Connecticut Commentary: Red Notes from a Blue State

The U.S. Chamber Of Commerce has released a political ad that will not please those in the U.S. Senate campaign of Richard Blumenthal who no doubt have by now instructed the job killing attorney general how jobs are produced. It is not the friendliest of ads. A black and white ad is almost always a portent of impending disaster. This one begins with a distressed lady sitting at a table, possibly filing out a job application for a position that may not be available. Written on the floor in red letters are the words “Rising Unemployment,” followed by a voice over, “Rising unemployment means families are suffering. And after 40 years in politics, can Richard Blumenthal handle the truth about his record.” Up pops a black and white picture of young Richard stranding before the White House, followed by a split picture showing Mr. Blumenthal sharing a frame with former Attorney General of New York Elliot Spitzer. Voiceover: “He’s been crushing small businesses for years with thousands ...

It is sometimes said – humorously, of course – that prostitution is the world’s second oldest profession, the first being politics. True or not, we do know that politicians make political hay of prostitution. It appears that former Attorney General of New York Elliot Spitzer was en exception to this rule, and it was not until late in his sterling career we understood why: Spitzer was indulging on the side. His pastime cost him his job; it almost cost him his wife . One does not condemn one’s own indulgences and escape being tagged a hypocrite, particularly if one is a demagogic attorney general. If you live in a glass bordello, it’s best not to throw stones. Attorney General of Connecticut Richard Blumenthal has other hobbies; a best guess might be canasta. We know Blumenthal does not shy from condemning prostitution because several months ago he took off after craigslist, a California based company, with a pitchfork. This suggests that, unlike Spitzer, Connecticut’s attorney general...