Romney won’t budge on Akin despite crucial Senate numbers
Politico reports an interview with a Romney spokesman on Todd Akin and the crucial Senate race in Missouri. Even while other Republicans are beginning to endorse Akin, Romney stands firm with the cold shoulder:
“Do you agree or does Mitt Romney now believe that Todd Akin should still step aside and get out of the race and that what he said was so offensive and wrong that he should not be the Republican candidate?” [Andrea] Mitchell asked.
[Mitt Romney adviser Kevin] Madden replied, “Yeah, Gov. Romney made very clear … when Congressman Akin made those remarks that he disagreed with them entirely and he could not stand by them and that hasn’t changed.”
Mitchell then asked, “And so he’s not going to go along with other Republicans in the Senate campaign committee and people like Roy Blunt who’s a major figure in your own campaign, Sen. Blunt, and former Sen. Kit Bond, who have endorsed Todd Akin?”
Madden replied, “Yeah, I can’t speak for Gov. Bond and Sen. Blunt, but Gov. Romney has made his position very clear on that and it has not changed.”