Just when you think it couldn’t get more ignorant than Republican Rep. Todd Akin of Missouri when it comes to abortion quotes, Illinois Rep. Joe Walsh opened his mouth on the same, and very controversial, issue.

In a debate with Democratic challenger Tammy Duckworth on Thursday, Walsh said he is “pro-life without exception.” “Understand, though, that when we talk about exception, rape and incest are exceptions,” Walsh added. “They are violent, horrific acts.”

But that's not, of course, the controversial part. Lots of Republican politicians are pro-life without exception, as are some Democrats too.

Later, as first reported by WGN radio station, Walsh essentially said abortions are never necessary to save pregnant women’s lives because of progress in science and technology.

In a press briefing after the debate, Walsh accused pro-choice supporters of trying to make pro-life devotees look “unreasonable."

“This is an issue that opponents of 'life' throw out there to make us look unreasonable,” Walsh told the media. “There’s no such exception as life of the mother, and, as far as health of the mother, same thing. With advances in science and technology, health of the mother has become a tool for abortions for any time under any reason.”

In August, Todd Akin said women have biological defenses ("the female body has ways of shutting the whole thing down") against pregnancies that could result from “legitimate rapes.” Of course, he later backtracked. Akin’s own party colleagues called for him to drop out of the Senate race after he made those remarks.

On the heels of Akin’s comment, Rep. Allen West, of Florida, said abortion is threating the future of black Americans.

Introducing a group of black pro-life advocates on Capitol Hill last month, West said, “Today, we’re talking about the future. ... It’s not just the $16 trillion in debt that we’re about to put on our children and grandchildren. It’s the fact that we’re not even allowing our children and grandchildren to be born.”

Last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported an abortion decline in 2007 but said black women have the highest rate. The issue of abortion has turned out to play an even greater role in this year's election, with the issue being debated at the presidential campaign level.

Abortion