Posted on 05/20/2010 4:23:16 AM PDT by Kaslin
WASHINGTON -- The exposure of Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal as a hoaxster boasting of a nonexistent record of service in the Vietnam War is a splendid example of what is known as the Taranto Principle. Someday the Taranto Principle will be taught in all the journalism schools, assuming one or two survive the present detumescence of journalism. Formulated by the inimitable Wall Street Journal editorialist James Taranto, the principle posits that when the liberal mainstream press indulges a liberal politician's deceits or fails to hold the politician accountable for his misbehavior, it encourages the politician to ascend to a higher level of misbehavior.
Thus, for years Sen. Jean-Francois Kerry was wont to boast of his exploits in the Vietnam War. His sympathizers in the press never bothered to remind him or to remind the citizenry that Kerry had embellished his military record and that -- worse! -- upon returning from Vietnam, he cast his lot with the rising anti-war movement. As an opponent of the war, he even was emboldened to appear before Congress and mendaciously testify that his comrades had "personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads, taped wires from portable telephones to human genitals and turned up the power, cut off limbs, blown up bodies, randomly shot at civilians, (and) razed villages in fashion reminiscent of Genghis Khan."
This garbagespiel was televised nationally, and he should have known that tapes of it were readily available in 2004, when he ran for president. Nonetheless, rather than stress less controversial aspects of his years of public life, he, thanks to the liberal press's indulgence of his exaggerated claims to heroism, made the risky choice of running as a veteran of the Vietnam War. That angered those who had served with him, and their revelations about his service sank his candidacy. The Taranto Principle is vindicated.
It has been vindicated again with the revelations about Blumenthal. For years, he has been fawned over by the liberal press. Pari passu, with the passage of time, he has gone from being a young man who sought five military deferments during the Vietnam War to claiming repeatedly and falsely that he actually served in the war. On the way to making those false claims, he did indeed enlist in the Marine Reserve, but he never served in the war.
In a speech in 2008, The New York Times reports, he said, "We have learned something important since the days that I served in Vietnam." At another point in 2008, the Times reports, he informed an audience that he "served during the Vietnam era," concluding that he remembered "the taunts, the insults, sometimes even physical abuse." As recently as a few weeks ago, he publicly recalled being spit upon when he "returned from Vietnam."
Now his campaign for the United States Senate is in grave jeopardy. Perhaps it all could have been avoided if years back the press had taken a look at his claims, reported them and chastened him from making the increasingly bold assertions of nonsense.
As an addendum to the Taranto Principle, let me add an observation. Increasing numbers of candidates for public office, particularly at the national level, seem given to fantasy. They are encouraged to tell dramatic stories about themselves. The press loves it. The politicians are goaded by the Taranto Principle, and it is not long before those stories become total fantasies. Blumenthal is obviously one of those fantasists. Had he not been tripped up this week, he might have soon been telling the electorate about his Medal of Honor. Possibly, if he somehow manages to win the Democratic primary, he still will, and then, when the stakes are so high and the possibility exists that a Republican might beat him, will the Times raise doubts about his Medal of Honor? Taranto will be watching.
Yet, Tom Harkin is still the Des Moines Register’s boy wonder.
Well, if he enlisted in the Marine Corps reserves, it probably is fair game to say he served during the Vietname era. It might even be true that he was subject to taunts and abuse, since just being in uniform in public during that period could result in that. [Actually, I experienced the same thing when I was in ROTC] But saying he served in Vietnam is just wrong and an AG (of all people) should know that.
Serving during the Vietnam era is a huge difference then actually serving in Vietnam. My husband did two tours in Vietnam and he volunteered for both
True, but I guess we’ll see in November
If you do not read James Taranto’s column you are missing a great daily read.
http://online.wsj.com/article/best_of_the_web_today.html
It is one email I look forward to each weekday.
I used to read James Taranto all the time when it was still the Opinion Journal, but he’s harder to find now in the Wall street Journal
He delivers his column to my email in box every day. Often find myself reading it on my cell phone between meetings.
I have not missed many of his columns in, I want to say, the past 10 years.
Serving during the Vietnam era is a huge difference then actually serving in Vietnam. My husband did two tours in Vietnam and he volunteered for both
They have to turn a blind eye. If the media exposed all the lies and hypocrisy of the libs there would none left standing.
They just can’t help themselves .... like
“Sniper Fire” Hillary LOL
The Taranto Principle Vindicated Again
Townhall.com ^ | May 20, 2010 | Emmett Tyrrell
Thanks for posting this. It is correctly labeled a principal instead of a thesis. If the mediots had done their job, Kerry would be in prison for his actions during the Nam war. Instead he is the senior senator from Mass..
Taranto Principle will be taught in all the journalism schools, assuming one or two survive the present detumescence of journalism. Formulated by the inimitable Wall Street Journal editorialist James Taranto, the principle posits that when the liberal mainstream press indulges a liberal politician’s deceits or fails to hold the politician accountable for his misbehavior, it encourages the politician to ascend to a higher level of misbehavior.
Thus, for years Sen. Jean-Francois Kerry was wont to boast of his exploits in the Vietnam War. His sympathizers in the press never bothered to remind him or to remind the citizenry that Kerry had embellished his military record and that — worse! — upon returning from Vietnam, he cast his lot with the rising anti-war movement. As an opponent of the war, he even was emboldened to appear before Congress and mendaciously testify that his comrades had “personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads, taped wires from portable telephones to human genitals and turned up the power, cut off limbs, blown up bodies, randomly shot at civilians, (and) razed villages in fashion reminiscent of Genghis Khan.”
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2517279/posts
Five-Star General Richard Blumenthal didn’t actually serve in Vietnam. He was on a boat on Elephant Butte Lake during the war. While there, he was injured in battle with a small mouthed bass. Through his extraordinary heroism, superb aggressiveness in the face of the enemy, Major Blumenthal reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Marine Corps.
Apparently exposing the lies of a Dem politician about his military service doesn’t qualify as “swiftboating” if it is done by the DNC media.
A minor revision will need to be made to the definition...
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