Give the devil its due. The New York Times article revealing how a leading Connecticut Senate candidate repeatedly lied about his military record was an exceptional piece of investigative journalism.
The bombshell news was all the more fascinating because Democrat Richard Blumenthal, 64, has been the state's attorney general since 1991. His lies were hiding in plain sight as local and national news organizations routinely repeated his claim he served in Vietnam.
But Times reporter Raymond Hernandez, reportedly acting on a tip from a political opponent, got Blumenthal's draft records through a Freedom of Information request. They showed he had five deferments before getting a coveted spot in the Marine Reserves.
He never left the U.S., yet often said or suggested he had seen combat in Vietnam. He had a con man's skill at speaking emotionally about how hard it was "when we returned."
The most devastating moment is on the paper's website, where you can watch Blumenthal say two years ago at a veterans' event, "We have learned something important since the days I served in Vietnam."
Blumenthal also claimed he was captain of the Harvard swimming team. Harvard says he wasn't even on the team.
Surely, Connecticut voters can do better.
Michael Goodwin is a New York Post columnist and Fox News contributor. To continue reading his column, click here.
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