Former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour said Thursday that while the controversial comments of Republican U.S. Senate candidate Richard Mourdock were "kind of crazy," attempts by the president to tie them to Mitt Romney were an effort to distract from his own economic record.
"I don't agree with what he said. I thought what he said was kind of crazy," Barbour told CBS News. "But, having said that, this election for president is not about that. This election for president is about Obama's failed economic record in job creation, in exploding debt, skyrocketing spending."
In a debate Tuesday, Mourdock said that "even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something God intended to happen."
Democrats immediately seized on the comments, with President Obama using an appearance on "The Tonight Show" to criticize the Indiana Republican.
"You know, I don't know how these guys come up with these ideas," Obama said. "Let me make a very simple proposition. Rape is rape. It is a crime. And so, these various distinctions about rape and, you know — don't make too much sense to me. Don't make any sense to me."
Barbour, asked if Mourdock should apologize, said, "He's got to decide that.
"It's not what i think," Mourdock said. "But I can tell you, Barack Obama loves it when CBS News or CNN or Fox News is talking about what some guy running for senator said, instead of what the American people are really concerned about, because the more this election is about the economy and jobs, the worse Obama does."
In a press conference Wednesday, Mourdock accused Democrats of twisting the meaning of his comments.
"I would be less than faithful to my faith if I said anything other than 'Life is precious.' I think it is a gift from God. I don't think God would ever want anyone harmed, sexually abused or raped. I think it's wrong when someone wants to take what I said and twist it," Mourdock said.
The Romney campaign on Wednesday said that the presidential nominee disagreed with Mourdock's comments, but would not ask the Senate candidate to take down an ad featuring Romney.
