an apology. >> rape is an evil act. i used a wrong words in the ong way and i apologize. the mistake was in the words i said. not in the heart i hold. >> the thing he should consider is what's in the best interest of the thipgs he believes most deeply. >> mitt romney was leading the charge. >> end of story. >> war on women. >> he's saying oh, republicans are waging a war on women. >> they have invented this phony war on women. >> he's leading the charge all right. >> would you have support of the constitutional amendment that would establish the definition of life at conception? >> we shouldn't have a bunch of politicians making these decisions. >> i stand by whatever i said, whatever it was.

the man is not -- todd akin has just defied his party's leadership and vowed to continue his bid for the senate but with the clock ticking on a deadline of 5:00 p.m. central time, the offender, the man whose take of legitimate rain doesn't appear to think he owes the gop anything. here he is on mike huckabee's radio show just this afternoon. >> i want to make things clear and that is we are going to continue with this race for the u.s. senate. we've given it a lot of thought and the first thing we thought we had to do was we had offended some people and we tried to respond to that and let people know that we didn't mean anybody or to take in any way, rape, anything less than very, very seriously. >> not only is he staying in the race, akin is using even more provocative language to describe

his opposition to abortion. when he said legitimate rape, he meant forced rape. >> there's nothing legitimate about a rapist, but to rather i was putting that in the wrong place. making the point that there were people who use false claims like those that basically created roe versus wade. >> i'm sure romney and ryan are glad he's feeding the flames of this discussion. he was using the fumes of his campaign funds to release a new ad entitled forgiveness. >> rape is an evil act. i used the wrong words in the wrong way and for that, i apologize. fact is, rape can lead to pregnancy and has many victims. the mistake was in the words i said, not in the heart i hold. i ask for your forgiveness. >> now, notice there that akin

apologizes for his word choice, but not for his position. that women should be deniy eied to -- and it's the feeling he shares with paul ryan. remember him? >> a faithful catholic, paul believes in the worth and dignity of every human life. >> it would be a lot easier for romney to run from akin's legitimate remarks if wasn't partnered with akin to narrow the definition of rape. nbc news has learned -- that would outlaw all abortions even in cases of rape called akin on monday. no word yet on what was discussed, but i think the word awkwardly might apply. the vp pick might be given romney heartburn today as the presumed nominee was forced today to clarify his position on

abortion rights or rather his particular opposition to them. >> with regards to -- i made it clear i'm pro-life, but i believe there should be exceptions in the case of rape and incest and lack of the mother. >> it would be easier for romney, too, if the republican national committee had not approved its platform to pay with language that reads quote, we assert the sangtyty of human life and affirm that the unborn child has a right, he cannot be infringed. we support a right to the constitution and endorse legislation to make clear that the 14th amendment's protections apply to unborn children. good timing. did someone say romney's leading from behind? for more, we're joined by msnbc analyst and pulitzer prize winning columnist, eugene rob

robinson. your column today is is essential reading on what you described as mr. akin's abomination, yet, he's refusing to leave the race. is this because he knows his views on this subject are shared with paul ryan and if paul ryan can run on the ticket as president, why can't he run for the senate? >> after all, they partnered on this bill in the house that would run narrow the definition of rape to forcible rape, whatever that is. as if there were some kind of rape that's not forcible. this is fascinating. he says that his words about what's in his heart. well, what's in his heart seems to be a firm belief that women have absolutely no right, no say in -- get raped, i'm sorry, you

get to have a baby and i get to decide. that's astonishing and i guess we'll talk about it at the republican convention. >> is this not the cost of putting paul ryan on the ticket. week one was supposed to be about the economy and all we did was talk about the situation of medicare. we were supposed to be talking about the economy and we were discussing forcible rape has mr. ryan called it. this is the cost isn't it, of paul ryan? >> it is. >> this isn't quite going way they anticipated and if you bring on paul ryan as well and so i suspect we will see other issues that he has taken his time in the house that he'll have to be called on. it's really quite extraordinary. this is supposed to be love fest leading hand in hand to the convention and it's not quite the arrival they anticipated.

