I was there... vote for me!

[Dr Zoidberg]

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news...-1225868865323

WASHINGTON: Richard Blumenthal was, until yesterday, the frontrunner to become Connecticut's next Democratic senator.

Today he is an object of national ridicule, having been caught in perhaps the most toxic lie imaginable for an American politician: he claimed to have served in Vietnam, but never did.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Handsome, urbane and meticulous about his media image, the state Attorney-General is fighting for his political life after a front-page report in The New York Times that included a link to an online video segment in which he is seen telling a group of military veterans about "the days that I served in Vietnam". In reality, he got no closer to the war than a Marine Corps Reserve base in South Carolina, using his connections and elite background to secure at least five "deferments".

When he finally enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve in 1970 it was in a "civil affairs group" based in Washington, whose duties included running neighbourhood recycling programs and collecting toys for children.

He refused to apologise yesterday, saying only he had "misspoken" and took full responsibility for it.

When asked if that meant he had lied, he declined to answer. The potential implosion of his Senate run has national implications because it could clear the way for a strong challenge for a traditionally Democratic seat by Linda McMahon, a professional wrestling tycoon who has pledged to spend $US50 million ($58.4m) to secure the seat for the Republicans. Every Senate seat the Democrats lose in November's mid-term elections will erode their ability to pass legislation on President Barack Obama's behalf.

Mr Blumenthal's spokesman called the New York Times story an "outrageous distortion" of his military record and distributed links to a recent campaign address in which he appears to try to set the record straight.

"Although I did not serve in Vietnam, I have seen first-hand the effects of military action," he said in a debate in March.

Yet the jarring contrast with his earlier remarks and his failure to offer a prompt apology makes his rehabilitation a daunting, if not impossible, task. As Democrats contemplated choosing another candidate, one contender, Merrick Alpert, called Mr Blumenthal "a coward and a liar".

A spokesman for Ms McMahon said there were "deeply troubling discrepancies" between Mr Blumenthal's public image and the truth. One concerns his prowess as a swimmer. In two published profiles he is described as a former captain of the Harvard swimming team. He was never even on it.

The Times

This has got to be the best [read: worst] way to sink any form of future Government service. I cannot fathom how one could lie about serving their nation; especially in order to get votes. He deserves to lose his seat, and be kicked out of the party. There is no excuse for this kind of behaviour.

[s.rwitt]

Must have taken a page out of John Kerry's book.

[Dr Zoidberg]

But Kerry actually did serve, right?

[magickyleo101]

I think he's probably killed as chances, which is as it should be.

I also don't get what the guy was thinking. He had to know it was going to blow up in his face.

[removeduser_487563287433]

Yeah. The Bush campaign alleged he didn't, which was ironic, and that's sort of stuck.

[Simon Cashmere]

Yeah. The Bush campaign alleged he didn't, which was ironic, and that's sort of stuck.

He also alleged that his patrol boat went into Cambodia and that it was 'seared into his brain' that he had, gave testimony to Capital Hill about how bad the US was for driving his patrol boat into Cambodia. Trouble was, his patrol boat never went into Cambodia.

[removeduser_487563287433]

He also alleged that his patrol boat went into Cambodia and that it was 'seared into his brain' that he had, gave testimony to Capital Hill about how bad the US was for driving his patrol boat into Cambodia. Trouble was, his patrol boat never went into Cambodia.

Except it's not as simple as all that:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ke...mbodia_mission

[s.rwitt]

He served as in he was in country during a war. But those who served with him made it perfectly clear that he bull****ed his way into the Purple Hearts he got. IIRC even the doc that treated his "wound" called him out on it.

I don't give two ****s what Bush had to say about it (though the Bush campaign never said he never went to Vietnam, so I'm not sure who told you otherwise), but the word of those who were in Vietnam with him means alot.

[removeduser_487563287433]

He served as in he was in country during a war. But those who served with him made it perfectly clear that he bull****ed his way into the Purple Hearts he got. IIRC even the doc that treated his "wound" called him out on it.

I don't give two ****s what Bush had to say about it (though the Bush campaign never said he never went to Vietnam, so I'm not sure who told you otherwise), but the word of those who were in Vietnam with him means alot.

Unless I am mistaken Kerry himself always downplayed the circumstances that earnt him the Purple Heart (I've certainly never seen any evidence he "ted" his way into them) and famously threw them onto the White House lawn, anyway (or one of his medals, in any case).

The controversy surrounding it was 100% orchestrated and paid for by the Bush campaign. In any case it's obviously completely different from somebody claiming they were in Vietnam when they weren't.

[Adar]

He served as in he was in country during a war. But those who served with him made it perfectly clear that he bull****ed his way into the Purple Hearts he got. IIRC even the doc that treated his "wound" called him out on it.

Source please?

