He also continued to back-pedal from his comments last Sunday about "legitimate rape", accepting that the views he expressed were "medically wrong".

Although Tuesday was the final day for Mr Akin to withdraw from the race without a court order, he did not categorically rule out stepping aside at a later date. "I'm never going to say everything that could possibly happen," he told ABC. "I don't know the future." Mr Akin also confirmed that Republican vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan had urged him to end his campaign.

While Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has said he believes abortion should be allowed for rape victims, his running mate has previously taken a harder line.

Mr Ryan, a Wisconsin congressman, co-sponsored along with Mr Akin and other lawmakers a controversial bill that would ban federal funding for abortion with a rape-exception only in cases of "forcible rape".

On Wednesday, the Republican running mate was asked in an interview to define forcible rape. He told Pittsburgh television station KDKA: "Rape is rape and there's no splitting hairs over rape."

Democrats are trying to portray Mr Akin's comments on rape as symptomatic of a negative attitude towards women across the Republican party.

There has been renewed focus on a Republican convention platform, which resurfaces every election year, for a constitutional ban on abortion with no exceptions for rape or incest. It will be voted on next Monday at the party gala in Tampa, Florida.


<<<<< It looks Republican men want women to be again, the weaker sex...

.... with rights as dictated by the Christian Churches of the US.

It might end up with .. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSe38dzJYkY