Blumenthal, Treading Water

I'll be darned - contra the NY Times reporting, Richard Blumenthal was on the Harvard swim team, although never a captain.

Bob Somerby, who has followed one or two faux scandals, adds this:

On the other hand, the Hartford Courant’s Colin McEnroe contacted a wide range of Connecticut political reporters about the Blumenthal matter (click here). McEnroe says he “asked reporters, anchors and columnists” to tell him “whether they could remember Blumenthal ever claiming to have served in Vietnam” and “whether they had been under the impression...that Blumenthal had served in Vietnam.” Again and again, these experienced reporters told McEnroe that they had never seen Blumenthal misstate his record, and that they never believed that he had served in Nam. This tracks the earlier statement by Christopher Keating, the Courant’s Hartford bureau chief. On Tuesday evening’s NewsHour, Keating told Judy Woodruff that he had attended many veterans events at which Blumenthal spoke, but he never heard him misstate his record (see THE DAILY HOWLER, 5/20/10). 

One experienced observer after another say that he has never heard Blumenthal misstate his record. If the New York Times was trying to present a full picture of this marginal matter, it’s hard to know why evidence like this was missing from its original, massive front-page hit piece.

FWIW, back in 1977 the NY Times spoke with Blumenthal when he was the 31 year old wunderkind recently appointed as US Attorney for Connecticut.  He claimed he swam a mile a day at the YMCA, had been on the swim team at Harvard, and was in the Marines for six months and the Marine Reserves for the following 5 1/2 years.  Since he entered the Marines in April 1970 and entered Yale Law School in the fall of 1970, there is no mystery as to whether he went to Vietnam.

LORD RICHARD:  I am becoming a bit outraged by my lack of outrage on this.  I think Blumenthal has the occasional Lord Jim moment where he regrets not having gone to Vietnam.  But he has mostly told the truth on this, and I don't think his public persona rests on his Vietnam veteran status.  That would be by way of contrast with John Kerry, who cashed in his war hero status to denounce the army of Ghengis Khan.

Comments

[Clarice]

The swim team is an issue I have little knowledge of, but I've seen videos confirming he claimed to have been in Viet Nam.

[PaulV]

who are you going to believe? Your lying ears or honest reporters protecting Blumie's rear?

[Ignatz]

--it’s hard to know why evidence like this was missing from its original, massive front-page hit piece--

Evidence of what?
Not lying 50% of the time somehow cancels out lying the other 50% of the time?

[matt]

move along, nothing to see here.....

[MarkO]

Look. If lying about being in combat in Nam is not enough, then may he become president of this rather shabby country.

[Extraneus]

Personally, I'm against taking them out before their Lautenberg moment has passed. I'd have been happier if Howard Dean lasted longer, for example, so it's ok with me if Blumenthal's gratuitous lying comes off the front page for a while. I'm sure his opponent can come up with something stylish for the debates.

[Greg Q]

Sorry, the fact that he often told the truth doesn't excuse the times he lied, any more than having a 95% honest prospectus for an investment opportunity justifies the 5% dishonest numbers.

I don't care why he lied. He got caught lying about his military record, in public, multiple times. If voters find that acceptable, then that says something (horrible) about them, but that's their choice.

Pretending that he didn't do what he clearly did, however, is not a legitimate choice.

[bgates]

I hope all this to and fro about who told what lies about whose military record isn't just a smokescreen to keep reporters from asking the most important question of this campaign: whether Richard Blumenthal accepts God's will for humanity as revealed in His testament, the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

[Danube of Thought]

Say, wasn't there a wife-beating thing in there? Or was it a DUI? Hell, maybe it was both. I get mixed up...

[Danube of Thought]

Can't link to it with iPhone, but Lucianne just posted a brand-new NY Times article about more phony Vietnam claims from this guy.

