What Akin said was 'indefensible,' Rove told POLITICO. | AP Photos | AP Photos Rove predicts historic loss for Akin

TAMPA, Fla.— Karl Rove on Monday predicted Rep. Todd Akin will lose by the widest margin of any Republican candidate in modern history if he remains in his Missouri Senate race against Sen. Claire McCaskill.

“What he said was indefensible and the way he handled it made it worse,” Rove told POLITICO’s Mike Allen at the first POLITICO Playbook Breakfast at the Republican National Convention.


( Also on POLITICO: Rove dings Joe Biden, President Obama on charity)

“This is a program that he taped and obviously he saw nothing wrong with it in his tape,” Rove said, pointing out that Akin didn’t respond to the taped interview until two days later.

Rove said Akin has no option other than getting out of the race.

“I know Todd. He’s a good man. He has a good heart,” Rove said. “But he said a real stupid, indefensible thing from which there’s no recovery. And if he really cares about the values of conservatism and pro-life, then he will not go down in defeat with the biggest loss of any Republican candidate for Senate in the modern history.”

( Also on POLITICO: Poll: Akin support drops)

This article first appeared on POLITICO Pro at 10:40 a.m. on August 27, 2012.