I am taking this post down for it crosses over into incivility. Feel free to repost without the need to denigrate or make absurd assertions about motive, etc.
So glad you’re a subscriber to Hopium Chronicles and for sharing your thoughts. Most of us here seem older. I for one would like to hear more from the younger folks.
I am absolutely behind Platner. Anyone who's spent time in the military can attest to being young, drunk and coming back to the barracks with a regrettable tattoo. It's almost a right of passage. Tired of the smear campaigns and the lack of support from pro-democracy media on this.
I have my regrettable tattoo. It’s terrible, but I’ve left it untouched mainly because it reminds me of that time of my life, my buddies, etc. And, I’m sure if I dig thru my phone enough I’ll find some questionable texts I’ve sent. That doesn’t make anyone unfit. What makes someone unfit is molesting teenagers and committing crimes right in our faces like Republicans are doing right now.
I did not think that Vic's comment was disrespectful. He was telling the truth and expressing his thoughts. No swearing, no hyperbole, just expressing his thoughts.
It's disrespectful to our intelligence and the discourse that this is about any one of these things in isolation. We are way passed that in making an assessment of where we are.
I would encourage you to hang in there Vic. We in this community share a much bigger objective of returning our country to a true democracy and Simon's insights are usually very helpful in showing how best to apply our energy to accomplish that. We need you here.
I feel that is an awfully broad definition of disrespectful. You asked for the community's thoughts on Platner to inform your decision but then you discourage that sharing by dumping on someone who was basing his opinion on his lived experience. I just don't find that helpful.
I didn't see Simon's comment, but after the last ten years of chaos, I am proceeding with caution with regard to political candidates. The problems we are facing here and abroad will not be solved by rhetoric alone. Personally, I appreciate the quiet calm of Luria and Padilla.
Nice move. It’s difficult to respond to comments and moderate. You do a good job keeping the comments from degenerating into Twitter or as Daily Kos was years ago. The struggle against fascism is what matters, and you have been stalwart on that.
Back in high school (so like 10 years ago) I used to read Daily Kos every day while walking home from school! (It’s a good thing I didn’t get hit by a car looking at my phone the whole time lol.) But I don’t remember ever checking the comments. It’s probably a good thing I didn’t!
I posted a lot there from fall 2006 through spring 2020. On the back pages. They had a recommended list for people who did not work for Mario’s and the blog. Amateurs like me and many others.
A lot of people would war against each other. There were political differences but I also think some got off on fighting.
Many wars were left Dems vrs. Centrists. Presidential primary seasons were brutal, although fighting on a blog is pretty pointless.
What I like about this place is that Simon is serious about a big tent. The times demand that we work together against Trump and the Rs.
There was good at Dkos and we often raised money/donations. And a sense of community or communities. I eventually left as management(Kos) put his thumb on the scale and pushed out the left. Not sure what it’s like now.
Went to Twitter and then blue sky when Musk bought Twitter.
Interesting, yeah that makes sense. Given the time when you were posting, I probably read some of your posts!
But yeah, I don’t think it’s particularly helpful to have so much warring between factions. I also think the whole centrist/leftist dichotomy is a false one, and a problematic way to categorize people in this party. I certainly don’t feel like I’m exactly in either camp
We've all done stupid things we later regret. Nobody wears a halo. I'm reading Not My Type, by E. Jean Carroll, and am disgusted again by how vile Trump has always been and how he never, ever had to be held accountable for his actions.
This is my first post as a paid subscriber. You asked for your opinions on Platner. I support him. There are no candidates without flaws. He appears to have the support of his wife. He appears to have grown from his past mistakes. That is more than you can say for our President. To lose the Senate because Collins squeaks by because Democrats don't rally around this candidate is to lose a major opportunity to challenge Trump's authoritarian agenda. Saving democracy is the greater good here. Let's just say it: that end justifies some flexibility on means. If we want to be the party of a big tent, and compete in red states, we can't lead with purity tests. It will kill our momentum. Thanks for listening.
I want to establish up front is that the main question in front of us isn't purity tests it is whether he can win given everything that has happened, how much will it cost, and what will it mean for resources we need for other states. That is the main question in front of us.
The polls you posted today indicate he is ahead in ALL the polls against Collins, between 2 and 7 points. He was up by over 50 points in the primary results with over 80% of the vote counted.
If it was any other candidate with these numbers, would there be a question?