[Janet]

Copied from Facebook -
Armed Forces Tea Party - Call this doofus John Morton from ICE and tell him to do his damn job!
(202) 732-3000
John.Morton@dhs.gov

[Clarice]

DoT--that was another Blumenthal--Sidney. He sued Drudge re the first claim, but he was arrested and pled on the DUI

[Janet]

I can't post a LUN, but Hot Air has an article on the Dems. wearing a bracelet to protest Arizona. They are fools. If I see anyone wearing one of them...singer, actor, or neighbor...I will be done with them.

[Clarice]

Here's the article DoT referred to:

Mas on Blumy

[Porchlight]

But he has mostly told the truth on this, and I don't think his public persona rests on his Vietnam veteran status.

Wow, I know he's a Dem and Connecticut 'Pubbies are probably permanently demoralized, but that is a seriously low standard for an elected representative. Even if one could accept it, which I do not, the "so what else has he lied about?" follow-up question also applies.

[bgates]

But he has mostly told the truth on this

Richard Blumenthal for Senate.

Experienced.

Dedicated.

He has mostly told the truth.

"I'm Richard Blumenthal, and I approve this message probably as far as you know."

[daddy]

TM,

When I watch that video I continue to see that his misspeak is truly a World Class Lie. He served in VietNam he tells us, and when he says it he is direct, sincere, scolding, sanctimonious, and dripping with pathos. Misspeaking is Little League. This is a World Series MVP quality lie.

This is why I maintain he should continue to misspeak (ie tell the same lie).

We who know he is a liar already loathe him and will continue to loathe him whether he continues to lie or not.

Those who disregard his misspeaking will continue to disregard his misspeaking, since they deem it of little to no consequence.

The only difference to anyone will be to Mr Blumenthal. Previously he told this World Class Lie to folks who didn't know he was lying. Now when he does it he'll know his audience does know he's lying. So I want to see him continue to tell the lie in order to see if he can continue to misspeak it with the same degree of sanctimonious self-rightiousness he used when the audience didn't know he was lying.

That's what I want to see out of the rotten son of a bitch. Lets see what he's made of.

[Jim Miller]

The Sidney Blumenthal-Drudge scrap had an interesting detail: Drudge said that people (it's been a while, so I don't remember which people) were saying that Sidney Blumenthal beat his wife. People were saying that, so what Drudge posted was true.

(You could argue -- and I wouldn't disagree -- that Drudge shouldn't have put that up, without either some evidence, or an immediate caveat that there was no evidence.)

Since what Drudge posted was true, I never understood on what grounds Blumenthal was suing. But I am no lawyer, so perhaps I am missing some obvious legal point.

Now back to the Connecticut Blumenthal, who sounds like a real jerk in many ways, even if he has -- usually -- told the truth about his military record.

[Clarice]

Jim, Blumenthal ended up dismissing the case and paying Drudge's legal fees.

bgates, that was a masterpiece.

[MarkO]

When I read about this Blumenthal fellow,I'm reminded of the same feelings I had following the Battle of Sharpsburg.

[daddy]

BTW, In the "let them eat cake but without any icing department",

If anybody is looking for a new job as head of the MMS (U.S. Minerals Management Service in Alaska ), I think there's soon to be an opening.

Today the head of the Anchorage branch of the MMS had to apologize for having a cake in his office recently which had icing on top spelling out "Drill, Baby Drill!"

Here's more on his ">http://www.adn.com/2010/05/21/1288774/oil-regulator-apologizes-for-pro.html"> Mea Culpa, and as an added bonus, radio just reported that a letter signed by 78 Congressmen has just been sent to the President demanding an immediate squelching of Shell's planned Exploratory Drilling this summer in the Chukchi. (No story on that 1 yet to link to.)

[Danube of Thought]

Clarice and Jim Miller are spoiling my fun.

I'll lay low for a couple of days and hope my memory gets clouded again. Should that happen, I'll have no choice but to return with more probing questions about what would seem to be this fellow's sordid past.

