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I Misspoke': GOP Senate Nominee Clarifies 'Legitimate Rape' Remarks

"I believe that working to protect the most vulnerable in our society is one of my most important responsibilities, and that includes protecting both the unborn and victims of sexual assault. "

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Todd Akin (Mo.) made headlines Sunday when he said the following during a KTVI-TV interview: "First of all, from what I understand from doctors [pregnancy from rape is] really rare … If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down."

“But let‘s assume that maybe that didn’t work or something -- you know, I think there should be some punishment, but the punishment ought to be on the rapist and not attacking the child,” he added.

[Related: GOP Senate Nominee: Victims of ‘Legitimate Rape’ Rarely Get Pregnant]

Needless to say, these remarks were poorly received on both sides of the political spectrum, prompting the GOP senate candidate to issue the following statement:

As a member of Congress, I believe that working to protect the most vulnerable in our society is one of my most important responsibilities, and that includes protecting both the unborn and victims of sexual assault.  In reviewing my off-the-cuff remarks, it's clear that I misspoke in this interview and it does not reflect the deep empathy I hold for the thousands of women who are raped and abused every year.  Those who perpetrate these crimes are the lowest of the low in our society and their victims will have no stronger advocate in the Senate to help ensure they have the justice they deserve.

I recognize that abortion, and particularly in the case of rape, is a very emotionally charged issue.  But I believe deeply in the protection of all life and I do not believe that harming another innocent victim is the right course of action. I also recognize that there are those who, like my opponent, support abortion and I understand I may not have their support in this election.

But I also believe that this election is about a wide-range of very important issues, starting with the economy and the type of country we will be leaving our children and grandchildren.  We've had 42 straight months of unacceptably high unemployment, trillion dollar deficits, and Democratic leaders in Washington who are focused on growing government, instead of jobs.  That is my primary focus in this campaign and while there are those who want to distract from that, knowing they cannot defend the Democrats' failed economic record of the last four years, that will continue to be my focus in the months ahead.

Here's the original interview:

Follow Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) on Twitter

Front page photo source courtesy the AP.

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