Mourdock controversy continues

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - The controversy sparked by Richard Mourdock's comments about rape and abortion continues to swirl and it's now six days since he made the remarks. From national talk shows to political cartoons, Richard Mourdock has been a popular target after saying that a pregnancy that results from rape is "what God intended."

A newspaper in Minneapolis ran a cartoon showing an elephant answering a GOP rape crisis line and asking if the call is about legitimate rape or "gift from God rape." Another cartoon mocks Mourdock's apology by showing a politician saying the "lack of clarity in my words was something God intended."

On "Meet the Press" Mourdock was called "extreme" by a fellow Republican. Carly Fiorina is the vice chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. "There are two pro-life candidates running," she said, "Richard Mourdock is clearly more extreme and I agree, I think, most people disagree with him."

But on another network talk show, This Week on ABC, Newt Gingrich came to Mourdock's defense. "If you listen to what Mourdock actually said," Gingrich declared, "he said what virtually every Catholic and every fundamentalist in the country believes, life begins at conception."

The Mourdock campaign tries to deflect it all with a new ad blaming Democrat Joe Donnelly for the controversy. It says "Donnelly and his liberal allies have gone too far, attacking Richard Mourdock's religious faith and twisting his words." And there is new help from the political action committee of Kentucky Senator Rand Paul. Its new ad tries to change the subject by saying, "Donnelly works with Barack Obama to send billions of our taxpayer dollars to countries where radicals storm our embassies."

But the controversy won't go away as others worry that it will hurt Presidential candidate Mitt Romney who is shown next to Mourdock in one political cartoon saying, "I so need a new wingman."

Meantime, Joe Donnelly is saying little about what Mourdock said. He may be following the advice of Napoleon who once said, never interrupt your enemy when he's making a mistake.