[Captain Hate]

Sid Vicious was also pursuing the "Monica is a crazed nympho stalker trying to besmirch the holy matrimony between the glacier in pantsuits and Saint Slick" angle. That plan didn't work out so well when Clenis's pearl necklace was discovered on the blue dress; probably the first time in Monica's calory-laden life that being a slob worked out to her advantage.

[bgates]

when he says it he is direct, sincere, scolding, sanctimonious, and dripping with pathos

Richard Blumenthal for Senate.

Direct.

Sincere.

Scolding.

Sanctimonious.

"I'm Richard Blumenthal, and if you can't tell how honestly I mean every word of this message about how qualified I am, you should be ashamed of yourself."

[Barack Obama]

I never heard Blumenthal say those things. I wasn't there on those days.

[Ignatz]

There's more and bigger laughs in a couple of short bgates and Captain Hate comments than a couple of seasons of SNL or the Daily Show.

[Porchlight]

probably the first time in Monica's calory-laden life that being a slob worked out to her advantage.

Cap'n, we all know she didn't preserve the dress in that state because she was a slob.

Poor Monica. I still feel sorry for her. Is that wrong?

[Ann]

Here's Robert Gibbs on Blumenthal from earlier today:

"I have not heard anything from the (White House) political shop that would lead me to believe anything other than our continued support."

And here is Charlie Rangel

on Blumenthal:
‘Charlie Rangel’ on Richard Blumenthal

[MayBee]

o/t, but on Twitter, a radio reporter said the WH dragged a bunch of reporters into the office today to tell them the WH didn't like getting all those BP questions.

[daddy]

Two big Moose, a Sandhill Crane, and 1 big pile of Bear poop.

A very nice ride:)

[Ignatz]

--‘Charlie Rangel’ on Richard Blumenthal--

The only thing conceivably more appalling would be a picture of Barney Frank on Richard Blumenthal.

[daddy]

I'm outraged.

News just reported that former Dem Senator Bob Graham of Florida will be appointed to head a bipartisan commission to look into the BP Gulf Oil Spill.

In 1996 Bob Graham specifically voted Yes on Banning Gay Marriage.

Since a Washington University Scientist was just axed yesterday by the Obama Administration from serving on a Blue Ribbon Science panel trying to stem the BP Gulf Oil Leak ">http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/education/story/A37EC23F3494702D862577290006CBFD?OpenDocument"> because of his anti-Gay Marriage views, why the hell is the Obama Administration now appointing someone to chair almost the same commission who not only held the same view, but ">http://www.ontheissues.org/bob_graham.htm"> actually voted to Ban Gay Marriage.

Outraged I tell ya', I'm outraged, but thankfully the Press will immediately be all over this...Any minute now...can't be much longer...did I miss it?...

[daddy]

If you read the "Drill Baby Drill" Icing on the cake story above, the interesting thing to me is how a story of a private cake in the office of some MMS guy in Alaska somehow got picked up first and reported first in The New York Times?

I don't know about you guys but whenever I'm off having cake and decide to contact the New York Times about the topping, I can't seem to get it aired on page 1 above the Fold myself. Why it's almost as if somebody in the MMS department might almost have access to New York Times Reporters and thus an ability to sway public opinion through such contacts that many of the rest of us don't have.

What an odd circumstance.

[Ann]

Ignatz:

That's my point. It is all such a joke and a fraud. They misspoke, it is a distraction, we are racist, yada yada.

Everything I hold dear and believe in is upside down.

[Sue]

But he has mostly told the truth on this

I realize republicans are a lot more forgiving (mainly because we get no traction) of democratic misdeeds than democrats are of republicans (mainly because they get all of the traction) but come on, Tom. Get outraged. If for no other reason than the left would be going in for the kill right about now.

It's good to know, for future reference, I only have to tell the truth most of the time.

[Captain Hate]

Poor Monica. I still feel sorry for her. Is that wrong?

No but I never saw any evidence that she really felt bad over the matter. She still remained pretty high-exposure with iirc some hand-bag designs which obviously didn't work out so well; rather than remove herself to a secluded life due to humiliation.

