GOP platform adopts Akin's abortion stance

While legions of leading Republicans are demanding Todd Akin quit his Senate race, today in Tampa the Republican Party’s platform committee voted to adopt Akin’s exact position on abortion.

The draft platform as first obtained by CNN:

Faithful to the ‘self-evident’ truths enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, we assert the sanctity of human life and affirm that the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed. We support a human life amendment to the Constitution and endorse legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment’s protections apply to unborn children.

The platform language is the same as 2004 and 2008, according to an RNC official. The official added that there were no amendments submitted on the rape and incest exceptions.

In other words, no abortions, no exceptions, not even for rape or incest. Of course, this year it was Team Romney who was running the show:

There is no doubt about who is in charge, of course. Delegates for presumptive nominee Mitt Romney are voting down substantive changes to the platform language that was written at the direction of Romney’s campaign.

Furthermore, since he’s been running for president close to forever, Mr. Romney endorsed the 2004 and 2008 Republican platforms and especially endorsed this human life amendment to the Constitution every time. Indeed during the 2007 primary debates Mr. Romney said he would be “delighted” to sign a bill banning “all abortions.”

Yet just this afternoon, Mr. Romney called on Congressman Akin to drop out of the race. One wonders why, since they hold exactly the same position on banning all abortions. Mr. Romney said Akin should drop out for the “best interest of our country.” I think what he meant to say was for the best interest of his campaign. Clearly Team Romney would rather keep the voters in the dark about the true goals of the Republican party.