Richard Mourdock, a candidate for U.S. Senate from Indiana, is under fire today for remarks made during a debate yesterday with Democratic opponent Joe Donnelly.
Explaining his views on abortion and whether or not an exception should be made in cases of rape, the pro-life politician said:
"I struggled with it myself for a long time, and I realized that life is a gift from God, and I think even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something God intended to happen."
Donnelly - who is also pro-life, but would make exceptions for rape or incest - pounced on the wording and replied via statement:
"I think rape is a heinous and violent crime in every instance. The God I believe in and the God I know most Hoosiers believe in, does not intend for rape to happen-ever. What Mr. Mourdock said is shocking, and it is stunning that he would be so disrespectful to survivors of rape."
Mitt Romney has also weighed in and said, via a representative, that he "disagrees with Richard Mourdock's comments."
Mourdock, meanwhile, sought to quickly clarify his stance by later adding: "God does not want rape, and by no means was I suggesting that He does. Rape is a horrible thing, and for anyone to twist my words otherwise is absurd and sick."
Earlier this year, Missouri Congressman Todd Akin got into similar trouble when he used the term "legitimate rape" during a radio interview.
What do you think of Mourdock's remarks? They are...