I think Blumenthal survives this huge problem

[Perky]

I think hos tack today was ill-advised because it extends the news cycle.

But here is the thing. The Senate races and the results are going to get all the media play for the rest of the week and on the SUnday shows. It could well be old news in a couple of weeks. I also think the news hit too early in the election cycle ant that it will peak well before Labor Day,

[IndianaGreen]

1. November is a long way off

and his public apology seemed adequate enough, to me at least.

[Uzybone]

2. I completely agree, this is media BS

It wasn't like he made up bizarre stories about what he did in Vietnam.

This will fizzle away in a few weeks.

[nosmokes]

3. He doesn't deserve to survive. Any mofo that lies about his combat status is

lower than low. And he did lie about it. Repeatedly, even in printed material. He's a weasel and is undeserving of respect of any sort.

[customerserviceguy]

6. It would have been weaselly enough

to refer to himself as a "Vietnam-era" veteran, but at least it would have been factually accurate. And Democratic voters would have had no problem with his draft deferments for college, even most Repukes wouldn't have expected a man to risk his life in a losing cause.

But to drape himself in some sort of stolen valor just to pander to militarists is appalling.

[tledford]

7. Agreed.

Also raises questions about his intelligence -- how can anyone lie like that and not KNOW they'll be caught at it?

[doc03]

12. +1000 n/t

[Splinter Cell]

14. I agree 100%

He's a fuckin' asshat.

[customerserviceguy]

4. He's toast

and if he needs the voters to tell him that, then so be it.

I guess I hold Democratic office holders to higher standards than Repukes hold theirs.

[MrModerate]

5. Frankly, I don't think he's guilty of anything more than being sloppy . . .

With his statements. And whether he marched off a plane into gusts of spittle as the myth goes, or merely assimilated that myth as part of the "we" that he was in actual fact a part of -- the US Marines -- I'm not sure I care.

I also think this shows that the 'Licans have gone to the Outrage Well a few too many times with their leaky buckets, and the well is drying up.

[nosmokes]

10. I know a lying motherfucker when I see one and Blumenthal is a lying motherfucker.

You don't call yourself a combat vet unless you are one. It's just that simple.Is grass green? Is the sky blue? Did you see combat? there are no grey areas in some subjects.

[CTLawGuy]

11. where did he say he "saw combat"

let's see the links.

[MrModerate]

20. I'm happy for you that you have such absolute confidence . . .

in your lie-o-meter. I don't happen to share that confidence.

The accusations made in the Times article fell -- IMO -- far short of motherfuck-lying. A couple of slips of the tongue and a few articles not penned by Blumenthal where the writer was unable to distinguish between "Viet Nam Veteran" and "Viet Nam-era Veteran."

Not even in the same universe as Bush's AWOL National Guard record.

I don't think the facts support your fury.

[Splinter Cell]

15. Um...no.

He lied about serving in a war in which 58,000 gave their lives. Anyone that would do that is scum.

[CTLawGuy]

8. absolutely

for several reasons:

1. It's May. Linda McMahon's campaign leaked this in MAY!? Not only are few people paying attention to the race, but Blumenthal has lots of time to do damage control, and, at worst, if he's irreparably damaged, the Dems can still nominate another candidate.

2. He didn't really lie. It's not like he was going around saying he was out risking his life getting hit in the ass with shrapnel. In the clip Chris Matthews showed, he barely mentioned his own service, except in passing. He also clearly, before all this came out, stated he did not serve in combat in a debate a few months ago.

3. McMahon's campaign got hit by blowback because they were taking credit for the leak like they are freakin jihadists or something and the media did not appreciate their gloating.

4. McMahon (who is the likely R candidate) has a history of being dishonest as well.

[OHdem10]

9. You should have seen J. Leher, News Hour Report. The most

fair and accurate report lacking partisan bias.

They had a guest reporter from Hartford Paper who has
covered Blumenthal over the years. He has attended
many Veterans Affairs meetings. He had never heard
Blumenthal "mispeak" or say he had been in Vietnam.

Bottom Line--He says the GOP candidate has a serious
"opposition research" organization.

If you like Blumenthal, you will give him the benefit
of the doubt. If you oppose him you will believe anything
that is said against him. If

[doc03]

13. I saw him and heard this morning he said he served in Vietnam,

no misspeak, he said it, he is lying POS. I was in the Army during the Vietnam war and never once did I claim to have been there or seen any combat, the closest I came to Vietnam was Germany. I wouldn't demean another combat veteran and claim I was there.

[Dawson Leery]

16. He made a mistake.

George Bush outright lied about his military service on a regular basis and the media had no problem with that.
and to all of the jackals, including those on the left such as Bill Press Paul Begala need to STFU!

[Marsala]

17. If he had a 10 point lead and the most likely Repub candidate was Simmons, he'd be in trouble

But he has (had?) a 20 point lead and the most likely opposition candidate is friggin' Linda McMahon. No way does she get elected to the Senate in Connecticut.

[Jennicut]

18. Judging from the reaction today around CT from reporters and

just average people, he survives. And he could still beat McMahon.

[beachmom]

19. NYT editorial thinks otherwise:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/19/opinion/19wed4.html

I still think that in condemning Blumenthal they are giving a pass to the newspapers who made errors over and over again, even when they had the facts in their archives:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126961374&f=1001&sc=tw&utm_source

Sadly, most of the articles cited are by journalists who have since been laid off. For example, the "swim team lie" was by a reporter who has since been let go from the Hartford Courant. She doesn't know where her tapes & notes are from the Blumenthal piece that mentioned it.

[grantcart]

21. Yeah that's what Senator Allen thought about "Maccaca".

He is absolutely finished.

Its bad enough to lie about going to Vietnam, and that is pretty fucking bad, but to get red in the face and indignant about the fact that people are upset is the stupidest self inflicted wound since Senator Allen called the guy "Maccaca".


In another year it might have been survivable but this is a year when people are primed and ready to get outraged at an incumbent and Blumenthal smells like he was born in public office.


Not going to be old news in a couple of weeks, if the Dems go with him to the final this seat will go Republican.

[liberalpragmatist]

22. It'll depend on whether more stuff turns up

If the only major example is still that speech from two years ago, then the issue will fade. What I fear is that there's going to be a drip-drip of examples cited and that he's going to be really hurt by this.

We'll see what happens. It could really go either way.

[fujiyama]

23. I wouldn't write him off just yet...but it will definitely hurt him

What he did was incredibly stupid and was obviously deceptive to say the least.

But the sad thing is that he HAS done a lot for veterans in CT. And I think he'd be a great voice for them not only in CT but throughout the US.

But it's obvious he dragged this out long enough to give the wrong impression and this is just one of those things you just don't lie about, especially in the internet age. Information gets out and this would have come out sooner or later during the campaign. Dumb. Dumb. Dumb...