August 23, 2012 12:43 AM UTC

Personhood USA to Mitt Romney: "Support Todd Akin"

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• by: Colorado Pols

UPDATE: The Washington, DC-based Family Research Council throws its significant heft into the fight, like Colorado-based Personhood USA also in stout support of Todd Akin:

Was his statement offensive? Absolutely. Was it inappropriate? Without a doubt. But if we abandoned every politician who made a ridiculous comment in their careers, there’d be no one left in Washington! Todd Akin has a long and distinguished record of defending women, children, and families–and unlike the GOP establishment, I refuse to throw him under the bus over one inarticulate comment for which he has apologized. If Congressmen Akin stays in the race, it will be up to voters to decide if his candidacy is a viable one. Until then, FRC Action is not going to walk away from a man whom we support based on a lifetime of service–not one indefensible moment.

FRC’s influence in national GOP politics is considerable, much greater than that of Personhood USA with a vastly larger membership. Could this portend a recovery for Akin?

And what would that mean for every other race in America?

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That in a press release we received moments ago from Arvada-based national anti-abortion group Personhood USA, the same organization responsible for the campaign to place the “Personhood” abortion ban on Colorado’s ballot for the third consecutive election. According to Personhood USA, it’s time for GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney and his running mate Paul Ryan to “stop their opposition to the Republican Party platform.”

On Monday Governor Romney disavowed the Republican platform on abortion, supporting the death penalty for children conceived in rape, then called for Congressman Akin to drop out of his Senate race, despite Akin’s conservative voting record and apology after his misstatement…

“In calling for Congressman Akin’s exit of the Senate race, Governor Romney and Congressman Ryan are throwing a prolife Congressman under the bus over a blunder, and it seems they are doing so because they disagree with his no exceptions position on abortion – a position that is an integral part of the Republican Party platform, the same position that was held by President Ronald Reagan,” explained Jennifer Mason, Personhood USA spokesperson. “We are left with Reagan Republicans, who agree with the Republican Party platform on abortion, and Romney Republicans, a fringe group of liberals who compromise on human life.” [Pols emphasis]

“Governor Romney and Congressman Ryan now have the opportunity to stop their opposition to the Republican Party platform,” continued Mason. “By withdrawing their call for Akin to quit the race, and retracting their anti-life position on the death penalty for children conceived in rape, Romney and Ryan would at the very least be in agreement with the Republican Party’s position on abortion.”

It seems like every year, the “Personhood” crowd does something that ends up hurting their fellow Republicans much more than they are worth in terms of base mobilization. In 2008, they attacked GOP Senate candidate Bob Schaffer for his failure to support their initiative, and his denial of alleged forced abortions in textile factories in the Mariana Islands. In 2010, “Personhood” played a key role in the destruction of GOP Senate candidate Ken Buck after Buck flip-flopped on the initiative under fire from women advocacy groups and voters.

This time around, they appear to be aiming for the top.