we just had some breaking news and understand that mitt romney, some 48 hours after mr. akin made those reprehensible remarks, has said mr. akin should drop out of the senate race. your reaction? >> i think what romney has done, i can almost say -- >> try and stop laughing, eugene. >> seriously. he wants us to go away and i think everything he has said since akin's rerupgs has been calculated to get him out of the this race and off the front pages and so he didn't call immediately for him to leave. he wanted to let him go with the shred of dignity, if he had one left and so makes sense that he would escalate because the plot literally is ticking. becomes more difficult to replace him after 5:00 p.m. missouri time.

so time's a wasting. >> mr. romney is calling for him to stand down. mr. akin has made it clear he felt led by god to take up this position in this senate race for missouri. so who wins in this argument? it's obviously mitt romney versus god. >> god trumps a whole lot of people, martin. look. todd akin was not choice of the republican establishment. to run against claire mccaskill. he got the nomination. he has the nomination now. possession is ten tenths of the law at this point because they can't really take it away from him. they can deny him campaign funds. they can deny him super pac funds, but in the end if he's determined to stay in the race, he will stay in the race and it imperils the republican's dreams of taking the senate seat and taking control o the senate. >> the problem here is that many people are recording the fact

that only today, the rnc has voted to keep their platform which is identical to the position mr. akin holds. it remains at the forefront of their convention. >> to essentially patronize the social conservatives during the platform and say yes, we're going to get rid borks then not do it because duh, the country doesn't want them to do that. and they've managed to make a lot of hay. social conservatives have been become impatient with this and now, they're in the position, house to start trying to do something about it and it's creating great problems for the republican party. >> is this position that akin has taken likely in your opinion to have any effect on this

romney ryan ticket come november? >> the position he has taken that he's going to stay in on or abortion? >> abortion. >> it's going to make them talk about abortion. it's going to make paul ryan declare himself having moved closer to the mitt romney view. there is an exception for rape and where the definition of rape remains as it is commonly understand in the english language and not by house republicans. i suspect ryan will have to adopt that romney position because that's what romney says and he's running for president. >> offering not only commons, but a explanation of the term. stay with us. much more ahead. >> gosh, i feel like i'm almost a new hampshire resident. i come here, it would save me some tax dollars, i think. proves one thing, we all hate yankees.

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typically, when a republican speaks his mind on vaginal ultrasounds or rape, the party rushes to the microphone and tries to tell us there's no war on women and don't be surprised if we see ann romney as head of damage control. the point is, the gop does have a problem with women. they know it. they can read the polls. romney's favorablety gap among female voters is 22 points

according to one survey. let me say again, 230i7b9s. joining us now is krystal ball, lilliana gill and james peterson, professor at lehigh university and blogger for "huffington post." krystal, we've just heard that mitt romney some 48 hours has had the courage to ask todd akin to drop his pursuit of that senate seat in missouri, but how do republicans generally persuade women to vote given the recent history of republican performance in religiation to women? >> their strategy has been to change the subject. because if you talk about the substance of their positions and how far on the extreme they've gotten, it's a major issue for women votes and we've seen this happen time and time again. we saw it happen with the birth control debate.

as you referenced, trans vaginal probes, redefining rape, personhood bills and these are highly extreme and wildly unpopular provisions throughout the electorate. personhood is one in particular that mitt romney and paul ryan have chelearly supported and it so extreme that it's been defeated in mississippi and oklahoma. they're out on the fringe and can't possibly run because it's so unpopular. that's what they are trying to do, certainly. >> james, i want to play a bit of sound about a so-called manufactured war on women. >> what they have done, the democrats, is they have invented this phony war on women. >> the so-called war on women. entirely created, entirely created by my colleagues across the aisle for political gain! >> there is no war on women. there's never been a war on women. >> i wish ann were here.

