Republicans Tell GOP To "Grow A Spine" In Support Of Akin

The Missouri Republican Assembly, the state affiliate of the National Federation of Republican Assemblies (NFRA) which bills itself as "The Republican Wing of the Republican Party," is standing by Congressman Todd Akin and has issued the following Press Release. No news outlet has published the release in it's entirety and we thought everyone should have the opportunity to see it.

Additionally, other conservatives have come out in defense of Akin as well, including the Family Research Council, actor Kirk Cameron and Dr. Jack Wilke, the founder of National and International Right to Life.

The Missouri Republican Assembly Press Release appears below: "Congressman Akin used the phrase 'legitimate rape' in the sense of an actual, 'forcible rape' as opposed to a claimed rape after consensual sex. He did not mean to imply that there is anything 'legitimate' about some rapes compared to others or intend to be insensitive about the trauma that is experienced by women in a rape situation. We've all chosen a word with more than one meaning before and we censure those Republicans who refuse to call Bidden to task for his statements and yet throw one of our own under the bus by joining with Democrats in this misleading attack with ulterior motives. We call on all Republicans to accept the Congressman's heartfelt and contrite apology offered by an honorable man. After all, Claire McCaskill supports partial-birth abortion and the Democrat platform contains a pro-abortion plank. "Congressman Akin's comment on the rarity of pregnancy following rape was initiated by, '... From what I understand from Doctors.' Whether or not this is true (and it probably is as indicated by well documented studies) is immaterial, as the Congressman was relating that which the experts had told him. And the Congressman should be commended for standing by his convictions and being better informed than the general public or liberal media. The real issue is that if you believe that life begins at conception and you have taken an oath to defend life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, then you have to keep your focus on protecting all innocent life or risk multiplying one tragic situation into three. (Two for the mother and one for the baby.) The MRA commends Todd Akin for publicly stating that the child should not be punished for the sins of the father. That we are all endowed by our creator with Liberty and the pursuit of happiness has little meaning when deprived of life. "The Republican leadership needs to grow a spine and disallow the Democrats, who always support their candidates even when they are wrong, to dictate our stance. By so doing we are now agreeing with the President that forcible rape and statutory rape are identical. While Todd may have been indiscreet in his word choice, he was not wrong in his facts. Todd can win despite this misstep. All Republicans will lose if they continue throwing their candidates under the bus because of a poor word choice. This is the first out, of the first inning in a long three months with many Democrat directed issues ahead. Issues and battles ahead which will be filled with lies and deception, for such are the tactics of our opponents. If we are unable to stand strong for our values it will be the Republican leadership that allows American exceptionalism to become a footnote in history."