and if you are ever in hot Austin, TX look me up.
Just outside of Toronto, ON. You can come visit and stay in my spare bedroom. Sorry, I do not travel across the border anymore, so no chance I will ever visit Austin in this life, but thank you for the invitation.
BTW: Any Front Pagers planning on blogging the freak circus next week?
Now that my Sox are basically residing in the toilet I have time to join in if anyone is up to it.
Dak and I were talking about that today. We’ll have to study the schedule and see what events will be best for live blogs. We can at least have fun mocking the proceedings.
Maybe Issac will hit just as the delegates begin their vote? What would pat robertson say about that…Mayor: ‘Absolutely Prepared To Call Off’ GOP Convention If Isaac Threatens Tampa « CBS Tampa
I’ll need tranquilizers first.
A nice mix of xanax and tequila should do it for me.
Well, apparently this kind of thing isn’t new for Republicans, it just gets more attention thanks to social media. Back in 1988 a PA state Rep, Stephen Freind, said that the odds that a woman who is raped will become pregnant are “one in millions and millions and millions”. The reason is that the traumatic experience of rape causes a woman to “secrete a certain secretion” that tends to kill sperm.
You just can’t make this stuff up.
http://stfuconservatives.net/post/20186380894
That is truly deluded – and sick and twisted. Did I mention that before – the sick and twisted part.
funny tweet…
LOL!