After Donald Trump’s disastrous week, in which one big Republican after another slammed him and worried that he may destroy the GOP from within if he stays in the race, today Trump finally won a whole-hearted, ringing endorsement from a national Republican figure.
But it came from Todd “Legitimate Rape” Akin, the last person any politician would want an endorsement from.
Today, in an interview published in Morning Consult, Akin said:
Trump “is such a breath of fresh air… a populist Republican… the only guy who can beat Hillary Clinton because he’s pulling from such a different base… When he says things and gets everybody excited, there are people like me who are clapping.”
Akin even attacked the Khans on Trump’s behalf. While almost every other GOP figure has expressed sympathy for the Gold Star family’s tragic loss of their son, Akin, like Trump, didn’t let that stop him. Akin said:
“They took advantage of people’s sympathy because their child died… (Khizr Khan) carried it too far when he held up the U.S. Constitution. The question should have been the other way, to Muslims: Have you read the Constitution?”
Of course, Khizr Khan said in his speech at the Democratic Convention that he had read the Constitution, as he pulled his copy out of his pocket and asked if Trump had read it. So there was no need for anyone to ask him again if he had read it. But Akin has never been good at facts.
Akin is the former 6-term GOP Congressman from Missouri who lost his Senate race in 2012 in a landslide to Claire McCaskill. He was ahead in that race until a St. Louis TV reporter asked him if abortion should be illegal even if women became pregnant from being raped. Akin famously replied:
“From what I understand from doctors, it’s really rare. If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut the whole thing down.”
After that, almost everyone on Earth including his own party turned on him. Karl Rove’s PAC pulled all funding from Akin’s race. Sean Hannity urged Akin on air to drop out of the election. (Akin said no.) Almost every national GOP figure at the time attacked his rape comment and urged him to get out:
Mitt Romney: “Congressman’s Akin comments on rape are insulting, inexcusable and, frankly, wrong. Like millions of other Americans, we found them to be offensive… His comments about rape were deeply offensive, and I can’t defend what he said. I can’t defend him.””
Amanda Henneberg, GOP campaign spokeswoman: “Governor Romney and Congressman Ryan disagree with Mr. Akin’s statement. A Romney-Ryan administration would not oppose abortion in instances of rape.”
Sen. Scott Brown, R-Massachusetts: “I found Todd Akin’s comments about women and rape outrageous, inappropriate and wrong. There is no place in our public discourse for this type of offensive thinking.”
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, chairman of the GOP Senate campaign committee: “Over the next 24 hours, Congressman Akin should carefully consider what is best for him, his family, the Republican Party and the values that he cares about and has fought for throughout his career in public service.”
Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Missouri: “The national interest, I believe, is for Congressman Akin to take a look at what the likely result of what his staying in the race is… If he gets out, I think we win the seat.”
Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky: “What he said is just flat wrong in addition to being wildly offensive to any victim of sexual abuse.”
So congratulations, Donald Trump, on winning the endorsement of this famous Republican! First you got Putin, then Baio, then, um, that underpants model guy, then your children, and now you have Akin. You know what that is? Momentum!