"This is the Republicans' worst nightmare. They were hoping to define the campaign as a discussion about jobs and the economy, and now it's turned into a debate over abortion rights" said Ken Warren""-----ACTUALLY the GOP is STILL defining the campaign as a discussion about jobs and the economy. It's the thoroughly BIASED news media that, even before this incident, with its personal attacks on GOP candidates, has been defining the campaign as something OTHER than jobs and the economy.---That's because all liberal Democrats have NOTHING positive to run a campaign on. The Democratic agenda and accomplishments is BANKRUPT.

The republicans attitude is finally coming back to bite them. They are only upset that Aken made his remarks in public instead of among other republicans. And Scott Brown being the first to complain can't hide 2 years of standing with the Tea Baggers against the rest of the country and voting at every chance to restrict women's rights so he can suckle the Tea Bag teat.

Hey Miker6 below, if you think that we should go back to the failed economic policies of George Bush then by all means vote for Romney. Just don't think everyone is going to fall for that. Trickle-down doesn't work. Its a huge lie meant to ensure that money stays out of your pockets for good.

No one can tell me that this presidential election isn't mostly about race in many of the conservative states. There is still a whole lot of racial hatred in this country. IT IS EVERYWHERE, NORTH AND SOUTH.WHAT A SHAME ISN'T IT FINALLY TIME TO SMARTEN UP FOLKS?

I understand the desire of some to say that it is the "biased" media that is throwing the Republican Party off message, but one should be at least honest. The media did not pass the Republican platform measures. The Republicans are making these statements themselves. You cannot say this is our platform, what we believe and then say hey we're not running on this, it's merely what we believe. There is way to much of this I believe it but I don't believe it stuff going on. They take the position which they are fully entitled to do. Now be men and defend it.

Akin is an idiot. He should drop out of the race. This election, I was planning on voting R. My main concern is the economy and Obama doesn't have what it takes to restore the economy. He has had 4 years, and there really hasn't been a dent made. That being said, when you see people THIS uninformed about basic science that we all learned when we were 12, it certainly doesn't help the GOP. I am now leaning GOP, but I am not committed as I was just a short week ago.

You are absolutely right. It is like the GOP is throwing the election with these stupid remarks.

Obama has, since Illinois, endorsed partial birth termination of the fetus and also not resuscitating those who accidentally survive "termination" outside the womb. Akin's no prize winner, but Dems/media need to explain Obama's reality also to electorate.

Congratulations to Mr. Akin for having some backbone and staying in the race (I don't know what his political positions are and so can say nothing about them, positive or negative). If he wins he will be a hero for standing tall. The GOP should rethink cutting off funds to him -- that is a cowardly move. I understand his Democratic opponent is taking in lots of money through her web page that tells all about with Mr. Akin said. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> The GOP's biggest problem is that their philosophy and ideology has been coopted by secondary issues (abortion) and they have become less than honest. To say that less regulation is needed when the worldwide economic meltdown was CAUSED by lack of effective regulation is breathtaking. To keep taxes low for billionaires while running huge deficits is breathtaking. To say that Obama is lousy for the economy when he has just saved up from a depression is NOT breathtaking, but it is not rocket science to see that it is clearly wrong. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> If the GOP wants influence in the future -- which is arriving much more quickly than it used to -- it can get back to it's roots for fiscal conservatism, individual responsibility, equal opportunity, and fairness.

patsgirl29, if your vote is genuinely in the balance, what makes the Republican ticket more appealing? It's so hard to understand when Republicans have been obstructing Obama since day 1 and the Romney/Ryan plans clearly show that the middle class will end up paying more taxes and will receive less in benefits and services. Romney/Ryan can convey confidence that they know what to do to generate more jobs and improve the economy, but non-partisan analysts have pretty uniformly said that their plan is not going to work as advertised. And Romney/Ryan don't even provide details about how they address the shortcomings that the analysts have pointed out and basically say they'll figure it out after they're elected. Here's a pretty good overview (from the March 22 edition of BusinessWeek) of Obama's efforts regarding the economy that may be useful in your deliberations: "Obama Needs to Show Voters He's Why Economy Improving" [ http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-03-22/obama-needs-to-show-voters-he-s-why-economy-improving ].

The Republicans have sold their soul to the Devil and now the Devil controls their agenda. See, it's like they tailored their positions to get the vote of the Hell's Angels, the KKK, the Black Panthers, and the NRA. They need to bring their positions back to their core beliefs (but only the ones that make sense and are just). Let them lose the KKK vote (who are they going to vote for, the Democrats?). >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> The Democrats have sold their soul too in refusing to see people as people but instead as women, gays, lesbians, and various racial and ethnic minorities. The biggest reason that their policies are not as stupid as those of the Republicans is that you do not choose to be female, or gay, or black. In other words, there is less damage (but damage still) to "equal opportunity" when the groups chosen to get it you are born into -- that is, modern America is no longer about "equal opportunity", it is about enforced equality.

