Did you know that 60 percent of people lie at least once during a 10 minute conversation? And that during that conversation they tell an average of two to three lies, especially when they are trying to appear likable and competent?
Therein lies the problem for Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut’s Attorney General running for Sen. Chris Dodd’s seat – the latest candidate to be exposed for exaggerating his service to this country. Blumenthal was “swift boated” by the news staff of The New York Times, no less, who in a rare moment of unbiased reporting, turned on one of “their own.”
There are a few things that the American public has repeatedly shown a very bad taste for when it comes to candidates and elected officials. Lying is one of them. Does the phrase “I did not have sexual relations with that woman” or “I have a wide stance” ring a bell? It hits home even harder when a candidate misrepresents perhaps the most honorable and brave act a person can take on – service to our country in the armed forces. Remember those pesky swift boat ads that likely cost that little presidential election?
Politicians who have served in the military should expect questions about their record of service. And what these questions, and more importantly, the answers, have shown us time and again is the need for honesty. As a graduate of The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, I can certainly shine my shoes with the best of them, and am thankful for the valuable leadership skills and discipline I learned there, but that does not make me a combat veteran – not even close.
Blumenthal’s remarks regarding his record range from the exaggerated to the plain untrue, and show total disrespect for his own record of service in the military and non-combat troops everywhere. Especially during times of war, Americans are ever proud of those serving our country and risking their lives to protect our freedoms and candidates must respect this patriotism. Blumenthal’s hasty press conference in response to these revelations, using veterans who have served this country as props, showed an even greater disrespect. Further, it shows Mr. Blumenthal, like many other candidates, is more concerned with his image as opposed to the truth.
Will this misstep cost Blumenthal the election? Only time will tell, but with a 13-point lead, that’s a big jump for his competitors to make. And, serving this country, no matter the capacity or the circumstances, is an honorable undertaking. It’s just unfortunate that his embellishments and untruths have now clouded his actual service. Politicians need to remind themselves of that when talking about their record of service (or lack thereof) on the campaign trail. Opposition researchers get paid for a reason – to find out the real story, especially on a hot button topic like military service. And the truth will come out. So, when it comes to their record of service, honesty really is the best policy.
Taylor Gross is a founding partner of The Herald Group (www.theheraldgroup.com), a full service public affairs firm based in Washington, DC. Prior to co-founding The Herald Group, Taylor served as a White House spokesman in the Bush Administration from 2000 – 2005 and is a graduate of The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina.