Senate Candidate Lies About Serving in the Vietnam War

What is about being or becoming a member of Congress that makes politicians want to lie. And the lies keep getting bigger. As in the case of Richard Blumenthal:

At a ceremony honoring veterans and senior citizens who sent presents to soldiers overseas, Attorney General Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut rose and spoke of an earlier time in his life.

“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 who is 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.

The deferments allowed Mr. Blumenthal to complete his studies at Harvard; pursue a graduate fellowship in England; serve as a special assistant to The Washington Post’s publisher, Katharine Graham; and ultimately take a job in the Nixon White House.

He worked in the Nixon White House which might explain this outrageous untruth.

10 Reasons not to Vote for Arlen Specter

I will give you 10 reasons not to vote/re-elect Arlen Specter:

1. He's been in Congress for over 30 years. That makes him a career politician. He might even die in office. Arlen Specter is 80 years-old and a cancer survivor. He wants to remain in power like one of the kings who ruled over America prior to the revolution. Being elected to Congress has essentially become a lifetime job. They usually stay in office until they die or quit.
2. He is disliked in the Senate among his colleagues.
3. Voted for the Iraq War
4. Endorsed John McCain and Sarah Palin in 2008: "They were the better choice"
5. Refused to confirm Elena Kagan for Solicitor General. Now he wants to wait till after the election to decide if he confirm to the Supreme Court bench.
6. George W. Bush endorsed Specter: 'I can count on this man...he’s a firm ally when it matters most. I’m proud to tell that I think he’s earned another term in the United States Senate.'
7. He called Anita Hill a liar.
8. Rick Santorum endorsed Arlen Specter
9. Voted with Bush Republicans thousands of times...before changing his party affiliation. 
10. He's a political opportunist. He has no loyalty. He just recently changed his party affiliation when it became clear he would lose if he remained a Republican. Can you trust such a man.

Incumbent Blanche Lincoln Fights for her political survival

Blanche Lincoln almost singlehandedly brought down health care reform. Like Arlen Specter, she will say and do anything to keep her job. Are you going to reward this career politician?

From The New York Times: In the Middle in Arkansas, and Hit From Both Sides
http://s.nyt.com/u/DmX6

Newt Gingrich: Kagan is "Anti-Military"

This is has become standard among Republicans. Especially when they appear on FOX. If doesn't seem that any insult or smear is too outrageous for the GOP:

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich called on President Obama to withdraw the nomination of Elena Kagan for the Supreme Court, calling her views anti-military and airing, for one of the first times, concerns that during her time as Dean, Harvard Law accepted money from Saudi Arabia.

Appearing on "Fox News Sunday," Gingrich even dismissed the notion that a Senate confirmation process was needed to properly judge or vet Kagan's credentials for the Court.

"I think the president should withdraw it," he said. "You don't need a lot of hearings. The very fact that she led the effort which was repudiated unanimously by the Supreme Court to block the American military from Harvard Law school -- we're in two wars, and I see no reason why you would appoint an anti-military Supreme Court justice or why the Senate would confirm an anti-military Supreme Court justice."

"I think the president has every right to nominate a liberal," he added, when reminded by host Chris Wallace, that Kagan's position on executive power are much in line with Gingrich's. "He is the president and that is his value system. I think the fact is if you look at the brief you filed, if you look at what she wrote at the time, it's a very myopic view. On the one hand, Harvard accepts money from Saudis. Saudi Arabia, by the way, executes homosexuals, Saudi Arabia represses women, Saudi Arabia doesn't allow Christians or Jews to practice their religion, but Saudi money is fine."