Connecticut Senate Election 2010: Democrat Blumenthal Loses Ground in Polls to GOP Challengers McMahon & Simmons after Misplaced Words Vietnam Lie

The reaction begins to Richard Blumenthal lies and exaggerations about his military service in Vietnam and his so-called “misplaced words“.

What a difference a poll makes and being caught in a lie that you claimed that you served in Vietnam when you did not. Also, that you received five deferments so that you would not be sent to Vietnam. The latest Rasmussen poll shows that Blumenthal has taken a sever hit in the polls. Is this reactionary to the NY Times article that exposed Blumenthal’s lies or will this be a troubling trend for Blumenthal and Democrats?

Prior to the discovery of the Vietnam military service lie, Blumenthal was up by double digits over his Republican challengers and Connecticut was all but a sure thing for Democrats in their efforts to maintain control of the US Senate. However, CT might just be back in play.

The most recent Rasmussen poll shows that Blumenthal is leading GOP challenger Linda McMahon by only 3%, 48% to 45%. Just two weeks ago before the Vietnam militarty service record lie was exposed, Blumenthal was leading by 13%.

Following a New York Times report that he exaggerated his military record, Democratic Senate hopeful Richard Blumenthal has lost ground in match-ups against all his potential Republican challengers in Connecticut.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in Connecticut finds Blumenthal with just a three-point advantage over Linda McMahon, 48% to 45%. Two weeks ago, he led the former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment by 13 percentage points. The New York Times story broke late Monday; the survey was taken Tuesday evening.

Will this story have legs? It is hard to believe in the present political climate where the voters already have such a low opinion of politicians and think they lie, that the voters would accept an individual who of all things … got caught in a huge lie. He has already begun damage control; however, attacking others for your self made scandal is hardly an apology. Sir, you have impugned your own record of service by lying about it. Obviously, you did not think it could stand on its own without the “misplaced” words.

“On a few occasions I have misspoken about my service, and I regret that and I take full responsibility,” Mr. Blumenthal said at a packed news conference at a Veterans of Foreign Wars post in West Hartford. “But I will not allow anyone to take a few misplaced words and impugn my record of service to our country.”

The problem is, these were not misplaced words … it was a concerted effort on the part of Blumenthal to create an image of himself of something he was not. How this was not caught sooner is amazing. Even more amazing is the fact that Blumenthal thought he would never be called in it. We will have to see the poll trending over the next couple of months to see how “THE LIE” has affected the Senate race in Connecticut.