By James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

Richard Blumenthal, the potential general election opponent against former WWE CEO Linda McMahon in the Connecticut Senate race, downplayed a New York Times report suggesting he misled the public on his Vietnam War service during a press conference this afternoon.

"On a few occasions I have misspoken about my service and I regret that, and I will take full responsibility," Blumenthal said. "But I will not allow anyone to take a few misplaced words and impugn my record of service to this country."

The N.Y. Times report came out with information that Blumenthal did not serve overseas during the Vietnam War as he had led people to believe. McMahon's campaign reportedly fed The Times with information drawing into question Blumenthal's character.

Rob Simmons, McMahon's Republican opponent in the Connecticut Senate race, also held a press conference today saying he was "deeply troubled by allegations" that Blumenthal "misrepresented his service." He then turned his attention to going after Linda McMahon.

"In reacting to this story, the Linda McMahon campaign said, and I quote, 'there are some deeply disturbing disconnects between the image he's sought to portray and reality. These are questions that will not and cannot be easily answered.' Sadly, the same exact thing could be said about Linda McMahon," said Simmons.

Simmons then listed each of the controversial issues surrounding McMahon's campaign stemming from McMahon's role as WWE CEO. Key portions of Simmons's speech directed at McMahon are as follows:

"Linda McMahon claims she has always put the health and wellness of her performers first, but in reality she has repeatedly cut corners to make millions at the expense of their health and even their lives all while misrepresenting the WWE's efforts or lack thereof."

"These are among the many, many disturbing 'disconnects' between what Linda McMahon says and the truth and she cannot continue to indefinitely evade accountability. Eventually, she will have to address her own set of questions that quote 'will not and cannot be easily answered,' as her campaign would say. ... Just as Blumenthal's unscrutinized record has now caused consternation for Democrats, so will McMahon's for Republicans."

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