Politics

‘That’s a lie’: Blumenthal and McMahon Attack Each Other Over Ads in First Sen. Debate

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — The two major-party candidates for the state’s open U.S. Senate seat took aim at each other’s recent TV ads in their first face-to-face debate on Monday, with Republican Linda McMahon saying her position on the minimum wage has been misconstrued and Democrat Richard Blumenthal saying the latest criticisms about his military record are nothing new.

The matchup, broadcast on live television, was feisty at times, with McMahon, a former wrestling company executive, accusing the longtime Democratic attorney general of being on the government payroll for all his adult life, not understanding what it takes to create jobs and misrepresenting her stance on minimum wage rate levels.

McMahon said Blumenthal’s latest ad makes it sound as though she supports cutting the current rate level — a question she was asked about by reporters last week but didn’t directly answer.

“That’s a lie. You know that’s a lie. I never said it,” McMahon said, calling on Blumenthal to pull the ad.

Following the debate, Blumenthal accused McMahon of playing “fast and lose with the facts,” reiterating how McMahon did not voice support for the current minimum wage rate during her exchange with reporters.

Blumenthal also accused McMahon and her company, World Wrestling Entertainment, of accepting $10 million in state tax credits while laying off 10 percent of its work force. He said it was another example of McMahon putting profits above people, a common refrain for his campaign.

McMahon acknowledged her company laid off workers in 2009 but said it has been growing.

“Layoffs are hard, they are really tough to do, but sometimes you have to make those tough decisions to move your company forward,” she said.

McMahon and Blumenthal are hoping to fill the seat now held by the retiring U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd.

Just hours before their debate, McMahon released a TV ad featuring clips of Blumenthal appearing to suggest he served in Vietnam rather than stateside as a member of the Marine Reserve. Shown a video of the ad, which features him saying he served “in” Vietnam when he actually served stateside with the Marine Reserve, Blumenthal said during the debate the accusation was old news.

“There is nothing new in this ad, and there is nothing new about the McMahon attack,” he said, adding how, on a few occasions out of hundreds, he described his military service inaccurately.

“I regret it. I take full responsibility for it,” he said. “It was not intentional.”

Blumenthal, who said he was sorry for his past misstatements, said he was owning up to his mistakes while McMahon has not owned up to hers.

Comments (53)

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  • The Good Source 101
    Posted on October 5, 2010 at 11:33am

    What’s new? Base your election on Honesty and Integrity but get elected on Lies and Mud Slinging !

    Report Post » The Good Source 101  
  • MrsHess
    Posted on October 5, 2010 at 11:23am

    If Blumenthal gets the job, we’ll have two wimpy Democrats in Connecticut. Lieberman votes with the Democratic agenda almost all the time. I can’t wait to vote Joe out in two years. Term limits, people!

    Report Post »  
  • Sledgehammer
    Posted on October 5, 2010 at 11:23am

    I’m from CT. neather of these two are not high on the charts, one is an A.G. and does not acknowledge the constraints of the states Constitution, think what he could do with the U.S. Constitution? One is the C.E.O. of a corperation, which issued controlled substance to it’s (actors?) There is a third cat (write in) I can’t even find his website. (did see one commercial) I’m so tired of holding my nose and crossing my fingers while voting!

    Report Post » Sledgehammer  
    • M31Sailor
      Posted on October 5, 2010 at 7:20pm

      sledge

      There is a clear choice. Between Sue em all Blumenthal, who lied about being a Vietnam Veteran, Many Times. Its on tape. and Linda who actually ran a business . Please let me know where you saw the proof of her giving roids or other drugs to these actors. Make your choice with conviction. Your and mine kids future depends on it.
      Sailor

      Report Post » M31Sailor  
  • Slevdog1
    Posted on October 5, 2010 at 11:21am

    A clothesline, a drop kick, and a belly flop from the top rope. That is what is needed to help Washington. If she can do that, great!