Porch I'm sure you're a bit younger than I am but my youngest daughter, who just turned 30, floored me a few years ago when she told me that her generation didn't regard sex as that big a deal as mine did. Admittedly this is just anecdotal information but with her and her peers growing up with porn being mainstreamed in popular culture and the rest of the post sexual revolution manifestations, which I unfortunately regard as the commodification of sex, I think when it comes down to it that it's impossible for that not to be the case. I regard that as unfortunate innocence lost, but maybe that's too idealistic of an attitude. That's a long way of saying I don't think Monica cares as much as you think.

At first I felt sorry for her father but after seeing him interviewed a few times I realized he was just a political hack, which makes sense when you consider how much coin he must've dropped to get Monica an intern position.

[Melinda Romanoff]

I know this completely off topic.

When I mention Opening a Canadian Account, below FDIC levels, I am being a concerned individual.

The penny shift (currency fluctuation) isn't worth the game, the safety is.

Please plan.

[Melinda Romanoff]

Sorry to duck out, but

G'night all.

[Jim Rhoads a/k/a vjnjagvet]

I am sympathetic with Tom's empathy for Blumie's plight. I hope he will be sympathetic with my lack of empathy for the lying sack of shite.

From my perspective the fact that thirty years ago he was honest about his service does not tend to persuade me that he hasn't relatively recently exaggerated his service to burnish his overall reputation in his never ending quest for higher office.

But that's just me. And I don't live in CT.

[RichatUF]

Mel-

Is there a disturbance in the force? I would think that deflation would be bad for Canadian exports, regardless of how well their banking system is run.

Rick-

From a few threads back, and sorry to be catching up so late. I'm stumped as to the moves in the EU and the ECB and not sure of the end game. The market commentary has been pretty bad of late (or at least the bit of have been able to see). Can't say there isn't a bit of schadenfreude, but I'd rather not see the end result of a full-fledged debt crisis across Europe.

Also I was wondering if the Blumenthal story might have been a shot across the bow to get him out of the race and maybe some more stories are out there? He really repulses me the same way that Spitzer did and wouldn't be surprised, but I'm sure the media will go out of their way to cover for him.

[bgates]

Nice to see you, Rich.

Great good news from Taranto today. Guess what Joan Walsh said:

I'm coming to regret using the term "racist" about the Tea Party.

Golly, Joan. That's mighty white of you.

[Jim Rhoads a/k/a vjnjagvet]

As to Blumie, I had the same feeling, Rich. When the NYT leads the pack against a Northeastern Democrat, I have to think something is afoot.

[narciso]

It does beg the question, how long have they known, and how much have they known,

[RichatUF]

bgates, thanks.

Jim-

Spidy sense is what I'm using (and in my personal life it has been malfunctioning a bit). I don't think Blumie's problem is women (though the madam that was caught up with Spitzer did say there was another. Rumors swirled around Rendell but the story was quietly dropped) and wouldn't be surprised to find money.

narciso-

If Dick Grasso is to be believed, rumors about Spitzer were swirling for years. The media gave wide berth to the Clintons' "problems" before we got to have a national conversation about sex and the finer points of "is".

[Ann]

RichatUF:

Nice to see you back, we missed you.

Janet:

I hope you don't mind me sharing your facebook video. We all need a reminder everyday of real courage: American Heart by Jon David

and we need to replay this everyday when we feel like maybe we are defeated; real soldiers and families: Coming Home: Troops Surprise Loved Ones

FU Rick Blumenthal and all the politicians that stick up for you!

[Danube of Thought]

WSJ had a nice recap yesterday of the many cases Blumie prosecuted (complete with pressers) against companies for "misleading" consumers. Hope those stories get picked up and run with.

Poker night tonight. Big winner was yr. mst. obt. svt. &c &c.

