Dem. Candidate’s Words on Vietnam Service Differ From History!

[andymays]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/18/nyregion/18blumenthal.html

Excerpt:

At a ceremony honoring veterans and senior citizens who sent presents to soldiers overseas, Attorney General Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut rose and spoke of an earlier time in his life.

“We have learned something important since the days that I served in Vietnam,” Mr. Blumenthal said to the group gathered in Norwalk in March 2008. “And you exemplify it. Whatever we think about the war, whatever we call it — Afghanistan or Iraq — we owe our military men and women unconditional support.”

There was one problem: Mr. Blumenthal, a Democrat now running for the United States Senate, never served in Vietnam. He obtained at least five military deferments from 1965 to 1970 and took repeated steps that enabled him to avoid going to war, according to records.

[andymays]

http://hotair.com/archives/2010/05/17/bombshell-democratic-senate-candidate-lied-about-serving-in-vietnam/

Excerpt:

Not just any Democratic Senate candidate, either. It’s Richard Blumenthal, current attorney general of Connecticut, whom Chris Dodd made way for by retiring earlier this year. He’s been leading all Republican challengers by upwards of 20 points in the polls and was considered a mortal lock to win the seat in November. Until now.

[Tom]

What a dirt bag.:ThmbDown:

[JustRalph]

That article has been updated..........it gets worse.....

“We have learned something important since the days that I served in Vietnam,” Mr. Blumenthal said to the group gathered in Norwalk in March 2008. “And you exemplify it. Whatever we think about the war, whatever we call it — Afghanistan or Iraq — we owe our military men and women unconditional support.”…

In 2003, he addressed a rally in Bridgeport, where about 100 military families gathered to express support for American troops overseas. “When we returned, we saw nothing like this,” Mr. Blumenthal said. “Let us do better by this generation of men and women.”…

The New Haven Register on July 20, 2006, described him as “a veteran of the Vietnam War,” and on April 6, 2007, said that the attorney general had “served in the Marines in Vietnam.” On May 26, 2009, The Connecticut Post, a Bridgeport newspaper that is the state’s third-largest daily, described Mr. Blumenthal as “a Vietnam veteran.” And The Shelton Weekly reported on May 23, 2008, that Mr. Blumenthal “was met with applause when he spoke about his experience as a Marine sergeant in Vietnam.”…

It does not appear that Mr. Blumenthal ever sought to correct those mistakes…

Mr. Blumenthal has made veterans’ issues a centerpiece of his public life and his Senate campaign, but even those who have worked closely with him have gotten the misimpression that he served in Vietnam. In an interview, Jean Risley, the chairwoman of the Connecticut Vietnam Veterans Memorial Inc., recalled listening to an emotional Mr. Blumenthal offering remarks at the dedication of the memorial. She remembered him describing the indignities that he and other veterans faced when they returned from Vietnam.

Update: It gets worse for Blumenthal. Meet his likely Republican challenger, Rob Simmons:

Rob’s public service career began when he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1965 as a Private, and spent 19 months in Vietnam where he earned two Bronze Star Medals. Rob continued his military service in the U.S. Army Reserve as a Military Intelligence Officer, retiring as a Colonel in 2003 with over 37 years of active and reserve service.

Update: Credit where credit is due: No doubt it pained the NYT to drop a bomb on one of the few surefire Democratic winners this November, but they dropped it anyway.

even more at the link: it keeps getting updated

His opponent went from Private to Colonel......... that is impressive.

[JustRalph]

Candidate Responds:

“The New York Times story is an outrageous distortion of Dick Blumenthal’s record of service,” Blumenthal’s campaign manager, Mindy Myers, said in a statement.

“Unlike many of his peers, Dick Blumenthal voluntarily joined the Marine Corps Reserves in 1970 and served for six months in Parris Island, SC and six years in the reserves. He received no special treatment from anyone.”

Previewing a campaign event tomorrow, Myers wrote that “Dick has a long record of standing up for veterans. Tomorrow, veterans will be standing up with Dick.”

