The First Casualty: A Political Campaign Lexicon

Exploit your Opponents Gaffes Part II:
Turn them into Fund Raising Opportunities
Updated 8/24/2012 9:51AM (See below)

Barely twelve hours had passed after GOP Missouri US Senate Candidate Todd Akins swerved into a political maelstrom with his "legitimate rape" comment, when Debbie Wasserman Shultz, the Democratic National Committee and Florida House Representative sent out emails to party faithful encouraging donations.

During a Sunday Morning show, The Jaco Report, on the Fox Station in Saint Louis, Candidate Akins was asked the predictable hard-facts-make-bad-law question about abortion in the event of rape.  It is a question asked of every Pro-Life candidate and should, according to Ann Coulter, be expect.  Rather than giving defensible prepared answers, Akins went completely off-script:

“From what I understand from doctors, that’s really rare,” Akin said. “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.”

Within twelve hours, the Democratic Party turned the gaffe into a fundraising opportunity.  Rep. Wasserman Shultz wrote:

In a year that has brought us no shortage of stunningly backward statements from Republicans on issues affecting women's health, the GOP Senate nominee from Missouri may have just taken the cake.

This morning, Rep. Todd Akin, explaining his opposition to abortion even in cases of rape, said that victims of "legitimate rape" don't get pregnant because "the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down."

What exactly, Rep. Akin, is an "illegitimate" rape? And what are these unnamed "ways" women have of avoiding pregnancy after being (legitimately) raped?

Now, Akin's choice of words isn't the real issue here. The real issue is a Republican party -- led by Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan -- whose policies on women and their health are dangerously wrong.

The email then invites recipients to donate to the Democratic Party.

Romney immediately disavowed Akins' statement, “Congressman’s Akin comments on rape are insulting, inexcusable, and, frankly, wrong.   Like millions of other Americans, we found them to be offensive.”

Akins for his part sought to quell the furor over his remarks, "This weekend I made a mistake. I used the wrong words in the wrong way. What I said was ill-conceived and it was wrong and for that I apologize. I’m a dad of two daughters and I want tough justice for sexual predators and I’ve always had a compassionate heart for the victims of sexual assault. 

The people from Missouri that elected me know I’m not perfect. We all make mistakes. When you make a mistake what you need to do is tell people you’re sorry. Don’t try and hide it. That’s why I have repeatedly said that I am very sorry for my comments.  Just because somebody makes a mistake doesn’t make them useless. We need a conservative in the United States Senate, and I am running to replace Claire McCaskill and get our country back on track.”

Unfortunately for Akins, what President Ronald Reagan said to Walter Mondale during the 1984 debate, in politics "if you are explaining; you are losing."

Akins' opponent, vulnerable US Senator Claire McCaskill, has also seized upon the gaffe seeking to raise money on the issue.  "Akin's record is riddled with policies and votes that hurt women. He thinks many forms of contraception — including the pill — should be illegal and voted against equal pay for equal work.  Together, we can make sure that Missouri has a Senator who has a proven track record of fighting for women."

A good gaffe, as discussed earlier, should further a perceived negative stereotype of the politician.  Here, an ardently pro-life Republican is painted as ignorant and hostile toward women.  This particular gaffe is so critical, in a swing state they may determine the balance of power in the Senate as well as Missouri's Electoral Votes, that Conservative leaders and pundits have called on Akins to withdraw so that another conservative candidate can face McCaskill.  


UPDATE 8/24/12:

Rep. Akins did not withdraw from the Senate Race by the deadline on August 22, 2012 when he would be allowed to do so without Court Order.  

DNC Chair, Rep. Wasserman Shultz debated with CNN's Anderson Cooper about the accuracy of her claim that Romney opposes abortion in the case of rape.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8k-KuYJraEg&feature=player_embedded