POWIP Piece of Work In Progress – Former Abode of Dan Collins

Q: Why Did You Lie About Serving in Vietnam?

A: Don't question my patriotism!

Some in the media, trying to explain Blumenthal's lie, resort to mumbo jumbo about "generational guilt." (Ellis tried that ludicrously self-important tack too, explaining his concocted service as a form of anguish for having let others die in his place.) Generational guilt? Try generational egotism. Blumenthal is just another creepy narcissist in American politics who couldn't bear attending military service ceremonies without bragging about his own "service."

A liberal generation that "loathed" the military (as Bill Clinton put it in his draft-dodging letter) now loves it and doesn't want to be cut out of the glory. For Blumenthal to have spelled out the nature of his service specifically would have left his ego ungratified and his audiences less than impressed. Even in his non-apology apology on Tuesday, he couldn't resist more pointless bragging, patting himself on the back for having looked up the Marine Corps Reserve all by himself "in a phone book" and having left for training "at midnight."

Blumenthal took "full responsibility" for his lie while in reality taking none. Besides, who takes "full responsibility" for (what he calls) an innocent misstatement? Why would you need to? So even in that tiresomely shabby and grandiose formulation he gives himself away. He says that he didn't correct multiple news stories that said he served in Vietnam because he never saw the stories -- one more deception to add into the mix since he is the one who launched this misinformation through his vague and dishonest references to his "service."

Dan Collins

Dan Collins is a dude who blogs. He used to blog elsewhere. Now he blogs here.

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