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Author Topic: Candidate’s Words on Vietnam Service Differ From History (Dem. CT)  (Read 3081 times)

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Offline thundley4

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Candidate’s Words on Vietnam Service Differ From History (Dem. CT)
« on: May 18, 2010, 07:13:17 AM »
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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.

The deferments allowed Mr. Blumenthal to complete his studies at Harvard; pursue a graduate fellowship in England; serve as a special assistant to The Washington Post’s publisher, Katharine Graham; and ultimately take a job in the Nixon White House.

In 1970, with his last deferment in jeopardy, he landed a coveted spot in the Marine Reserve, which virtually guaranteed that he would not be sent to Vietnam. He joined a unit in Washington that conducted drills and other exercises and focused on local projects, like fixing a campground and organizing a Toys for Tots drive.

Many politicians have faced questions over their decisions during the Vietnam War, and Mr. Blumenthal, who is seeking the seat being vacated by Senator Christopher J. Dodd, is not alone in staying out of the war.

But what is striking about Mr. Blumenthal’s record is the contrast between the many steps he took that allowed him to avoid Vietnam, and the misleading way he often speaks about that period of his life now, especially when he is speaking at veterans’ ceremonies or other patriotic events.
NY (waste of) Time(s)

From Redstate:

Quote
The NY Times has the story; the longtime crusading state Attorney General (he was Eliot Spitzer before Eliot Spitzer was), Richard Blumenthal has sometimes just implied it, but on other occasions (including one the NYT has on video) he’s said outright that he served in the Marines in Vietnam, when in fact he enlisted in a stateside Marine Reserve unit only near the end of the war after obtaining five draft deferments to pursue his legal education. The deferments are nothing to be proud of, but they’re a common enough story among male political leaders of that generation in both parties. But lying to cover himself in the hard-earned valor of others is dishonorable and despicable, and Blumenthal has been doing it for years now in a political career that’s spanned two decades.

Should Tailgunner Dick step down? He was leading in the general election polls before this broke, and it appears that the deadline to nominate a candidate for Chris Dodd’s seat is Friday, which isn’t much time for the Democrats to find a replacement and decide whether to force him out. You’ll recall that Tim Johnson was forced out of a job with far less significance (manager of the Toronto Blue Jays) some years ago for making up a Vietnam record he didn’t have. Blumenthal’s credibility is now in tatters, and one gains a greater idea of why he had passed on runs for major statewide office so many times before.

Blumenthal’s implosion should focus GOP attentions again on this seat as a possible pickup, as two candidates square off for the GOP nomination, former Congressman and real Vietnam veteran Rob Simmons, and wrestling tycoon Linda MacMahon. That sound you heard is another seat going back on the board.
Redstate
 
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Offline crockspot

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Re: Candidate’s Words on Vietnam Service Differ From History (Dem. CT)
« Reply #1 on: May 18, 2010, 09:13:50 AM »
I wonder if Family Guy will poke fun at him next week.... nah, what am I thinking?
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Offline thundley4

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Re: Candidate’s Words on Vietnam Service Differ From History (Dem. CT)
« Reply #2 on: May 18, 2010, 01:04:42 PM »
Now it's coming out that he had claimed to be captain of the Harvard swim team, but may have never even been on the team.   :rotf:
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Offline DefiantSix

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Re: Candidate’s Words on Vietnam Service Differ From History (Dem. CT)
« Reply #3 on: May 18, 2010, 02:21:18 PM »
A politician - especially a Communist politician - incapable of simply uttering the truth?  I'm surprised anybody even raises an eyebrow at this story.
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Offline 5412

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Re: Candidate’s Words on Vietnam Service Differ From History (Dem. CT)
« Reply #4 on: May 18, 2010, 02:59:01 PM »
Hi,

The lying son-of-a-bitch.  I was in the Marine Corps also and did not go to Vietnam, I was discharged just before it got really going.  I make that fact very clear if people ask me about my service and this lying bastard knew exactly what he was doing.  He could have corrected the situation but waited until he was caught.  Kind of makes you wonder what other things he lies about doesn't it?

regards,
5412

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37207098/ns/politics-decision_2010/
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Offline miskie

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Re: Candidate’s Words on Vietnam Service Differ From History (Dem. CT)
« Reply #5 on: May 18, 2010, 03:12:32 PM »
Quote from: DefiantSix on May 18, 2010, 02:21:18 PM
A politician - especially a Communist politician - incapable of simply uttering the truth?  I'm surprised anybody even raises an eyebrow at this story.