my wife. she says she's going across the country and talking with women and what they're talking about is the debt. >> so, i'm assuming that their reaction, if it's not going to be what krystal suggested, which is change the subject, they'll say this is entirely manufactured and talking about legitimate rape, that's just made up by democrats. >> just absurd. maybe we need to change the phrase war on women to the attack on women. maybe they can appreciate that better. when you look at not supporting lilly ledbetter, things that krystal's talking about, different procedures to put on the table, when you consider the entire picture, the the things we've been talking about over the course of this year, there's so many other issues here, equal pay for women. it's obviouslily all the things around women's health and health issues. we simply with seeing a party

this is becoming smaller and smaller and not interested in progress for women or people of color. they know this and they're going to vote accordingly. >> we're waping live pictures now of paul ryan speaking in pennsylvania. he's looking fairly enthusiastic with his buff, physical appearance. i was going to ask you -- >> going to take more than that. >> your impression of the way republicans have been approaching women over the last two years. is there a war on women or isn't there? >> even if they want to argue there's not, perception is reality. any marketer will tell you that in the way you continue to repeat, repetition builds retention, and these messages that come from men addressing women's issues like birth control and now these comments from akin, it's just once again putting that dark cloud over a party that as much they want to see from one side, that they want to be on the side of women.

the perception is clear it's something else. the same happens with minorities when they say they want to support them, but you don't see them really addressing the issues important to them. so you've got to move it from an opinion to action. >> it's interesting. drawing a comparison there between the way republicans approach the issue of minorities and the way they've appeared to approach women. >> rather than providing any substance, they just deny and try to change the subject. and the other piece that i would adhere is it's not just what we typically think of as women's issues or women's health issues that are the issue with women vote es. you also look at programs like medicare and social security will women disportion atly benefit. so all of those pieces combined together make for a pretty unappealing picture for women

vo voters. >> professor, when you hear krystal define it in those terms, why do republicans have such a problem with women? >> well, the problem with the republican party is that the only thing they're really interested in is the 1%. there aren't a whole lot of women in the 1%, by the way, so all of their policies and all the policies they sort of take these political positions towards are really geared around what their platform is really about and it's really about the wealthiest folk in this country, so things like medicare, social security, equality for women, health care for those who can't afford it, which affect families and women, those things just don't fall within the perview. someone like akin is essentially someone who functions as a canary in the mine. just giving us a signal of what the party really is about. they're going the sign in

tonight with the same position. we should not be surprised by this. we swrus need to see the republican party sometimes for what it is. >> i think one of the problems here and lilana kind of hit on this. historically in the past few years, the republicans have been successful about couching their positions in terms of life in culture of life and now, we're getting this very graphic imagery of rape and it's a different terrain to try to fight on. >> i wanted to add on that, which is tricky for republicans who want to stick to conservative values, and i think what gets difficult when it comes to abortion or women's issue has to do with a pro-life, pro-choice type of argument. i don't think either side will ever be able to convince the other otherwise because there's such moral, deep, religious type issues that the party feels pride about that i think we need to move the conversation to how can we prevent unwanted pregnancies and encourage better education and access to women to better economical futures, so

it's swrjust not trying to figh each other, but can we please find a solution that will be better for women. >> and finally, krystal, with you, that we've got paul ryan, who cosponsored not one, but two pieces of legislation. one in 2009, one in 2011, with todd akin. >> right. >> this issue therefore bogs him where ever he goes, doesn't it? >> it does and when paul ryan was chosen, a number of groups tried to make the case about how extreme he was, but wasn't really breaking through. he doesn't just want to privatize social security, he wants to take women's health issues in an extreme direction and mitt romney is right there with him. >> thank you so much. coming up, the president hits mitt romney hard on education.

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a distraction? mr. romney likes to have it both ways. >> i'm proud of the taxes i pay. my tax returns are extensive. i have paid taxes every year and a lot of taxes. you'll see how complicated taxes can be. but i pay all the taxes that are legally required. well, one. i've released all the information about my financial holdings. that's required by law. we've of course released all the financial statements required by law. i don't know how many years i'll release. i don't think you want someone as candidate for president who pays more taxes he owes. i look at it. i'm not familiar with that. i didn't think i paid any foreign income taxes. democratic operatives to distort. distractions, deflections and frankly, the people of new hampshire are r smart enough to see a smoke screen. the fascination with taxes i

paid i find to be very small minds. i'm proud of the taxes i pay. >> don't forget, mr. romney, that passage from scripture. pride comes before a fraud. stay with us. the day's top lines are coming up. pitching is 100% mental. you have to be locked in.