Blumenthal will hold a news conference tomorrow. He will be flanked by veterans.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Parris Island is a hell of a long way from VietNam. Btw, Every Marine goes to Parris Island for Boot Camp if I am not mistaken.......... :lol:

[prospector]

" Btw, Every Marine goes to Parris Island for Boot Camp if I am not mistaken.......... :lol:"
you are...i went to san diego..
i have zero respect for any scumbag who didn't serve and says he did..
not to late for him to get combat experience..sent him to the border to stop the drugs..

[Tom]

Glen Beck exposed this guy on the air a year ago.
No surprise. Beck has been very good at his predictions.
Including the preaching from the pulpit angle.

Watch Fox at Five today for many details in how the Obama Machine is
trying to use our churches against us. Take notes. Where are those low lifes who have fits over a Christmas decoration? :rolleyes:

Obama is our only enemy. Remember that.
Bin Laden is not on the same scale as this home-grown terrorist.
The real threat is unfolding right now.

[ArlJim78]

It's admirable that the guy went into the reserves for six years, and did the Parris Island training. But the moment he makes the statement "I served in Vietnam" he becomes and opportunist and a liar, in other words a typical politician trying to buff up his military record.

[bigmack]

Just to make it seem more like The Twilight Zone he has his press conference at a VFW!! :lol:

[lsbets]

I can't believe this thread has gone all day and Goren hasn't come to make reference to Limbaugh or Cheney.

[ArlJim78]

I love the title, which I think comes from the New York Times, about how his words "differ from history".

A kind way of saying he lied.

[mostpost]

He says he "misspoke" How do you misspeak about something like that? You misspeak when you say millions and mean billions, or about North Carolina when you mean South Carolina. Not when you talk about being in Vietnam and being shot at as opposed to being at Parris Island peeling potatoes.
Most of us know the difference between peeling potatoes and being shot at. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Nonetheless, IF I lived in Connecticut, I would vote for Blumenthal. I feel his record as AG and the policies he favors offset this one issue. And he is not a Republican which is a big plus. :lol: :lol:

[ArlJim78]

ouch. (http://www.nationalreview.com/campaign-spot/55766/i-believe-richard-blumenthal) from National Review.

_________________________
I believe Richard Blumenthal. I believe him when he says it was accidental slip of the tongue to say “I served in Vietnam” before a group of veterans in Norwalk in 2008. I believe that he also accidentally said the wrong words when he said “when we returned” from Vietnam at an event with troops in 2003.

I believe that when he said “I remember the taunts, the insults, sometimes even physical abuse,” he didn’t mean to infer that he himself had experienced that.

I believe that he never saw at least eight newspaper articles published in Connecticut from 2003 to 2009, that described him as having served in Vietnam. I believe that he never saw the profile of him on Slate in 2000 that implied he served in Vietnam. I believe that it is through no fault of his own that his own campaign staff came to believe he had served in Vietnam.

...

[cj's dad]

He says he "misspoke" How do you misspeak about something like that? You misspeak when you say millions and mean billions, or about North Carolina when you mean South Carolina. Not when you talk about being in Vietnam and being shot at as opposed to being at Parris Island peeling potatoes.
Most of us know the difference between peeling potatoes and being shot at. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Nonetheless, IF I lived in Connecticut, I would vote for Blumenthal. I feel his record as AG and the policies he favors offset this one issue. And he is not a Republican which is a big plus. :lol: :lol:

You really are a fool !!!!

[McSock]

We know most of our powers that be have no problem lying to us. But there are areas that totally unexceptable to the American population as a whole. I am a left wing, progressive dem. but dont vote for this idiot. I would not support this turkey if he was running unopposed for dog catcher.

[Robert Goren]

It never ends with politicians. Besides this low life, another politician Rep Mark Souder (R-Ind) resign to after admitting to an affair with a female staffer with whom he made ads with promoting teenage abstinence for a Christian radio station. You can't make this stuff up.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/05/18/exclusive-indiana-rep-mark-souder-resign-amid-affair-staffer/

[sonnyp]

It never ends with politicians. Besides this low life, another politician Rep Mark Souder (R-Ind) resign to after admitting to an affair with a female staffer with whom he made ads with promoting teenage abstinence for a Christian radio station. You can't make this stuff up.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/05/18/exclusive-indiana-rep-mark-souder-resign-amid-affair-staffer/

bobby

glad to see you wakin up ! these are the creeps writing the laws that you must obey or their justice department will put you in jail !!!

