The whole rape conversation is a planned strategy of the rethugs. As long as they can keep the

[mfcorey1]

media chasing the insane rape comments, there is less probability that they will focus on Mitt's taxes, his spirituality, his lack of understanding of foreign affairs, and a list of other things. That is is why he does not refute Murdoch. Do you see the media chasing him in droves and asking for tax returns? No. Do you see the media asking him in large groups about Mormons? No. And so on and so. Everything is safely hidden.

[LiberalLoner]

1. It may behoove Rmoney to focus on rape but

Make no mistake, the new Repukes party as a whole feels the same way Murdouch does towards women.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

2. I don't think it helps Romney/GOP at all

More opportunities to remind people that Romney ads supporting Mourdock are still running and Ryan endorsed a rape redefinition in Congress

[JHB]

8. They've benefitted from their loopiness being kept below the surface...

Political junkies like those of us reading DU may know how extreme these guys can be, but for a very long time they've been able to advance simply by appearing more reasonable in places where the wider less-engaged public would see them. Many times, it made their critics look like the ideologues.

But now they've reached a critical mass of numbers and expectations (among their core supporters) that they can't hide it anymore: they either forget how to act in public, or their supporters just won't accept anything less than open extremism.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

11. Exactly

this sort of thing isn't exactly news to US. We've known about their extremism for a very long time now and have been TRYING in vain to warn people about it but the Republicans have been able to keep a lid on the crazies, at least until they decided to gin up the "Tea Party". Now, the facade seems to (finally) be cracking and people are beginning to see for themselves just what kind of whack-a-loons are in charge of the Republican Party.

[hifiguy]

29. Nor do I.

All this is doing is getting the batshittery that is at the sick core of the Repuke party out in the open.

[CitizenPatriot]

44. Agree

and if that were true the Dems wouldn't be pushing this into the forefront at every turn. But they are. It hurts GOP with women the more the public hears the less they like.

[Chorophyll]

3. I actually think the media is "chasing the insane rape comments"

because they're INSANE. Insane examples of misogyny, and no different than making hateful comments about gays or African Americans.

I for one am glad that this Republican trope (rape is good, contraception and abortions are bad) is being brought into the light.

[HappyMe]

4. Well yeah, I agree.

Nothing about the economy, foreign affairs, taxes (his and ours), jobs....
It does seem like a big smoke screen.

[Scootaloo]

5. It's a fucking stupid strategy, then

Which do you think is more harmful to a political career? Backing up people who call rape god's gift to women, or having unanswered questions about your taxes?

*jeopardy music*

Even if the media DID hound on the taxes thing, it wouldn't matter. The electorate doesn't care. It's an important issue, but it has no weight; after all, the US population has been trained for two generations to believe that taxes are the fucking devil anyway. Even without that, it's a dry topic. it's math and fact and "technicalities,"

Now, on the other hand, most people are basically sane and understand that rape is indefensible. And here's these yutzes close to Romney defending rape. That hits an emotional nerve and, stupid as it may be, it's emotion that ultimately drives political thought, not reason and fact.

Mitt's taxes will be irrelevant because his endorsement of pro-rape candidates is going to contribute to his failure to achieve even nearly enough votes to win.

[justiceischeap]

6. Or, the media could be focusing on it 'cause women are expected to swing the election this year

so, besides the insanity around and the fixation on rape by the GOP, this IS actually news in the context of the election. And whether you agree or not, it's important for WOMEN that this conversation is being had. The nation needs to know how crazy the Republican platform is when it comes to women's issues. We are now the majority in the US. It would behoove people to know that and understand it.

BTW, the media is never going to make an issue of his tax returns because the President isn't making an issue of his tax returns. My guess is that it doesn't poll well making it an overall nonstarter issue for Pres. Obama to win on.

The media is never going to make an issue of his religion because the President isn't making it one. The only reason Rev. Wright was an issue in 2008 was because McCain made it one.

The campaigns truly drive the issues in elections, as does what or who is going to effect the outcome.