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republican majority. >> the fact is, rape can lead to pregnancy. >> paul ryan not only joining with akin on redefining rape -- >> this is kevin, he's apologized for swimming nude in the sea of galilee. >> another terrible mistake by individuals. >> only go around this crazy merry go round once. >> three, putting the junk in congressional junkets. >> crazy. >> trying to take the focus of romney's taxes. >> gosh, i feel like i'm almost a new hampshire resident. it would save me some tax dol r dolla dollars, i think. >> we're going to be having a huge debate about how we reform our tax code. people want to know everybody's been playing by the same rules. >> it seems that the first victim of an obama campaign is the truth.

>> the most deceptive administration in american history. mean, sleazy. the president himself has signed off on all the negativity. they've accused romney of murder, being a tax chief, hating dogs, women and wanting dirty air and water. >> you can't just make stuff up. that's one of the things you learn at president of the united states. >> let's get right to our panel. republican strategist, ron christie and msnbc political analyst, jonathan alter. i seem to recall mitt romney saying there's no whining in politic, but john, i look at the new fund raising e-mail and it's full of whining. goes on and on about deceitful rhetoric. this is the bit rich, isn't it, coming from the romney campaign? sfwl this is what happens to a political party that's acted like a bunch of bully boys and finally, the other party stands up and then suddenly, they're whining and complaining and shooting crocodile tears and you

know, politics ain't bean bag as a cartoon character said more than 100 years ago. so this, it's always been a contact sport. and i think it's kind of pathetic for them, sean hannity of all people, to be complaining about this. this is not the most negative campaign in american history. it's not even close. it's true that there have been d distortions on both sides, but it's all within bounds in a historical context. >> ron, your experience with dick cheney, he would have loved this. he'd be throwing punches. >> i think if you have no story to tell, you're going to go on the offense, which is what the obama administration has done. >> i'm asking you about romney's team and his campaign manager complaining about the negative rhetoric saying it's deceitful. >> i think it is. >> really? >> yes, i do. i take one example. the tax issue. it's been clear that governor romney has released a couple of years of tax returns.

>> the full details of one. >> he's complied with the legal requirements. yet the democrats want more. the campaign comes out and says if the governor releases x number of years, we won't make this an issue. there's nothing there, martin. nothing he's hiding. >> i'm sorry, ron. the reason the american people want to know, 63%, would like more tax returns is because we've discovered in his first release that he has money overseas, that he has swiss bank accounts, that he has money that's been placed in places that we have found surprising! . >> so what, martin. that is within the legal bounds. you're making an issue. this is the media trying to manufacture an issue where there is none. you can say 63% of the poll this. he has complied legally. >> set the swiss bank accounts, he paid an amnesty fund to rest by releasing returns. now, i think the easiest way to

understand why, not as a legal matter, but as a matter of right and wrong, he should release the returns is this. paul ryan was asked by bob schieffer how many years of returns did you release to governor romney's vetting team? and he said, several. so if they wanted to see several years of paul ryan's returns before deciding he was fit to be vice president, why should the american public be entitled to any less about a candidate for president? >> clever point. it's a clever point. but the romney camp -- no, i'm not insulting. >> not a clever point. absolutely a substantive point. >> it's misleading the facts in this way. i disagree because of this. the romney campaign can set forth specifications if they want ten years, seven. but governor romney has fully complied legally with what he's allowed to disclose. >> we're talking about why did

they want several? >> that's their internal processing. if we want to have -- >> why did they want several of paul ryan's returns? and the answer is they wanted to mange sure there was nothing in those returns that would raise questions about his fitness to be vice president. why shouldn't you and i and everybody else be entitled to the same? >> and i'll answer that, the democrat and obama want to go mining through his tax returns. >> we want to know if he's been hiding asset overseas. we've been told a lot about this campaign and we've been told by romney and by his surrogate that is if you listen to the president speak, he's full of bile and visit rall. >> a few months ago just up the road in westerville, governor romney said if you want to be successful, if you want to go to college or start a business, you can just, i'm quoting here,

borrow money if you have to, from your parents. >> what is devicive or abusive about that? the president is simply telling the truth. he's quoting mr. romney. >> in that particular instance, yes, but he's been demeaning small business, going out and saying you didn't build that. he's been pitting people from one class of americans off the other, those who don't pay their fair share. it's ridiculous what he's done. a president should be a uniter of all citizens, not pitting people based on race, income, other factors. he's elected to represent all of us whether we agree with his politics or not. >> do you think he has? >> not particularly. i mean, there have been some surrogates, the super pacs, they released an ad. >> and the president yesterday -- >> well, he tried to separate himself from it, which was about as convincing when mitt romney tries to separate himself from