If you want to wait a couple weeks to get more polling, that seems prudent to let any detritus from the latest revelations shake out.
"You go with the team you have." Why wouldn't that apply here? We need that Senate seat. Whether you set up a contribution link for him is your call, but we should not consider him as "less than" other opportunity pick-ups.
We should amplify his campaign as one of our own and highlight his strengths and Collins weaknesses as we would any other candidate in his position. I think it is good for the party brand to get behind him. To avoid him raises the spectre of purity test in the mind of the public.
Michael, that charts shows his support dropping significantly in recent polling. This is why we need to see post-primary independent polling, to fully assess the health of his candidacy.
That is not the only poll that I include there. I also include the poll the campaign released that had Platner up 4, which shows downward movement from all the other public polls released in the last few months.
How do you know so much about polling? In the business?
One would have thought that the Democratic electorate in Maine would have registered its hesitation. You can't see it in the results. The overall turnout was far higher than it was in 2020. Platner blew away the total that Sarah Gideon got, and she was running against an incredibly unimpressive opponent whereas Platner obliterated a two-term sitting governor who, while she suspended her campaign, made it clear she would welcome votes. And yet, where was the protest vote against Platner? Maine Democrats said as clearly as possible "he's our guy." That's why I immediately made another contribution. He's the nominee -- let's go win this thing.
This is a point that needs to be emphasized to the experts.
Gideon was squeaky clean, well vetted, heavily endorsed and well funded. She underperformed Biden by 16 points in 2020 when up against Collins. Collins is going to be very tough to beat. I don't see how yet another establishment blessed candidate is going to get it done.
I couldn’t agree more. Platinum is not perfect but it is small potatoes compared to the depth of corruption and depravity of the GOP. His message is what we need right now and what we need a lot more of - it is resonating with voters, along with him being an outsider. We MUST get rid of Collins. I’m honestly surprised it’s even a question. We have a clear opportunity here and to not take it is shooting our self in the foot in my opinion.
i agree that the Republicans are miles worse but that shouldn't be an excuse for us to not have standards on our side.
i'm not saying don't vote for Platner.
i am saying to not dismiss the stuff he has done, take it seriously, and make an informed decision.
the mentality of rationalizing bad behavior by our side because "we have to win at all costs" is exactly what got Republicans in so much trouble and how their party collapsed morally. we should heed their example.
we are the good guys. they are the bad guys. never forget it.
The problem as I see it is that there is really no alternative to Platner. Gov. Mills simply didn't generate any enthusiasm and didn't campaign hard. Rep. Golden, who dropped out of the race for ME-02, could have run for Senate but didn't. Sarah Gideon, who ran six years ago against Collins, was a more generic Democrat (taking Dem positions and without Platner's baggage) yet she lost. Platner, for all his many problems, does connect with Maine voters and has a shot at winning. If we want to regain control of the Senate, I don't see that we have a choice but to support Platner.
I belive it's already been established that the point behind not jumping into the Platner campaign with money is that we should wait and see what his electibility looks like going forward.
Here's what I think many people are still missing:
Anger.
The deep anger ordinary voters feel about what's happened to middle America over the last 45 years. It helps explain Trump. It explains the Tea Party, Occupy Wall Street, Bernie Sanders, and the wild political swings we've seen every election cycle.
Middle America is fed up with decades of trickle-down Reaganomics and an economy that many feel has left them behind.
Platner has tapped into that anger.
I think it's wise to see how things develop over the next four to six weeks, but my hunch is that he's going to remain competitive. Because of his past mistakes—and whatever additional information may still emerge—he's also going to need Democratic support to withstand the attacks that are coming.
The question is whether we begin providing that support now, while the race is still taking shape, or wait until he's been so thoroughly defined by Republican attacks that it's much harder to change the narrative.
We're already seeing a similar playbook being used against Talarico in Texas. No one is debating whether he's "worthy" of investment; supporters understand that defining a candidate early matters.
This community obviously has limited resources. But if everyone makes the same cautious calculation and waits, we may wake up on August 1 and realize that this was a winnable race—and that support provided in June could have made the difference.
One can tap into that anger and not be consumed by rage. The vest politicians can do so....I'm not sure Platner has found the right balance. I recognize that others who I respect think he has.