[AL]

Melinda, 32 million Canada is number one US trade partner (yes, bigger than China). Canadian economy is so intertwined with US, that it is no chances it will stay afloat (including Canadian Banks) if US economy will go under.

From the other hand, Canadian Banks (traded on NYSE: BNS, TD, RY, BMO, CM) pay 3.6-5% dividends, and CAD is predicted to be solidly on pair with greenbuck this autumn.

[daddy]

Late this Friday night I am sick of creeps, slugs, snots, liars and sophisticated A-holes, so begging your indulgence I am going to post some OT goodhearted long-windedness for our new Momma Porchlight.

Momma Porch, by a fortuitous break I recently uncovered for 25 cents a beat up old paperback ">http://www.amazon.com/Letters-Homesteader-Elinore-Pruitt-Stewart/dp/1443241903/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1274507626&sr=1-2"> Letters of a Woman Homesteader (1909-1913) at our local Salvation Army.

Tired of slogging thru Richard Dawkin's latest snark filled Evolution tome, it was a relief to read these simple but wonderful 100 year old letters of a widow to a friend. The writer's husband had died in Denver in 1908 so she had become a housecleaner and laundress in a ladies home to earn room and board for herself and her 2 year old daughter. In 1909 she headed with her young daughter to near Green River Wyoming, (territory I know well and love) to become a housekeeper for a single Scottish Homesteader. Thats about it. All the rest is the letters she wrote over the next few years, but the ones I'm mentioning require a little background.

Knowing you have some slightly older kids, what reminded me of you was the little 2 year old dear daughter, Jerrine, gradually growing up, and trying to make sense of the arrival of her new baby brother as her mom eventually married the Scottish homesteader, Clyde, and started a new family.

When she had the new baby boy the momma wrote:

"I think Jerrine must be born for the Law. She always threshes out questions that arise, to her own satisfaction, if to no one else's. She prayed for a long time for her brother; also she prayed for some puppies. The puppies came, but we didn't let her know until they were able to walk. One morning she saw them following their mother, so she danced for joy. When her little brother came she was plainly disappointed. "Mamma," she said, "did God really make the baby?" "Yes, dear." "Then He hasn't treated us fairly, and I should like to know why. The puppies could walk when He finished them; the calves can, too. The pigs can, and the colt, and even the chickens. What is the use of giving us a half-finished baby? He has no hair, and no teeth; he can't walk or talk, nor do anything else but squall and sleep."
After many days she got the question settled. She began right where she left off. "I know, Momma, why God gave us such a half-finished baby; so he could learn our ways, and no one else's, since he must live with us, and so we could learn to love him. Every time I stand beside his buggy he laughs and then I love him, but I don't love Stella nor Marvin (animals) because they laugh. So that is why." Perhaps that is the reason.

Anyhow, if you've followed me this far, the next letter is actually from the young 5-6 year old Jerrine to the Momma's old friend. The Momma is hurt and can't write, and did not know that Jerrine was writing. The Momma's friend, Mrs Coney had sent Jerrine Black Beauty for Christmas. Here is her letter:

Feb 1913

Dear Mrs Coney,

I think you will excuse my mama for not writing to thank you for black Beauty when I tell you why. I wanted to thank you myself, and I wanted to hear it read first so I could very trully thank. Mama always said horses do not talk, but now she knows they do since she read the Dear little book. I have known it along time. My own pony told me the story is very true. Many times I have see men treat horses very badly, but our Clyde don't, and won't let a workman stay if He hurts stock. I am very glad.
Mr Edding came past one day with a load of hay. he had too much load to pull up hill and there was much ice and snow but he think he can make them go up so he fighted and sweared but they could not get up. Mama tried to lend him some horse to help but he was angry and was termined to make his own pull it but at last he had to take off some hay I wish he may read my Black Beauty.
Our Clyde is still away. We were going to visit Stella. Mama was driving, the horse raned away. We goed very fast as the wind. I almost fall out Mama hanged on to the lines. if she let go we may all be kill. At last she raned them into a fence. they stop and a man ran to help so we are all well but mama hands and arms are still so sore she cant write you yet. My brother Calvin is very sweet. God had to give him to us because he squealed so much he sturbed the angels. We are not angels so he Dont sturb us. I thank you for my good little book. and I love you for it too.

very speakfully,

Jerrine Rupert.

