Sen. Blumenthal makes wide-ranging comments on politics, international policy and election prospects

In a wide-ranging conversation with audience members of Temple Sinai in Stamford April 9, Sen. Richard Blumenthal acknowledged that the country is increasingly “in the midst of authoritarianism right now,” pointing to administration acts in defiance of lower court orders while his Republican colleagues are largely acquiescing.

When asked who won the last presidential election, they resort to stating that the electoral college “certified Joseph Biden,” but can’t actually bring themselves to say he won the popular vote, Blumenthal noted.

Asked what could be done to hold back the worrying trends, along with President Trump’s potential ability to add more justices to the court, he said simply: “The election.” The 25th amendment or impeachment, given the makeup of the House, he said, are unlikely to restrain the trend, explaining why it’s vital to make sure the election turns the tide.

He criticized ICE tactics to effectively throw a net to capture and detain individuals thought to be in the country illegally, capturing residents who have been in the country for years, with no arrests, raising families and contributing to the economy. He described situations where children were separated from parents as particularly distressing.

Turning to Iran, Blumenthal said the Trump administration has shown it has “no clear strategy,” shifting objectives” and appears to be a war driven by Trump’s “impulse, vanity and vengeance.”

While he remains firm in his support for the country’s alliance with Israel, he said he does disapprove of certain tactics that have been deployed, such as the use of bombs in Iranian populated areas without strategic purpose. Also on foreign policy, he expressed strong concern about Trump’s dismissal of NATO’s importance.

Asked about what factors he looks to in these times, he cited hope, anger and hard work. “We have the opportunity to make a lot of changes,” he said, adding, “We don’t have the luxury of despair.”

To help turn the tide nationally, he said he has been working extensively on behalf of Democratic candidates across the country and has seen a shift just in the past three months as support for Trump has fallen significantly. “If the election were today, we would take the senate and the house,” he said. “But a lot can happen between now and November. He’s going to try to turn things around, but it will be hard for him to do.”

In a repeated, motivating call, he said, “It’s up to us. We can all do something.” He has been working to campaign for his Senate colleagues and pointed out that many of the attendees have relatives and friends in other states and urged the audience to encourage them to vote for Democratic candidates.

On his own political future, when asked, Blumenthal said he plans to run in 2028. He’s in good health, exercises daily for an hour, and feels his seniority gives him more influence in the senate, which benefits Connecticut.