Mr. Malloy thinks his Republican opponent is not being accurate with budget numbers of specific in how he would solve the looming problem.  The Democrat says the former ambassador claimed at a University of Connecticut forum today that he could cut $2 billion for the state budget without raising taxes.  That leaves $1.4 billion, under Mr. Foley’s estimate of the deficit, and Foley ignores that.  Fair enough.  These numbers are a moving target and the former Stamford mayor is right to check his opponent’s math.

Mr. Malloy, however, is not so free with the numbers himself.  He is candid in recognizing the scope of the problem.  His website, however, is shy on attaching numbers to solutions.  He promises “an honest discussion of where we stand and what steps my administration will take each and every day to move Connecticut back toward prosperity.”

We’d like that discussion now, not in January.  Mr. Malloy and Mr. Foley have agreed to 8 debates.  At an early one, the hosts should give each candidate a white board and a marker.  The only task will be to show us how you get to $3.5 billion.

State Senator Sam Caligiuri, of Waterbury, the Republican candidate for Congress in Connecticut’s 5th congressional district, has a poll of his own for public consumption.  Conducted by the Republican firm National Research, Inc., the survey says Caligiuri is in a dead heat with 2-term Democratic incumbent Chris Murphy.  Mr. Caligiuri’s poll of 400 likely voters, conducted on August 30th and 31st, has Murphy ahead 40% to 39%.  Voters in the district that runs from the western suburbs of Hartford to the New York border must be disoriented, not simply angry, if they are close to electing the oily  Mr. Caligiuri to Congress.

Mr. Murphy needs to win this one if he’s to realize his ambition of running for the United States Senate in 2012 against Independent incumbent Joseph Lieberman, who’s suggested that he’ll seek a fifth term in two years.

The brochure includes the obligatory reference to Vietnam, continuing the theme that the popular 5-term attorney general may not be the man voters think he is.

You can see a pdf of it here: McMahon Mailer-Curtain.

Popular American reporter Ernie Pyle describes what he saw.  Rare color film was recently discovered and was released today to mark the 70th anniversary.

Silver predicts Democrat Dannel Malloy defeating Republican Tom Foley by 6 points, 51-45. This comes close to what we are hearing some private polls are showing. This will come as encouraging news for Republicans who have been concerned that the Foley campaign has stalled since his narrow August 10th primary victory.

Mr. Blumenthal sent this message to supporters and others today:

Today my campaign announced an exciting piece of news. President Obama will be joining me in Stamford on September 16th for an early evening fundraising reception. I hope you will come out for what is sure to be a fantastic event as we head into the home stretch of the campaign.

Attached please find an invitation with all the pertinent details, or you can get more information at: http://www.actblue.com/page/Sep16. If you are interested in attending or have questions, you can also contact my Finance Director, Joe Kelley, at 203.359.4001 or Joe@RichardBlumenthal.com.

Thank you again for your support. We could never have gotten this far without you.

Dick

Attorneys Pattis and Minnella are feeling aggrieved by the investigation, which has included federal agents meeting with former–and perhaps current–clients of Minnella.  The column is a Valentine to Minnella’s legal career and minimizes the Minnella-Connelly friendship. The column confirms that investigators are bringing to bear their considerable resources.  Pattis pooh-poohs their efforts, saying his instincts tell him they will be fruitless.

The column is probably not a way to get Minnella out of the line of fire.  These sorts of broadsides usually cause investigators to employ more intense measures.  Pattis’ claim that he’ll see to it the investigation fails to nab his client sounds like a dare.  A risky declaration to issue, as is the assertion that “there is a good reason to believe the feds are playing footsie with a former associate fired for taking liberty with firm funds and having potential tax issues all his own.”  That appears several sentences after Pattis accuses the feds of trafficking in veiled threats and salacious rumors.

A saga is taking on the well-worn path from Waterbury to the federal courthouse in New Haven. Substantial developments are imminent.  United States Attorney David Fine knows that opportunities like this do not often occur.  He’ll keep the bloodhounds on the trail as the stench scent grows stronger.

The brochure, which declares on the front, “Honor Demands Truth” and identifies itself as “An Important Message From Veterans For McMahon” can be seen in full in this pdf: McMahon Vets Attack Blumenthal.  The piece includes a message to Mr. Blumenthal from 46 veterans.  The tone is aggressive regret.  It includes the explosive phrase sentence, “You’ve lied.”  The veterans accuse the 5-term attorney general and Marine Reserves veteran of being “dishonest” and “dishonorable.”

The piece also continues the theme of the McMahon campaign that “Dick Blumenthal Is Not Who We Thought He Was.”  We’ll find out how much of a fighter he is when we see his response to this barrage, which will no doubt be accompanied by television commercials.  Mr. Blumenthal needs to come out of his foxhole and engage.