....be stupid to be a Republican. Wait, you do.

From the BBC:

US row over Congressman Todd Akin's rape remark

A row has erupted in the US after a congressman said women's bodies were
naturally able to prevent pregnancy in the case of "legitimate rape".

Todd Akin, who is also running as Republican candidate for the Senate,
made the comments in a TV interview to explain his strict views on abortion.

He later said he had "misspoken" but his Democratic rival said the
comments were "beyond comprehension".

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said he disagreed with the
view.

During the interview for KTVI-TV, Mr Akin was asked about his
no-exceptions view on abortion, a highly charged issue in the US, and on
whether he would like abortion to be banned even if the pregnancy was
the result of rape.

He replied: "It seems to me, from what I understand from doctors, that
is 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 of the
rapist, and not attacking the child."
'Flat-out astonishing'

The interview has sparked a furious reaction in the US, with critics
attacking both Mr Akin's scientific view and his reference to
"legitimate rape".

Democrat Senator Claire McCaskill said it was "beyond comprehension that
someone can be so ignorant about the emotional and physical trauma
brought on by rape".

"The ideas that Todd Akin has expressed about the serious crime of rape
and the impact on its victims are offensive."

Ms McCaskill, who is trailing Mr Akin in opinion polls for the Missouri
seat, said on Twitter that as a former prosecutor she had personally
handled hundreds of rape cases.

On blogs and Twitter, users have also poured scorn on his biological
view, and expressed concern that he is a member of the House Committee
on Science.

Terry O'Neill, president of the National Organization for Women, told AP
radio that the comments were "flat-out astonishing" and that such
language was "intended to shame women".

A spokesman for Mr Romney said that both the candidate and running mate,
Paul Ryan, disagreed with Mr Akin, and stressed that "a Romney-Ryan
administration would not oppose abortion in instances of rape".

Mr Akin later issued a statement saying he had "misspoken" in his "off
the cuff" remarks, though did not specify on which points.

He said the interview "does not reflect the deep empathy I hold for the
thousands of women who are raped and abused every year".

Mr Akin also reconfirmed that he "believes deeply in the protection of
all life and I do not believe that harming another innocent victim is
the right course of action".

The six-term congressman for Missouri in a long-time vocal opponent of
relaxing abortion laws.

In 2011, he co-sponsored a controversial bill that would have limited
the government help available to women seeking abortions in the case of
rape to cases of "forcible rape".

After a public outcry, the House Republican party was made to change
this language.


--
I'm a liberal because the militant fundamentalist ignorant
science-denying religious xenophobic corporate oligarchy of modern
Republican conservatism just doesn't work for me or my country.