Possibly AG Richard Blumenthal (D CAND, CT-SEN) should not have used a VFW hall to host his explanation of why he wasn’t always lying about serving in Vietnam? – Because the local organization is not happy about that. Its head (Richard DiFederico) calledBlumenthal’s claims “false” and “outrageous,” and Blumenthal’s choice of venue won’t help that any:

DiFederico’s statement came after Blumenthal’s dramatic and defiant press conference Tuesday at a VFW hall in West Hartford, an event which took place in response to a New York Times report that the Connecticut attorney general had on more than one occasion said he had served in Vietnam, although his time in the Marine Corps Reserve was in fact spent in Washington and Connecticut

Blumenthal is not a member of the VFW, and national leaders noted that he wouldn’t meet the eligibility requirement if he tried to join because he didn’t actually serve in a theatre of combat. The group’s bylaws also do not allow any level of the organization to endorse political candidates.

Jerry Newberry, the director of communications at the VFW’s Kansas City headquarters, said that the national leadership “did not sanction and was not, in fact, aware that the press conference was going to be held at a VFW Post.”

The VFW is not a good enemy to have in a statewide race; I think that Blumenthal knows this, but is hoping that he can keep momentum until Friday, which is (I believe) the deadline for filing for the Senate primaries in Connecticut. If he can get past that point without gathering up significant primary opposition then the Democrats are more or less stuck with him for the general. But will it work?

…Maybe not. There’s been very little in the way of enthusiastic support among the Left for Blumenthal, and quite a bit of resentment and opposition. William Saletan (via Hot Air) in particular has a highly entertaining list up of the Attorney General’s habit of severely prosecuting people for the eight traits that he’s showing now… hold on, something’s coming in.

Hm. Allegedly, one of the people up there on the stage with Blumenthal is a Stolen Valor perpetrator.

Perfect.

Moe Lane

Crossposted to Moe Lane.