Much is being made of Todd Akin referring to Claire McCaskill’s debate performance as unladylike. Sounds like the wrong thing for Akin to say, right? Right. It is/was the wrong thing to say. But, it may very well work to his benefit. He is now coming under fire from where? East coast media and west coast liberals like Patti Murray (D- WA). The question to ask is how that will play in Missouri. My guess is not well.
His prior comment about how women can’t get pregnant from rape was so outrageous that everyone was up in arms, and Akin suffered for it. The ladylike comment sounds more quaint and old fashioned. It’s not at the same level as the “legitimate rape” offensiveness. Don’t misunderstand. The latest also evidences an underlying misogyny in his thinking. It’s just not at the same level.
Like most others, Missourians will defend their own against what they perceive as petty or unfair attacks. They will defend their own even when “their own” is generally a jerk and probably wrong. It’s the “piling on” sympathy effect if you like. The other piece of the equation is the outsider-trying-to-tell-us-what-to-think syndrome. East coast media and west coast liberals just don’t play all that well in places like Missouri. Missourians don’t like what they perceive to be the condescending attitudes of the east and left coasters. And, Missouri isn’t nearly as tied to modern liberalism and political correctness as those places whose thinking is corrupted by the smell of ocean air.
Don’t be surprised if the kerfuffle over Akin’s ladylike comment ends up working to his advantage in Midwestern, conservative leaning, once partly confederate Missouri.**
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** During the Civil War, Missouri provided soldiers and supplies to both sides. It had a star on both the union and confederate flags and had separate governments representing each side. By the end of the war, Missouri had provided 110,000 union troops and 40,000 confederate troops.
Contributor, aka tidbits. Retired attorney in complex litigation, death penalty defense and constitutional law. Former Nat’l Board Chair: Alzheimer’s Association. Served on multiple political campaigns, including two for U.S. Senator Mark O. Hatfield (R-OR). Contributing author to three legal books and multiple legal publications.