Abortion enters US election debate

Republicans found themselves in a political quagmire Wednesday, with President Barack Obama's allies casting them as out of step on women's rights over a congressman's comments about "legitimate rape."

Women comprise more than half of the US electorate, and 56 percent of them pulled the lever for Obama in 2008.

That doesn't sit well with Mitt Romney, the Republican challenger this time round who faces an admitted lack of female support and would rather focus this year's presidential race on Obama's poor economic record.

But with Congressman Todd Akin, a Christian conservative running for a US Senate seat held by Missouri Democrat Claire McCaskill, re-igniting an explosive debate in recent days over abortion rights, both parties are scrambling for the high ground in the 10 weeks before election day.

Some anti-abortion groups have rushed to Akin's defense, but he has been shunned by top Republicans including Romney and congressional leaders who have directly called on the Missouri lawmaker to stand down from the race.

There was widespread revulsion over his scientifically unsupported assertion that victims of "legitimate rape" rarely get pregnant because "the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down."

Akin apologized but is standing his ground regarding his political future.

"I don't apologize for being pro-life and standing up for the ones who are defenseless," he told ABC News on Wednesday.

Democrats insist there is no daylight between Akin, who wants to outlaw all abortion including in the case of rape or incest, and what the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League described as the "extreme anti-choice platform" of the Republicans.

Obama's party has been quick to demonize Akin and tar all Republicans -- including Romney's running mate Paul Ryan -- who have joined Akin on legislation that would restrict abortion rights.

"Todd Akin is really just the tip of the iceberg," Dawn Laguens, executive vice president for policy at pro-choice health care provider Planned Parenthood, told CNN.

Republican leaders on Tuesday approved the policy platform that the party will unveil during next week's national convention, supporting a "human life amendment" that would ban abortion and provide constitutional protections to an "unborn child."

Obama's campaign was quick to note that Romney supported the same language in the 2004 and 2008 platforms, while "Paul Ryan fought to ban abortion even in cases of rape."

The right to an abortion was upheld by the US Supreme Court in 1973. In recent years some Republicans, including Romney, have sought its reversal, and Democrats see Akin's comments as a way to highlight what's at stake for women voters.

Democrats announced a series of women speakers at their national convention next month, including directors of two major pro-choice groups, and activist Sandra Fluke.

A Georgetown University student, Fluke found herself in a political maelstrom in February after talk-show host Rush Limbaugh branded her a "slut" for supporting Obama's health care law requiring contraception coverage.

On Tuesday, she said Romney and Ryan are "in lockstep with Akin on the major women's health issues of our time."

"This controversy is not an accident, or a mistake, or an isolated incident," she said. "It's a reflection of a Republican Party whose policies are dangerous for women."

Most American women support safe, legal access to abortion, but polls by Gallup show a slow erosion of support to keep abortion legal under any circumstances, from a high of 34 percent in 1992 to 25 percent this year.

Republicans have sought to capitalize on that shift to press for tougher abortion laws, but Erin Matson, action vice president for the National Organization for Women, said conservatives are trying to "appeal to extreme sexual fundamentalism."

"In bill after bill after bill after bill (they) have attempted to redefine rape in anti-abortion rights legislation" sponsored by Akin, Matson told AFP. "So he's not on his own."

Republicans undoubtedly have an image problem -- a Wall Street Journal/NBC poll Tuesday showed only 24 percent of respondents believe Romney would be a better defender of women's rights, against 54 percent for Obama.

Romney backed abortion rights when he was governor of Massachusetts, but took a stand against it when running for president, although his campaign says he "would not oppose abortion in instances of rape."

Ryan has consistently voted against abortion rights but on Wednesday he distanced himself from Akin.

Yet when asked by CBS News whether abortion should be available to women in instances of rape, Ryan said he was "proud" of his pro-life record.