Candidate’s Words on Vietnam Service Differ From History

[Nanners52674]

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.

Sometimes his remarks have been plainly untrue, as in his speech to the group in Norwalk. At other times, he has used more ambiguous language, but the impression left on audiences can be similar.

In an interview on Monday, the attorney general said that he had misspoken about his service during the Norwalk event and might have misspoken on other occasions. “My intention has always been to be completely clear and accurate and straightforward, out of respect to the veterans who served in Vietnam,” he said.

But an examination of his remarks at the ceremonies shows that he does not volunteer that his service never took him overseas. And he describes the hostile reaction directed at veterans coming back from Vietnam, intimating that he was among them.

Story continues http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/18/ny...menthal&st=cse

[DrPhil]

Whoa.

He's just being a politician. But, he's one of the dumber politicians who lie about things that are easily discovered.

[AOII Angel]

Uh oh! What an idiot! Like no one was going to look into his history and figure it out!

[ree-Xi]

Sucks bc Blumenthal has done so much for the state as AG, he doesn't need to pad or lie.

[AOII Angel]

It's really odd. How hard would it be to decry the treatment of Vietnam vets without claiming to be one?

[dekeguy]

If you think finding a Greek perp among posters burns people up you should see the reaction of real combat veterans who discover a military perp claiming to have smelled gunpowder when he had never been close to the active AO!
My Dad is a two tour Viet Nam vet and although a normally calm and easy going sort of guy the fire shoots out of his eyes when someone who is obviously spinning the BS claims a distinction he is not entitled to. As a really good court room advocate he very quietly, and almost gently, verbally removes the hide from these (expletive deleted).
One would think that someone running for office would take care not to make themselves such an easy target for scorn and contempt.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by dekeguy

If you think finding a Greek perp among posters burns people up you should see the reaction of real combat veterans who discover a military perp claiming to have smelled gunpowder when he had never been close to the active AO!
My Dad is a two tour Viet Nam vet and although a normally calm and easy going sort of guy the fire shoots out of his eyes when someone who is obviously spinning the BS claims a distinction he is not entitled to. As a really good court room advocate he very quietly, and almost gently, verbally removes the hide from these (expletive deleted).
One would think that someone running for office would take care not to make themselves such an easy target for scorn and contempt.

As it should be...Greeks didn't have to dodge gunfire and return to the US to cries of baby killers and other ugly epithets. It was an unfortunate time, and soldiers were damned for doing their jobs.