Wall Street Journal Editors Want Missouri Senate Candidate Todd Akin to Quit – But Not Because of His Ugly, Offensive Remarks

They Like Most Republicans Don't Care What He Said - They Are Worried About the Loss of a Senate Contest 

In politics and the drive for control of government, nothing, absolutely nothing is more important than winning.  If your candidate says outrageous and offensive and disgusting things, that only matters if it affects the voting.  The latest example of this is the reaction of the editorial writers of the Wall Street Journal.  This is what they have to say about the comments of Republican Senate candidate Todd Akins argument that rape victims cannot get pregnant.

He instructed the no doubt startled interviewer that a woman's body could prevent pregnancy in the case of "legitimate rape," whatever that might be, because "the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down."

That's certainly a novel reproductive concept, and a furor naturally erupted on Monday as his comments became widely known. 

That’s right, all we have here is a “novel reproductive concept”, not something that displays ignorance and insensitivity that comes only with cretins of a certain age.  So if the only problem here is Mr. Akin’s ‘novelty’ why does the Journal have an issue?

The answer of course is that voters are a little more demanding, and some but not all require actual intelligence and decency on the part of their representatives.  So it is possible they might vote for the Democratic incumbent, and seriously harm Republican chances to take control of the Senate.  That is the real problem in the eyes of the Conservatives.

Mr. Akin may not be a quitter, but the question now is whether he is a sure loser in November. He had won a three-way primary earlier this month and faced a tough but winnable race against vulnerable Democratic incumbent Claire McCaskill. The race will be that much tougher given that his remarks about rape are likely to repel the women voters he will need to prevail.. . . . . .

Mr. Akin and his most loyal supporters may consider this party reaction unfair given that it is only one comment and he has apologized. But Senate control could well be decided by a single seat, and on that hangs the future of ObamaCare and much more than one candidate's fate.

If anyone is left with the clear impression that the Conservative establishment wouldn’t care what Mr. Akin said if it did not damage his elections chances, then that is indeed the right impression.