Obama Thanks Dem Sen. Blumenthal At PTSD Bill Signing, Who Lied About Serving In Vietnam War…
Like a good liberal, Obama isn’t bothered by Blumenthal claiming he served in Vietnam while in reality he got five deferments from the draft.
BARACK OBAMA: “We want to thank Jake and all those who served with clay, who protected him and loved him like a brother, and all the veterans service organizations that fought for this law and who advocated so passionately for those who have served. We thank all the military families who have lost a loved one, families here today who channeled their grief into helping others. They believe as we all do that we have to end this tragedy of suicide among our troops and veterans. I want to thank the members of Congress, Republican and Democrat, who worked to get this done. I want to give a special acknowledgment to somebody who knows a little bit about service, senator John McCain. [Applause] Dick Blumenthal, we’re grateful for your efforts. Representative Jeff Miller. My homegirl from the Chicago area, Tammy Duckworth. Couldn’t be prouder of her.”
Via NY Times (May 17, 2010):
…“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 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.
In 1970, with his last deferment in jeopardy, he landed a coveted spot in the Marine Reserve, which virtually guaranteed that he would not be sent to Vietnam. He joined a unit in Washington that conducted drills and other exercises and focused on local projects, like fixing a campground and organizing a Toys for Tots drive.
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ZIP | February 14, 2015 3:04 pm
http://weaselzippers.us/214120-obama-thanks-dem-sen-blumenthal-at-ptsd-bill-signing-who-lied-about-serving-in-vietnam-war/
