Laura Basset released an update at 7:00 pm Monday night, reporting that Rep. Todd Akin is refusing to resign from the Missouri Senate race with Senator Claire McCaskill, and plans to defy GOP pressure for him to step down before 5:00 pm tomorrow. Todd Akin Apologizes For 'Legitimate Rape' Remark, Won't Drop Out (Posted: 08/20/2012 1:55 pm Updated: 08/20/2012 7:00 pm)
UPDATE: 4:13 p.m. -- Akin doubled down on his promise to stay in the race in an interview with Sean Hannity on Monday afternoon, despite mounting pressure for him to back out.
"I'm announcing today that we're going to stay in," he told Hannity. "This campaign is more than just one TV interview."
We've read dozens of articles, here, highlighting the substantive similarities between Todd Akins, and Paul Ryan's policy and legislation including co-sponsorship of legislation to make fetal cells fully human. Traditional media seems to be picking this up and playing it hard, as evening programs for both CNN, and MSNBC have been running many segments on this story, with hosts such as Erin Burnett, and Chris Matthew pushing back on GOP talking heads trying to distance the Romney-Ryan ticket from this story, suggesting that both, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan fully support a woman's right to choose in the case of incest and rape.
Lauren Basset continues:
Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.) told Mike Huckabee on Monday that he has no plans to drop out of the Missouri Senate race, despite a firestorm of criticism from his own party over a statement he made about "legitimate rape."
"I don’t know that I'm the only person in public office who suffered from foot in mouth disease here," he said. "This was a very, very serious error."
"On the other hand, there are so many good people in Missouri who nominated me," he added. "I feel just as strongly as ever that my background and ability will be a big asset in replacing [Sen.] Clare McCaskill and putting some sanity back in our government. I'm not a quitter, and my belief is we're going to take this thing forward, and by the grace of God we're going to win this race."
Chris Matthews suggested that many Democrats want Todd Akins to stay in the race, because he has become such a "juicy symbol" of the GOP's regressive positions against a woman's right to choose. This could help us not only keep Senator Claire McCaskill's seat, preventing the GOP from gaining a majority, but also, perhaps, put Missouri into play in the national election, and help out down-ballet Democrats around the country.
Tomorrow, we will see if Akin can defy GOP pressures until 5:00 pm, which is the deadline for the Republican Party to be able to easily replace him, without having to fight Democrats in court about it.