Cokie Roberts, May 23: “If I were a Democratic strategist, I'd tell him [Richard Blumenthal] to get out of the race. … Out, because I think that -- again, it's not a year for phonies. And -- and people are going to hold this against him. ”

Associated Press, May 27: “Poll: Blumenthal still popular among Conn. voters”

Douglas Schwartz, Quinnipiac University poll director, May 27: “It looks like Connecticut voters forgive Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, or feel that there is nothing to forgive in the Vietnam service flap.”

Quinnipiac, May 27: “By a 53 - 35 percent margin voters are satisfied with his explanation. Blumenthal leads [GOP candidate Linda] McMahon on every character measure.”

Rasmussen Reports, June 3: “Democrat Richard Blumenthal apparently has weathered charges that he exaggerated his military service in Vietnam for years and is running as strongly as ever against both his Republican challengers in Connecticut's race for the U.S. Senate. A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in Connecticut finds Blumenthal with 56% support versus 33% for Linda McMahon, the officially endorsed GOP candidate.”

Maybe reporters should focus a little more on reporting what has happened and a little less on trying to predict how people will react.