[Robert Goren]

bobby

glad to see you wakin up ! these are the creeps writing the laws that you must obey or their justice department will put you in jail !!! I have been awake for years. I haven't got a whole lot of faith that things are going to change. When I see people here posting what a great senator a scumball like J D Hayworth would be, I lose a lot of hope. :bang:

[JustRalph]

I have been awake for years. I haven't got a whole lot of faith that things are going to change. When I see people here posting what a great senator a scumball like J D Hayworth would be, I lose a lot of hope. :bang:


I don't think it's about how great hay worth is
It's about how bad McCain has been

[lsbets]

He says he "misspoke" How do you misspeak about something like that? You misspeak when you say millions and mean billions, or about North Carolina when you mean South Carolina. Not when you talk about being in Vietnam and being shot at as opposed to being at Parris Island peeling potatoes.
Most of us know the difference between peeling potatoes and being shot at. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Nonetheless, IF I lived in Connecticut, I would vote for Blumenthal. I feel his record as AG and the policies he favors offset this one issue. And he is not a Republican which is a big plus. :lol: :lol:

Does someone's character ever matter to someone like you?

[Tom]

He's from Chicago....take that into account.

[boxcar]

Does someone's character ever matter to someone like you?

I think we'd be hard-pressed to find a post by Mosty wherein he did not defend, deflect or equivocate some evil or criminal action. He has the dubious honor of being the Premier Apologist for Immorality. He's firmly entrenched in Hcap's camp: The end justifies the means. Whatever it takes....Party and political agenda above all else... Sadly, Mosty doesn't have a principled bone in his body. The Mostys of this world are what's wrong with this nation.

Boxcar

[PhantomOnTour]

Dude was cold busted lying 'bout his service to our country. A grievous offense, but not surprising.

Some things/folks are not defendable.

[Tom]

The moron says he misspoke and refuses to apologize!
Vet groups are getting active today.....should be interesting.

[boxcar]

The moron says he misspoke and refuses to apologize!
Vet groups are getting active today.....should be interesting.

"Misspoke" is the current euphemism for lying? :rolleyes:

Boxcar

[Robert Goren]

He should just quit. The longer this goes on the uglier it gets. At least the congressman from Indiana saw the writing on the wall and got out. It always amazes me that politicians think they can spin their way out of it. What amazes even more is sometimes they succeed.;)

[ArlJim78]

it looks like the fix is in against Bluementhol. first of all it was the New York Times that ran the story outing his service record discrepancy, and then you have staterun media lapdog Chris Matthews ranting about how despicable this is. What gives? does Bluementhol have enemies in high places? I mean its open season on this guy.

[Robert Goren]

it looks like the fix is in against Bluementhol. first of all it was the New York Times that ran the story outing his service record discrepancy, and then you have staterun media lapdog Chris Matthews ranting about how despicable this is. What gives? does Bluementhol have enemies in high places? I mean its open season on this guy. They smell blood. The media will turn on anybody when that happens. Even Fox has turned on BP.

[Steve 'StatMan']

Candidate Responds:

“Unlike many of his peers, Dick Blumenthal voluntarily joined the Marine Corps Reserves in 1970 and served for six months in Parris Island, SC and six years in the reserves. He received no special treatment from anyone.”

Previewing a campaign event tomorrow, Myers wrote that “Dick has a long record of standing up for veterans. Tomorrow, veterans will be standing up with Dick.”



Well, let's see how long the Blumenthal campaign can continue to keep their Dick standing up. ;)

[Tom]

He mistook Poughkeepsie for Saigon.

[ElKabong]

Where's that in-depth, riveting Dan Rather 60 Minutes report on VN War era Vets when you really need it....

[sonnyp]

gee, when a jerk like this is sitting on one of those phony congressional panels investigating something earth shattering like athletes using steroids there is never a lapse of memory on their part and they're very quick to play the "perjury" card if someone else "errs in the facts".

wafj

[NJ Stinks]

Not for nothing, Mack, but I'm surprised you didn't come out with a scintallating post like the one below in this thread. :rolleyes:

Minister & boy, now this? You're all over these stories. Keep up the good work. :rolleyes:

[mostpost]

I have changed my opinion on this matter. Blumenthal should step aside as the democratic candidate. He is carrying too much baggage to be an effective candidate. He needs to give the party time to pick a viable candidate.
I am completely puzzled as to why he would allow these claims (that he served in VietNam) to go forward without correcting them. Surely he must have known how easy it is to check these things. :confused:

The sad thing is if he had just presented his military service as it occurred, it would not have been an issue. His public service record and popularity would have ensured him the election.