    Report Post »  
  • Stargazer64
    Posted on October 5, 2010 at 11:13am

    Richard Blumenthal has been a drag on the economy of Connecticut for years. He puts his name on any lawsuit that he thinks he can get publicity from without regard as to what it will mean to CT. He lies, excuse me misspeaks, constantly for his own political gain. He will be nothing more than a continuation of the corrupt Senator Dodd’s rubberstamp approval of any left-wing/Socialist program Obama wants.

    Report Post »  
  • Bill Van
    Posted on October 5, 2010 at 10:59am

    Anyone who falsifies their military record is beneath contempt. Mr Blumenthal is does not deserve to be dog catcher. (my apologies to the dogs). The only people lower than Mr Blumenthal are the political pundits who defend him and others like him. Listening Mr. Bob Beckel??

    Report Post »  
  • MrsHess
    Posted on October 5, 2010 at 10:49am

    Does Blumenthal have a palsy? His hands shook visibly the whole time, so much so that he had to ball his fists…

    Report Post »  
  • TruthisHealthy
    Posted on October 5, 2010 at 10:36am

    Connecticut gets what it deserves IF they elect the lying bastard Blementhal into office. I have no mercy for morons who continually vote liars and thieves into their treasonous offices.

    Report Post »  
  • Richpaw
    Posted on October 5, 2010 at 10:12am

    Great post JohnDoe, I needed that after reading the moronic name calling drivel of QWEEWQA. This in a nutshell (excuse the pun), describes current events. We have people on one side with positive uplifting ideas and then we have the name callers.

    Report Post » Richpaw  
  • bolivar
    Posted on October 5, 2010 at 10:12am

    Senah, you should not “pull the R lever”. You should analyze, research and DECIDE which candidate represents YOUR point of view best – if at all. In my case – Rhode Island, we have no real viable candidates for Senate – neither Seldom Righthouse or Jack Readnrite is up for election. This leaves a paltry group of ninnies for House and a couple of nincompoops for Governor. We have Dink Chaffee and some other assorted nuts. The entire state is tax and spend liberals and progressives. No wonder we have negative population growth here. Will the last person to leave RI turn off the lights and check on the Big Blue Bug?????

    Report Post »  
  • senah
    Posted on October 5, 2010 at 9:25am

    Who cares about the debates, just pull the lever on all the (R)’s and be done with this nonsense of “he said, she said”.

    Report Post »  
    • QweeQwa
      Posted on October 5, 2010 at 9:43am

      That speaks for itself. Just another confirmation that the Righties are the problem, not the solution.

      Report Post »  
    • Dolt
      Posted on October 6, 2010 at 2:30am

      I don’t see a lever on my voting booth.

      Report Post »  
  • Dan in P.A.
    Posted on October 5, 2010 at 9:24am

    What was the difference between the words used by some one who built a business and a politic,s words. experience of business words or spinning words ,I will take what built this country (business) every time as a leader

    Report Post »  
  • BeFrankl
    Posted on October 5, 2010 at 9:23am

    In life, when there are 2 people involved, there are usually at least 3 sides to every story. When politicians are involved, there are infinite sides to every story and the truth is always lost. Don’t listen or watch any political ads, Do your own homework before you vote. Remember when you hire someone for a job, one must look at character, attitude and ability. Base your judgement on past performance and not what someone tells you they will do once they get the job. Past performance is a good indicator for future performance.

    Report Post »  
  • scaanderson
    Posted on October 5, 2010 at 9:10am

    That old lie was old news that he didn’t want brought back up during the campaign, hoping some would forget. Too bad, Blumenthal, it has not been forgotten and it’s in your face at this time, thank you.