I think this comment encapsulates what I'm thinking now. The voters in Maine spoke quite clearly, and there is NOT going to be another candidate, much as some might prefer it. As Simon pointed out, it is essential we win in Maine in November. So the only question is whether Platner is so damaged that he can't win. Unless polls show him sinking fast (and there's no evidence of that at this point), then we should be supporting him (financially) in the same way we would support any other candidate in a race we must win.
The comment about ANGER is right on target. There are other factors, of course, including a huge dollop of propaganda, both Russian and American. Put it all together and early support for Platner seems really important. Yes, there is some chance another revelation might pop up and the extremists will construct campaign ads that will curl one’s hair. Even so, I think that most Americans that are not maga have become a good bit more savvy about the propaganda atmosphere and will approach the whole campaign with a better — not perfect — and more analytical attitude than in pre-trump days. One other factor: Very many people look at a man like Platner and are reminded of the errors they themselves made when they were younger. It’s a rare human who has zero regrets and that makes Platner relatable.
Thank you for sharing that video! All the info I'd had before was just written stuff. (California voter here).
Wow! He's rural electric! His approach reminds me of Magyar (sic?) in Hungary.
In Maine, he can run that kind of campaign... "83 town halls in 8 months, she hasn't held one since I was in 8th grade." Wooch.
And he's branding against the onslaught of money that's coming with the posters and slogan 'A Senate Money Can't Buy."
I'm feeling much better about his chance for winning and for not just winning on slogans but on policies (he name dropped rural health care, education, housing, Medicare for all and roe v wade.)
I support supporting him. He doesn't seem like Fedderman. More like a poor man Teddy Roosevelt.
Agree. That acceptance speech was electrifying - and hit a bulls-eye on the targets of affordability and corruption. Also effective critique of Collins. I’m not totally on board yet, but getting there.
I am a Maine voter. Ever since I attended a Platner town hall, I have been enthusiastic about him as a senator. I did worry after the latest revelations, but realized I still wanted him to win. His message is electric. I think if he keeps connecting with voters face to face as he has been he has a very good chance to beat Collins who hides from her constituents and votes with Trump 94% of the time. We need to get this guy over the finish line! Collins and MAGA are killing us.
listened to a local reporter up there this morning; he edits a small local paper and is an experienced reporter; like a lot of people, he moved to maine for the quieter life, as if...he said it will come down to older white women who have shown up for collins. i have read that elsewhere. we will have to wait and see. note; the reporter is alex sietz-wald, the paper he edits is the midcoast villager. you can hear his interview on molly jong fast's latest podcast; he does note that platner is charismatic.
We need to see if he can maintain his lead in Maine before we hand over some of the limited dollars to support his campaign. Because if there are any other shoes that drop, or if what has come out about Platner past hurts him enough with women, racial, and religious minorities, supporting a doomed candidate might harm winnable campaigns.
Derek this is exactly what Simon has been trying to say but the conversation is stuck in the character issue. It's not whether you'd vote for him or not, it's whether we invest in his campaign which could be risky and take funds away from other fights.
yes. also, it's not about moral judgments on one issue or another, it's about investing in a potential senator. my standard for male vet congressperson is Jsaon Crow and, it is to be hoped, Fred Wellman.
Simon--A lot of the commenters have hit on what I've observed consistently in response to every anti-Platner article I've read (wearing my info-warrior hat). Massive support for Platner and anger against the Democratic establishment, the GOP, the corporate media and, for some--poisonously so, I fear--AIPAC.
The fact that many of these articles made outrageous equivalences between Platner and Trump, Platner and Kavanaugh, Platner and *Roy Moore* (Jesus, Frum), and the suspicious timing and seeming coordination between all these attacks, all but ensure that any additional revelations are going to be seen as not credible by anyone who supports Platner, and those who do are going to do their damndest to make sure everyone online (which is where this will be decided--not in the corporate media, and not via TV ads, no matter how much the oligarchs spend on them) sees them as nothing but smear tactics against a candidate who is saying what people want to hear, while the establishment sure looks like it wants to talk about everything but. The tattoo? You might be surprised at the number of people who know a lot about that subject and have seen it who say *they* wouldn't have recognized it as a totenkopf (and the person who says he did? Was so traumatized by what he allegedly did to her that three years later she founded Ladies For Kavanaugh. Sure. Right.)