[Robert Goren]

I have changed my opinion on this matter. Blumenthal should step aside as the democratic candidate. He is carrying too much baggage to be an effective candidate. He needs to give the party time to pick a viable candidate.
I am completely puzzled as to why he would allow these claims (that he served in VietNam) to go forward without correcting them. Surely he must have known how easy it is to check these things. :confused:

The sad thing is if he had just presented his military service as it occurred, it would not have been an issue. His public service record and popularity would have ensured him the election. Maybe he was hoping they were "lost" like GWB's were.:rolleyes:

[bigmack]

I have changed my opinion on this matter. Blumenthal should step aside as the democratic candidate. He is carrying too much baggage to be an effective candidate. He needs to give the party time to pick a viable candidate.
I am completely puzzled as to why he would allow these claims (that he served in VietNam) to go forward without correcting them. Surely he must have known how easy it is to check these things.
Bravo sir. Top notch call. :ThmbUp:

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u70/macktime/duke.jpg

From Morning Joe:

WILLIE GEIST: Hartford Courant: Senate candidate Richard Blumenthal holding a news conference yesterday to say he simply misspoke about his military service in what he described as a quote “few misplaced words.” Not sure that’s gonna fly, Joe.

JOE SCARBOROUGH: Yeah, just a few! When we returned from Vietnam.

MIKA BRZEZINSKI: Well we’re going to play part of that news conference.

SCARBOROUGH: You know Willie...

BRZEZINSKI: I want to hear what he has to say.

SCARBOROUGH: No, it was like when Willie and I, when we returned from our Navy Seals work in the mountains of Afghanistan.

BRZEZINSKI: Do you want to hear what he had to say yesterday?

SCARBOROUGH: You know what? I just don’t want to talk about it, you know, let’s not go back there Willie, it was a tough time for both of us.

BRZEZINSKI: Ugh! We’ll play it coming up at half past the hour. I do want to hear his side of this. I know him well; he’s a good guy. I’m surprised.

GEIST: Kind of reminds me Joe of when I rode the Secretariat to the Triple Crown back in ‘73.

SCARBOROUGH: I was listening to Cosell. As you went down the stretch, remember what Cosell said? “Secretariat, 30 links and little Willie Geist.” It was 1973, June ‘73. Willie how could I forget?

GEIST: It was a great time in my life, Joe.

SCARBOROUGH: I was four years removed from going to the moon with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. I’m still waiting for my invitation for “Dancing With the Stars.” I was the third guy to ever walk on the moon, and I can’t even get on “Dancing With the Stars,” Mika.

GEIST: No respect.

SCARBOROUGH: But I will tell ya, it sort of made the transition back to civilian life, watching little Willie Geist win on Secretariat.

BRZEZINSKI: Stop.

SCARBOROUGH: Okay, sorry.

[plainolebill]

That's funny shit Mack.

What a puffed up hairball - dishonest and stupid enough to tell a lie that almost certainly was going to be discovered at some point. Now he's trying defend the indefensible - meets congressional standards for sure.

It's just amazing to me how out of touch with reality a lot of these lawmakers are. He's probably amazed at the fuss.

[riskman]

From Ed Rollins, a senior political contributor for CNN.

"Blumenthal made every effort to avoid Vietnam by obtaining five draft deferments, including one for running errands for Katharine Graham, the late publisher of The Washington Post.

When he no longer could avoid the draft, he joined a politically elite D.C. Marine Reserve unit, whose only duty was marching in parades and passing out toys for tots at Christmastime. He served as a weekend warrior from 1970 to 1976. No combat and no overseas duty. Nothing wrong with any of that and there was no reason he had to embellish his credentials. But he did.

Blumenthal said Tuesday he regretted "a few misplaced words" exaggerating his military service.

