tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069955.post3624252369536278469..comments2023-10-26T08:02:44.948-04:00Comments on Connecticut Commentary: Red Notes from a Blue State: A Marine’s ApologyDon Pescihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11167988001948356357noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069955.post-65991178791423818432010-06-08T08:45:45.367-04:002010-06-08T08:45:45.367-04:00In a follow-up story, Brian Lockhart of the Heart ...In a follow-up story, <a href="http://blog.ctnews.com/politicalcapitol/2010/06/07/assistant-attorney-general-says-blumenthal-was-embellishing-war-record-20-years-ago/" rel="nofollow">Brian Lockhart of the Heart newspaper chain</a> gave Blumenthal the opportunity to deny Mr. Hine’s assertions. This is Blumenthal’s entire response:<br />“The Blumenthal campaign sent me the following response to Hine’s letter:<br />“’Dick has been asked and has answered questions about his military service thoroughly and extensively. Now his focus is to move on to the real problems and issues that concern the people of Connecticut. Dick recalls seeking to help and support Mr. Hine but that is his only memory of a conversation that occurred many, many years ago.’”<br /><br />He doesn't recall the conversation.Don Pescihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11167988001948356357noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069955.post-38013984236163853532010-06-08T08:41:42.644-04:002010-06-08T08:41:42.644-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Don Pescihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11167988001948356357noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069955.post-80165692411905787872010-06-08T08:05:07.851-04:002010-06-08T08:05:07.851-04:00Fuzzy,
There are only two possibilities: Hine mad...Fuzzy,<br /><br />There are only two possibilities: Hine made up his story; the story is true.<br /><br />If he did make up the story, I suppose Mr. Blumenthal would be anxious to deny it and say so. He has not done this yet, and in the absence of a timely claim by Mr. Blumenthal that Mr. Hine is spinning a fantasy, there is no need to question the veracity of his statement. A timely denial would be a few days, certainly not years.<br /><br />“It's a little interesting that Hines has ‘Chris Shays Syndrome.’” A nice rhetorical flourish in court, but we are not in court. Considering Blumenthal’ record thus far – a claim that he “misspoke” in the face of several instances in which, according to an unimpeachable media record, he falsely said that the served in Vietnam – why should we not believe Shays rather than Blumenthal?<br /><br />“Since Hine had the balls to write this letter…” He clearly felt himself under an obligation, because of a kindness Blumenthal had done at a time of emotional stress – Does this ring a bell? – and withheld his charge for many years, according to his own letter. But when the story broke, and Mr. Blumenthal persisted in his denials … well, there are tolerance limits for Marines you know.<br /><br />One is not likely to forget such assertion as were made by Mr. Blumenthal to Mr. Hine – under such circumstances as Mr. Hine details in his letter. It’s a little like forgetting which roof you fell off of after you had taken a trip to the hospital. In times of emotional crisis such as is described by Mr. Hine in his letter, such a detail as a false claim of service in Vietnam is impressed deeply in cranial matter.<br /><br />In any case, the claim is there. Mr. Hine will have to defend himself against a clear and unambiguous charge made by Mr. Blumenthal that he is lying – if that ever happens.<br /><br />I may also say that I interviewed Mr. Hine on the morning of June 7, before Mr. Gombossy's blog appeared. The claims he made in his letter seemed plausible to me, which is why I printed the letter. I knew Mr. Hine about a dozen years ago. Our paths had not crossed again until I received his letter the day before out interview. My latest impression of him is that he was the same honest, forthright and courageous Marine I knew a dozen years ago. He was not wearing a tin foiled hat at our most recent meeting. I think he showed great courage in coming forward.Don Pescihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11167988001948356357noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069955.post-53480650250102249342010-06-08T07:55:07.119-04:002010-06-08T07:55:07.119-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Don Pescihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11167988001948356357noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069955.post-31726128178223545892010-06-07T23:26:09.962-04:002010-06-07T23:26:09.962-04:00There's a few things about this letter that ju...There's a few things about this letter that just don't pass the sniff test, and I have a sneaking suspicion that there's more to this letter than meets the eye. <br /><br />Here's what immediately catches my eye...<br />1) It's a little interesting that Hines has "Chris Shays Syndrome." That is, he apparently "periodically" heard Dick lie about his record, knew Dick was lying, and said nothing.<br /><br />Since Hines had the balls to write this letter, it seems a bit suspect that he didn't even confront Dick personally.<br /><br />2) CT Watchdog reports: "When Blumenthal ran for attorney general the first time 20 years ago, Hine said he researched him and knew then that Blumenthal never left the states." How did he research this? Did he contact the Department of Defense? There was no internet during Desert Storm, at least not as we know it today. In other words, no Google News Search or Lexis Nexis. If you wanted to research news articles, you had to trudge down to the library and hit the old microfiche.<br /><br />3) Try and recall a conversation you had with someone twenty years ago, verbatim. It's difficult if not impossible. Particularly when, as seems to be the case with Mr. Hines, you had a lot of other crap on your plate at the time.Fuzzy Dunlopnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069955.post-83190072502992573652010-06-07T18:10:41.048-04:002010-06-07T18:10:41.048-04:00It should be mentioned that Mr. Hines is an assist...It should be mentioned that Mr. Hines is an assistant attorney general. This is not some random guy throwing out accusations.<br /><br />Absolutely pathetic that local media in CT wouldn't print his letter.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069955.post-91906744649423615052010-06-07T14:15:28.273-04:002010-06-07T14:15:28.273-04:00Thanks. I'm a red dot in Simsbury. But there...Thanks. I'm a red dot in Simsbury. But there are others.<br />Love the Sam Adams quote. Gonna post it.attilashrugshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07967678716845560326noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069955.post-1965955891418899542010-06-07T09:04:51.767-04:002010-06-07T09:04:51.767-04:00Ralph,
Three out of state and three in state. We&...Ralph,<br /><br />Three out of state and three in state. We'll hold up on that for awhile. I sent it out to a few resources. I have hopes that Connecticut's press is not yet brain dead. We'll see.Don Pescihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11167988001948356357noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069955.post-37314159570673071322010-06-07T08:57:52.452-04:002010-06-07T08:57:52.452-04:00Don, this is amazing but not surprising. Thanks f...Don, this is amazing but not surprising. Thanks for publishing it, at least on your blog. Which newspapers declined?Ralph Shermannoreply@blogger.com