Because of this history of this paper, I can only assume this was put out as an attempt to get another person in play for the Democrats before Friday - since this story would have been so much more juicy on this coming Saturday than now.
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Offline miskie

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Re: Candidate’s Words on Vietnam Service Differ From History (Dem. CT)
« Reply #6 on: May 18, 2010, 03:21:50 PM »
No kidding - even though I have never served or even enlisted I understand the sensitivity of this topic - when people find out I deliver mail, they assume I had served at one point. When my employment comes up I answer with 'I'm just a mailman, nothing more' to ensure that people don't even infer this of me.

-- I go out of my way to make this clear out of respect for those that have served, unlike this so-called attorney general.

It astonishes me every time a story about someone who lies about their service crops up, because it diminishes the service of those who actually did - and that's just wrong.
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Offline thundley4

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Re: Candidate’s Words on Vietnam Service Differ From History (Dem. CT)
« Reply #7 on: May 18, 2010, 04:08:36 PM »
Quote from: miskie on May 18, 2010, 03:12:32 PM
Because of this history of this paper, I can only assume this was put out as an attempt to get another person in play for the Democrats before Friday - since this story would have been so much more juicy on this coming Saturday than now.

I thought I heard them say on Fox News that the NY Times was tipped to the story by the other Dem in the race.
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Offline RightCoast

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Re: Candidate’s Words on Vietnam Service Differ From History (Dem. CT)
« Reply #8 on: May 18, 2010, 04:23:35 PM »
Dick was a guaranteed win in this race, it'll still be close.  CNN threw him under the bus and then some, it'll be interesting to see where this goes.
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Offline rich_t

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Re: Candidate’s Words on Vietnam Service Differ From History (Dem. CT)
« Reply #9 on: May 18, 2010, 04:55:41 PM »
People that embellish their service records piss me off to no end.  I utterly despise them.   :bird:

It disrepects those that legitimately did serve and it particularly disrespects those that have died while in the service to their country.

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Offline 5412

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Re: Candidate’s Words on Vietnam Service Differ From History (Dem. CT)
« Reply #10 on: May 18, 2010, 04:57:04 PM »
Quote from: miskie on May 18, 2010, 03:21:50 PM
No kidding - even though I have never served or even enlisted I understand the sensitivity of this topic - when people find out I deliver mail, they assume I had served at one point. When my employment comes up I answer with 'I'm just a mailman, nothing more' to ensure that people don't even infer this of me.

-- I go out of my way to make this clear out of respect for those that have served, unlike this so-called attorney general.

It astonishes me every time a story about someone who lies about their service crops up, because it diminishes the service of those who actually did - and that's just wrong.

Hi,

What else do they lie about?

regards,
5412
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Offline NHSparky

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Re: Candidate’s Words on Vietnam Service Differ From History (Dem. CT)
« Reply #11 on: May 18, 2010, 05:17:16 PM »
Quote from: 5412 on May 18, 2010, 04:57:04 PM
Hi,

What else do they lie about?

regards,
5412

Jonn over at TAH, Doug Sterner, VeriSEAL, and POWNetwork.org are just a few of the myriad of folks who have exposed phony vets.  It seems that oftentimes, Stolen Valor goes hand-in-hand with fraud or other deception and criminal activity.

Bottom line, while some may be bragging, there's usually a lot more going on underneath.
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Offline bijou

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Re: Candidate’s Words on Vietnam Service Differ From History (Dem. CT)
« Reply #12 on: May 19, 2010, 01:51:24 AM »
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Breaking: Blumenthal’s Soldier Supporter On Stage Today Is a Phony, Too
Posted by Jim Hoft on Tuesday, May 18, 2010, 8:42 PM

Oh my.
Democratic Senatorial Candidate Richard Blumenthal held a presser today after it was discovered that he lied about serving in Vietnam. (He also lied about being captain of the Harvard Swim Team.) So, Blumenthal went before the press along with some former military men and supporters. It was a great show. Maybe tomorrow the swim team will join him on stage?

Unfortunately, one of the democratic supporters on stage with him lied about his military service, too.

Free Republic reported–
Blumenthal’s military buddy on stage is William Joseph Trumpower, aka Elliott Storm, a POW HALL OF SHAME
Here’s a photo: ...
http://gatewaypundit.firstthings.com/2010/05/breaking-blementhals-soldier-supporter-on-stage-today-is-a-phony-too/
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Offline thundley4

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Re: Candidate’s Words on Vietnam Service Differ From History (Dem. CT)
« Reply #13 on: May 19, 2010, 06:56:43 AM »
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Offline Freeper

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Re: Candidate’s Words on Vietnam Service Differ From History (Dem. CT)
« Reply #14 on: May 19, 2010, 07:37:18 AM »
Quote from: crockspot on May 18, 2010, 09:13:50 AM
I wonder if Family Guy will poke fun at him next week.... nah, what am I thinking?

Nah they only make fun of people who served in Viet Nam.
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