Brown: Akin Should Leave Race After 'Outrageous' Rape Comment

BOSTON (CBS) – Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown says Republican Senate candidate Todd Akin of Missouri should drop out of his race because of a comment he made about rape.

In a television interview Sunday, the six-term Missouri congressman was asked if he supported making abortion available to women who have been raped.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Kim Tunnicliffe reports

Akin responded by saying a woman "has ways" to prevent pregnancy during what he called a "legitimate rape."

He later said he "misspoke."

Brown issued a statement Monday morning calling Akin's comments about women and rape "outrageous , inappropriate and wrong."

"There is no place in our public discourse for this type of offensive thinking. Not only should he apologize, but I believe Rep. Akin's statement was so far out of bounds that he should resign the nomination for US Senate in Missouri," Brown concluded.

In an interview Monday afternoon on Mike Huckabee's radio show,  Akin apologized for the comments and said he'll stay in the Senate race.

At an afternoon briefing with reporters at the White House, President Obama was asked about the controversy and whether he thought Akin should drop out of the Missouri race.

He said Missouri Republicans nominated Akin and "I'll let them sort that out."

Brown's Democratic Senate challenger Elizabeth Warren called Akin's comments "reprehensible."

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said the Akin statements were "inexcusable."