After a Missouri Congressman made controversial statements about rape and the inner workings of the female body, Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says it might be best if Todd Akin abandons his run for U.S. Senate. Akin said last weekend that women’s bodies can prevent pregnancy if they’re the victim of what he called “legitimate rape.”
Grassley, a fellow Republican, characterizes Akin’s statements as “stupid.” “He is the candidate today so he ought to consider whether or not his statements are going to hurt the chances of Republicans taking over the United States Senate,” Grassley says. “The greater good for the United States would be that we have another candidate for the Senate in Missouri.”
Grassley notes that Akin made his comments during an appearance on a nationally-broadcast radio show during a discussion about abortion in the case of rape or incest. Grassley says, “I would imagine that he would consider himself pro-life and I consider myself pro-life but I believe that his statements expressed a great deal of insensitivity about the issue generally and particularly about how women would react.”
Grassley says he doesn’t know Akin and doesn’t think he’s ever interacted with him. In the long-running debate over a woman’s reproductive rights, Grassley says, “Wherever we can change the attitude towards abortion, we ought to try to do it, but you can’t do it by being insensitive.”
“An attack of rape is about as bad an attack that you can have if you’re a female,” Grassley says. “You ought to express sensitivity for it even if you don’t have an understanding of it.” Akin apologized Monday for his comments.
He’s served six terms in the U.S. House and has said he will continue on in his race for U.S. Senate, facing Democrat Claire McCaskill in November.