So Todd Akin Day draws to a close, but not without more noise and confusion:

* Conflicting reports say Akin preparing his withdrawal, or hanging tough.

* Possible replacements include John Ashcroft. Yikes!

* Obama directly calls out Romney on lies in welfare ad.

* At Ten Miles Square, Mark Kleiman notes “rape doesn’t cause pregnancy” myth no crazier than many others embraced by key conservative constituencies.

* Daily Caller touts random Cook County poll as showing Obama in trouble in Illinois. Hey, Akin-watchers, look over here, look over here, Obama losing everywhere!

And in non-political news:

* Pioneering comedian Phyllis Diller dies at 95.

I’m going to watch last night’s Breaking Bad, then get on to moonlighting work!

Selah.

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Ed Kilgore is a political columnist for New York and managing editor at the Democratic Strategist website. He was a contributing writer at the Washington Monthly from January 2012 until November 2015, and was the principal contributor to the Political Animal blog.