Richard Blumenthal: Reflections on Yellow Elephants [Democrats as well as Republicans]

The media is swarming with commentary, observations and interpretations of Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal [D], now running for Senate, who, on numerous occasions, falsely claimed in public to have served in Vietnam. [He served in the Marine Corps Reserve, exclusively in the U.S., during the Vietnam era and was honorably discharged as a Sergeant.] Since he's too old to serve now, our topic does not concern him, except as follows:

Our Message to the Yellow Elephants:

This applies to politically ambitious young men [especially if single and childless] with Democratic or Republican political ambitions: Don't become Richard Blumenthal. Be A Man! Enlist!

If you are in your twenties or early thirties, you're still young enough to serve in our military, including as an officer. [The "maximum age" to enlist in the Army Reserve without prior service is still 41-or-under, and age waivers remain available, but only based on service need.]

You are at a stage of life where you can take a chance, try something different, and be a part of something greater than yourself.

Think a few years down the road, when you're seeking public office or even running for Congress: Did you Man Up? Did you at least try to, by contacting a recruiter? Did you seek to give of yourself first, before asking people to do the same for you?

In the end, and looking back, if our military did not want you, at least you gave them the opportunity, and let them decide. You can move on with your life, hold your head high, and be proud of your future accomplishments, whatever they may be. There are many ways to serve our country, including in war zones, even if you can't wear the uniform yourself.

And if you are accepted by our military, it will change your life, and you will be proud that you served. And nobody can call you Daddy's Girl or Mommy's Girl, because you did it yourself.

Be A Man! Enlist!

Down goes Hastert

It's a great day for everyone that has made a life for themselves without having to rely on their parents.

State Sen. Randy Hultgren became the Republicans' choice Tuesday night to face Rep. Bill Foster in the 14th Congressional District this fall.

Hultgren won the GOP primary race over attorney Ethan Hastert, son of former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert. The younger Hastert called to congratulate Hultgren around 9:45 p.m. Tuesday, before giving a concession speech at the Hotel Baker in St. Charles.

So long, Ethan. The people have said by a 10 point margin that you won't be needed. Now go back to chasing ambulances and we hope your father blows every penny of your expected inheritance.

With regrets of ever knowing about you,

Operation Yellow Elephant

Tomorrow is a big day for Daddy's Girl

Ethan Hastert, the worthless trash pile who'd be selling shoes if it wasn't for his father, will be hoping to win the Republican primary in the IL-14 tomorrow. For selfish reasons we should probably hope he wins so that OYE may document his future acts of douchbaggery, but we're finding that hard to do because of his past acts of douchbaggery.

And here's another puke-worthy Ethan article titled 'Ethan Hastert rakes in cash from dad's friends'.

Daddy's Girl

Really, the 14th District in IL can do better than Ethan Hastert.

"Dennis Hastert is the very kind of Republican that voters resoundingly rejected in 2006. I don't believe Ethan will be able to get past that, regardless of how far 'right' he runs in the primary. Voters are tired of actors. They want real leadership," Purcell said. "It is extremely important that Republicans take back the 14th Congressional District from Bill Foster and Nancy Pelosi. But the only way this will happen is if Republicans nominate a conservative candidate not plugged into the 'establishment' that is responsible for losing our majority in Congress."

How pathetic is one's campaign when they have to roll in a 1990's era chickenhawk icon?

Former Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) will headline a fundraiser Dec. 11 for Illinois congressional candidate Ethan Hastert.

Hastert, an attorney, is running for the seat of his former House Speaker father, Dennis (R). He faces primary opposition from state Sen. Randy Hultgren, among others, but he has secured much of the establishment's support.

Here it is folks. This is how power is passed from one generation to the next without having to earn the respect of the constituents. Ethan's only service to our country was as a Bush staffer. Not very impressive considering he wouldn't have been able to get his dick in the door without the help of his old man.

Holy Crap!

Ethan Hastert (aka Daddy's Girl) hauled in some loot.

Ethan Hastert raised a strong $225,000 for his race against Rep. Bill Foster (D-Ill.).

Must be nice to have been born into a well-connected family. I bet his father still puts up a Baby on Board sign when Ethan gets in the family car.

No "Dear John" Letter for this guy

Even a cardboard cutout is more man than Ethan Hastert or Anthony Mantova.

Staff Sgt. Patrick Thomas' girlfriend is cheating on him, well, with him.

A cardboard version of the war vet stationed in Iraq, that is.

Anne Schollard, who lives in Jacksonville, carries her new cardboard man everywhere she goes - the beach, movies or on a plane. As you can expect, she gets all kinds of crazy looks from people who think she has truly lost it.

OYE Comment: Staff Sgt. Thomas is a VERY lucky dude.

If this gig doesn't work out daddy will find something for Ethan

(Eatin' Hastert? Check out the belly hanging over the belt.)

Evidently the people in Illinois' 14th Congressional District are not impressed with Ethan Hastert. It's nice to know nepotism will get someone only so far.


From the Daily Herald comment section:

Cant this guy find a real job and not get dragged on daddys coat tails. Republicans in this district need to find qualified candidates and forget about some family dynasty for the Hasterts. Other than his last name I cant see why anyone thinks he is in the running.

Cant daddy find him a nice lobbying job like the overpaid lobbyist in DuPage county?

Most of the 70+ comments within the Daily Chronicle article featuring Ethan aren't too kind, either.

We should vote the new generation in? How about someone w/out family ties first.

Not a good start, Ethan. Perhaps had he carved his own path, doing something his old man never did, like enlisting, Ethan would have the credibility to ask the constituents for their votes.

Damn! We're a little late on this one

Serial baby-kisser Ethan Hastert had a "town hall meeting" this week in the district of Illinois he's running in. We'd have loved to dispatched someone to ask him about serving Our Country in uniform.

Regardless, his lack of service hasn't gone unnoticed.

"Given that Ethan Hastert has no record of public or community service in the district, he has a lot of catching up to do if he wants to gain the trust of the people and build an understanding of the priorities of folks in the district," Adler said.

Where was Ethan?

Here's Ethan Hastert, the former President Bush staffer now running for Congress, shaking hands and kissing babies in the rain.

OYE has been looking through Ethan's campaign page and Facebook profile to find out his stance on the ongoing wars and what he did to help out his similarly aged peers in uniform. Predictably we came up with nothing. And we mean nothing. The only mention of The Military was tied to immigration.

So where was Ethan? A former congressman's son too good to serve?

This is where the fun begins. The Yellow Elephants we've highlighted over the years are now starting to run for office. It's time to question their true commitment to Our Country.

Former Bush Staffer Running on Dad's Name

Meet Ethan Hastert, the self described "next generation of leadership", who's running for Congress in the state of Illinois. Not that we'd ever insinuate a bit of nepotism, but he happens to be the son of former Republican Speaker of the House, Denny Hastert. Just a coincidence, really.

The silver spoon lawyer absorbed a lot while a staffer under former VP Dick Cheney and it helped him find his calling: "confirmed that there are really qualified, dedicated, intelligent, and on balance, anything that lets you take a way something positive is going to be better than the absence of the experience."

Wonder what the well-connected staffer was doing during the Iraq war? Every way we searched we could not find evidence of Ethan having served in uniform. Oh well, we guess combat isn't for really important young guys.