Hope you guys didn't mind that.

[Porchlight]

My brother Calvin is very sweet. God had to give him to us because he squealed so much he sturbed the angels. We are not angels so he Dont sturb us.

Well, if that isn't the neatest thing. Here I am up in the middle of the night with the baby and what do I find on my favorite blog but a kind JOMer posting lovely stories like this. Thank you, daddy! I'm copying and saving this. And I am off to ebay to look for that book....

[Porchlight]

Cap'n, I'm late getting back to the thread, but your 10:33 re: Monica makes a lot of sense. I think some of it is her extreme youth - girls of that age have always been susceptible to making some pretty idiotic mistakes. (Myself included.) But you are right about sex meaning less to that generation, I'm afraid.

In the end, I suppose we have to thank her for providing proof of Slick's exploits.

[Captain Hate]

Slick's exploits were already evident to anybody with a functioning cortex and retinas. The MSM were willing accomplices with the "it's only sex" defense for Slick once the blue dress dashed poor Sid's prospective character assasination, followed by breathless commentary by Diane Sawyer and Ann Curry decrying the "coarsening of our culture". The only defense for those two harridans and their ilk is they might be too stupid to merit the charge of hypocrisy.

[bunkerbuster]

``The MSM were willing accomplices with the "it's only sex" defense...''

That's not true at all.
Firstly, "it's only sex" isn't a defense. It's a statement that puts the events into context. It's a claim that the president's sex life isn't relevant. That's no defense of Clinton's actions, it's an explanation of how voters should assess them.

That was not the frame for MSM reporting on the events and if there were any mainstream liberal opinionators taking that line, they were overwhelmed by those who were saying pretty much the opposite.
As I recall, the people making that argument were always quick to note that the behavior itself was reprehensible, albeit personal and therefore politically irrelevant.
The MSM, in fact, happily joined the charge against Clinton, prominently publishing daily details of his sexcapades, even to the extent of printing unconfirmed rumors from the tabloid press and slavishly following the Republican's lead on the Starr investigation.
I don't think the press was biased against Clinton in any ideological sense, I think they simply know what sells newspapers and the smell of blood.

[Janet]

daddy, That was just lovely. My soul is starved for things that are kind, nice, good, lovely,....all those little words that are underrated.
I thought of Captain's post too - I regard that as unfortunate innocence lost, but maybe that's too idealistic of an attitude.
It's not too idealistic. Innocence lost matters. We have stolen something from our young people by the coarsening of our culture. Protections for physical safety have reached absurd levels, but mention moral safety and society labels me a prude or first amendment enemy (because we all know the first amendment was written to protect porn).
Anyway...what a lovely post daddy.

[Clarice]

daddy, is my favorite but I don't want anyone else to know...except that now that DoT has won the poker pot he might be my favorite..Thinking.....

[Ignatz]

--In 1909 she headed with her young daughter to near Green River Wyoming, (territory I know well and love)--

Spent a few weeks there myself one time.
I well remember the local radio man predicting "periods of winter" for the rest of the week in the middle of June with the wind howling and the snow blowing sideways.
But even so it is a captivating place. Still think about the wildlife and the kind of bleak beauty of the area.

bb,
Do you ever tire of your own disingenuousness?
I can assure you everyone around you does.
Of course "it's only sex" was a defense proferred on his behalf.
He was facing several legal challenges involvng more than one charge of improper sexual adventures and the most common defense to those challenges was the claim that his shenanigans were "only sex" and a private matter which did not rise to the level of an impeachable offense. That he was not being impeached for illicit sex never seemed to dawn on his defenders but it most certainly was a defense they employed constantly.

