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| Republican congressman Todd Akin rebukes party bosses | Republican congressman Todd Akin rebukes party bosses |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A Republican candidate under fire for saying women's bodies can prevent pregnancy in rape cases has lashed out at party bosses who want him to quit. | A Republican candidate under fire for saying women's bodies can prevent pregnancy in rape cases has lashed out at party bosses who want him to quit. |
| Congressman Todd Akin said it was not right for the party establishment to over-ride Missouri voters who had picked him to run for the Senate. | Congressman Todd Akin said it was not right for the party establishment to over-ride Missouri voters who had picked him to run for the Senate. |
| In a new fundraising appeal, Mr Akin claims "the liberal elite" are trying to take down a "pro-life conservative". | In a new fundraising appeal, Mr Akin claims "the liberal elite" are trying to take down a "pro-life conservative". |
| But he has agreed not to attend next week's party convention. | But he has agreed not to attend next week's party convention. |
| Correspondents say the furore over Mr Akin's rape remarks could derail the Republican campaign to win control of the US Senate in November's elections. | Correspondents say the furore over Mr Akin's rape remarks could derail the Republican campaign to win control of the US Senate in November's elections. |
| Prominent Republicans have lined up to call on him to quit, while the party and its supporters have pulled the plug on millions of dollars of funding. | Prominent Republicans have lined up to call on him to quit, while the party and its supporters have pulled the plug on millions of dollars of funding. |
| 'Medically wrong' | 'Medically wrong' |
| But Mr Akin struck his most defiant tone yet on ABC's Good Morning America programme on Wednesday: "The people of Missouri chose me, and I don't believe it's right for party bosses to decide to over-ride those voters. | But Mr Akin struck his most defiant tone yet on ABC's Good Morning America programme on Wednesday: "The people of Missouri chose me, and I don't believe it's right for party bosses to decide to over-ride those voters. |
| "It makes me uncomfortable to think that the party bosses are going to dictate who runs, as opposed to the election process." | "It makes me uncomfortable to think that the party bosses are going to dictate who runs, as opposed to the election process." |
| He also continued to back-pedal from his comments last Sunday about "legitimate rape", accepting that the views he expressed were "medically wrong". | He also continued to back-pedal from his comments last Sunday about "legitimate rape", accepting that the views he expressed were "medically wrong". |
| Although Tuesday was the final day for Mr Akin to withdraw from the race without a court order, he did not categorically rule out stepping aside at a later date. | Although Tuesday was the final day for Mr Akin to withdraw from the race without a court order, he did not categorically rule out stepping aside at a later date. |
| "I'm never going to say everything that could possibly happen," he told ABC. "I don't know the future." | "I'm never going to say everything that could possibly happen," he told ABC. "I don't know the future." |
| Mr Akin also confirmed that Republican vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan had urged him to end his campaign. | Mr Akin also confirmed that Republican vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan had urged him to end his campaign. |
| 'Forcible rape' | 'Forcible rape' |
| While Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has said he believes abortion should be allowed for rape victims, his running mate has previously taken a harder line. | While Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has said he believes abortion should be allowed for rape victims, his running mate has previously taken a harder line. |
| Mr Ryan, a Wisconsin congressman, co-sponsored along with Mr Akin and other lawmakers a controversial bill that would ban federal funding for abortion with a rape-exception only in cases of "forcible rape". | Mr Ryan, a Wisconsin congressman, co-sponsored along with Mr Akin and other lawmakers a controversial bill that would ban federal funding for abortion with a rape-exception only in cases of "forcible rape". |
| On Wednesday, the Republican running mate was asked in an interview to define forcible rape. | On Wednesday, the Republican running mate was asked in an interview to define forcible rape. |
| He told Pittsburgh television station KDKA: "Rape is rape and there's no splitting hairs over rape." | He told Pittsburgh television station KDKA: "Rape is rape and there's no splitting hairs over rape." |
| Democrats are trying to portray Mr Akin's comments on rape as symptomatic of a negative attitude towards women across the party. | Democrats are trying to portray Mr Akin's comments on rape as symptomatic of a negative attitude towards women across the party. |
| There has been renewed focus on a Republican convention platform, which resurfaces every election year, for a constitutional ban on abortion with no exceptions for rape or incest. It will be voted on next Monday at the party gala in Tampa, Florida. | |
| In an appeal for $5 campaign donations on Wednesday, Mr Akin appeared to pitch to Christian evangelicals, anti-abortion activists and anti-establishment Republicans. | In an appeal for $5 campaign donations on Wednesday, Mr Akin appeared to pitch to Christian evangelicals, anti-abortion activists and anti-establishment Republicans. |
| He accused Republicans of trying to "duck and run for cover" in the face of adversity over the row. | He accused Republicans of trying to "duck and run for cover" in the face of adversity over the row. |
| Obama poll lead | Obama poll lead |
| A new NBC/WSJ poll gives the Obama-Biden ticket a lead of 48-44% over Romney-Ryan. | A new NBC/WSJ poll gives the Obama-Biden ticket a lead of 48-44% over Romney-Ryan. |
| It also found that voters felt Mr Obama would handle women's issues better than Mr Romney by 52-24%. | It also found that voters felt Mr Obama would handle women's issues better than Mr Romney by 52-24%. |
| Just two weeks ago Mr Akin was riding high in the Missouri opinion polls over Democratic incumbent Claire McAskill. | Just two weeks ago Mr Akin was riding high in the Missouri opinion polls over Democratic incumbent Claire McAskill. |
| Then on Sunday, he was asked by a local news station if he would support abortions for women who have been raped. | Then on Sunday, he was asked by a local news station if he would support abortions for women who have been raped. |
| He said: "If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down." | He said: "If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down." |
| Senator McCaskill, whose campaign appears reinvigorated by the fallout, has not joined the calls for her rival to step aside. | Senator McCaskill, whose campaign appears reinvigorated by the fallout, has not joined the calls for her rival to step aside. |