Representative Paul D. Ryan sought to distance himself from Todd Akin, his House colleague, on Wednesday by condemning his comments about rape, even while deflecting questions about the meaning of “forcible rape.â€
He was pressed on the issue on his campaign plane after he did not directly confront the question in a television interview earlier, with the Pittsburgh television station KDKA.
Not long after that interview was broadcast, Mr. Ryan made his first visit to the traveling press corps at the back of his campaign plane Wednesday, where he was asked about his prior support of anti-abortion laws that did not include an exception in an instance of rape. Mitt Romney supports such exceptions, as well as for incest and to save a pregnant woman's life.
“I'm proud of my record,'' Mr. Ryan said. “Mitt Romney is going to be the president. The president sets policy. His policy is ‘except for rape, incest a nd the life of the mother.' I'm comfortable with it because it's a step in the right direction. I'm going to leave it at that.''
Asked about a bill Mr. Ryan co-sponsored with other Republicans, including Mr. Akin, to prohibit federal funding of abortion except in certain cases including “forcible rape'' â€" language that women's health advocates said attempted to narrow the definition of rape â€" he pointed out 16 Democrats also voted for the 2011 bill.
“That bill passed by 251 votes, it's bipartisan,'' Mr. Ryan said. It was blocked from becoming law by the Democratic-controlled Senate.
Mr. Ryan confirmed reports that he had spoken with Mr. Akin to add his voice to the chorus of Republican leaders calling on him to quit the Missouri Senate race.
“It was as you would imagine,'' he said of the call. “I'll keep it between us.'' He said he agreed with the Missouri Republican delegation that Mr. Akin “should have dropped out of the race,'' adding: “But has has not. He's going to run his campaign and w'ell run ours.''
As Mr. Ryan was asked follow-up questions about his prior opposition to a rape exception in abortion laws, an aide cut him off, and he withdrew to the front of the plane, bearing a plate of cookies he had offered to reporters. It was his first on-the-record conversation with members of his traveling press corps.
Asked in the Pittsburgh television interview what the 2011 bill meant by “forcible rape,†Mr. Ryan interrupted. “Rape is rape,'' he said. “Rape is rape, period. End of story.''
“So that forcible rape language meant nothing to you at the time?†Mr. Ryan was asked.
“Rape is rape and there's no splitting hairs over rape,†Mr. Ryan said.
