Democratic Senate candidate Richard Blumenthal has conceded he has “misspoken” in claiming he served in Vietnam but defended his military record and his commitment to veterans, The Associated Press reports.
At a news conference backed by veterans, the popular Connecticut attorney general said he meant to say he served “during Vietnam” instead of “in Vietnam.” He called it a matter of “a few misplaced words” that were “totally unintentional.”
Blumenthal was the front-runner to succeed the retiring Sen. Chris Dodd. The New York Times reported Monday that he had distorted his military service. Blumenthal served in the Marine Reserve and did not serve overseas.
Blumenthal’s opponent in Linda McMahon, wife of World Wrestling Entertainment’s Chairman of the Board Vince McMahon, is the former CEO of WWE. Linda McMahon is running on a platform of fiscal conservatism.