    Report Post » Sickofit  
  • JohnDoe
    Posted on October 5, 2010 at 9:01am

    Our great country was founded by and for the citizens of the thirteen colonies. It was designed to insure that a central government was controlled and limited by representatives of those citizens. It was given a limited amount of power, with many checks and balances, to secure the rights and freedoms for its citizens. They were making sure that an American Government would and could not become as Britian had. England enacted laws and taxes on their American subjects, but without allowing the colonies a say in their government. Ignoring the will of the people of America, they bullied and took away what limited rights they had and tried to force them to comply. Sound familiar? Yes, we don’t have to look far across the Atlantic at a despotic leader, we have only to look at the Oval Office in Washington, D. C. and to those whom we had entrusted the liberties of the people and the country. Our representatives, Senate and the House, are there to represent the will of the people. Instead, they have consistently lied to the constituents, both during campaigns and when in office. They have consistently rob the American people, not only of their money, but also by stealing their liberties, little by little. The incumbent office holders allow themselves to be above the law, they allow themselves to steal by back-room corrupt deals and the like. They ignore the very people who put them in office, they even resort to passing laws, under cover of darkness. They hide laws and corrupt deals in the midst of thousand of pages of laws. This has always been a trick of unethical lawyers. Their mindset is to bog down any opposition by inudating them with mountains of paperwork. Then, they laugh and call the people stupid and ignorant, or worse! No doubt, I could go on and on. Their lack of character, morals and ethics makes them unfit to be employed anywhere, let alone entrusted with the security, freedom, and economic growth of this great country. They have taken your freedom to worship, especially targeting Christianity. They have tried to rewrite the American history, to further their agendas, just like the Moslems continue to do with Israel.

    Soon after deciding what sort of Government America was to become, that very question was asked of Benjamin Franklin. In reply Franklin said, “A Republic….if we can keep it”. This is a question that should be upon the lips of all true American patriots. If we can’t or more correctly, if we won’t, then we don’t deserve it. The choice is up to us, the American people, and the answer should be and must be yes we will!

    You’re probably asking how do we insure that we will keep this nation a free Republic. Oh, we voted for only those who promised no more taxes, no more spending, etc., etc. Of course they all were proven to be liars again (or should I have said they were just not quite forthcoming or perhaps they were a little disingenuious?). Then we did the “best of the two evils” choice. This was no different than the “Magician’s Choice” trick! We now know that there is no difference between Republicans and the Democrats when it comes to which is telling the truth. Neither has the best interest of America at heart, probably not even in mind! Their goal is simply to acquire power, money, more power and more money while doing and saying anything to remain in office.

    So what is the answer? They don’t listen when the people, overwhelmingly, protest and tries to voice their opposition. So the American people need to get their UNDIVIDED attention. How? WE THE PEOPLE, must vote any and all incumbents out of office. It doesn’t matter if they are better than most. If they haven’t been part of the solution, then they are part of the problem. THEY MUST KNOW AND WE MUST LET THEM KNOW THAT GOVERNMENT WILL NO LONGER BE RUN BY ROUGUE LAWYERS AND OPPORTUNISTS, PROGRESSIVES (AKA SOCIALISTS), ETC. THEY ARE NOTHING MORE THAN MODERN-DAY CARPETBAGGERS OR WANNA-BE DICTATORS. THEY MUST BE EDUCATED TO THE FACT THAT THEY WILL BE VOTED OUT AGAIN AND AGAIN, UNTIL THEY LEARN THAT OUR REPRESENTATIVES ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO RUN THEIR OWN VERISON OF CRIME, INC.
    AND THOSE THAT ARE ELECTED TO OFFICE, BUT CONTINUE TO DO WHAT IS BEST FOR THEIR OWN BENEFIT WILL SOON LEARN THEY WILL HAVE ONLY ONE TERM IN OFFICE.

    We, the people, need to lobby our newly elected representatives to enact new laws to insure ALL our freedoms, our security, etc. Enact laws that ethical or criminal behavior of representatives will be prosecuted swiftly and severly, with no possibility of any pardon…not by a state Governor nor by a President! Enact laws or amendments to limit a President to one term only, ensuring that any damage to our country will not be as damaging as is obvious with this Government. Further limit the terms of our Representatives, both in the Senate and the House. Imperative to limit the term of all Supreme Court Justices to no more than an eight year term and make an amendment that the justices can no longer re-interpret the Constitution, but uphold the laws as it was written and intended by the original framers.

    So, the bottom line is this: unless the American people get the undivided attention of those in government…when you and your family members are homeless and hungry or at the very least jobless…remember, you have only yourselves to blame.

