Words have power: Akin and 'legitimate rape'

Confession: Prior to this past weekend, I had never heard of Republican Todd Akin. Now that I know who he is, I wish I didn't.

Others have addressed his stoopid remarks about rape and abortion. Go read what Michelle Malkin has to say here.

I refuse to contribute to the msm 'distract and divert' tactic used to ignore other important issues for America - like the economy, for instance.

However, Akin's comments are a classic example of the power of words. We may intuitively know what he really meant by the oxymoron 'legitimate rape,' but he should have said what he meant clearly, with no room for misinterpretation. For the record: there is NO such thing as a legitimate rape. NO rape is EVER legitimate. IF Akin really meant those proven cases of rape, versus those claims later found to be false, then that is what he should have said.

As Malkin says:

GOP candidates in critical races that could swing the balance of the U.S. Senate ought to be ready for prime time. Period.

And that's the truth.

I am the very last person to minimise ANY claim of rape, and was appalled at first, Akin's garbled comments on the topic, and second, the furore caused by them. And yes, I am deliberately choosing NOT to address Akin's assinine commentary on what the female body does following a rape. Way too moronic to even go to, for me.

BUT the major lesson every politician should carry away from this cautionary tale is this: words do, indeed, have power. In this particularly ugly election campaign - which promises to get even more down and dirty - every politician needs to be mindful of every word they utter - BEFORE they open their mouths.

We have the 'great orator' and his minions proving almost daily that they will say anything, even provable, utter nonsense (notice I did not say 'lies'. ) They need no help from the Republicans to lose this election.

Words have power, and at this time, stoopid words can lose the Republicans this most important election. Mr Akin? Zip it.