Today, we bring you Congrescritter Todd Akin of Missouri, who actually said this:
“First of all, from what I understand from doctors [pregnancy from rape] is really rare,” Akin told KTVI-TV in an interview posted Sunday. “If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.”
Um, reproductive biology doesn't work the way you think it does. Also, what the hell is "legitimate rape?" Is there such a thing as illegitimate rape? If a woman gets raped and becomes pregnant, is the woman's pregnancy a viable defense for the rapist?
Here's what the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology has to say on the matter:
Rape-related pregnancy occurs with significant frequency. It is a cause of many unwanted pregnancies and is closely linked with family and domestic violence.
How could anyone in a position of responsibility be that ignorant?