The Family Research Council is "helping" Todd Akin

By Richard K. Barry

Yes, Mr. Perkins. Let's make this election about
social conservatism. Smile!

I'll bet Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan didn't need their good friends over at the Family Research Council (FRC) coming to the defence of disgraced GOP Missouri Senate nominee Todd Akin, now infamous for his comments about "legitimate rape" and abortion. Too bad, because that's what they've done. According to CNN, the group, one of the most prominent conservative organizations in the country, has said this whole thing is nothing but a Democratic smear.

According to Connie Mackay, head of the group's political action committee:

We feel this is a case of gotcha politics. [Akin] has been elected five times in that community in Missouri. They know who Todd Akin is. We know who Todd Akin is. We've worked with him up on the hill. He's a defender of life.

Todd Akin is getting a really bad break here. I don't know anything about the science or the legal implications of his statement. I do know politics, and I know gotcha politics when I see it.

Why am I not surprised that a spokesperson for a conservative Christian group admits to knowing nothing about science? Sorry, but Todd Akin is getting the break he deserves.

Interesting that the Family Research Council has chosen their targets carefully. On the one hand, they've blasted Massachusetts Republican Senator Scott Brown for saying Akin should step down, and, on the other, have shied away from criticizing Mitt Romney, who has also denounced Akin, calling his comments "inexcusable."

According to FRC President Tony Perkins:

The Romney campaign as well as now Paul Ryan have made very clear where they stand in the issue of life. We are not going to allow people to divide conservative voters in this process. We are going to keep our eye on the big picture.

I guess Brown, a Republican in a very liberal state, who sometimes acts like it, is not allowed to criticize Akin, but Romney and Ryan are. Yep, that's keeping your eye on the big picture.

Please, by all means, keep on "helping" Republicans.