Reaction is pouring in from Connecticut and around the country on The New York Times story about U.S. Senate candidate Richard Blumenthal and his service in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve during the Vietnam era.
The story made news on CNN’s Anderson Cooper show, where Cooper said, “Politically, it makes no sense to do this.”
Longtime Democrat Paul Begala, who was a strong defender of President Bill Clinton, said, “It’s indefensible. It is a catastrophic mistake.”
The panel was talking about U.S. Senate races where Democrats were in trouble, including Arlen Specter, who is facing a difficult challenge in a primary Tuesday. CNN’s John King said that the Blumenthal case was “another wrinkle to another state” for Democrats across the nation.
The panelists, however, noted that they were responding as the story was breaking late Monday night and they had not yet heard Blumenthal’s full explanation.
Nate Silver: “A Murphy or DeLauro would be a safer bet”
Colin McEnroe: “For Blumenthal, integrity has always been given. What will happen to him if, suddenly, it’s not? ”
Hearst Newspapers’ Brian Lockhart: “Who’s Worse: A candidate who fudges military service or one who gloats about the story?”
TIME.com’s Swampland: Paging Chris Dodd
Cillizza: Possible Game changer?
Healy: “Blumenthal’s 30 Years of Shameful Lies”
NPR’s Ken Rudin: Shades of Wes Cooley