He is tapping into the same anger Trump tapped into, but with a lot more credibility. He *is* working class, not a faux billionaire failson; he has a history of service, not avoiding and mocking it; he has shaded the truth about things most voters realize they would shade the truth about, not a lifelong criminal conman who's told literally tens of millions of lies as Trump and his supporters have over the past ten years ("believe the women?" Not if they're Republicans, not after Franken). And ironically/not ironically, thanks to Trump, that anger has only grown, not been assuaged.
Which is why I've wanted to bang my head against the wall every time a pundit, in making the case for Mills, went FUD about people who wouldn't vote for Platner. As if the bigger problem wouldn't be Platner supporters who'd either stay home or even vote for Collins out of outrage if Platner was "stabbed in the back" and replaced, right when Dems were finally making headway in bringing the white working class back on side. It wouldn't be just the usual snatching defeat from the jaws of victory; it would be reaching all the way down deep into somewhere in the intestinal tract to do it. Sample comment that's stuck with me: "This is what happens every time someone from the working class runs for office and says something that threatens the status quo."
Before Trump, the corporate media and the oligarchs had largely succeeded in trivializing elections into high school popularity contests, to be decided by things like height, hairstyle, wardrobe, who seems "more comfortable in their skin," who "you'd like to have a beer with," who you "want in your living room." But then they got nuclear-greedy and gave us Trump, who simultaneously cauterized every other candidate's personal foibles while waking everyone up--thanks to his tsunami of disastrous and/or corrupt policy decisions--as to what really ought to be determining their vote, and this is where Platner--and Talarico, Ossoff, Slotkin, AOC, Spanberger, and others really shine.
All this said doesn't mean you and we should throw our weight behind his candidacy, though, and actually I think there may be an even more important reason *not* to do so than whether he can win. You've always emphasized that we have limited resources and need to focus them where they can make the most difference, in places where you, in particular, see opportunities that others aren’t seeing and responding to yet, like North Carolina, the blue dot, the state parties we're supporting via the Audacious Fund, and so many others.
In my opinion, Graham Platner has momentum beyond the point where he needs our help, and our time and money would be better spent on his state's party and elsewhere (including helping the party figure out how to separate opposition to the Israeli right-wing from antisemitism, which unfortunately has reared its ugly head in this race). If the Republicans want to try and make Platner the face of the Democratic Party as a core element of their midterms strategy, and remind the masses every day of who's on their side vs who's betrayed them, wow, let'em. It will be fun to watch the *other side* fight yesterday's wars with yesterday's weapons.
Does anyone have any more recent information about his campaign team? The way they handled the sexting thing with finger-pointing and blame was pretty inept and unprofessional. I'm nervous investing in him until he beefs up his campaign team and gets more professional people on board, because the right-wing is sifting through his online past even as we speak. They need to be ready to be up to the challenge and I'm not confident they are right now. Just popping back with meme-worthy responses won't cut it. Only Republicans get to do that sort of thing and still get elected. We don't have that luxury.
Also Suzi LeVine (former ambassador and political commentator) asked him to do a Zoom call with her followers which I attended. He own his mistakes. He is authentic. The former girlfriend most vocal about his behavior works for the Heritage Foundation. And (this made a difference in my assessment): he is 41. The behavior in question was committed by a vey young man. “Good judgment comes from experience. And experience comes from bad judgment.”
Listen to his acceptance speech. Amazing insight and grace.
At the outset, Platner wasn't my first choice. Frankly, given the baggage surrounding him, I'd still prefer someone else. But he's the nominee.
When it comes to offering full-throated support, I think the only question that really matters is: Who is more likely to cause greater harm, Graham Platner or Susan Collins?
Collins will vote to confirm whatever 40-something right-wing ideologues Trump nominates to replace Thomas and Alito. The long-term impact of those Supreme Court appointments far outweighs whatever Platner did—or may have done.
For me, that makes the choice clear. Platner is the less harmful option.
Tracy, I believe what you say is the best way to frame whether to vote and/or support Platner. I find blaming the establishment or those who still do not believe in Platner not helpful. How Platner and his team have chosen to address and defend these past actions have only exacerbated and highlighted the past actions. Honestly, some of these past actions are not that far in the past. I think people can respectfully disagree about how they feel about Platner. Platner chose to run for the senate and with that comes all this attention and attacks. I do not live in Maine. If I did, I probably would vote for Platner bc the alternative would be a blank check for Trump again and our democracy would further erode with Collins in the Senate. For those who want to donate to Platner are free do so and those who do not, are also free not to donate to him.
