Ratigan just destroyed the NYT story on Blumenthal

[malaise]

and said he too had attacked him based on the NYT story.

[Beetwasher]

1. Blumenthal Sent Rand Paul A Dozen Roses

Blumenthal, thankfully, got himself some breathing room to get a handle on the NYT smear.

[regnaD kciN]

3. Unfortunately, not...

This is going to be deadly for Blumenthal, even if it's totally groundless. All you have to have is the "liberal" NYT report something negative on a Democrat, and it becomes Gospel Truth. After all, why would a liberal paper attack a liberal unless it's true, right? And that only amplifies the old truism: "rumor has circled the world before truth has got its shoes tied." The fact is, the "Blumenthal lied" story has taken on the status of a meme. Much like the similar "Al Gore claimed to have invented the Internet" canard, it is established as "fact," and all the debunking in the world will only be heard by those who want to hear it. :-(

[Beetwasher]

5. It Will Do Damage, But I Think He Can Weather It

I think it came way too early and there is enough time for him to recover.

[Wetzelbill]

9. I think one crucial difference

with now and when Al Gore had to fight off that stuff is the evolution with how the internet is used. Especially youtube and other visual media sites. People can now go online and see things for themselves. People who want to hear what Blumenthal said out of his own mouth can watch the video, and they can watch other videos in the related links where he says he never was in Vietnam etc. Gore didn't have that luxury. Now some people will believe what they believe no matter what they see but others won't. Even that little bit helps Blumenthal weather something like this.

[deminks]

2. Thank you for posting, malaise.

I heard Gibbs said the WH was still behind him also.

[malaise]

4. He played another clip from the same speech

where Blumenthal explained that he did not go to Vietnam. NYT used a very 'selective' clip. He also showed the photos from the year book with Blumenthal on the swimming team.
That ReTHUG and her NYT friends are really low lives.

[JDPriestly]

6. Wall Street in action: the attacks on Blumenthal.

Peter Schiff is one candidate running for the Republicans.

He would be rather more a senator for Wall Street than for Connecticut. Or is it the same thing?

I have a friend who served at the time of Viet Nam but not in Viet Nam. People easily assume that he was in Viet Nam. I did until this friend explained just what he did during his service.

[laughingliberal]

7. But...but...I read on DU that Ratigan is a RW Repig! nt

[wmbrew0206]

8. Why people are still trying to defend Blumenthal is beyond me.

This guy said he served "in" Vietnam on several different occasions. It was not a one time slip up.

Trying to blame this on the media is ridiculous.

[joeybee12]

10. Why some people are smearing Blumenthal is beyond me...with hundreds of

public appearances, he has said both, he has misspoken and often gone to lengths to make it clear.

Oh, and did you mis the part about how the article said he always said he was on the swim team, but wasn't? A quick look at the yearbook shows he was...the NY Times was spoon fed this smear.

[wmbrew0206]

13. Are you f-ing kidding me?

Seriously, no veteran makes that mistake once, let alone multiple times.

If you are a veteran you make it extremely CLEAR that you did not serve in a combat zone, just during that time. Blumenthal did not do that in the clip the NYTimes used. He has also been repeatedly quoted as saying he "served in" Vietnam. You don't make that mistake. You say something like "Although I never served in _____, I served during that era." to make it clear you were not there.

One Connecticut paper have said that he has a history of contacting them if he saw something about him in their paper that he wanted to correct. However he never contacted them about his Vietnam record when they said he served in it.

[librechik]

15. he certainly did make clear his status in the same speech they used to villify him

I doubt if you know that or have checked up on the source of the NYT story (Blumenthal's opponent) or looked into the long open history of his marine guard service. Just shut up, you know nothing.

[wmbrew0206]

16. Have you watched the full video? Your response makes it look like you did not.

Here is the link to the full speech:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTdZFKSduYk


Please show me anywhere in it there that Blumenthal says "I did not serve in Vietnam" or "although I did not serve in theater, I did serve during that era." In fact, please show me anywhere in it that Bluementhal clearly rules out the possibility that anyone could think he served in Vietnam.

I have followed this story very closely because I'm a Marine and I have served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Unless you have too, please don't tell me to shut up because I know nothing. I know the difference between when a veteran makes a mistake about their service and misspeaks and when one is intentionally leaving ambiguity or stretching the truth about their service. Blumenthal is the latter. He has a history of being quoted saying he served "in" Vietnam and not correcting it. If you want I can give you the links to it.

Again, this not something you slip up about. It is something veterans ARE VERY CLEAR about when talking about their service.

[trumad]

17. Well this vet likes what he said in the speech and will forgive his slip up

BTW: The video was incomplete.

[wmbrew0206]

18. I liked it too.

In fact I'd give him a pass on this if he would apologize for it. The fact that he hasn't is what pisses me off about the whole thing.

Realized the video is incomplete, but it is pretty clear he has finished up his prepared remarks and is going to read the citation.

[madfloridian]

19. In the full video he did make it clear.

[wmbrew0206]

20. No he did not.

If you watch the full video he says "I served in the Vietnam era." That statement is not mutually exclusive from saying I served in Vietnam. Someone could have served in the Vietnam era AND have served in Vietnam.

Please watch the video again and tell me at what point Blumenthal clearly states that he did not serve in Vietnam. If the video does not contain it, please link to a video that does.

By not stating clearly that he did not serve in Vietnam, Blumenthal is intentionally leaving the impression in the mind of his audinece that he could have or did serve in Vietnam.

Veterans will tell you that not making that distinction is a very big deal.

[Dawson Leery]

11. F**K the New York Times.

At least with the Post, we know they are full of it.

[pinboy3niner]

12. Thanks, malaise--K&R

Times Public Editor Clark Hoyt is looking into how NYT covered this (though Hoyt won't say, at this point, whether or not his review will be published).

:kick:

[spanone]

14. k&r