I saw Sen. Chris Dodd in Hartford today, along with a mob of other reporters. When he finished talking about the sweeping Wall Street reform bill that passed the Senate, he talked a bit about his own future and that of his would-be successor, Dick Blumenthal. Dodd said the flap over Blumenthal's misstatements about his service during the Vietnam War was overblown by a rival during the political season. He said Blumenthal's apology was more than enough and that the voters of Connecticut will remember Blumenthal's long career in public service when it comes time to cast a ballot.
Voters here are savvy, and know Blumenthal and his record, said Dodd. He said people here get offended when candidates pour money in and try to buy an election.
Voters don't judge a candidate based on wallet size, he said.
“That’s not the Connecticut I know,” said Dodd. “These jobs are not for sale. This is about a seat in the United States Senate.”
My story didn't run, so here it is:
ReplyDeleteHARTFORD – Because the people of Connecticut know state Attorney General Dick Blumenthal, they’ll evaluate him by his long career, not by a statement made by mistake, said U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd.
“This is not an unknown person who waltzed in,” said Dodd on Monday. “Connecticut voters are savvy voters.”
Blumenthal said he was sorry for what he said were unintentional misstatements about his service in the Marine Reserves during the Vietnam War. On at least one occasion he said he served “in” Vietnam rather than his standard characterization that he served “during” Vietnam or the Vietnam era.
The apology was “more than adequate,” said Dodd, predicting that interest in the issue will fade in the coming weeks as people focus on Blumenthal’s long record of public service.
“Dick Blumenthal is the best attorney general in the United States,” said Dodd. “He made a mistake. He apologized.”
Blumenthal’s party-endorsed Republican rival, Linda McMahon, former chief executive officer of World Wrestling Entertainment, has a well-funded campaign that took credit for breaking the Blumenthal story.
Dodd, who announced earlier this year that he would not seek re-election after a long career in the Senate, said he has a keen interest in who succeeds him and wants it to be Blumenthal.
“Dick Blumenthal is far and away better prepared to do that job,” said Dodd.
Dodd said he’s never heard Blumenthal ever say he served in Vietnam, only that he served during that time period.
Dodd dismissed the uproar over Blumenthal’s remarks as part of the “political season” and said the source of the material – McMahon’s campaign – is important to consider.
“It’s been blown out of proportion,” said Dodd.
Dodd predicted that Blumenthal will go on to win his seat and serve in the U.S. Senate “with distinction.”
The state’s voters won’t choose a candidate based on the size of his or her wallet, Dodd said.
“That’s not the Connecticut I know,” said Dodd. “These jobs are not for sale. This is about a seat in the United States Senate.”
Pouring money into a campaign “becomes highly offensive,” said Dodd.