Maureen Dowd, "Just Think No": She's Right

Although Romney, Ryan and a chorus of other Republicans yesterday called for Todd Akin, the Republican candidate for senator in Missouri, to abandon the race following his vile "legitimate rape" remark, the Republican National Committee "approved a plank in their platform advocating for the passage of the 'Human Life Amendment,' which would ban abortion in all circumstances, even in cases of rape or incest"
(http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/OTUS/todd-akin-defies-mitt-romney-stays-missouri-senate/story?id=17048232&page=2).

Or in other words, Republicans regard Akin's ignorance and candor as liabilities in the upcoming elections, while their party calls for a ban on abortion in instances of rape and incest.

Sickening.

In her New York Times op-ed entitled "Just Think No" (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/22/opinion/dowd-just-think-no.html), Maureen Dowd writes:

"Even as party leaders attempted to lock the crazy uncle in the attic in Missouri, they were doing their own crazy thing down in Tampa, Fla., by reiterating language in their platform calling for a no-exceptions Constitutional amendment outlawing abortion, even in cases of rape, incest and threat to the life of the mother."

She's right. This is an instance where the apologies of Akin are unacceptable and the renunciations of his fellow Republicans amount to window dressing.

Moreover, Romney was excruciatingly slow in calling for Akin to quit. There are times when a leader can't wait to determine which way the wind is blowing, and here was an opportunity for Romney to dispel his reputation for wishy-washiness. He failed the test, and inevitably there will be repercussions in November.