    THE ONLY WAY TO INSURE THAT YOUR FUTURE REPRESENTATIVES WILL LISTEN TO ITS CONSTITUENTS IS VOTE OUT ALL INCUMBENTS!!! FROM THAT POINT ON, EACH REPRESENTATIVE MUST KNOW WE WILL VOTE THEM OUT AGAIN AND AGAIN UNTIL WE HAVE RESPONSIBLE REPRESENTATIVES THAT UNDERSTAND THEY ARE THERE FOR THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE.

    Report Post »  
    • dizzyinthedark
      Posted on October 5, 2010 at 9:38am

      Thank you for common sense, bringing us back to what is important about ‘us’ and why we should be going to the polls! Seems we are caught up in ‘he said, she said, republican vs democrat, witches, tea parties, political saavy when it comes to responding to reporters in your face, etc. I have copied and pasted your words passing them on through a huge mass emailing to all my family and friends.

      Report Post » dizzyinthedark  
    • Doc_Slammin
      Posted on October 5, 2010 at 9:37pm

      While I agree with most of your statements, I have to argue term limits imposed on a national level could potentially be damaging for a state. If a state has good people in office it’s happy with, why make them lose good representation just to maintain a law? I‘m just sayin’.

      I have my top ten wish list of reforms here:

      http://theindependentrant.blogspot.com/2010/10/wishlist-of-legislative-bills.html

      Report Post » Doc_Slammin  
  • adifftake
    Posted on October 5, 2010 at 8:57am

    Democratic state, she’s toast. Wish it were otherwise.

    Report Post »  
  • PaleRyder
    Posted on October 5, 2010 at 8:50am

    The simple fact of the matter is,why the hell would anyone believe a single thing ANY democrat says??? They have done nothing but lie,cheat and deceive this nation and now,let’s watch the debates to see what they say???Does it really matter what they say??? I have to tell you,if they showed nothing but video of all reps. doing a goat,they are still getting my vote over any lying piece of leftist scum sucking human debris.

    Report Post » PaleRyder  
  • Silversmith
    Posted on October 5, 2010 at 8:32am

    Saw this last night. Even if you suspend your judgment on the content of what was said, the political double talk and disingenuous semantics used by Dick was so wide that I am quite sure someone like that is untrustworthy. Linda, while not being omniscient, is certainly truthful. People who are elected to the Senate are not going to be perfect, they cannot be liars.

    Silversmith

    Report Post » Silversmith  
  • QweeQwa
    Posted on October 5, 2010 at 8:21am

    McMahon.

    Dingbat Alert!

    Dingbat Alert!

    This Dingbat questions the minimum wage in her state but yet does not even know what the minimum wage is in her state.

    That my friends is a Dingbat at work.

    Report Post »  
    • IntheKnowOG
      Posted on October 5, 2010 at 8:33am

      Blumenthal

      Fascist Alert!

      As state AG he wanted to “sieze” (his word not mine) executive bonuses which were contractually promised. The man responsible for upholding contract law wanted to break it? That is far worse than someone who disagrees with an already too high minimum wage. Want more money? Get a better job. Oh, that’s right, there are none….thanks Obama.

      Report Post » IntheKnowOG  
    • April
      Posted on October 5, 2010 at 8:47am

      The actual question by the reporter to Linda McMahon was about “increasing” the minimum wage and if she would change it. Gee, Oddly enough “Deferral Dick’s” ad against her, didn’t show the reporters question nor the whole clip of the conversation. Funny that.

      But you sure didn’t do your research to find out if the ad was true or false. It is true liberals believe everything their talking piece party label says, sad indeed. Dingbat Alert!! Dingbat Alert!! Get your facts and don’t vote until you have them all, k thanks.

      Report Post » April  
    • oneforthemoney
      Posted on October 5, 2010 at 8:48am

      Can you prove this?

      Report Post » oneforthemoney  
    • QweeQwa
      Posted on October 5, 2010 at 8:50am

      Are you refering to AIG?

      The insurance company that received a massive bailout under the Bush ( yes it was Bush not Obama) TARP scheme and then turned around and gave bonuses to the tune of 165 MILLION to their executives and over 100 Grand for duck hunting vacations.

