Missouri: Anti-Todd Akin 'Talking Greeting Card' Targets His Rape Comments

By Niels Lesniewski

Posted October 18, 2012 at 2:02pm

The liberal super PAC American Bridge is branching out into the talking greeting card business, sending mailers to Missouri voters featuring the controversial words of Rep. Todd Akin (R).

“Todd Akin’s remarks on ‘legitimate rape’ are just a starting point for his extreme views,” American Bridge spokesman Matt Thornton said. “We figured there is no better way to show Missouri voters that Akin is unqualified to be a U.S. Senator than to let him speak for himself.”

The mailer was produced by MailPOW, a California company that got into the business of producing talking mailers in 2010. The company says the Postal Service, which is in need of new revenue streams, is promoting the product as part of a campaign to increase the number of political advertising materials sent through the mail.

“The USPS recognizes MailPOW leaves an impression that POWers voters from the mail box to the ballot box. We’re thrilled and honored that the USPS is promoting our talking cards,” said Crystal Martin, the entrepreneur behind the product.

Akin seems to be a good target for this kind of device. Statements about “legitimate rape” and other subjects have made him more of a long-shot candidate to unseat incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.). The McCaskill campaign and outside groups have hammered Akin for social views that they regard as outside the mainstream.

Much of Akin’s support comes from social conservatives. Former Family Research Council President Gary Bauer announced this morning that his Campaign for Working Families PAC would be making an ad buy in Missouri on conservative and Christian radio outlets against McCaskill.

“The voters of Missouri deserve a Senator who will fight for their values, not against them. Todd Akin will be that senator,” Bauer said.

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