CT-SEN

Blumenthal Apologizes For Vietnam Remarks (VIDEO)

Rachel Slajda | May 24, 2010, 10:06AM

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).

Richard Blumenthal apologized Sunday night for falsely suggesting that he saw combat in the Vietnam War.

Blumenthal, the Connecticut attorney general who's running for Chris Dodd's Senate seat, served in the Marine Reserves during the war but was never sent overseas. A New York Times story published last week reported that, on several occasions, Blumenthal had suggested he was there, going so far as to say "I served in Vietnam."

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Richard Blumenthal

Times Publishes More Accounts Of Blumenthal Misrepresenting Service

Rachel Slajda | May 21, 2010, 2:29PM

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal

The New York Times today published two more examples of Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal suggesting that he served in the Vietnam War.

In one, unearthed by the Stamford Advocate's search through its archives, Blumenthal says he "wore the uniform in Vietnam."

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Richard Blumenthal

That Other Thing: Blumenthal And The Swim Team

Rachel Slajda | May 21, 2010, 11:30AM

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate

In its bombshell story on Richard Blumenthal's military record this week, the New York Times took a few paragraphs to mention Blumenthal's college athletic record, framing it as an example of his willingness to mislead. Not only had he never served in Vietnam, the Times wrote; he was never on the Harvard swim team, either.

"On a less serious matter, another flattering but untrue description of Mr. Blumenthal's history has appeared in profiles about him. In two largely favorable profiles ... Mr. Blumenthal is described prominently as having served as captain of the swim team at Harvard. Records at the college show that he was never on the team," wrote the Times reporter, Raymond Hernandez.

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Richard Blumenthal

NYT: Longer Video Of Blumenthal Describing Record Doesn't Change Our Story

Rachel Slajda | May 20, 2010, 10:18AM

CT AG Richard Blumenthal

The New York Times says a longer video of the March 2008 speech in which Richard Blumenthal said he "served in Vietnam" -- and in which he also also correctly says he served "during Vietnam" -- doesn't change its story about Blumenthal lying about his record. A Times spokesman also urged Blumenthal to come clean to voters.

"The New York Times in its reporting uncovered Mr. Blumenthal's long and well established pattern of misleading his constituents about his Vietnam War service, which he acknowledged in an interview with The Times," said Diane McNulty, a spokesman for the Times. "The video doesn't change our story. Saying that he served 'during Vietnam' doesn't indicate one way or the other whether he went to Vietnam."

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Richard Blumenthal

At Same '08 Speech, Blumenthal More Correctly Describes Military Record (VIDEO)

Rachel Slajda | May 19, 2010, 3:46PM

CT AG Richard Blumenthal

Earlier this week, the New York Times ran a story about the ambiguous way Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal describes his military service. In the Times' strongest example of Blumenthal's misrepresentations, he says, "when I served in Vietnam."

But as the Associated Press points out today, in a longer version of the speech -- which has been posted on the YouTube page of one of Blumenthal's Republican opponents since the Times story broke -- the attorney general also describes his military service more accurately, saying he "served in the military during the Vietnam era, in the Marine Corps."

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Richard Blumenthal

Blumenthal: 'Few Misplaced Words' Were 'Absolutely Unintentional'

Rachel Slajda | May 18, 2010, 2:47PM

CT-SEN candidate Richard Blumenthal (D)

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said this afternoon that he "misspoke" when he said he served in Vietnam, saying the comments were "absolutely unintentional."

"On a few occasions, I have misspoken about my service and I take full responsibility. But I will not let anyone take a few misplaced words and impugn my record of service to our country," he said during a press conference today, surrounded by veterans who occasionally called out "Oorah! and "Semper fi."

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CT-SEN

McMahon Campaign Takes Credit For Blumenthal Hit, Then Scrubs It

Rachel Slajda | May 18, 2010, 12:39PM

CT-SEN candidates Richard Blumenthal (D) and Linda McMahon (R)

Linda McMahon, one of the Republican opponents of Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, spent the morning taking credit for the New York Times piece that showed Blumenthal had misrepresented his military service.

The McMahon campaign didn't come right out and say they had tipped the Times to a 2008 video of Blumenthal saying he had served in Vietnam (he didn't). But, when a Connecticut blogger claimed the campaign fed the video to the Times, McMahon blasted the blog post out in an email to reporters. The campaign also posted it on Mcmahon's web site under the headline "In Case You Missed It: McMahon Strikes Blumenthal In NYT Article" and tweeted a link.

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Richard Blumenthal

VIDEOS: Blumenthal On His Military Service

Rachel Slajda | May 18, 2010, 11:26AM

CT Attorney General Richard Blumenthal (D)

Something to compare: Videos of Richard Blumenthal saying, in March 2008, that he served in Vietnam and, in March 2010, saying he didn't.

Blumenthal, Connecticut's popular attorney general and Democratic Senate candidate, served in the Marine Reserve during the Vietnam War, but was never sent overseas. A New York Times story published yesterday showed that in speeches, many of them to veterans' groups, Blumenthal's ambiguous language suggested he had fought in Vietnam. And, in one instance, he clearly said he had served there.

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Richard Blumenthal

NYT: CT-Sen Candidate Misrepresented Vietnam Record

Rachel Slajda | May 18, 2010, 8:41AM

CT Attorney General Richard Blumenthal (D)

The New York Times reported last night that Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut's attorney general and the Democratic frontrunner in the Senate race there, has made misleading remarks about serving in the Vietnam War.

Blumenthal never fought in Vietnam. He received five deferments before joining the Marine Reserve.

But in speeches to veterans' groups, he's sometimes given a different impression.

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