the filth coming from the other side. these super pacs are out of bounds on occasion, but i don't think the things that either of the candidates are saying about each other cross any kind of lines. what's going on here, reason that romney is responding this way is he's losing. and what he needs to do is break into president obama's likability ratings. right now even though the economy's not doing well. the president is more popular. this is a popularity contest, than mitt romney. so they're trying to make him seem like a bad, mean guy. problem is, they're not a lot of indication that's going to work and the democrats, it just energizes them because they want to see obama throw some punches cht they've been waiting three years for him to land some blows, so it doesn't hurt him at all with his base. there's no indication yet that independents are offended by the president's comments. >> i'm afraid we've run out of time. ron christie, i'm sorry, ron,

don't be angry with me. thank you so much for joining us. next, how congress became one of the least popular institutions in america. stay with us. >> hey. i'm a catholic deer hunter. i am happy to be clinging to my guns and my religion. so you brushed with colgate total and you didn't. let's compare. germ party! eww! now the colgate total mouth. nice! [ female announcer ] colgate total fights 90% more plaque germs. i'm in. [ female announcer ] colgate total. less germs. healthier mouth.

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mitt romney made twenty million dollars in two thousand ten but paid only fourteen percent in taxes... probably less than you now he has a plan that would give millionaires another tax break... and raises taxes on middle class families by up to two thousand dollars a year. mitt romney's middle class tax increase. he pays less. you pay more. republicans took control of the house in 2010 apparently by running on the economy. but a funny thing happened on the way to washington. the economy was relegated to the backseat and instead, the gop began focusing on social issues such as redefining rape. vice presidential candidate paul ryan and congressman todd akin got to work on a bill which included the term,ab forcible rape, then of the pledge to eliminate federal funding for abortion while adding conscious

protections for docdoctors. and little talk about jobs or the economy. sheila jackson lee is a democrat from texas. good afternoon. >> good afternoon, martin. >> thank you. mr. akin has just over an hour to decide whether he's going to stay in the missouri senate race. mitt romney has rather courageously 48 hours later, following what mr. akin said, has called for him to drop out. what do you think's going to happen? >> well, the clock is ticking. certainly congressman akin has apologized and as a human being, we all accept the right for anyone to apologize for whether it is a simple mistake or agree jous statement that really turned back the clock on women for more than a hundred years plus. here's the point that i would make on this issue. first of all, i think i can applaud again as one who holds the constitution dear, there is

a right to freedom of religion. faith cannot govern this nation. we are a nation of laws, secular laws governed by three branches of government. what congressman akin said is forgivable on the part of him as a human being, but never as a government leader because for anyone to say that a woman can shut this thing down is already a given that you are not eligible or competent to serve. he has to make his personal decision and that clock is ticking, but what i would say to republicans and our presidential and vice presidential potential nominee of the republican party, congressman akin is in fact welcomed in this party. you are a standard bearer for a constitutional amendment that will eliminate the right to choose. not the right to an abortion, but the right the choose. that means you want to go against the law of the land.

congressman akin was joined by the vice presidential potential candidate, republican candidate, mr. ryan. who as i understand it, when a president picks a vice president, it is to be able to govern and lead this nation. that means that the romney ticket is a ticket that is based upon not as you've said improving the economy, but eliminating the rights of individual americans in particular women. >> if i may -- we've just had some breaking news if i may and we understand that paul ryan now agrees with mitt romney that mr. akin should drop out of the race. so, again, they are somewhat belated, but joined, and yet isn't this somewhat fas cal? the point you're making is the one i'm putting to you, which is these two have cosponsored not one, but two pieces of legislation on the issue of abortion and yet, now, paul ryan has the temerity to tell mr.

akin to drop out. >> you call that a good soldier. i want to say, martin, is that in essence, go two good human beings, two peas in a pod. the question is, is america a secular nation that believes an respects religious faith of all and allowing you to hold your personal views when elect two individuals that will use religion and one's conscious and one's viewpoint to go against the stated law of the land, but more importantly, to deny women, who have been brutally raped who are interpreted to being able to shut it down, to not allow exceptions for incest, rape and the life of the mother. as stated now, martin, in the constitutional, in the amendment platform amendment of the republican platform that indicates again this party supports a constitutional amendment against abortion.