Becuase according to your version of reality he must have bullied 3 different doctors and at least one vice admiral to get the medals (three purple hearts, one silver star and one bronze star).

The Swiftboat veterans and similar partisan organizations are probably the biggest disgrace in American politics.

[Dr. Croccer]

He served as in he was in country during a war. But those who served with him made it perfectly clear that he bull****ed his way into the Purple Hearts he got. IIRC even the doc that treated his "wound" called him out on it.

I don't give two ****s what Bush had to say about it (though the Bush campaign never said he never went to Vietnam, so I'm not sure who told you otherwise), but the word of those who were in Vietnam with him means alot.

Mudslinging and blatant lies seem to be very common in the US....

Whilst I don't like Kerry for reasons you mentioned, I disliked the smearcampaign against him. I mean, 'cmon.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[craziii]

He served as in he was in country during a war. But those who served with him made it perfectly clear that he bull****ed his way into the Purple Hearts he got. IIRC even the doc that treated his "wound" called him out on it.

I don't give two ****s what Bush had to say about it (though the Bush campaign never said he never went to Vietnam, so I'm not sure who told you otherwise), but the word of those who were in Vietnam with him means alot.

so he did served? so, where was the lie? does it matter how much you like him? I don't get you.

[Kanaric]

He served as in he was in country during a war. But those who served with him made it perfectly clear that he bull****ed his way into the Purple Hearts he got. IIRC even the doc that treated his "wound" called him out on it.

I don't give two ****s what Bush had to say about it (though the Bush campaign never said he never went to Vietnam, so I'm not sure who told you otherwise), but the word of those who were in Vietnam with him means alot.

Yet some of the same people who claimed this also supported him for senate. This is an insult to veterans and recipients of the purple heart. Not everyone hwo gets this is grievously injured, and the person who he was running against had his daddy get him in the Air National Guard. Completely insulting.

I am surprised people still subscribe to this myth. Might as well be a birther.

[removeduser_4536284751384]

I don't see why serving in a rear echelon unit means he's exagerating when he says he served in vietnam. They do vital work, plus, they are the guys who have to take everyone's for being cowardly or pampered.

[Stavroforos]

I think the whole "vote for me, I served in a war that wasn't WWII" is stupid in general.

[Dr Zoidberg]

I think the whole "vote for me, I served in a war that wasn't WWII" is stupid in general.

Agreed. It became especially ridiculous during the last election with it being claimed McCain had more national security experience due to the fact that he fought in Vietnam. Since when has participating in something automatically made you an expert in it?

[s.rwitt]

The controversy surrounding it was 100% orchestrated and paid for by the Bush campaign. In any case it's obviously completely different from somebody claiming they were in Vietnam when they weren't.

Surely it is different. But Kerry's purple hearts were gained from a wound that was hardly a scratch. If you are able to wait until sick call the day after you are "wounded" and require only some anti-biotic and a bandage then you aren't really wounded in my book. I get that when I get blisters after long marches. Hell, if you're in a place where you are able to actually have a sick call then you must have it pretty good.

It only makes it worse when the guy that treats your "wound" goes against you in your attempt to get a Purple Heart.

[removeduser_487563287433]

Surely it is different. But Kerry's purple hearts were gained from a wound that was hardly a scratch. If you are able to wait until sick call the day after you are "wounded" and require only some anti-biotic and a bandage then you aren't really wounded in my book. I get that when I get blisters after long marches. Hell, if you're in a place where you are able to actually have a sick call then you must have it pretty good.

It only makes it worse when the guy that treats your "wound" goes against you in your attempt to get a Purple Heart.

But Purple Hearts, again, unless I am mistaken, don't take into account severity of the wound, do they? And Kerry never claimed to have got them in a situation other than what happened? It's not as if he awarded himself the medals.

[Stavroforos]

I thought he was injured when coming under fire in one of those river patrol boats?

[s.rwitt]

I thought he was injured when coming under fire in one of those river patrol boats?

That's what he said. Many of the men who served with him disagreed. Including the guy that treated him.

Well, to be fair, the guy that treated him didn't say he wasn't injured, he basically said that it was such a minor wound that it shouldn't have counted.

--------------------

But Purple Hearts, again, unless I am mistaken, don't take into account severity of the wound, do they? And Kerry never claimed to have got them in a situation other than what happened? It's not as if he awarded himself the medals.

That's the thing, the dude that treated it as well as the rest of his squad/crew/whatever said he never deserved a Purple Heart. From what they said HE was the one that pushed for it and bothered whoever he needed to bother in order to get the paperwork through so he could get a medal.

Purple Hearts, at least to me, belong to those with serious injuries, not a scratch you got but want to exploit for your career.

But you're right that they don't take into account the severity of the wound, so technically he deserved it regardless no matter how insignificant the wound, but it's just kind of one of those unspoken things. You don't try for medals and you damn sure don't scam your way into a medal you don't really deserve.