About Todd Akin and the Democrats Who Helped Him

First off, yes, I am among those who have called for Todd Akin to withdraw from the Missouri U. S. Senate race, repeatedly so on my twitter feed.  He is just too stupid to win this election.  His rape remark is not the first time he’s put his foot in his mouth recently:

But barely two weeks into the general-election campaign, Akin committed a series of gaffes. He called a McCaskill campaign website attacking his record accurate, admitted not knowing what was in a farm bill important to his state, suggested reconsideration of civil-rights laws, and called a federal school-lunch program unconstitutional. Akin’s recent statement that “legitimate rape” rarely causes pregnancy, while uniquely offensive, was just the worst in a series of statements advertising his unsuitability and the final straw that caused GOP leaders to conclude that he is unelectable against even the extremely vulnerable McCaskill.

But he is not only too stupid to get elected; he is too selfish to be a good team player as well.  He insists on staying in the race, likely turning an almost sure victory into defeat and six more years of Senator Clare McCaskill.

Speaking of which, that she and fellow Democrats are denouncing Akin and at the same time Republican efforts to get him off the ballot is downright comical. McCaskill and Democrats helped Akin win the Republican primary with meddling ads.  Here’s one primary ad from McCaskill herself and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee that all but begs conservatives to stick it to the Democrats and vote for Akin.  And here’s another McCaskill ad from back in July:

If I ever run for public office, I want “opposition” like that! “WannabeAnglican opposes Obama and everything us liberal Democrats believe in.  He’s a true conservative who actually believes in freedom!  Pleeeease don’t vote for him!”

So a big part of the blame for Todd Akin being the Republican nominee belongs to Democrats.  They paid good money to get the candidate they wanted to run against and succeeded.  So when they wax indignant about him, you may kindly tell them to shut up.

But what else to do now?  If Akin runs a perfect campaign from here, maybe he can win.  McCaskill is indeed unpopular.  But remember, this man is Grade A stupid.  A perfect campaign is not in the cards.

Sarah Palin has suggested a third party run.  A write-in is also possible.  I doubt either works.  It’s hard to see one candidate getting enough votes to overcome splitting the anti-McCaskill vote.  But if Akin runs such a distant third that he pulls out before November, who knows?