An interview with Congressman Todd Akin

I just returned from Missouri where, as an Important Journalist from the East,
I was invited to interview Congressman Todd Akin, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate who, until last week, was leading his incumbent opponent, Claire McCaskill, in the polls.

That changed when Akin told an interviewer from a St. Louis television station that women who are raped rarely become pregnant because “… if it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut the whole thing down.” Akin, at the time, was trying to explain why he believes abortion should be outlawed under all circumstances, including rape.

His comment provoked outrage from women and leaders of his own party withdrew support for his candidacy.  So far, he has refused to step aside.

Here’s the transcript from my interview.

TD: Congressman, if you don't believe a rape victim should be allowed to end her pregnancy, what do you propose she do with the child after it’s born?

Akin: What do you mean?

TD: If a woman who has been raped is forced to give birth to a child she doesn’t want, what provision would you make for that child?

Akin: That’s an interesting question.

TD: Would you adopt it?

Akin: I’d love to but I’m so busy serving my constituents I wouldn’t have time.
It wouldn’t be fair to the child.  

TD: Okay then, would you propose public funding for orphanages to care for children of rape?

Akin:  There may not be money to do that. Someone was saying the other day America has a budget deficit.

TD: You didn’t know that?

Akin: I am only aware of one issue in the upcoming election, and that is preventing abortion under any and all circumstances. Like the billboards along Interstate 70 say, when we get to heaven the first thing God is going to ask is, “What did you do for the unborn?”

TD: Do you think God might also ask what you did for the living?

Akin: That’s not my department. Look, I'd like to continue chatting but I have an important meeting. Have a good day.

TD: You, too.