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Loading...GOP Candidate: Pregnancy from Rape Similar to Having a Baby Out of Wedlock
Pennsylvania Republican Tom Smith said Monday that when it comes to conception, rape is pretty much the same as fornication.
Smith, who is challenging Sen. Bob Casey, D-Penn., made the remarks during an interview with the Associated Press. Smith was asked by reporter Mark Scolforo what Smith would do if his daughter or granddaughter was raped, and became pregnant.
SMITH: I lived something similar to that with my own family. She chose life, and I commend her for that. She knew my views. But, fortunately for me, I didn’t have to.. she chose they way I thought. No don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t rape.
SCOLFORO: Similar how?
SMITH: Uh, having a baby out of wedlock.
SCOLFORO: That’s similar to rape?
SMITH: No, no, no, but… put yourself in a father’s situation, yes. It is similar.But, back to the original, I’m pro-life, period.
Smith didn’t explain why a father would view his daughter becoming pregnant out of wedlock similarly to the way he’d view his daughter being raped; one involves one’s daughter being assaulted, and one doesn’t. Most fathers would view those situations as being rather different.
Smith’s statement is another disastrous comment from a Republican candidate. Earlier in August, Rep. Todd Akin, R-Mo., said that women could not become pregnant if they were the victim of “legitimate” rape. Akin later said he misspoke, and that he was referring to “forcible” rape. Akin co-sponsored legislation with GOP vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan that would have barred federal funding for abortion unless the rape was “forcible,” potentially eliminating funding in cases of statutory rape and rape through coercion.
Smith’s statement will likely put the focus back on the Republican platform, which would ban abortion in all cases, including in cases of rape and incest. If there’s a silver lining for Republicans, it’s that Smith is unlikely to cost them a senate seat. Smith has been widely expected to lose badly to Casey, who is himself anti-choice.
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GOP Rep. Akin: Women Can’t Get Pregnant by ‘Legitimate’ Rape
GOP Will Adopt Constitutional Abortion Ban In Party Platform
Read more: 2012 election, abortion, Bob Casey, pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Senate, rape, Tom Smith, war on women
Image Credit: Tom Smith for Senate
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Recent Comments from Causes
Interesting info
That was so sweet! The little noises he was making, so cuuute! LOL
If the behaviour of this person is shocking, I found still more shocking that there are teachers at schools…
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+ add your ownYeah my favorite line from Kingdom of Heaven
Dog Will's It!!!
Angela..." Republicans went to war with the Taliban for wanting to impose religious laws on countries, yet here they are doing the same but with Christianity. Do they not see that this makes them look even more ridiculous than they are?"
+++++++++++++++ NOPE! Religious fanatics of ANY stripe NEVER see themselves as anything other than "GOD'S WARRIORS."
Cheryl H: "Not every Republican has suffered brain damage due to oxygen deprivation because their head has been up their butt for a prolonged period of time"
Thank you so much for writing that. You've made my face ache with laughing so much. :-)
Now THIS is a great example of why some men need to be sterialized!
What an agreeable gent! So much empathy that he can find some sort of reply that sounds (to him) like a sensible answer. Multiple guess questions coming up...hmmm
yes,
no,
none of the above,
all of the above?
I'll pick...gee...hmmm...yes! rape and out of wedlock IS similar? hmmm that requires a little more thinking...um...hmmm...running out of time...uh
Yes!! It's the same thing! That's the ticket! And I'll throw in some information on my daughter for the whole country to know!...will I get your vote now?
It's ironic, the Republicans went to war with the Taliban for wanting to impose religious laws on countries, yet here they are doing the same but with Christianity. Do they not see that this makes them look even more ridiculous than they are? Mind you, after some of their comments regarding women and reproduction recently, I'm surprised anyone would even admit to being a Republican for fear of finger pointing and hearing unstoppable laughter wherever they went.
We're finding their speeches hilarious here in the UK, but it's scary to think such people might effectively gain power. Obama has been brilliant for your country, please vote him back in.
What. The. Frack. First Aiken's crap, and now this idiot? He sure as heck doesn't speak for my father, or the fathers of any of my friends. The more Republicans speak, the more it becomes clear just how batshit crazy the GOP is. Not every Republican has suffered brain damage due to oxygen deprivation because their head has been up their butt for a prolonged period of time, but they are in the minority. God help America. We need saving from some who profess to follow Him.
Mr. Tom Smith's logic is quite faulty. Close, not the same, but close to schizophrenic thinking. He can't hold a thought long enough and breaks down into muddled thinking. " No, no, no, but… put yourself in a father’s situation, yes. It is similar." Was the "no, no, no" part a negation of the similarity or a way of warding off other thoughts whatever those might be? It is followed by a supposition that a father, any father, would see the similarity, he never checks if this thinking is in fact shared by other fathers by at least asking the reporter nor he seems in any disposition to do so. If the "no, no, no" was initially meant to agree that they are not the same (rape and sex out of wedlock) he immediately invalidates it with no other sound justification than he being a father. It is obvious that rape is a devastating experience and parents would have to worry about things, such as physical abuse and emotional distress, which usually go along with it, and are absent in voluntary sexual intercourse.Very flawed (illogical) thinking.
Exciting News about Romney!!!! A must read!!!
Mitt Romney Campaign Busted Buying Hundreds of Thousands of Facebook LIKES and Twitter Followers
http://thecentristword.wordpress.com/2012/08/05/mitt-romney-starts-buying-hundreds-of-thousands-of-facebook-likes-and-twitter-followers/
Also, a couple of great links you are sure to find entertaining
http://takingnote.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/24/mitt-romney-plays-the-birther-card/
http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/08/22/159791065/despite-fact-checks-romney-escalates-welfare-work-requirement-charge
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/post/spin-and-counterspin-in-the-welfare-debate/2012/08/07/61bf03b6-e0e3-11e1-8fc5-a7dcf1fc161d_blog.html
I wonder if he thinks dying of old age is similar to being murdered when you're 75. Or that accidently touching a hot stove and burning yourself is similar to being doused with gas and lit on fire. Where do these asshats come from, and who are the people who keep voting for them?!?!
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