President Obama has weighed in on a controversial comment made by Rep. Todd Akin in a surprise appearance at the White House press room yesterday. The president addressed Akin’s remark that women who are victims of “legitimate rape” rarely get pregnant.
“The views expressed were offensive,” said Obama. “Rape is rape.”
“The idea that we should be parsing and qualifying and slicing what types of rape we are talking about doesn’t make sense to the American people and certainly doesn’t make sense to me,” he continued.
Akin, a Missouri Republican currently running to unseat Democratic senator Claire McCaskill, has apologized for the remark, but maintains that he will not drop out of the race. Earlier today he posted a new TV ad asking for forgiveness. “Rape is an evil act. I used the wrong words in the wrong way and for that I apologize,” he says in the ad.
Presidential candidate Mitt Romney has also condemned Akin’s remark. “Gov. Romney and Congressman Ryan disagree with Mr. Akin’s statement, and a Romney-Ryan administration would not oppose abortion in instances of rape,” said a statement from his campaign.
What do you think of Akin’s remark?