Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal's long-awaited effort to win a Senate seat took a major hit when it was reported on Monday night that he misled the public by claiming to have served in the Vietnam War. But, in an unexpected gift of sorts, his Republican rival who played a role in pushing the story may end up helping him survive the scandal.
Shortly after the New York Times published its hard-hitting expose on Blumenthal's propensity to falsely paint himself as a combat veteran, conservative candidate Linda McMahon took credit for the hit. The article, the McMahon campaign said in an email promoting the story, had come at "the end of more than 2 months of deep, persistent research" by the campaign, and was a vindication of the "$16 million... crack opposition research operation" that the wrestling maven had built.
It was one of the first times in recent political memory that a candidate so publicly revealed and endorsed its opposition research.
It turns out, there's a reason why campaigns usually peddle dirt in private and without fingerprints. On Tuesday morning, the big story remained Blumenthal's bizarre rendering of his own history. But it was accompanied in key places by critical coverage of McMahon's antics.
Brian Lockhart, at the Connecticut Post, asked: "Who's worse: A candidate who fudges military service or one who gloats about the story?"
"McMahon's like a private detective who hands Connecticut an incriminating file on the state's husband of over 20 years and then asks: 'Sooooo, Connecticut. Now that I've told you the truth about Dick and you're falling out of love, are you busy Friday night?'" he added. "Connecticut voters must feel so blessed these are two of their leading candidates
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/18/mcmahon-misstep-may-help_n_580467.html
'There are three sides to every story. My side, your side, and the truth. And no one is lying. Memories shared serve each one differently'
-Robert Evans-
