Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Richard Blumenthal's Military Record Questioned in New York Times Story; Service During Vietnam War At Issue---Capitol Watch Blog

Posted by Frank Smith at 18.5.10

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

This seems to be a common trait among Democrats running for office, probably because of the liberal disdain for the military.

Blumenthal reportedly used political clout to get 5 years of deferrals to avoid combat, and then enlisted in the Marine Reserves with a cushy assignment to Washington D.C. while the children of the less politically connected were dying in Vietnam. He never served in Vietnam, but for political expedience apparently saw fit to describe his experiences when returning from Vietnam--an apparent fantasy.

There was a similar bazaar incident a few years back involving another rising star of the Democratic Party who was running for Governor until he recently withdrew his name.

After never claiming any military experience in any of his campaigns, during a televised cable program, Senator Gary LeBeau spoke of his experiences as a Vietnam Era Veteran. When questioned on his newly declared veteran status, LeBeau had originally refused to show any proof of service, but after consider pressure, he finally produced a record disclosing that he was discharged from the Air Force after only 17 months of service. The reason cited for the discharge was "Conscientious Objector." One of the leaders of a Hartford area veteran's groups was even quoted in the papers as saying LeBeau "should put his head down in shame."

Another star of the Democratic Party, Ted Kennedy after being expelled from Harvard for cheating, enlisted in the Army, but mistakenly signed up for four years instead of two. His father, Joseph P. Kennedy, former U.S. Ambassador to England, pulled the necessary strings to have his enlistment shortened to two years, and to ensure that he served in Europe, not Korea, where a war was raging. Kennedy was assigned to Paris, never advanced beyond the rank of Private, and reportedly went skiing in the Alps on his weekends off from his cushy Monday through Friday desk job. Now he is buried in Arlington National Cemetery--an insult to the families of every war hero who honorably served his/her country.

This information may not come as much of a surprise in a city where a previous mayor was a conscientious objector and the real military veterans in town would stand and turn their backs to him when he spoke, but why is it that these Democrats are so hateful of the military and yet are so desperate to claim military service during their campaigns?

May 18, 2010 at 2:05 PM
Anonymous said...

Blumenthal says he will continue to fight for veterans because they have been dishonored, but nobody has dishonored them more by falsely claiming to have served with them in Vietnam!

May 18, 2010 at 2:26 PM
Anonymous said...

Was Dick Blumenthal really captain of Harvard’s Varsity Swim Team?
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Relaxing after (belatedly) filing suit against Big Tobacco
My earlier post questioning whether this load actually was captain of Harvard’s swim team has produced memories from the class of ’67 that remembered him once winning an intramural swim event but other than that, nada. It’s not a huge deal – who cares what someone did or didn’t do forty years ago, but if he’s being dishonest, it does say a lot about the man.

My father told me that when he showed up at Yale in 1923 the senior rowers made freshmen line up by height and, since he was the shortest guy in his class, he was made coxswain on the rowing team. No further qualification than that.

I told my own kids that the only reason I was a second-string half back on my prep school’s soccer team was that the school was too small to support a third-string.

I’m not sure our honesty makes my father and me more honorable men than Blumenthal, but there’s something desperately needy about a 64-year-old man lying about his collegiate athletic prowess, if indeed he is lying.

So Harvard ’67s – can you dig around old yearbooks and see if this face-lifted lightweight ever swam for Harvard?

UPDATE: Ooh ooh ooh! He wasn’t elected captain unless he changed his name to Peter Alter. Bad boy, Dickie!!!

Complete list of captains here. No Dick

May 18, 2010 at 5:01 PM
Anonymous said...

The Democratic brand is crumbling before our eyes. Susan Byciewicz swore under oath she did not work as a lawyer in CT before she swore that she was a lawyer in CT, and now the Supreme Court ruled she is ineligible to run.

Now it surfaces that Blumenthal told a fantasy about being spat upon because of his service in Vietnam.

Do the Democrats have anyone on their ticket with any integrity???

May 18, 2010 at 5:47 PM
Anonymous said...

A day after Richard Blumenthal mounted a valiant defense of his record and admitted he "misspoke" about his Vietnam record, a new Rasmussen Poll is out that shows the Democratic frontrunner is in deep trouble. Challenger Linda McMahon -- whose operatives fed the Blumenthal story to the New York Times -- is now within three points. It isn't a tough day for Blumenthal, it's a disaster.

May 19, 2010 at 1:15 PM
Anonymous said...

VFW’s Response to Blumenthal’s Press Conference

KANSAS CITY, Mo., May 18, 2010 - Mr. Blumenthal is not a member of the VFW and VFW National By-Laws do not allow any level of the organization to endorse political candidates.

VFW national did not sanction and was not, in fact, aware that the press conference was going to be held at a VFW Post. This decision was made at the Post level and the VFW Department of Connecticut issued the following:

The following statement is by Richard DiFederico, Department Commander Connecticut VFW:

“Those who served in Vietnam or offshore or in neighboring countries rightfully earned all the belated thanks and appreciation our nation can muster. Those who served in uniform during the Vietnam era also deserve our gratitude, which makes Mr. Blumenthal's claim to be something he is not so outrageous. It diminishes the service of all who served and sacrificed, most especially those whose names are inscribed on the Vietnam Wall. Mr. Blumenthal was considered one of the best friends a veteran could have in Connecticut. It is a true shame that he let a false claim of Vietnam service change that.”

VFW National Commander Thomas J. Tradewell Sr., endorses this statement. In sum, the fact that this event was held at a VFW location cannot, in any manner, be construed as a formal endorsement of the candidate.

May 19, 2010 at 11:15 PM

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