NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) -
A Memphis newspaper is reporting that Rutherford County State Rep. Joe Carr said women possess certain biological means to close themselves off against pregnancy in cases of violent rape.
Todd Akin, a Republican running for the U.S. Senate seat in Missouri, said in a television interview recently he is against abortion for any reason, including rape. He said women can block pregnancy in cases of legitimate rape.
Reporter Jackson Baker of the Memphis Flyer told Channel 4 News he attended a breakfast held for the Tennessee delegation at their Tampa hotel. During the breakfast, a poll was taken to find out how many in the delegation favor Akin bowing out of the Senate race for his comment on legitimate rape.
"There was an immediate chorus of yes, yes, yes, and the person conducting the poll said, how many don't think so. Three people raised their hand, one of them was (TN State Rep.) Joe Carr," Baker said.
After the breakfast, Baker said he pressed Carr further about the issue.
"I said, 'Don't you think that Mr. Akin was embarrassing perhaps to other Republicans, or maybe that a little crazy what he said,'" Baker said.
Baker told Channel 4 News Carr's response surprised him.
"I expected him to agree, but he said, 'No, actually there may be a scientific basis for what he (akin) said. There may be a physical response that a woman has in a situation like that.' He said that, I'm not making that up," Baker said.
Carr would not comment on camera, but he denied he made the comment. He told Channel 4 News in a phone interview what he said he told Baker.
"I don't know enough about the biological science of a woman being violently raped to comment on it," Carr said.
Carr called the story "A bunch of tripe."
Baker said he stands by his story.
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State Rep. Joe Carr
