U.S. Senate hopeful Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said last week that he used a “few misplaced words” when he said he served in Vietnam during that war. His political record is solid and he has championed the cause of veterans but I think he misfired on this one.

He talked about serving IN Vietnam. He was never in Vietnam although he did serve during Vietnam. A slight, but fairly important, distinction. He also said, “I wore the uniform in Vietnam, and many came back to all kinds of disrespect,” implying he returned to a scornful populace.

I served during Desert Storm, I wasn’t in Kuwait during that time. I was in Kuwait after that. I don’t tell people I served in Desert Storm because I didn’t. I even have the Kuwait Liberation Ribbon saying I served but it doesn’t say exactly where so I guess I could say I was there….but I wasn’t…

I expect the voters of CT will elect him to the Senate but his credibility is damaged, for now. We Americans like to forgive and forget, it just takes a little while.

The people you lead are much less forgiving. They will remember and hold against it you when you intentionally mislead them.

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