MARK KARLIN, EDITOR OF BUZZFLASH AT TRUTHOUT Richard Mourdock



Mitt Romney is airing an ad for only one Republican Senate candidate, Richard Mourdock of Indiana, according to the Democratic National Committee (DNC). In fact, the DNC has quickly cut a video to emphasize the point (which can be seen by clicking here).

Alec Gabriel, a spokesman for the DNC, confirmed to BuzzFlash at Truthout that they stand behind the claim that Romney has not aired a television ad for any other GOP Senate candidate this fall. The Romney campaign has not, to the knowledge of BuzzFlash at Truthout, refuted the assertion.

Ironically, the Romney endorsement ad for Mourdock started airing in the Hoosier state on Monday, just one day before Mourdock created a national uproar when he stated in a debate: "I struggled with it myself a long time but I came to realize that life is a gift from God, that I think even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape that it is something that God intended to happen."

BuzzFlash at Truthout responded to Mourdock's grotesque statement yesterday with a commentary, "God Doesn't Rape Women: Men Do":

This is a horrifying extension of misogyny into victimizing a female rape victim twice -- once for being raped and once for not wanting to bear the child of a rapist. Beyond that, from a theological sense, it implies that the rapist is performing an act of divine intention. This defiles not only the concept of God, but the very basic principle that a woman should be protected from sexual assault.

While the Romney campaign has indicated that its candidate does not agree with Mourdock's Tuesday pronouncement, the endorsement ad is continuing to run in Indiana – and the campaign indicated that it has no plans to pull it from the air.

According to The Huffington Post:

Romney quickly moved to distance himself, although his campaign did not withdraw the endorsement and said it has not requested that the ad be taken off the air. “Gov. Romney disagrees with Richard Mourdock, and Mr. Mourdock’s comments do not reflect Gov. Romney’s views." said Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul. "We disagree on the policy regarding exceptions for rape and incest but still support him."

That may be because Mourdock is locked in an unexpectedly tight race with Democratic opponent Joe Donnelly. Talking Points Memo has Mourdock ahead by just .3 percent (a statistical tie) -- and that is from polls taken before the God is behind rape impregnation statement. Also, Romney strategists may have concluded that pulling the ad would make the former governor look weak, despite the risk that its airing – and the media coverage surrounding Murdock's rape statement -- will alienate more women voters.

(Image: Wikipedia)

