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White House: Candidate's Rape Comments 'Offensive'

Posted: 10:41 AM Aug 20, 2012
Reporter: AP

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WASHINGTON (AP) - A White House spokesman says a GOP Senate candidate's comments on rape are "offensive" and "wrong."

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said Monday that comments by Missouri Congressman Todd Akin are "factually wrong, medically wrong and offensive."

Akin said in an interview Sunday that women's bodies can prevent pregnancies in "a legitimate rape" and that conception is rare in such cases.

Akin, who is running to unseat Missouri's Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill, apologized for his comments Monday and said he plans to stay in the Senate race.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney called comments "insulting, inexcusable, and, frankly, wrong."

Two Republican senators have called for Akin to drop out of the Senate race.