McMahon Strikes. Turns Blumenthal into Bruce Caputo.
Attorney General Richard Blumenthal’s campaign for the United States Senate has been holed below the waterline by a devastating New York Times expose of Blumenthal’s false claims to have served in Vietnam. The piece, fed to the paper by the Linda McMahon Seante campaign, is accompanied by a chilling 2008 video of Blumenthal blithely making the false claim. The “brilliant” Blumenthal provides a stunningly inadequate response, with the universal weasel word “misspoken” appearing in the piece. It’s followed by a non-sequitur quote: “’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.”
Somewhere, Tim Russert is smirking. In 1981, Russert was working for New York Democratic Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, who was facing a challenge from rising freshman Republican Congressman Bruce Caputo. Caputo had made claims of army service during the Vietnam War that were nearly as false as Blumenthal’s. He was forced to withdraw from the race with dispatch.
The Blumenthal Bombshell comes at the end of more than 2 months of deep, persistent research by Republican Linda McMahon’s Senate campaign. It gave the explosive Norwalk video recording to The Times. This is what comes of $16 million, a crack opposition research operation and an opponent who, in the words of the president Blumenthal worked for on a draft deferment, who gave them the sword.
Panicked Connecticut Democrats will crash cellphone networks between tonight and Friday trying to decide if they can jettison Blumenthal and have a chance to hold the Democratic seat in November.
28 comments
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Ann Nyberg and jdooleyiv, Ryan Bernat. Ryan Bernat said: BREAKING: McMahon campaign fed story to New York Times http://www.dailyructions.com/mcmahon-strikes-turns-blumenthal-into-bruce-caputo/ […]
Let’s just hope that, this Friday, the CT GOP will put up a candidate with a record who isn’t more offensive than Blumenthal’s atrocious lies.
I fear that if McMahon is nominated by the CT Republican Party, half of what she’s been involved in over the years (steroids, federal indictments, controversial deaths of WWE wrestlers) will COMPLETELY overshadow ANYTHING that Richard Blumenthal might lie about to be elected.
Of course, I fully expect you to disagree with me, Mr. Rennie. After all, as far as you’re concerned, doesn’t McMahon and her campaign cure most major fatal diseases?
Well just like the guy he’s trying to replace, Dodd, he’s a Democrat and in CT it is OK for a Democrat to lie.
It’s a shame that it may have taken the McMahon campaign to do what the press should have been able to do on their own. It makes one think of John Edwards and his indiscretions, which weren’t of interest to the press while he was a viable candidate.
[…] McMahon campaign is saying they gave the story to the New York Times, according to a blog post written by a former Republican state lawmaker that the campaign has posted on their […]
More “Stolen Valor!”
well, something to be said for McMahon’s money but where were the ct. newspapers on this = silent and lazy. In the long run, it will still be blumenthal. For the republicans, It won’t be McMahon(too much other baggage) it will be Simmons(true vet)
Blumenthal has always been and always will be a crooked dishonest man. Look how many Ct businesses and lives he has destroyed! He is an evil dictator who cares only about filling his own greedy pockets, he makes me sick. This type of press in the NY Times will finally put him where he deserves to be-out to pasture…
[…] how did Blumenthal’s record get out? Republican contender for the nomination Linda McMahon claimed last night to have discovered Blumenthal’s lies: Attorney General Richard Blumenthal’s campaign for […]
[…] night at 9:30-ish, Kevin Rennie reported on Daily Ructions that the McMahon campaign “fed” the Blumenthal/Vietnam story to the New York Times. The […]
[…] out the outrage. One was also shocking (though obviously not as much) was hearing Linda McMahon BRAGGING aboot being the one who leaked it to the NY […]
[…] said it, and in what context. Blumenthal’s Republican opponent is now claiming, through a blogger’s post on her website, that her campaign helped the Times get the story. Whether or not that is true, the […]
Looks as though Merrick Alpert could have a shot at 15%
[…] Never underestimate what a female will do to win. The last time we saw a wrestler take down like this one was when Jesse Ventura became governor. The piece, fed to the paper by the Linda McMahon Seante campaign, is accompanied by a chilling 2008 video of Blumenthal blithely making the false claim. – McMahon Strikes. Turns Blumenthal into Bruce Caputo. […]
I thought when you threw mud you where suppose to wear gloves so your hands don’t get dirty?
