Trouble for Blumenthal

Richard Blumenthal, senatorial candidate in Connecticut, appeared to be the safest Democrat in this year's crop. That is now threatened with this revelation.

We have learned something important since the days that I served in Vietnam,” Mr. Blumenthal said to the group gathered in Norwalk in March 2008. “And you exemplify it. Whatever we think about the war, whatever we call it — Afghanistan or Iraq — we owe our military men and women unconditional support.”

There was one problem: Mr. Blumenthal, a Democrat now running for the United States Senate, never served in Vietnam. He obtained at least five military deferments from 1965 to 1970 and took repeated steps that enabled him to avoid going to war, according to records.

Blumenthal claims that story distorts what he's said about his service. In fact, he received several deferrments during the Vietnam War. It's too early to tell how much of an effect this will have. If Connecticut is in play, the Republicans again have a legitimate chance to take back the Senate.