Did Todd Akin just have his macaca moment?

[Drunken Irishman]

There is no question McCaskill faced a tough path to reelection and still might lose, even with this comment. However, back in '06, when George Allen made his macaca statement, it looked like he would easily sail to reelection...Webb eked out a very narrow victory.

It also happened in mid-August.

Is this Akin's macaca moment? Are we going to have a legitimate shot at holding this season? We hold Missouri and it's very unlikely Republicans can take the Senate.

God willing. C'mon Missouri voters, punish this asshole!

[rocktivity]

1. I think so

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=199408

[Cooley Hurd]

2. yes. he's toast.

It was THAT bad!

[Rhiannon12866]

15. It may have been, but consider what's happened with "Macaca," himself.

Isn't he running for his former Senate seat yet again and didn't I see George Allen campaigning for Rmoney in VA?

[spooky3]

16. yes, but I think that the OP is raising a really good question

George Allen was ahead in the polls and had a LOT more money than did Jim Webb when the Macaca Moment occurred. It clearly was the reason why things turned around and Webb won. McCaskill would probably be glad to have a similar outcome.

Had Webb decided to run again, Allen might not have entered the race this year, and he might not win this fall, especially if Obama continues to do well and has coattails. That's all speculation obviously.

But it isn't at all clear to me that people in general view outrageously sexist comments in the same way that they view outrageously racist comments, which is part of the question OP asks. So I am not sure that Akin's comments will have such a profound effect if Akin stays in.

[PearliePoo2]

3. Did Todd Akin just have his macaca moment?

You would THINK SO...however never misunder-estimate the voting public and their propensity to vote against their own best interest.

[TroyD]

4. I'm not sure

Obama almost won Missouri in 2008, and yet in 2012 polls show him farther behind and Nate Silver says the state looks out of reach.

So perhaps it has moved farther to the right over the past 4 years and the Republicans will still be able to win the Senate seat.

It depends on the women's vote - they have the power to determine this election the same way they did for Michael Bennett over Ken Buck in 2010 in Colorado. Originally Buck was going to win, but huge support from women pushed Bennett over the top in the final days.

They will need to do the same thing here.

[Drunken Irishman]

5. The last poll I saw had Obama down 1...

In fact, the last two polls (Chilenski Strategies & SurveyUSA) show him only down 1.

So, it's still in play.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

11. Dems need to nationalize Akin's comments and make Romney denounce them

I'm sure Willard will campaign in Mo. at some point - and, if he stands with Akin, he should be made to own these comments as well.

[TroyD]

6. Lessons from Bennet vs. Buck

Here's my suggestion to the McCaskill campaign as to how to win the women's vote by large numbers the way Bennet did:

Liberal third party groups called Buck extremist. Bennet focused on attacking Buck’s views on abortion, which he believed should be banned including those of cases of rape and incest. He was also attacked for wanting to eliminate the 17th Amendment[24] and refusing to prosecute an alleged rapist as Weld County district attorney. Planned Parenthood mounted a mail campaign, targeting women voters with the warning that "Colorado women can’t trust Ken Buck." Bennet won the women vote by 17 points according to exit polls. After the election, Buck conceded to the Denver Post that the main reason why he lost is because of social issues.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_election_in_Colorado,_2010

[kestrel91316]

7. I doubt MO will give a hoot. They love their bibles and hate blacks,

for the most part.

[coalition_unwilling]

9. I went to junior and senior-high school in Harry S. Truman's

birthplace (Lamar) back in the 70s. Hard to believe HST came from Missouri. (He integrated the armed services by Executive Order in 1947, IIRC.)

[TroyD]

8. Todd Akin: "Time for a second look at federal 'civil rights and voting rights' laws."

http://www.firedupmissouri.com/content/tood-akin-time-second-look-federal-civil-rights-and-voting-rights-laws

[thecentristword]

10. Here is the video clip

http://thecentristword.wordpress.com/2012/08/19/gop-senate-candidate-todd-akin-no-pregnancy-from-legitimate-rape/

His doctor told him so, so maybe its true?

[thecentristword]

12. I bet his doctor lives in the Garden of Eden

The book of Mormon does say that it is in MO.

[brooklynite]

13. I think we have about $4,000 into this race...

...and all my Party sources say this is the one we have to fight for.

[avebury]

14. I would hope so but

I would not count on it.

[spooky3]

17. Will it motivate Dems. to get out and vote?

Turnout is the key.