[WilliamPitt]

7. You've smoked them out.

[randome]

9. They do not HAVE a strategy.

Why ascribe something to them it is obvious they lack? Palin? Romney? And now you think they have STRATEGY?

Wake up. The GOP is self-destructing before our eyes.

[RomneyLies]

10. i simply don't see how being supportive of rape helps Republicans

[Marcia Brady]

23. OK, I have to ask

Who do you see being supportive of RAPE?????

I don't know where people get such stupid ideas. Being against abortion in cases of rape is very, very different from being supportive of rape.

[RomneyLies]

24. Akin, Ryan, Mourdock, and by proxy Romney

Being against abortion in cases of rape gives tacit support to rapists nationwide.

[Marcia Brady]

27. No. It doesn't.

It is another way of saying that all life has value, regardless of it's origin.

[RomneyLies]

31. No, it isn't

It's promoting rape.

[Marcia Brady]

32. No one--repeat--NO ONE

supports rape. When we frame it in such obviously ridiculous terms, we lose the argument.

Bet you were surprised that Walker won his recall election, too, because after all, he wants to see the middle class reduced to poverty. right?

[RomneyLies]

34. Akin, Mourdock, Ryan, and Romney ALL support rape

They've said so with their callous inhuman stances on rape victims.

[Aerows]

38. They do

And this one is a troll that I'm surprised managed to hang around this long, but it makes sense given the lack of posts.

When you declare a rape a gift from God because it results in a child, you are a right wingnut.

[Aerows]

25. When people start discussing rape

in the context that it produces a positive result (a gift from God - Mourdock's exact words), it sounds pretty damn supportive to me. It certainly minimizes the horror inflicted by rape, which anyway you slice it is ugly.

[Marcia Brady]

28. As a Democrat--

I value all life. Are you willing to say that someone conceived via rape has no value? I wouldn't say that.

The difference is that I feel that it's a woman's choice to terminate any pregnancy for any reason. They feel differently, not about rape, but about a life that results from that act.

[RomneyLies]

33. I would say it is entirely up to the victim of rape as to whether or not that embryo should become

a person.

Embryos are not people.

[Marcia Brady]

35. I agree with you on that

But disagreeing about personhood, or whatever, is a far cry from supporting rape.

[Aerows]

37. Again, if you declare a child

born of rape a gift from God, and urge women that are violated to "make lemonade out of lemons" you are supporting rape. You see it producing a positive result.

[Ilsa]

39. So you believe an embryo should have the same

rights as born persons? You believe in personhood of fertilized eggs?

[Marcia Brady]

40. I think I made it clear that I don't

I'm saying that is what they believe, which is different from supporting rape. But you knew that, didn't you?

[Ilsa]

46. It supports the

Consequences of rape with no deference to the well-being, mental or physical, of the victim.

This attitude allows them to be indifferent towards victims and the assault itself.

If they are going to be indifferent towards rape, to me, that's as good as supporting it. I've "lived" with this indifference after my own assault. The attitude is disgusting.

[Aerows]

36. If you are a Democrat, given what you just stated

I'll eat my own intestines for breakfast.

If you support such comments, you are the troll I saw about 4 months ago. LOL. "They feel". YOU are trying to score points, and I doubt to the core of my being that you are a woman, a Democrat or anything but someone in a boiler room.

[Marcia Brady]

41. Bon appetit

[Aerows]

43. LOL

Cher, I didn't say what you would be eating if YOU lost, and you did lose. Fortunately, I'm far kinder than you are.

[Bluenorthwest]

12. You really think this helps them? Wow....

I sure don't. I also don't think they have strategy, at most they have random tactics at this point.

[marions ghost]

13. More female (& female sympathizer) votes for Obama

would seem like a very bad strategy for the Rethugs...

It might get the low-info, non-political 30-somethings (& other undecideds) voting for Obama more than anything else...

