When it comes to misconduct by elected and party officials, we consistently see the difference. On the Right, we demand that Republicans resign and go away. Skedaddle. Give up their public sector position. On the Left? When was the last time you heard of them demanding that a Democrat just go away? Very rarely. And that is exactly their position with Blumenthal
What at first appeared to be a potentially career-ending New York Times exposé of Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has generated a messy fight between the newspaper, Blumenthal’s liberal supporters, and his leading Republican rival for the Senate over the story’s accuracy and origins.
And, as the Times’ ombudsman tries to sort through a series of conflicting claims and grievances against the backdrop of this weekend’s state party conventions, none of the combatants appears to be backing down.
Defenders of Blumenthal and some liberal media critics accused the Times of running an incomplete, misleading and even error-ridden story that said Blumenthal has repeatedly and falsely implied that he served in Vietnam, when in fact he served stateside in the Marine Corps Reserve after receiving five military deferments.
Of course, if Blumenthal had an (R) next to his name, the Left would be demanding that he resign. But, since he has a (D), they are generally backing him. Why? Because they have no other real candidate for the Senate seat in Connecticut. And, quite frankly, they could care less if he is lying about his Vietnam service. They didn’t care about John Kerry lying about his service. Oh, and remember when they made a big deal about Cheney’s deferments, saying that was bad? Not so much with Blumenthal, who had five of them. They can spin and defend all they want, but, Blumenthal lied. It’s on tape. Not once, but many times. That is not misspeaking.
Meanwhile, the Times reporters and editors behind the story have stood by it and seem to be doubling down, publishing a follow-up Friday afternoon detailing a 2007 speech unearthed by the weekly Milford (Conn.) Mirror in which Blumenthal appeared to suggest he served in Vietnam. And Times executive editor Bill Keller asserted in a Thursday response to the paper’s ombudsman, public editor Clark Hoyt, that the firestorm generated by the first story proves its significance.
So, what does the Democratic Party of Connecticut do? Endorse him. Because he has made a few mistakes
“I have made mistakes. I regret them. And I have taken responsibility,” Blumenthal said. “But this campaign must be about the people of Connecticut.”
So, the People of Connecticut need a blatant liar in one of their Senate seats?
Despite the national attention that Blumenthal’s misstatements have attracted, Democrats said they could not ignore his 26 years of political service — six years as a state lawmaker and 20 as Connecticut’s omnipresent attorney general — to the state
He lied about his service. Period. The Right would demand that he drop his campaign and go away if he was a Republican. The Left would demand that he resign if he was a Republican, too. But, since he is a Democrat, they’ll back him. Of course, they are pretty much used to liars in their Party. For them, it is all about the control of the seat, rather than any sort of morals or an acknowledgment that elected officials should be trustworthy and good people. Remember, this is the same Party which refused to impeach Clinton, who broke the law, who would not force out William “Cold Cash” Jefferson, and voted him after the indictments, and re-elected Alcee Hastings, among others. Holding public officials accountable for wrongdoing is not something Democrat voters and supporters generally do to other Democrats.
Crossed at Right Wing News and Stop The ACLU