[Pagar]

Daddy, that was an outstanding post from the Woman Homesteader.

[centralcal]

Loved it daddy. I wonder how many 5-6 year olds today could even compose a letter of that length?

[bunkerbuster]

Ignatz: Yes, Clinton's defenders did point to the irrelevance of his private sex life. Just as his attackers insisted it was relevant.
But the claim is that the mainstream media ``were willing accomplices'' and that's just not true.
Constantly blaming the news media is one of the most popular ways for identity conservatives to boost their level of denial. Given that they acknowledge no significant distinction between their identity as an individual and their narrow ideological preference, it's no surprise that they find it intolerably painful to acknowledge the unpopularity and/or lack of logical consistency and evidence in their views.
Thus the never-ending need to claim mainstream media victimhood. So much vitality is sapped out of the conservative movement by that pathetic intellectual crutch...

[boris]

Lesson of the thread: Is fusterbunk smarter than a 6 year old?

[Melinda Romanoff]

I prefer the Wind River, but that's just me.

boris, that's easy, no.

[Threadkiller]

Firstly, "it's only sex""he is only a dual citizen" isn't a defense. It's a statement that puts the events into context. It's a claim that the president's sex life president's allegiance isn't relevant. That's no defense of Clinton's Obama’s actions, it's an explanation of how voters should assess have ignored them.

[Melinda Romanoff]

Two things that demonstrate the need to prepare for some challenges.

32 states have borrowed from the US Treasury to cover unemployment benefits.

Contagion from the European crises is definitely something you need to know about.

Canadian banks will be better able to withstand a tougher fiscal scenario.

[narciso]

In truth, Monica was the smallest of Clinton's transgressions. he signed the CRA
revisions early in his term, he slashed the military, yet sent it off to relatively unimportant theatres of war, in the end, he
was pitifully slow in understanding the terror
threat, the balanced budget was pure 'Enron
economics' soon to be employed at Fannie and Freddie.

[hit and run]

Six year old?

I was thinking Calvin.

"He squealed so much he sturbed the angels."

[Captain Hate]

The "balanced budget" was a complete sham because it never contained any accounting for the future liabilities of social security, Medicare and Medicaid; actuarial nightmares that any private company would have to account for before their books could be closed.

The witless troll doesn't consider character important in a politician; there's a shock.

[centralcal]

O/T, but I opened my local weekend paper to a headline about election fraud here in Podunk. Four candidates submitted petitions (to get their filing fees reduced) with fraudulent signatures. Two AA candidates (one male for city council, one female for Board of Supervisors) submitted pages (number not specified) of fraudulent signatures, many in the same handwriting. Two other latino candidates (both female, one for city council, one for state assembly) submitted some fraudulent signatures, number not specified.

Anyway, my guess is they are all Democrats. The county clerk has forwarded the cases to the Secretary of State for investigation. The county clerk (since 2001) said he had not seen this problem to this magnitude in his tenure.

Hope county clerks eveywhere are being as diligent.

[bunkerbuster]

``The "balanced budget" was a complete sham''

What, then, do you call the Reagan and Bush budgets? They drove up the deficit. Even if the Clinton team used dubious accounting -- and I'm not saying I believe that they did -- their performance on fiscal matters puts Reagan and Bush to shame.
Captain Bigot either can't do that math, or prefers denial.

[bunkerbuster]

Thanks Boris! We all contribute what we can to the discussion.

[boris]

"What, then, do you call the Reagan and Bush budgets?"

Since they never claimed to be "balanced" they are not hypocrites. So let's call them un-hypocritical.

