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Colleague Says Blumenthal Claims Grew Gradually
NYT ^

Posted on 05/18/2010 8:25:55 PM PDT by Chet 99

May 18, 2010

Colleague Says Blumenthal Claims Grew Gradually

By MICHAEL BARBARO and DAVID M. HALBFINGER

Former Representative Christopher Shays of Connecticut found it puzzling: over time, his friend Attorney General Richard Blumenthal kept revising how he talked about his military service during the Vietnam War. At first, in the 1980s, he was humble. He played it down, Mr. Shays recalled, characterizing it as humdrum desk work.

Over the last few years, however, more sweeping claims crept into Mr. Blumenthal’s descriptions, he said: that Mr. Blumenthal had served in Vietnam and had felt the sting of an ungrateful nation as he returned.

“He just kept adding to the story, the more he told it,” Mr. Shays said.

Mr. Shays said he became alarmed enough by the discrepancies that he at times considered mentioning the issue to Mr. Blumenthal, who on Tuesday said he took “full responsibility” for the occasions when he “misspoke” about his military history.

As it turned out, Mr. Blumenthal never served in Vietnam, but over time, his identification with veterans of war became so strong that some of those around him, like Mr. Shays, just assumed he had. He made it a point to attend the funeral of every active soldier from Connecticut killed in the line of duty, and he rearranges his schedule so he can speak at the ceremony for soldiers about to deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Connecticut
KEYWORDS: blumenthal; christophershays; claims; colleague; connecticut; gradually; grew; richardblumenthal; shays; vietnam
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1 posted on 05/18/2010 8:25:56 PM PDT by Chet 99
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To: Chet 99

Why is the NYT going after this guy? Perhaps it is their token “taken down” Democrat....?


2 posted on 05/18/2010 8:30:46 PM PDT by Paradox (Socialism - trickle up poverty.)
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To: Chet 99

If he talked about his return and the greeting he got, then he is a stone cold liar.

I never saw this guy until tonight, he looks like a total elitist weirdo.


3 posted on 05/18/2010 8:31:28 PM PDT by Williams (It's the policies, stupid)
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To: Chet 99

I’ll give Blumenthal this much. At least he didn’t apply for a Purple Heart after shooting himself in the ass with an M-79 grenade. It took a Hanoi Boi ‘RAT to do that.


4 posted on 05/18/2010 8:35:20 PM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (Politics is only about money and the power to control it. ALL of it!)
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To: Williams

This guy is suffering from what a lot of people do. They embellish a bit, and pretty soon their brains record it as actual memories.

i.e. The thousands who believe they were taken up to alien spaceships.

Our memories are fragile and modifiable.

That said - rule one is don’t lie or expand on your resume’


5 posted on 05/18/2010 8:37:17 PM PDT by stubernx98 (cranky, but reasonable)
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To: Chet 99

I wished I’d have known about all this “mis-spoke” thing in high school. Such as when the teacher called on me to answer a question and I answered it wrong. She’d tell me I gave the wrong answer then I’d have said “I’m sorry. I mis-spoke.” If she gave me another chance and I didn’t know the answer I’d have said “I’m sorry. I’m not taking anymore questions on that subject today.”


6 posted on 05/18/2010 8:38:08 PM PDT by Terry Mross
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To: stubernx98

Don’t put those of us who’ve been abducted by aliens in the same category with this creep!


7 posted on 05/18/2010 8:39:18 PM PDT by Terry Mross
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To: stubernx98

They embellish a bit, and pretty soon their brains record it as actual memories.


“Yeah, that’s the ticket!”


8 posted on 05/18/2010 8:39:28 PM PDT by boycott (CAL)
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To: Paradox

I dont know, maybe they want to take him out in the primary so that he doesnt blow up in the general.


9 posted on 05/18/2010 8:41:08 PM PDT by freespirited (There are a lot of bad Republicans but there are no good Democrats.--Ann Coulter)
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To: Chet 99

Pathetic. I’ll give him credit for attending military funerals to pay his respects.


10 posted on 05/18/2010 8:42:17 PM PDT by Ciexyz
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To: Chet 99

All false war heroes stories grow slowly. From an idea to mental fruition takes years. I have known several over the years. I let them build their stories, then devastate them in a short period of time ... usually with facts that they can’t dispute.

As a vet who has lost bros, I find this something that makes my life and their deaths worth wild.

Hope this makes sense.


11 posted on 05/18/2010 8:42:38 PM PDT by doc1019 (Rush, Beck and others are giving us the dots; it is up to us to connect them.)
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To: Chet 99; Paradox
The slimes outed him and now they are making excuses for why he did it. Next he will apply for second hand PTSD benefits.

I think that was the excuse the libs made for the Ft. Hood jihadi.

12 posted on 05/18/2010 8:44:16 PM PDT by Eagles6 ( Typical White Guy: Christian, Constitutionalist, Heterosexual, Redneck.)
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To: Chet 99
As it turned out, Mr. Blumenthal never served in Vietnam, but over time, his identification with veterans of war became so strong that some of those around him, like Mr. Shays, just assumed he had.

Never mind the minor detail that he blatantly lied on numerous occasions about his service in Vietnam.

13 posted on 05/18/2010 8:44:21 PM PDT by hole_n_one
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To: stubernx98

This guy is suffering from what a lot of people do. They embellish a bit, and pretty soon their brains record it as actual memories.
_______________

As in, just how many people went to Woodstock, and then just how many people hung onto the Who’s helocopter. Or just how many Green Berets we have met who spent time in Nam. Given a little more rope...er...time, this guy could have been a Green Beret!


14 posted on 05/18/2010 8:44:32 PM PDT by Blue Collar Christian (A "tea bagger"? Say it to my face. ><BCC>)
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To: Terry Mross

The last sentence is hysterical!


15 posted on 05/18/2010 8:46:23 PM PDT by hole_n_one
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To: doc1019
As a vet who has lost bros, I find this something that makes my life and their deaths worth wild. Hope this makes sense.

Not entirely!

16 posted on 05/18/2010 8:47:54 PM PDT by dr_lew
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To: dr_lew

?


17 posted on 05/18/2010 8:48:58 PM PDT by doc1019 (Rush, Beck and others are giving us the dots; it is up to us to connect them.)
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To: stubernx98
One would have to be delusional to "manufacture" a memory about a country half way around the world that you didn't visit.

The next thing you know you are telling people about your wife, Morgan Fairchild, who you've seen naked.....

18 posted on 05/18/2010 8:50:52 PM PDT by USNBandit (sarcasm engaged at all times)
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To: doc1019

I suppose you meant, “worth while”, for “worth wild”.


19 posted on 05/18/2010 8:51:27 PM PDT by dr_lew
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To: stubernx98
They embellish a bit

That's like claiming to be a doctor because you are born in a hospital

Put a fork in this wind bag - he's done.

20 posted on 05/18/2010 8:52:35 PM PDT by llevrok (A stranger in my own country)
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