Here's a thought for the GOP: How about getting rid of all those Bibles in motel rooms and replacing them with The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand? I don't mean to be negative about the Bible but it IS so taken for granted that it is never even read, much more noticed, by so many. Yes, if you are "on the brink" you might look at it, but how many in a motel are "on the brink" on any given day? (You could have a few free Bibles at the desk for those "on the brink".)

In a couple of days they come and take me away But the press let the story leak And when the radical priest come to get me released We's all on the cover of Newsweek Well, I'm on my way, I don't know where I'm goin' I'm on my way, I'm takin' my time, but I don't know where Goodbye to Rosie, the Queen of Corona See you, me and Julio down by the schoolyard See you, me and Julio down by the schoolyard See you, me and Julio down by the schoolyard

Kitch, I can understand your views on the first two issues (although I don't agree), but the others are not "facts." The issue of illegal aliens is a long term one, so it's unfair to hold Obama to a standard no other recent president has been held to, especially when he has deported more of them than any other president. Yes, he could do more, but it's going to be in the area of immigration reform not kicking them out. As for debt, he's trying to end the Bush tax cuts (as just one policy approach) to help eliminate the deficit, and if Republicans had been willing to compromise even a bit, there would have been a major debt deal last year. You're just flat out wrong about international affairs and security. You're expressing a personal opinion about those, not facts.

HHKitchener2 is also wrong on the jobs and economy front. The CBO reported that the stimulus plan created as many as 3 million jobs. We have experienced more than 3 and 1/2 years of uninterrupted, albeit slow, job growth. AND we would have been doing much better on jobs if the Republicans had not blocked every single important job-creating proposal that Obama had advanced in the last 3 years. To say that our lackluster economic growth is the result of the failure of OBAMA's policies is ridiculous. Our ongoing economic problems are mainly the result of Republican obstructions that started on day 1 with Mitch McConnell's word to the troops was to block everything Obama wanted to do.

HHKitchener2, "My guess is that the bibles in the hotel rooms are donated and paid for by religious zealots, not the GOP or government." >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Yes, I am well-aware of that. But the motel provides the space so it is not completely (or mostly) a matter of who pays for the source text.

Your response is all about the Middle East, so you're overlooking how well he's handled China, Russia, the EU economic crisis, and more. In the Middle East, he eliminated OBL, pressed the war against al-Qaida by hunting down its leadership, and played an important role in eliminating dictatorships in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya. It's very likely that he'll play a role in eliminating Assad in Syria too. I don't see the Arab Spring as being contrary to American interests, especially if a more democratic Middle East helps us stop looking at that region solely through an Israeli lens. That's where we disagree, undoubtedly. You are constantly attacking extremists, but you fail to emphasize the extremism of Netanyahu et al in maintaining the status quo vis-a-vis the Palestinians. As for Iran, we agree on the extremism of that government, but not on the remedy. You would seemingly be ready to drop bombs on them today. I'm totally against an attack unless they show some steps toward making a useable nuclear weapon. I don't see that step as necessarily so disturbing (please don't make excuses for Bush's failure in this regard about North Korea) but more that they might export such weapons to others who might use them. You're overemphasizing the Middle East in general, in my view, although I have a deep interest in that area as well. Romney is truly unprepared to deal with foreign affairs, and Ryan even more so. That should scare anyone who believes international relations are a key factor to weigh regarding presidential candidates, and it weighs heavily in favor of Obama when doing so, in my opinion.

HHKitchener2, "And so it should. The GOP and its supporters needs to get the message that religious fanaticism has its price. ... These extremists adhere to the most intolerant dogmas and deep-seated hatreds (anti-abortion, gay-hatred..." >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> HH, do you think that the only thing that does harm is things done with bad intentions (eg, hatred motivated)? If you do things with "good intentions" are you still responsible for the outcomes, or the unintended consequences? What do you say to the boy who lost out on going to the Olympics in wrestling because the college wrestling team was eliminated as a consequence of Title 11. How about the person who doesn't get the promotion because it had to go to a woman for affirmative action reasons? How about the man who is living on rice to support the wife and 3 kids living in the large colonial and taking flute lessons? >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Remember, the path to Hell is paved with good intentions? Ponder that for a moment? (Notice you never hear that anymore, along with the once-popular phrase "crash program". Can you guess why not?