[boris]

"We all contribute what we can ..."

lol and the 6 year old kicked your fusterbutt from 100 years ago

[Ignatz]

--But the claim is that the mainstream media ``were willing accomplices'' and that's just not true.--

It is absolutely true and it is absurd of you to try and push that line to people who witnessed what occurred.
The press and the talking heads were overwhelming in staking out the position of condemning his behavior on a personal level but asserting it should have no political or legal consequences to him.
Some of them, unlike you apparently, recognized in the real world it might very well have some political and legal consequnces for him and even they had to report on it, but recognition is not approbation and the overwhelming sentiment in the MSM was this was much ado about nothing. In fact as you point out they went out of their way to emphasize the salacious aspects of what occurred. What you ignore is that was precisely because they wished to focus on the sex, which they could much more easily dismiss, in order to ignore the suborning of perjury and lies he told to protect himself.
Do you think you actually fool anybody with the line of bullshit you peddle?

[Rick Ballard]

"I'm stumped as to the moves in the EU and the ECB and not sure of the end game."

Rich,

Isn't the end game that they've run out of other people's money a little ahead of schedule? The current recession? has moved the demographic event horizon within spitting distance for the EU. It's also moved the same event horizon to within touching distance wrt SS here. Mel's pointer to the states which have exhausted their unemployment benefit reserves should be read in conjunction with the SSA going cash negative at the same time.

The EUnuchs, like BOzo and the Clown Posse, were really counting on the revenue from Air Taxes (totally regressive) to fund the continuance of the benefit extravaganza. I don't believe that there's even a schematic of Plan B laying around. I also don't believe this ad hoc nonsense is going to last much longer.

[Boatbuilder]

Back to the topic at hand--I live in Connecticut and honestly can't say that I have ever heard Blumenthal claim to be a Vietnam vet, or even thought of it as part of his "polical persona." That may be because I have always regarded him as the most shallow and opportunistic of politicians, and have thus not paid much attention to much of the continuous stream of Blumenthal press releases that passes for political reporting in the local print, radio and TV media. (I did know that he swims, having regularly seen him at our local YMCA).
Colin McEnroe is a very funny guy who has a major political blind spot--he believes implicitly every possible scurrilous rumor and innuendo about any and all Republicans, and retails them to great effect in his columns and his radio show. He has no sense of humor whatsoever about his Democrat heroes. I had actually thought of Blumenthal as a test--I wonder what McEnroe will do with this? Unfortunately, true libs never let us down.
The point is that Blumenthal the politician only lied about being a Vietnam vet when it would do him the most good at the moment--when he was speaking to Veterans. Why lie about that to the rest of us--we don't really care whether he was or was not a vet.

[Captain Hate]

Captain Bigot either can't do that math, or prefers denial.

So pathetic; rather than refute the charge, which you can't do other than state what you "believe" with no underlying proof, you attribute imaginary statements to others and deride those. Nobody takes you seriously; even responding to you is a waste of time.

[Ignatz]

--The EUnuchs, like BOzo and the Clown Posse, were really counting on the revenue from Air Taxes (totally regressive) to fund the continuance of the benefit extravaganza. I don't believe that there's even a schematic of Plan B laying around.--

Rick,

Isn't Plan B in the USA Volcker's VAT?
Euros are onto Plan C or D by now I'd imagine.

[Antimedia]

I don't see what the big deal is. Reporters claiming they never heard what a Democrat plainly said is a dog bites man story, isn't it?

[Pagar]

"Euros are onto Plan C or-------------"

The Euro (as we know it) is Dead according to the Telegraph.co.uk.

[Donald]

Ole Bunkerbuster ain't having none of that Clinton Hating is he?

By the way, Michael Medved is a vagina or democratic plant what with his reasoned argument (And I use that term loosely) and all. What I particularly like is the way that Michael get's all Jack Kemp when liberal callers are referring to HIS particularly civil brand of conservatism, as opposed to say, anybody else. It's better when Michael does not get all Donald all over his slimey little ass. Instead of point out that the cretin making the argument is a piece of human excrement (To use a phrase used by another much bigger talk show host).

[Donald]

I have no idea why all of that screed was bolded.

Also, "pointing" as opposed to point.

And more popular as opposed to bigger.

"Their" slimey little ass also.

[Ignatz]

Bold off?

[Donald]

I don't know how I got the bold on!