Todd Akin….Chump

Posted by Jeff Carter
on August 21st, 2012

Todd Akin is the Republican candidate for Senate in Missouri. A couple of days ago, he said something that was incredibly stupid. Not only that, it’s pretty offensive, no, very offensive to anyone that has been raped or has a fear of rape.

Predictably, the left wing seized on the soundbite. However, what’s been amazing is the right wing. On Twitter and other forms of social media, they are devastating Akin. He tried an apology.

Okay, I get it. Apology accepted. But it doesn’t change the calculus of the race. You aren’t going to be a hero by losing.

A PPP poll done after the remark showed Akin ahead by +1. He had the election handily before the remark. Maybe cause for him to be an optimist. But they oversampled likely Republican voters by +9! The other thing he needs to keep in mind is the Democrats spent money to get him to win. They wanted him in the race because they thought he was the easiest one to beat in what was going to be a very tough election.

This all reminds me of playing poker. When you are sitting at the table and staring at all the chips, everyone’s cards and faces, and cannot figure out who the chump is. You are the chump.

For the good of all concerned, the Republican Party, the national debate on abortion, the country, Akin ought to drop out of the race and let someone with a more sensible view run. This election is too big to put personal goals and dreams ahead of everyone else.

The entire Republican apparatus has pulled its monetary support from the candidate. Blogs are telling him to quit. Dick Morris has a campaign to get him to step down. Sean Hannity has told him point blank to step aside. Mark Levin won’t back him. Even Rush Limbaugh. Money is flowing away from him.

Akin likes to fashion himself as a modern day John Paul Jones. JPJ was an excellent military commander who knew when to press advantages and when to run and hide. He didn’t fight every fight to the finish. If Akin is smart, he will realize that this is one of those fights not worth pursuing. Better to fight another day.

I don’t mind being principled and fighting for what’s right. However, in order to get that, you have to win elections. Akin has little to no chance of winning. As Paul Ryan likes to say, “Math is hard.”. I am very sorry Mr. Akin, but the math tells me that this election is not yours to win. It’s outside the statistical probability that you will come close.

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