      Wow. It is hard to believe (actually it is not considering what site I am on, you Righties take the cake) that anybody would defend these crooks.

      Report Post »  
    • QweeQwa
      Posted on October 5, 2010 at 9:17am

      @April

      Rationalize the Dingbats statement all you want but you have missed the point.

      If you decide to run for elective office and for some reason want to make minimum wage an issue, take ONE MINUTE of time to find out exactly what the minimum wage is in your state.

      Is that so hard to do?

      One would think that an employer is said state would be aware of that but she is not.

      That does indeed make her a Dingbat!

       
    • QweeQwa
      Posted on October 5, 2010 at 9:30am

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXvAjnWrsgw

      The Righties once again are going after the working class and working poor.

      Why?

      Why does the Right view working people with such utter contempt?

      Minimum wage has a very moral premise behind it and that is; if a Man or Woman puts in 40 hours of a work a week they should not be living in poverty! But once again the Righties have a problem with that.

      Report Post »  
    • Mannax
      Posted on October 5, 2010 at 11:04am

      People are not meant to live on minimum wage. They higher they raise minimum wage the higher businesses have to pay their workers and they just pass the cost along to the customers (the same minimum wage workers usually). Bad cycle. Raising the minimum wage doesn’t help.

      Report Post »  
    • joetrain
      Posted on October 5, 2010 at 12:52pm

      Us “righties” have a problem with minimum wage for the same reasons that we have a problem with welfare based on skin color or gender. We resent the fact that a government places an artificial price on what a person is worth (or what they can EARN for that matter) beacuse of some bureaucrats idea of social justice. I would like to determine my own minimun or maximum wage, I would like a market that allows for that kind of FREEDOM, and I would like commies and socialists to make a sane argument about something for once, instead of referring to any female who disagrees with them as a “dingbat.” Sexism, ageism, racism, and hatred belong to the LEFT, not the right.

      Report Post »  
  • G man
    Posted on October 5, 2010 at 8:20am

    Time has come.

    Report Post » G man  
  • Awakenow
    Posted on October 5, 2010 at 7:56am

    Lies are lies, you have to have a certain comfort level telling lies in public and when you reach that threshold can anyone ever trust you? I think not, it’s about your contemt for us and the soldiers you have shamed.Don’t be a Dick, get out!

    Report Post » Awakenow  
  • RobR
    Posted on October 5, 2010 at 7:29am

    The bottom line is that McMahon spent her career running one of the most successful companies in this country. Bloomenthal is best known for running his mouth. Pretty easy decision, all things considered, if you ask me………..even if you don’t ask me.

    My theory is Bloomenthal the liar only stayed so intimately involved with veterans because, after he lied once to get elected, he was afraid of the negative affect walking away would have on his continued political ambitions.

    Come on. Even he admits he’s a DICK.

    Report Post » Barack Must Go  
  • starman70
    Posted on October 5, 2010 at 7:28am

    Go get e’m LINDA!

    Report Post »  
  • Major League Infedel
    Posted on October 5, 2010 at 7:20am

    she should have asked him when does you mouth stop spewing lies, and when does your brain stop making them up. That would have been better than calling him a liar. It would have tied the two lies together, and disarmed his apology.

    Report Post » Major League Infedel  
  • Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
    Posted on October 5, 2010 at 7:08am

    Wait until McMahon gets Blumenthal in the figure four leg lock. It will all be over.

    Report Post » Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve  
    • printdesignchicago.com
      Posted on October 5, 2010 at 7:23am

      hhahahahaaa!

      Report Post » printdesignchicago.com  
    • ClassicalLiberal
      Posted on October 5, 2010 at 12:19pm

      Rothbard for the WIN!!!

      Nice to see other fellow minded fans.

      Report Post » ClassicalLiberal  
    • Trance
      Posted on October 5, 2010 at 2:25pm

      I’d love to see those two modern day warriors put on their bright colored body-spandex and go at in that squared circle of honor. My money’s on McMahon.

      Report Post » Trance  
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