Seems like any support can be wrapped in the absolute necessity of keeping our system of democracy vrs authoritarianism peppered with references to the Supreme Court, federal judiciary nominations and other vital issues we face. Let the former Republican strategists at Lincoln Square do the messaging!
I suggest you read Rick Wilson today who writes he knew of the woman at the center of the Platner “scandals” and says she was a Republican operative, who ran “Ladies for Brett Kavanaugh”.
In our efforts to be respectful of one another this is widely known and understood. The story that mattered last week wasn't the NYT story it was the now admitted serial infidelity in a young marriage. That is what created the new crisis for him.......
I didn't read the article and I knew. It was all over the blogs and online news. But we can all miss stories. I do all the time, but this one I knew. There is so much going on, one can miss stories or information.
My understanding is that his “infidelity” early in the marriage was digital only. He and his wife both say it stopped early and they have jointly worked out boundaries for their marriage with the help of a therapist. Whether elder white women in Maine (I’m almost 80) will accept the Platners assurances that they have healed the early breach of trust in their marriage may be an unknown. Still, it’s hard for me to see that we can know objectively what my northern sisters in Maine will do. Each will vote on her gut feeling. My gut feeling is that he can win and should be supported now.
There is so much about Platner, it's hard to keep track. Is this infidelity the sexting or is there another one? Personally, I don't care about that bc it's between him and his wife but it does add to the baggage.
Yes. I think it is. Since infidelity is such a broad term, it is clarifying to know he is not accused of having physical intimacy outside his marriage. That distinction might have made a difference to his wife.
Oh I am JUST understanding this. There were 6-8 women? Oh my gosh. I guess I was dense about it. While I don't care bc it is between him and his wife, it will matter to some voters. I assumed it was one person and thus was asking if there were more.
Respectfully, his texting was a difficult story, to be sure. And messy, because it seemed to reveal a rift within the campaign. Pundits love a conflict. As a therapist, the Platners response to this crisis in their young marriage seems to have been healthy and apparently effective in helping them to restore trust in the relationship. Good for them. In contrast, a juicy story in the NYT, with details suggesting possible assault of a past girlfriend? You can’t tell me that’s not what caused the Dem panic we’ve seen over the weekend. I read that story. I was NOT a Platner supporter before I read it. After reading the allegations and hearing his response on Chris Hayes, I felt more positively about him than I had before. I don’t think you agree, Simon, and I still find his history problematic, so I get it. Maybe we don’t decide to support him, but if he can win Maine, we must seriously consider supporting him. Would it maybe help to speak with him one-on-one?
Yeah, Wendy, I’m not going to take a stance on which revelation about Platner—the one about sexting infidelity or the one about the accusation of abuse—caused more of the increased concern since last week, since I just don’t know which of those things bothered other people more. But I will say, speaking only for myself, that I’m the opposite of Simon in the sense that I’m far more bothered by the abuse accusation. The sexting thing I can forgive, but if he actually twisted that woman’s arm and locked her into a room, that is very hard for me to forgive. And while it seems very likely the accusation is false, the possibility that it’s true is very disturbing.
Of course, when I’m thinking about it in these terms, I am thinking mainly about to what extent I could support Platner in good conscience, which is only indirectly relevant to the question Simon is focused on, which is how much the revelations will hurt his chances. So it depends how many potential supporters feel the same way as I do
Does anyone have an idea when Collins and Platner could schedule their first debate?
I know it's always best for money to flow to a candidate sooner rather than later, but is waiting until then an option for us?
Don't get me wrong - it's not the debate itself I'm waiting for - though we might be able to glean some salient info about the state of his campaign afterward - but let enough time to pass to see where things stand.
I appreciate how Simon framed it. My opinion of him is not important - I'm interested in supporting him if Maine continues to embrace him, and I have a funny feeling we are not done with discoveries yet.
Thanks, Simon, for your emphasis on helping the Maine Democratic Party. I don't know what I think or how I feel about Platner, and am paying attention to posts here about that. But I do know that there's also an important Governor's race in Maine and an important Congressional seat there that we need to win. So, I'll be giving more money to Maine Dems to continue building the robust ground game we'll need there to help all D candidates this fall.