[…] Daily Caller cites a blog post that states: "The Blumenthal Bombshell comes at the end of more than two months of deep, persistent […]
[…] The piece, fed to the paper by the Linda McMahon Seante campaign, is accompanied by a chilling 2008 video of Blumenthal blithely making the false claim. – McMahon Strikes. Turns Blumenthal into Bruce Caputo. […]
[…] night claiming responsibility for providing opposition research to the Times. Shortly thereafter, Rennie reported in a post that the McMahon campaign “fed” the newspaper the information, including a March 2008 […]
[…] Daily Caller cites a blog post that states: “The Blumenthal Bombshell comes at the end of more than two months of deep, […]
America’s Vietnam War essentially began in 1964, under a Democratic president with even bigger congressional majorities than today’s. A decade later, the party had turned against the war, and its congressional majorities betrayed America’s onetime allies by cutting off aid to South Vietnam and consigning Southeast Asia to communist oppression. It’s no wonder Democrats have a guilty conscience about Vietnam. It’s nonetheless weird when they aren’t truthful about the facts of their own biographies.
As someone who may soon be a candidate myself (although not for the Senate!), I say don’t count Dick out just yet.
After all, he didn’t sleep with a staffer or a call girl, do anything nasty in an airport restroom, or get his kitchen and bathroom remodeled by state contractors.
In short, the military service issue may be embarrassing, but there really isn’t any “there” there.
The real battle to watch this weekend will be Malloy vs. Lamont. I’ll be watching it on Pay Per View.
Am I the only one who sees much in common between this situation and when Senator Gary LeBeau first claimed to be a veteran after several years of never mentioning military service, and then he initially refused to release documents to prove his so-called veteran status? Under considerable pressure from Susan Kniep and some veterans groups, LeBeau finally produced a document revealing he was discharged from the Air Force after 17 months of service as a “conscientious objector. ”
What is it about military service that Democrats seemingly hate the military so much, but still want to align themselves with veterans during an election?
[…] post references a blog by Kevin Rennie, a Hartford Courant columnist and former Republican legislator, […]
As a Viet Nam vet,I have to agree with Anton. This piece of garbage disgraces the uniform of our great country and all the fallen men who have defended this great nation.I can not believe that a group of veterans were with him in that lying session for tv. They were probably promised something as the Dems can do. I served in Nam and I certainly remember it every day. Democrats keep the war going to profit from the sales of materials. Put this guy out ,ask him to turn in his uniform,revoke his Honorable (does he remember Marine Corp Creed) give him a DD and ask hin to ap0lgize to MY Nation and all veterans
It can’t be a lie if Blumenthal clarified his military status. Why didn’t they show a clip of that tape too! McMahon has a long hx. of making fake look real. She is not going to take down our beloved Blumenthal! She fights to serve herself and her wealth. The fact that he made a mistake means he too is human. He goes to the front lines whenever he battles monopolies and corruption for all of us in CT. No wonder McMahon stooped to this level. Regulating and unionizing wrestling to protect them from inhumane health risks would hurt McMahon in the pocketbook even if the fighter’s lives are expendable to her self serving needs. Meanwhile Blumenthal has a long hx. of trying to protecting blue collar workers and the under dog. I have been critical of Blumenthal’s union views but in this case, a union for the wrestler’s who have died for McMahon’s wealth, is a worthy cause. Blumenthal is a fighter and off to the ring he goes but keep in mind it is only round #1 and my hope is most people see right through McMahon’s first shot with a fake iron made fist wrapped in a deceitful velvet glove! Tina Bourke
[…] to Kevin Rennie, a former GOP Connecticut politico and current columnist forThe Hartford Courant, the Blumenthal […]
Come on Tina. You don’t acidently say you are a Vetinam Veteran when all you did was organize a Toys for Tots Campaign.
This is not a good story for Linda; its a good story for Rob Simmons. She should have sat on it till after the convention. Not a good move on her part. She clearly has a lot to learn.
[…] The New York Times the tip but the video clip to run along with it. (See Kevin Rennie’s post, plus the rare quick-to-assume-responsibility McMahon campaign spokesman in the CTMirror.org and […]