How do you go from Rising Star to Pariah in 30 Seconds? Ask Rep. Todd Akin

So, can I get a do-over?

Nearly overnight a Republican Congressman from Missouri went from having a legitimate shot of beating Senator Claire McCaskill and becoming one of the senators from Missouri to being persona non grata in his own party.  It’s like everyone in the GOP took the proverbial one giant step backwards after news broke of his interview Sunday in St. Louis. 

“It seems to me first of all from what I understand from doctors that’s really rare.  If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down,” is what pro-life Rep. Akin stated in response to a question asking whether he would support abortion in case of rape.  Granted, like all of us, the man is entitled to his views.  The problem here isn’t his beliefs but rather how he framed them and, in the bigger picture, what that means to the Romney campaign as a whole.

This issue has taken top billing in the media all day.  It took time away from the Romney-Ryan town hall meeting this afternoon in New Hampshire where they outlined their entire economic message.  Was anyone actually listening to that?  Nope, it was mostly Akin and something about a naked Republican in Israel nearly all day long on the news channels.  Given that the Republicans are still behind in the polls, even after somewhat recovering from their horrific July, this is yet one more thing that the media has grabbed and deflected from legitimate campaign stories.

CNN reports that top congressional Republicans like House Speaker John Boehner, Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell and Senator John Cornyn have all advised Rep. Akin to spend time considering his candidature – read:  step aside Todd.  The Romney campaign also distanced themselves from the Representative and echoed the comments of other senior republicans.  The senate race in Missouri is considered crucial in determining which party will have control of the Senate after the election.

Rep. Akin has repeatedly apologized for his remarks, citing a poor choice of words.  A mis-speak can and has happened to all of us.  The difference here is the level of gravitas that this mistake has taken on.  That 15 second dialogue has surely cost Rep. Akin his election bid (if he stays on, of course – and he says that he will), probably cost the GOP control of the Senate and will remain in the news cycle for more days to come, taking away from the Romney campaign and continue to allow the Obama campaign to set the tone.  Claire McCaskill couldn’t be happier I bet.

And here Romney thought that he had finally gotten a bit of a leg-up.  Maybe next week Mitt.