Platner can win. The Dem Party needs Collins to go. Women need Collins to go. Platner said what I needed to hear last night. He is flawed. He is working to be better. He has taken accountability. His wife forgives him. I see he is on a road to redemption with the grace and embrace of his voters. This is what the road back looks like - messy, hard, necessary. We have all witnessed this in reverse many times with long term politicians. It will be refreshing to watch him grow and rise.
Platner is the candidate we have, and we need to win the seat. I am a Democrat, but I refuse to play the Holier Than Thou game typical of the Democrats. That is how we lost Al Franken from the Senate. He was a terrific senator, and we certainly could use him now in the Senate. We need get behind Platner with everything we've got.
Al Franken was a different situation and he was not treated fairly. I would respectfully suggest that those who are worried about Platner are more concerned that there might be other shoes to drop. I don't think most have a holier than thou attitude. I think they are genuinely concerned. I really think so much of this falls on Platner's team. For all the blaming they have done, they would do well to stop blaming those who are concerned and try to unite. Maybe more town halls with people who want to know more about Platner. Everyone who supports him says he is great at rallies. Maybe he can address Hopium on a Zoom interview?
I think your more cautious position on Platner is wise. Hopium’s support for the Maine Democratic Party is very important and will help Platner. I have been worried about his candidacy all along but was encouraged about his chances after listening to his entire speech last night… which was really outstanding. Let’s see what happens in the next couple of months and continue to support Maine’s Democratic Party.
When I listen to Platner, I'm impressed. On the issues that appeal to working people in Maine, I think he makes a very strong appeal. Would I prefer he had less personal baggage? Yes. But he seems to be addressing it well. Also, if we want to start nominating younger candidates (and we should want to), we're going to have to get used to candidates with online histories, some of it less than ideal. Let's not freak out over what the Republicans will do to attack him. They're going to do it anyway, no matter how "clean" our candidate is (look at what's happening in Texas against Talarico). Platner is our candidate and from the looks of it he has at least as good a chance to win the seat (and probably a better chance) as any of our other candidates to flip Senate seats. If we keep behaving like the circular firing squad, we're not doing what we need to do.
David, c'mom ffs. 1) No one is doing a circling firing squad. We are having a respectful conversation. 2) the idea that everyone will get attacked no matter their baggage is absurd. Means there is no reason to vet candidates.
Asking folks to raise their game here on a tough issue and not throw silly stuff around.
Perhaps I wasn't clear. The comments here are fine. But I do think we need to keep some perspective - not all the criticism of Platner we hear is coming from a place of wanting us to have the best chances of winning the Senate; some people (including some Dems) have hidden agendas and don't like what Platner is saying. Fine to look at polling. But let's not take the position that some people take - that there will always be more stuff coming out and that Platner is sure to lose. Even after sustained criticism, he's still ahead of most of the candidates we're hoping will flip seats.
Character attacks are tried and true strategies to defeat an opponent. That's our anxiety. News about attack ads from Collins where women on the street are shown reading and responding to Platner's statements on Reddit terrify me.
True, Schumer recruited a terrible candidate for the Maine senate primary, but leftists dismissing what would be deal breakers for any other candidate is disturbing.
More scared than Repos should be of ads showing Collins saying "I'm concerned" with what she voted for underneath? In the world we live in today, why would anyone believe the women in Collins' ads are anything but paid actors (and/or partisans)?
The problem is all they can say about Talarico is he’s gay and eats vegetables. That pales in comparison with what they say about Platner on a daily basis.
That may be worse in Texas than what Platner has said and done is to people in Maine. Heck, based on how well the likes of Paxton have done down there, Platner's foibles might be a positive for him in TX. If I were Talarico, I think I'd have a mouthful of steak every time I said "I approved this message."
I would recommend Daniel Barkhuff’s Substack piece from yesterday for a different insight into Graham Platner and the forces that shaped him and still probably influence him:
I also suggest Rick Wilson’s Substack piece posted today.
Rick Wilson doesn’t always get it right. But he is right more often than he is wrong.
And he knows how the game is played.
I hope one day that the game is no longer played that way, and the past experience of operatives such as Rick Wilson is no longer relevant. Until then, however….
Dr. Barkhuff's piece was brilliant in my opinion. My father, uncle and two of my three brothers all served, and my best friend's son is a quadriplegic from a sniper in Fallujah. I think many people do not understand the sacrifices and devastation that happened to people in war. I would appreciate someone at senior levels of our government who can speak for the human cost of sending our sons and daughters to fight.
