The career of Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal appears to be on the verge of a spectacular immolation:

“We have learned something important since the days that I served in Vietnam,” Mr. Blumenthal said to the group gathered in Norwalk in March 2008. “And you exemplify it. Whatever we think about the war, whatever we call it — Afghanistan or Iraq — we owe our military men and women unconditional support.”
There was one problem: Mr. Blumenthal, a Democrat now running for the United States Senate, never served in Vietnam. He obtained at least five military deferments from 1965 to 1970 and took repeated steps that enabled him to avoid going to war, according to records.

Rob Simmons, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, made the following statement today in reaction to tonight’s New York Times report on Richard Blumenthal’s service record: “As someone who served, I respect Richard Blumenthal for wearing the uniform, but I am deeply troubled by allegations that he has misrepresented his service. Too many have sacrificed too much to have their valor stolen in this way. I hope Mr. Blumenthal steps forward and forthrightly addresses the questions that have arisen about this matter.”

Brian Walsh, NRSC Communications Director, just offered this statement: “Mr. Blumenthal owes the people of Connecticut, and particularly its veterans, a thorough explanation for the very serious questions that have been raised over what appears to be a long history of dishonest statements. If you can’t trust him to tell the truth about whether or not he served in Vietnam, you have wonder what exactly can you trust about Richard Blumenthal.”