GOP Rejects Rape Exception in Their Platform

Akin fiasco fails to sway the GOP

TAMPA, Fla. — Even as Mitt Romney sought to quash the furor surrounding Todd Akin's "legitimate" rape comments, the Republican platform committee here approved an abortion plank that includes no exemptions for rape, incest or even to save the life of the mother.

The platform committee instead approved draft language Tuesday, calling for a "Human Life Amendment" that gives legal protection to the unborn. Democrats quickly labeled the GOP language the "Akin Plank," referring to the Missouri Senate candidate's statements that victims of "legitimate rape" rarely get pregnant.

Comments

[Jennifer]

I seriously don't understand WTF the GOP is thinking. Obama has proven a huge disappointment to those who voted for him based on civil liberty concerns -- in areas ranging from "harassment of medical MJ users" to "punishment of whistleblowers" and "lack of government transparency," he's actually worse than Bush/Cheney were -- and I think the GOP would've had a good chance of overcoming Obama's incumbent's advantage and taking the White House in 2012 had they pushed sane, moderate candidates like, say, Huntsman or Gary Johnson. But instead, they looked at a president disliked by much of his own base for his civil liberty stance, and decided to go with nominees who are even worse.