I agree. Dr. Barkhuff’s piece was not an apologia for Platner’s past, nor was it in any respect an exoneration. It was a deeply moving request that we try to give deeper understanding to what a very small, infinitesimal in proportion, percentage of our population experience in service to their country, and how it impacts them. Some people never recover, but many grow from those experiences and have much to offer for having had those experiences.
Graham Platner represents a new face for Democratic leadership—someone shaped by the realities of overseas wars and our own volatile political climate. He carries the scars that reflect the dysfunction of our society, whether that manifests as PTSD, past relationship struggles, or personal missteps.
The fundamental question for us is this: Do we demand perfect angels as our political leaders, or do we support flawed humans who are willing to grow and improve their humanity? I have seen enough of Graham Platner to know where I stand: I fully support Graham Platner!
I am taking this post down for it crosses over into incivility. Feel free to repost without the need to denigrate or make absurd assertions about motive, etc.
You are politically wise beyond your years, Billy Goat Gruff 💙 Thank you for sharing your experiences and wisdom.
Thank you so much for sharing your ideas, experiences, and family's insights. What a great first post!
So glad you’re a subscriber to Hopium Chronicles and for sharing your thoughts. Most of us here seem older. I for one would like to hear more from the younger folks.
Well said! Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts.
I am absolutely behind Platner. Anyone who's spent time in the military can attest to being young, drunk and coming back to the barracks with a regrettable tattoo. It's almost a right of passage. Tired of the smear campaigns and the lack of support from pro-democracy media on this.
I have my regrettable tattoo. It’s terrible, but I’ve left it untouched mainly because it reminds me of that time of my life, my buddies, etc. And, I’m sure if I dig thru my phone enough I’ll find some questionable texts I’ve sent. That doesn’t make anyone unfit. What makes someone unfit is molesting teenagers and committing crimes right in our faces like Republicans are doing right now.
I did not think that Vic's comment was disrespectful. He was telling the truth and expressing his thoughts. No swearing, no hyperbole, just expressing his thoughts.
Simon begrudgingly tolerates me. I’ve fired off a few spicy comments in the past. I do greatly appreciate his work.
I agree with Greg. I can not find anything disrepectful in Vic's comments.
It's disrespectful to our intelligence and the discourse that this is about any one of these things in isolation. We are way passed that in making an assessment of where we are.
I'm not being disrespectful to anyone's intelligence on here. Just unsubscribe me and get me out of here please.
I spoke my truth, which is valid, and you just don't like it.
I would encourage you to hang in there Vic. We in this community share a much bigger objective of returning our country to a true democracy and Simon's insights are usually very helpful in showing how best to apply our energy to accomplish that. We need you here.
I feel that is an awfully broad definition of disrespectful. You asked for the community's thoughts on Platner to inform your decision but then you discourage that sharing by dumping on someone who was basing his opinion on his lived experience. I just don't find that helpful.
My father (US Navy 1962-65) has my entire life worn t-shirts that cover his embarrassment, a badass eagle tattoo on his upper right arm.
Ultimately, I do agree there’s more to the story than just the tattoo and I agree with Simon’s caution.
I didn't see Simon's comment, but after the last ten years of chaos, I am proceeding with caution with regard to political candidates. The problems we are facing here and abroad will not be solved by rhetoric alone. Personally, I appreciate the quiet calm of Luria and Padilla.
I have taken my post down for as written it was not working to elevate the discourse here, and for that I apologize.
Nice move. It’s difficult to respond to comments and moderate. You do a good job keeping the comments from degenerating into Twitter or as Daily Kos was years ago. The struggle against fascism is what matters, and you have been stalwart on that.
I go there occasionally and all I will say is ooof! Mostly, I like to read Markos's posts.
Back in high school (so like 10 years ago) I used to read Daily Kos every day while walking home from school! (It’s a good thing I didn’t get hit by a car looking at my phone the whole time lol.) But I don’t remember ever checking the comments. It’s probably a good thing I didn’t!
I posted a lot there from fall 2006 through spring 2020. On the back pages. They had a recommended list for people who did not work for Mario’s and the blog. Amateurs like me and many others.
A lot of people would war against each other. There were political differences but I also think some got off on fighting.
Many wars were left Dems vrs. Centrists. Presidential primary seasons were brutal, although fighting on a blog is pretty pointless.
What I like about this place is that Simon is serious about a big tent. The times demand that we work together against Trump and the Rs.
