According to Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.), the greatest danger facing America isn't terrorism, global warming or economic collapse. It's "liberalism."
During a candidates forum in Wildwood, Mo., on Sept. 29, 2011, Akin laid out his thoughts on the dangers to the country:
You have inherited the highest standard of living and the highest level of freedom of any civilization of people in the history of the world. And it is that inheritance, that you are to guard and to treasure, which is in danger now, unlike I think anything which we've seen in our lives other than perhaps the missile crisis with Ronald Reagan. The danger is not the communists in Russia or the communists in China or the radical Islamists. The danger is Washington D.C., and liberalism and socialism in this country.
The audio was recorded by a tracker for the progressive research group American Bridge 21st Century, which has put up an entire page dedicated to old footage of Akin.
Akin's comments are unlikely to hurt him with his religiously conservative base, which he is counting on to push him to victory over Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) in October.
In June 2011, Akin also said that "at the heart of liberalism really is a hatred for God and a belief that government should replace God."
After Akin was rebuked by national Republicans for claiming that women are physically able to prevent themselves from getting pregnant after being victims of a "legitimate rape," some of the only support he received was from the Christian conservative community.
Now, as The Washington Post reports, Akin's political revival has become something of a cause celebre for these groups, who see the race as a "battle for the soul" of the GOP.
McCaskill currently is leading Akin in the polls.
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