Health Care

Steve King: Let's Kill The Government If Obama Won't Kill Health Care Reform

Brian Beutler and Evan McMorris-Santoro | February 11, 2011, 8:00AM

Rep. Steve King (R-IA)

Here's how the Republicans' power over the purse could lead to an insoluble fight over spending, and, potentially, a government shutdown.

In a presentation at CPAC on Thursday, Rep. Steve King (R-IA) called on Republicans to hold the government hostage until President Obama abandons his dream of reforming the nation's health care system.

Or to put it in King's words: Republicans should do to "ObamaCare" what Democrats did to the Vietnam War.

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CT-SEN

McMahon Goes There At Debate: Maybe Blumenthal 'Misspoke' -- Like He Did About Vietnam

Eric Kleefeld | October 7, 2010, 3:00PM

Connecticut candidates for U.S. Senate Richard Blumenthal (D) and Linda McMahon (R)

Linda McMahon and Richard Blumenthal met earlier this morning for a debate in the Connecticut Senate race -- and didn't pull their punches.

As the New York Times reports, the Republican went on the offensive, claiming that the Democrat Blumenthal made false claims about her company.

"Maybe you just misspoke again, like the time when you talked about how you had served in Vietnam," Ms. McMahon said dryly, referring to the attorney general's explanation earlier this year that he had "misspoken" when he said on several occasions that he served in the Vietnam War, though he did not.

Mr. Blumenthal, who was in the Marine Reserves during the war and never left the country, gave her an icy stare before turning back to the audience at the packed banquet ball, and told them that he had inadvertently "mischaracterized" his military service on only a few instances.

"I regret it," he said. "It was unintentional."

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CT-SEN

McMahon Ad: 'Would You Lie About Serving' In Vietnam? (VIDEO)

Brian Beutler | October 4, 2010, 12:14PM

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate

It was only a matter of time before this happened, but the final product is brutal: Linda McMahon is out with a new ad attacking Democratic Senate hopeful Richard Blumenthal for falsely claiming to have served "in" (as opposed to "during") the Vietnam war.

[TPM SLIDESHOW: Bringing The Smackdown: Linda McMahon's Campaign For Senate, And Her Colorful Pro-Wrestling Past]

The ad splices audio and video footage of Blumenthal misrepresenting his military service with a dark-toned narrator asking: "Would you lie about serving in a war? Dick Blumenthal did again and again. He covered one lie with another. He lied about Vietnam. What else is he lying about?"

Blumenthal weathered his Vietnam scandal in Connecticut when it first broke this past spring, but that was before voters really began paying attention to the election. And in the month since then, McMahon has closed what was once an enormous gap in the polls.

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AL-GOV

Did A GOP Candidate In AL-GOV Race Misrepresent His Vietnam Record? (VIDEO)

Eric Lach | June 25, 2010, 2:42PM

AL-GOV candidate Robert Bentley (R)

Add another politician to the list of those coming under scrutiny for potentially misrepresenting their military service on the campaign trail this year. Now Republican candidate for governor in Alabama Robert Bentley is facing questions about an ad that references his work as a medical officer during the Vietnam War.

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CT-SEN

Cornyn: Blumenthal's Vietnam Issue Is 'Quite A Blow To His Candidacy'

Ben Frumin | May 18, 2010, 12:43PM

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tx)

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) told reporters earlier today that allegations that Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal (D) misrepresented his Vietnam record is "quite a blow" to his Senate candidacy and may help Republicans pick up the seat.

Blumenthal is running to replace retiring Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT).

"It sounds like quite a blow to his candidacy," Cornyn said. "Obviously he enjoys--has enjoyed--high approval ratings. He's relatively unknown in the political process. I would say, having been an attorney general myself, it is a transition to go from AG to a run for the United States Senate. But I'm anxious to hear what his explanation is because I heard him on YouTube and of course broadcast on television, claiming to have served in Vietnam, and if that proves not to he true, then I think he's got quite an apology to make."

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