Blumenthal to Tom Brokaw … We Have “Failed To Keep Faith” With Our Veterans

From RCP, some might consider this, irony? The man who himself, failed to keep faith with veterans, repeatedly, is now lecturing the nation on honesty? My take below the fold but I must tell you I have mixed emotions on this. Tell me where I am wrong.

There actually is a double irony here. Brokaw is talking to Blumy about “jobs”. Stop laughing please. The conversation took place on MSNBC on the Morning Joe.

I only have this short clip so I don’t know if Brokaw challenged him. If he didn’t he should have, given Blumy’s history. But … and this is where I will likely get whacked by “youse guys” … Blumenthal is right. Our soldiers, to America’s credit, return as heroes. And as long as they are in uniform, they get thank yous and pats on the back. But don’t we indeed offer our men and women of the armed forces consideration when they return?

That, I believe, must take place in the private sector, but in the public sector as well. We do indeed pay, at least in part, for college either before or after service. But the stories of problems in the VA Health system are legion. Not because of the Docs and Nurses, but because of bureaucracy. Take a moment to listen to the whole thing, and try to stifle the chuckles and concentrate on the message.

Unlike the Senator with me, I have always been honest about him. He was always at homecomings for all of Connecticut’s soldiers and I truly believe he cares. So if we have a veterans advocate in the Senate, shouldn’t that be encouraged?

Just so you know, yes, I did chuckle at the irony.

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Jim Vicevich

Jim is a veteran broadcaster and conservative/libertarian blogger with more than 25 years experience in TV and radio. Jim's was the long-term host of The Jim Vicevich Show on WTIC 1080 in Hartford from 2004 through 2019. Prior to radio, Jim worked as a business and financial reporter for NBC30 - the NBC owned TV station in Hartford - and as business editor at WFSB-TV in Hartford for 14 years while earning six Emmy nominations and three Telly Awards.

9 Comments

  1. SeeingRed on January 28, 2011 at 3:36 am

    1.  Did Blumy begin feeling this way before or after he got home from Vietnam? and ;

    2.  To talk about jobs you have to know how one is created…how is a job created, Senator?



  2. JollyRoger on January 28, 2011 at 5:24 am

    If Blumy respected veterans, he'd have been more modest about his own service; he should be investigated under the stolen valor act.

    "The louder he talked of his honor, the faster we counted our spoons."  RW Emerson



  3. Plainvillian on January 28, 2011 at 5:31 am

    Consider the following:  It's MSNBC = More S**T National Barack Channel – It's Brokaw, who said after the election that he didn't know who Barack Obama was – It's Blumenthal, a darling of the far left for his bashing of business as AG and who needs rehab relative veterans relations – As a lefty fawning elitist, Brokaw probably has no clue about job creation other than public sector jobs, so to him Blumenthal seems informed.



  4. sammy22 on January 28, 2011 at 5:33 am

    I will take an advocate in the US Senate for the Veterans any day. I think the glass is half full, not half empty.



  5. joe_m on January 29, 2011 at 2:19 am

    Just more platitudes from Blumy. Promise what we want to hear and them do nothing meaningful.

    When any politician actually leads by example, without photo ops moments, then I'll give them a chance.

    Only thing that counts are results, and so far, Blumy's record of respect for veterans and doing all possible to help them speaks for itself.

    Guess he knows as much about what to do to help veterans as he does about job creation – not one d*mn thing.



  6. Dimsdale on January 31, 2011 at 9:19 am

    The glass may be half full, but the politician is half a$$ed.  😉

     

    Is the presumption that McMahon would not have been as good as, or better, an advocate?  She spent as much time in Vietnam as he did!



  7. Lynn on February 1, 2011 at 3:12 am

    I am with you Jim. I think Blumenthal learned a lesson. It was probably the first time he ever faced derision. Guilt can be a very powerful motivator. There are no nobler citizens than our protectors. I will applaud anyone who helps the Vets. Would Linda have done better than he as a Senator? Of course, but some of us did everything we could for her and we lost. Time to put the responsibility on the shoulders of the winner.



  8. Pooch1 on February 1, 2011 at 7:27 am

    Of course he was late for work the other day, and was "scolded" by SEN Reade



  9. socialenemy on February 2, 2011 at 4:40 am

    I'm going to do something I have never in my life done. Say two positive things about Blumy.

    First, if he means it, good for him, I'm happy there is finally someone in washington looking out for our veterans who are very much forgotten about after their service.

    Second, I know a few people were taking wacks at him yesterday (John Roland) for putting forward his first bill which would stop congress from getting a raise and I'm kinda upset about that. The guy went to washington and the first thing he does is try to stop THEM from taking MORE of OUR money and the right wants to jump on him because he's rich? What happened to defending Linda's money and how she got it? What happened to not caring if she was rich or not? Would Linda have put forward this bill? Has any Republican put forward this bill? Now, I supported Linda, I voted "R" down the line but come on, atleast the man is standing up for something we can all agree on, they do not need any more of our money.



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