[jenw2]

14. But if they lose fewer votes to made-up stories...

as compared to real issues like Romney's tax fraud, it's a net win for them. You're not thinking it through. They're doing this on purpose. Of course someone running for the senate can't be as stupid as Republicans usually pretend to be.

[Bluenorthwest]

16. That Senate candidate believes what he is saying.

He is that ill informed, that dogmatically minded. He is that stupid. Many candidates have been that stupid. Christine O'Donnell was a GOP candidate, and she's 'not a witch' and all of that. Do you see her as wise and her candidacy as some cleaver ruse, designed to create her loss and make her a laughing stock across the country?

[marions ghost]

18. It's a little too late to convince anyone re. Romney's tax fraud if they aren't already

--constant and deliberate refusal to show tax returns--what more evidence do you need?

These aren't "made-up stories"-- these are the words out of stupid people's mouths. Stupid people who have been propped up and bankrolled (like bobblehead Dubya).

Nuthin to think through.

As for "real issues" -- can anyone stand any more chewing on what the media PTB have decided are "real issues" for this election?

Election fatigue has set in and it's down to sound bites and gut reactions...

[HopeHoops]

15. I completely disagree. These extremists believe what they are saying. Nothing to do with taxes.

I agree that we SHOULD be focusing on rMoney's taxes, but the reality is that he's still supporting anti-abortion extremists - INCLUDING his running mate!!!

It's appalling that any woman would even consider the Republican ticket. Take off your shoes, get back in the kitchen, and get knocked up. That's all the GOP has to offer.

[hogwyld]

17. What really gets me going

is how they are re-defining the abortion issue. Roe v. Wade guaranteed access to women, and that's driving the goobers crazy. And so their strategy has morphed into the statement that pregnancy from rape is a gift from God. So when a politician, (male of course), says "well, we oppose abortion except in the cases of rape, incest, and life of the mother", it sounds so moderate in comparison to the wackos.

[treestar]

19. Mitt practically seems to be out of the news cycle.

[caraher]

20. No, Mourdock is a loose cannon

Let's face it, any coherent Republican master plan would have had Lugar wiping the floor with Donnelly in Indiana. Mourdock was never supposed to be running for Senate in the first place, and the fact that he can't keep his worst ideas to himself is the only reason the Senate race in Indiana is competitive. For contrast just look at Indiana's race for governor, which Mike Pence will win for the Republicans in a cakewalk. Why? Because he has resolutely refused to say anything remotely polarizing (let alone informative), choosing to run ads stressing his love of church and family.

This is all blowback from treating the tea party idiots as if they were adults. This is not the Republican version of 11-dimensional chess.

[magical thyme]

21. I don't think so.

It's just another way for them to drive another significant group of voters away.

There is no need to go on and on about each of the other issues. They have served their purpose of revealing the real Mitt. Plus any time the GOP and Mitt managers to get through a week without a new gaffe, the old issues remain at the ready to re-surface and remind.

In fact, I think it would be a mistake to keep harping on the same one issue or another for weeks and weeks, until people simply tuned it out. "Is that all you've got?" Well, no.

Instead, we get the latest weekly reason to distrust Mitt, eroding away support from one side after another until he's left only with the most extremist of extreme nutcases.

[napkinz]

22. the war is REAL

[sendero]

26. The MSM will not focus on any of Romney's issues..

... without any help at all.

What I think is really happening is that the wingnut faction have been in their echo chamber for so long they are losing the ability to cope with being outside it.

[sibelian]

30. Errrrrrrm. Hmmmmmm.

I was going to say that that's a bit of a stretch but it's not so much a stretch as distortion in spacetime. Sorry to burst your bubble.

[DefenseLawyer]

42. That's a bit of over-thinking

Romney needs to close the gap with women. His whole strategy in the last debate was done to appeal to women. There is no way that bringing rape back into the discourse is part of any strategy.

[tritsofme]

45. I don't know how you could possibly come to this conclusion.

There are very few things as politically destructive as these outlandishly absurd comments from Akin/Mourdock.

The Romney people would give their right arm to make these stories go away.