They were neighbors in Greenwich,   colleagues at the State Capitol in the early 1990s, and both went to Yale.   A year ago,  they both endorsed embattled Senator Chris Dodd for re-election.     When Dodd dropped out, Lowell Weicker even called Dick Blumenthal to wish him well.   It looked like the always unpredictable and opinionated Weicker would once again spurn his former Republican party and endorse another Democrat:  the long time Attorney General.    

 Then May came along, and serious questions arose about Blumenthal’s military record and how he had characterized it.    Some say Blumenthal lied.   He says he misspoke.   However, Army veteran Weicker says Blumenthal intentionally embellished his record, and because of that he says there is no way he can support, endorse or vote for Dick Blumenthal.   

 In an interview set for this Sunday’s “Face the State” the former senator and governor told me Blumenthal’s statements about his military service are dishonorable and suggest he does not have the right stuff to be a U.S. senator, which Weicker says is a great honor.

 LW:  ” I think anyone who dissembles  their military service dishonors those who served and those who died in service of the United States and does not commend them to be a United States senator.  You can use any terms you want to use and Attorney General Blumenthal does.   I misspoke or a mistake or whatever it makes no difference .  That mispeaking or mistake was done quite a few things clearly to embellish his military record and if he is going to dissemble or fabricate over a matter like that , what trust will you have in that individual as a United States Senator?”

 Ruling out Blumenthal  doesn’t necessarily mean Weicker will support Linda McMahon, although it sounds as if he could,   if the former WWE CEO can show she is a different kind of Republican, and not completely in step with the GOP.  

Weicker served with McMahon on the WWE board and said he likes her “enormously. ”   and told me her business experience would make her a good senator.     He also thinks voters should not be bothered by WWE programming, calling it “PG entertainment,”    admitting old WWE programming from years ago was much different.    

DH – “when her critics say you should not vote for her because of this programming do you think- LW:  i think it nonsense it is nonsense there may be reasons not vote for her you may not like her stance on health care that is fair enough but not her association with WWE”

Hear from Weicker himself tonight on Eyewitness News at 5:30.   He also talked about the governor’s race, and Governors Rell and Rowland.  You can watch the entire interview with  Lowell Weicker this Sunday morning on Face the State at 11AM.