"On a few occasions, I have misspoken about my service and I regret that. I take full responsibility," he said,

"But I will not allow anyone to take a few misplaced words and impugn my record of service to our country," Well, Mr. Attorney General, I don't think that's good enough and I am sure many of those brave men who did serve in combat in Vietnam will have a few concerns about why you just misplaced a few words or got confused about where you were during the war.

Washington, D.C., is about 6,300 miles from Vietnam. Maybe you can explain your confusion to the voters, and ultimately they are the decision-makers. But I do think this is a fundamental issue about integrity. The attorney general was viewed as a competent, well-educated man who didn't need to make things up.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/05/19/rollins.reality.politics/index.html?hpt=T2

[ArlJim78]

here's another Bluementhol quote from 2008.

"I wore the uniform in Vietnam and many came back to all kinds of disrespect. Whatever we think of war, we owe the men and women of the armed forces our unconditional support."

This guy is a sharp lawyer right? How long will he stick with his statement that this was all just a series of misstatements?

[Tom]

Maybe he was in Jersey and got confused?

[prospector]

this guy is toast..
stealing valor is not okay with veterans...

[hazzardm]

this guy is toast..
stealing valor is not okay with veterans...

:ThmbUp:

[mostpost]

I have to resurrect this thread to post the following:
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=384621
Excerpt:
U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk has admitted to misstating an award on his military resume, a key plank in the Highland Park Republican's high-profile campaign for Senate.

Kirk has claimed for years to have received the Navy Intelligence Officer of the Year award for service during the Serbian conflict in the late 1990s.

In fact, Kirk recently conceded on his blog that he wasn't honored with that award. He said it was "misidentified" and should have been listed as the "Rufus Taylor Intelligence Unit of the Year award for outstanding support provided during Operation Allied Force."
and:
One of the key differences between the awards is that the official Navy honor is bestowed on an individual and the Rufas Taylor award is given to the unit.
Aside from his resume, Kirk similarly misstated the award at a 2002 House committee hearing. In a remark recorded by C-SPAN, he said, "I was the Navy's Intelligence Officer of the Year,"
Now, there was I time when I would have believed Kirk when he said he misspoke. But, thanks to my friends at PA, I now realize that politicians never mispeak. :rolleyes:
So, as soon as I read this story, I knew I had to post it here so as to give you all the opportunity to criticize Mark Kirk for his callous disregard for the truth and for the disrespect he is showing to the real American heroes. :eek: :eek: :eek:

[JustRalph]

He took personal credit for receiving an award he didn't earn.

Yeah, he is a dip shit.

[ArlJim78]

so yeah that's about the same i guess, one guy got the name of one of his awards wrong, the other guy got mixed up and for years claimed to have fought in a war when he wasn't there.

could happen to any of us.

[Tom]

I rode Secretariat in the Belmont win.

Oh, I meant to say I bet him.
I just mis-spoke.

I knocked out Joe Frazier once.
Oh, I meant to say I watched the fight.

Get real man........this guy is a first class LIAR and he damn well knows it.

[Robert Goren]

The really sad part about this is that is that he is going win because the best the republicians could come up is some gal who is spending her dad's money trying to a senate seat.:bang:

[bigmack]

The really sad part about this is that is that he is going win because the best the republicians could come up is some gal who is spending her dad's money trying to a senate seat.:bang:
I assume you're banging your head because you're wrong about the sad part as well as her being 'some gal' using her dads $. Who is her dad?

[boxcar]

Maybe he was in Jersey and got confused?

Could well be. Look at NJ. :rolleyes:

Boxcar

[Tom]

I assume you're banging your head because you're wrong about the sad part as well as her being 'some gal' using her dads $. Who is her dad?

You mean Linda McMahon?

[Robert Goren]

You mean Linda McMahon? Yes. I am sorry I made a mistake, she not spending her dad's money. She is spending her husband's money. The latest polls show her losing 31-56, but it is long time till november. I hope she wins, but I really doubt that she will.

[Pace Cap'n]

Yes. I am sorry. I made a mistake. She is not spending her dad's money, she is spending her husband's money. The latest polls show her losing 31-56, but it is a long time until November. I hope she wins, but I really doubt that she will.

Grammar Police :)