Republican Senate hopeful Richard Mourdock in rape row

BBC News, 24 October 2012

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Richard Mourdock: "Even when life

begins  in that horrible situation of rape,

 it is something God intended to happen"

Republican US Senate hopeful Richard Mourdock has expressed regret a day after suggesting pregnancies caused by rape were God's plan.

The Indiana candidate made the remarks while debating his Democratic opponent.

On Wednesday, he told reporters he "abhors" rape and that if anyone "came away with any impression other than that, I regret it".

Mitt Romney's presidential campaign said he still backed Mr Mourdock, although he disagreed with his views.

Mr Mourdock's comments come two months after another Republican candidate caused a furious backlash when he said women's bodies had ways of preventing pregnancy after rape.

Mr Romney and President Barack Obama are campaigning hard for the 6 November US presidential election, in which women's votes could prove crucial.

'Humbled'

During Tuesday night's debate with his Democratic challenger Joe Donnelly, Mr Mourdock was asked whether he believed abortion should be allowed in cases of rape or incest.

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"I struggled with it myself for a long time, but I came to realise that life is that gift from God," he said.

"And, I think, even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen."

At a press conference on Wednesday, Mr Mourdock said he had been "humbled" by the reaction to his comments.

"If, because of the lack of clarity in my words, that they came away with an impression other than... life is precious and that I abhor violence and I'm confident that God abhors violence and rape... I truly regret it."

Mr Mourdock, a geologist by trade and the current Indiana state treasurer, said others were trying to "twist" his comments.

There are 33 Senate seats up for grabs in next month's elections, and the Republicans are hoping to win control of the chamber.

The Indiana seat was held safely at the last election by veteran Senator Richard Lugar, but he was ousted by voters in a Republican primary in May.

Mr Mourdock is backed by conservative groups, including the Tea Party, and has pledged no compromise with Democrats if he is elected.

What polling is available in the state suggests the he and his Democratic rival arein a tight race.

Republican backlash

Several Republicans in close races, including Mr Romney, have distanced themselves from Mr Mourdock to varying degrees since Tuesday's comments.

Missouri Representative Todd Akin
refused  to drop out of his own race after
his remarks sparked a row

Romney press secretary Andrea Saul said on Wednesday: "We disagree on the policy regarding exceptions for rape and incest, but still support him."

The Romney campaign says his administration would not oppose abortion in instances of rape.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee also stood by the Senate hopeful.

But other Republicans locked in tight election races spoke out against Mr Mourdock, such as Senator Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, who also cancelled a planned trip to campaign with him.

In Mr Mourdock's home state of Indiana, Representative Mike Pence, running for governor, called on the candidate to apologise.

Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown also said he disagreed with Mr Mourdock's views.

Democrats pounced on the debate remarks.

The Democratic National Committee has released an ad reminding voters of Mr Romney's recent endorsement of Mr Mourdock.

Obama campaign spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters that the president found the comment "outrageous and demeaning to women".

And Indiana party chairman Dan Parker said he was "stunned and ashamed" of Mr Mourdock's comments.

In August, Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin almost derailed his own campaign when he said that in cases of "legitimate" rape, "the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down" and avert pregnancy.

At the time, Mr Romney and other senior Republicans urged Mr Akin to stand aside, but he refused, saying he had misspoken and asking to be forgiven.

Mr Akin lost millions of dollars of funding as a result of the remark, but has managed to keep his campaign afloat, polling an average of 5% behind incumbent Clare McCaskill.

Both presidential campaigns are desperately trying to win women's votes.

A gender gap poll among likely voters suggests that Mr Romney enjoys 14% more support among men than Mr Obama, while the president's support among women is 8% more than Mr Romney.

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"... No person shall be forced into marriage against his or her will. No woman shall be forced to bear or not bear children, against her will. No person shall be forced to hold or not hold views or worship in a manner contrary to his or her choice. Nothing vital to existence shall be withheld from another if it is within the community’s power to give....."

"Recalibration of Knowledge" – Jan 14, 2012 (Kryon channelled by Lee Carroll) - (Subjects: Channelling, God-Creator, Benevolent Design, New Energy, Shift of Human Consciousness, (Old) Souls, Reincarnation, Gaia, Old Energies (Africa,Terrorists, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Venezuela ... ), Weather, Rejuvenation, Akash, Nicolas Tesla / Einstein, Cold Fusion, Magnetics, Lemuria, Atomic Structure (Electrons, Particles, Polarity, Self Balancing, Magnetism, Higgs Boson), Entanglement, "Life is necessary for a Universe to exist and not the other way around", DNA, Humans (Baby getting ready, First Breath, Stem Cells, Embryonic Stem Cells, Rejuvenation), Global Unity, ... etc.) - (Text Version)

"... I want to define life for you - not biological life, but spiritual life. So for all those intellectuals, just hold on, for many won't like this. Spiritual life, as measured by Spirit, is when a Human has free choice. When is that? It's when they take their first breath. Not in utero. There will be those who will say, "That's wrong, that's wrong. The soul in the woman's body is alive!" Just wait. I'm talking about spiritually. That which Spirit sees, and it's when you come from the other side of the veil and take your first breath.

A child with the mother has no free choice. That child is linked to the choice of the mother until it is born. It is, indeed, a soul in preparation for free choice, and there are many attributes that are spiritual that we have discussed before about how that soul reacts. But now I'm discussing life with polarity [duality], free choice.

But let's discuss that "child inside" for a moment, for there is a process I want you to know about. I want to talk about 240 days into the pregnancy. At about that time, the child has perfect DNA. It hasn't taken its first breath. The DNA hasn't measured the energy of the planet yet, since it is contained. Did you realize that? Inside the womb is a perfect child. The child's DNA has all the attributes of the Akash and also the parent, but it's different in a way you have not been told. The DNA is 100% as designed.

The quantum instructions within the DNA are all talking to the biology of the child,, getting ready for the first breath. ..."