Vision America President Urges Akin to Stay in Race: 'He Apologized, Let's Move On'
Amid the tidal wave of criticism sweeping over Rep. Todd Akin for his remarks on rape victims, Vision America Action has suggested that the Missouri Republican's comments need to be viewed in the proper context and that people need to realize the pro-life issues that are at stake.
"It's disturbing and disheartening to watch Republicans turn on their Missouri Senate nominee, Rep. Todd Akin," said Vision America Action President Dr. Rick Scarborough, who insisted that Americans should forgive the congressman and move on.
Akin aid on Sunday that women's bodies could prevent pregnancies in cases of "legitimate rape," which resulted in a host of GOP leaders calling for him to step out of the Missouri Senate race, where he was leading in the polls.
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GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney has also called for Akin to step aside, saying: "As I said yesterday, Todd Akin's comments were offensive and wrong and he should very seriously consider what course would be in the best interest of our country. Today, his fellow Missourians urged him to step aside, and I think he should accept their counsel and exit the Senate race."
The National Republican Senatorial Committee has promised to pull $2 million from Akin's campaign, and another five current or former U.S. senators have advised the congressman to withdraw.
Vision America Action, an organization that counsels thousands of pastors in America from across all denominations in support of Judeo-Christian values, has insisted that Akin's comments were made in favor of a pro-life position, which the Republican Party platform also supports.
"Rep. Akin made a comment about rape that's absolutely indefensible. He made a heartfelt apology. Let's move on," Scarborough said in the statement. "It's also important to put this into context. The comment was made in the course of an otherwise admirable defense of the right to life. The Congressman was saying: 'Don't punish the child for the rapist.' With that, I very much agree."
Scarborough accused the media of allowing Democrats to get away with actual crimes and not only verbal slips, pointing to former President Bill Clinton, who "lied under oath and committed adultery in the Oval Office" and will address the Democratic Nominating Convention in September.
The Vision America Action president insisted that one wrong remark should not "destroy an honorable man," and urged Akin to stay in the race.
"Missouri voters – who gave Akin the GOP Senate nomination – are wise enough to decide who they'd prefer to send to Washington, ultra-liberal Clair McCaskill or a decent man and an authentic conservative who misspoke," Scarborough concluded.
Akin has released a video statement apologizing for his comments on rape and pregnancy, and has said that he will indeed continue with his campaign for a Senate seat. He told told Fox News' Mike Huckabee: "I've had a chance now to have run through a primary, and the party people said when you win the primary then we'll be with you. Well, they were with us. Then I said one word and one sentence on one day, and everything changed. I haven't done anything morally or ethically wrong. It does seem like a little bit of an overreaction."