>> thank you for your time today. >> thank you for having me. >> thank you. we'll have much more ahead. stay with us. [ male announcer ] now you can swipe... scroll... tap... pinch... and zoom... in your car. introducing the all-new cadillac xts with cue. ♪ don't worry. we haven't forgotten, you still like things to push. [ engine revs ] the all-new cadillac xts has arrived, and it's bringing the future forward.

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a clearly energized president obama made education the focus of his stop today in ohio today referring to something romney told an ohio student, the president slammed romney for having no idea how hard it is for average americans to pay for college. >> the best thing i can do for you is to tell you to shop around. that's it. that's his plan. that's his answer to young people who are trying to figure out how to go to college and make sure they don't have a mountain of debt. >> kristen welker is traveling with the president and i'm delighted to say she joins us live from columbus, ohio.

the president referred to mitt romney in almost a mocking tone. on monday, he accused romney of making stuff up. can we expect the president to even more and further sharpen these attacks in the days ahead? >> i think you can expect that, martin. good afternoon and thanks for having me. i think you can expect that from the president and quite frankly, all of the candidates. i think you're going to hear not only sharp attack, but attacks that are aimed at really appealing to their bases. as you point out, president obama here today making a point about education. he also charged that the ryan budget would slash education funding, would slash grants for students. that's something that the romney ryan ticket has pushed back against. we checked with independent fact checkers who said look, it is possible that the ryan budget could slash education funding, but the reality is the ryan budget doesn't specify where he wants to cut. >> that appears to be a consistent problem, with the

ryan budget. no specificity on the loopholes and little on the issue of education. >> i think that's right and why you heard president obama seize on some of those, that lack of detail there when he was talking to students. of course, students help to propel him to victory back in 2008. he needs them to turn out in force if he's going to win again in 2012. but ryan was stumping in pennsylvania and he really sought to appeal to the base there. he braubt up those comments president obama made if 2008 when he talked about some pennsylvanians clinging to their guns. if you talk to analysts, only 3 to 5% of voters are undecided, so these candidates think a victory is going to depend on a strong turnout from their bases, so i think you can expect this to continue and heat up. >> indeed and as they break down

the event scaffold. there's a story in today's "new york times" that has mitt romney raises twice as much money as the president. is this why the president is campaigning in a more aggressive manner knowing he has to take this charge himself? because money is going to be as if it were his weakest outset. he's going to be out spent by romney. >> i think so and the obama campaign has said they'll prepare to be outspent. they think their strength really lies in their ground operation. they have more field offices in a number of these states, but i think you're going to see the -- in these remaining nights now. >> thanks as ever, kristen. we'll be right back to clear the air. one is for a clean, wedomestic energy future

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it's time now to clear the air and despite republican todd akin's absurd logic, bogus science and apparent disregard for the victims of rape, it's hard not to feel sympathy. he -- ordering he pull out of the missouri senate race. within the last two years, mr. akin has worked alongside paul ryan, mitt romney's vp pick, on not one, but two separate pieces of legislation. just last year, mr. akin and ryan were cosponsors of hr 3, the act that attempted to create a significant difference between rape and what they termed forcible rape and in 2009, they joined forces as cosponsors of a federal personhood bill, which declared that a fertilized egg should be immediately entitled

to the same rights as a human being. mr. akin would be -- that he's been vilified for his perspective on legitimate rape when such a distinction is not a million miles way from paul ryan's forcible rape and this may explain his refusal to drop out. his apology sounds a note of defiance. >> the mtake i made was in the words i said, not in the heart i hold. >> that's because mr. akin knows he shares the same heart on this issue with paul ryan and that's why he must be confused. on the one hand, the republican party wants him to drop his bid for the senate. on the other hand, his friend and cosponsor of two pieces of legislation, he's been lorded by the party and promoted as their vice presidential pick. you see, if republicans had any intellectual