There was good at Dkos and we often raised money/donations. And a sense of community or communities. I eventually left as management(Kos) put his thumb on the scale and pushed out the left. Not sure what it’s like now.
Went to Twitter and then blue sky when Musk bought Twitter.
Glad to be here too.
Interesting, yeah that makes sense. Given the time when you were posting, I probably read some of your posts!
But yeah, I don’t think it’s particularly helpful to have so much warring between factions. I also think the whole centrist/leftist dichotomy is a false one, and a problematic way to categorize people in this party. I certainly don’t feel like I’m exactly in either camp
Markos not Marios. Spellcheck.
We've all done stupid things we later regret. Nobody wears a halo. I'm reading Not My Type, by E. Jean Carroll, and am disgusted again by how vile Trump has always been and how he never, ever had to be held accountable for his actions.
This is my first post as a paid subscriber. You asked for your opinions on Platner. I support him. There are no candidates without flaws. He appears to have the support of his wife. He appears to have grown from his past mistakes. That is more than you can say for our President. To lose the Senate because Collins squeaks by because Democrats don't rally around this candidate is to lose a major opportunity to challenge Trump's authoritarian agenda. Saving democracy is the greater good here. Let's just say it: that end justifies some flexibility on means. If we want to be the party of a big tent, and compete in red states, we can't lead with purity tests. It will kill our momentum. Thanks for listening.
I want to establish up front is that the main question in front of us isn't purity tests it is whether he can win given everything that has happened, how much will it cost, and what will it mean for resources we need for other states. That is the main question in front of us.
The polls you posted today indicate he is ahead in ALL the polls against Collins, between 2 and 7 points. He was up by over 50 points in the primary results with over 80% of the vote counted.
If it was any other candidate with these numbers, would there be a question?
If you want to wait a couple weeks to get more polling, that seems prudent to let any detritus from the latest revelations shake out.
"You go with the team you have." Why wouldn't that apply here? We need that Senate seat. Whether you set up a contribution link for him is your call, but we should not consider him as "less than" other opportunity pick-ups.
We should amplify his campaign as one of our own and highlight his strengths and Collins weaknesses as we would any other candidate in his position. I think it is good for the party brand to get behind him. To avoid him raises the spectre of purity test in the mind of the public.
IMO
Michael, that charts shows his support dropping significantly in recent polling. This is why we need to see post-primary independent polling, to fully assess the health of his candidacy.
That is not the only poll that I include there. I also include the poll the campaign released that had Platner up 4, which shows downward movement from all the other public polls released in the last few months.
How do you know so much about polling? In the business?
makes sense.
One would have thought that the Democratic electorate in Maine would have registered its hesitation. You can't see it in the results. The overall turnout was far higher than it was in 2020. Platner blew away the total that Sarah Gideon got, and she was running against an incredibly unimpressive opponent whereas Platner obliterated a two-term sitting governor who, while she suspended her campaign, made it clear she would welcome votes. And yet, where was the protest vote against Platner? Maine Democrats said as clearly as possible "he's our guy." That's why I immediately made another contribution. He's the nominee -- let's go win this thing.
You *can* see it in the results.
You can? The results suggest to me that the voters were pretty enthusiastic for Platner.
This is a point that needs to be emphasized to the experts.
Gideon was squeaky clean, well vetted, heavily endorsed and well funded. She underperformed Biden by 16 points in 2020 when up against Collins. Collins is going to be very tough to beat. I don't see how yet another establishment blessed candidate is going to get it done.
Yes, having tried normal before it looks like it's time to try a "high variance" candidate and boy does Platner fit that bill.
I couldn’t agree more. Platinum is not perfect but it is small potatoes compared to the depth of corruption and depravity of the GOP. His message is what we need right now and what we need a lot more of - it is resonating with voters, along with him being an outsider. We MUST get rid of Collins. I’m honestly surprised it’s even a question. We have a clear opportunity here and to not take it is shooting our self in the foot in my opinion.
i agree that the Republicans are miles worse but that shouldn't be an excuse for us to not have standards on our side.
i'm not saying don't vote for Platner.
i am saying to not dismiss the stuff he has done, take it seriously, and make an informed decision.
the mentality of rationalizing bad behavior by our side because "we have to win at all costs" is exactly what got Republicans in so much trouble and how their party collapsed morally. we should heed their example.
we are the good guys. they are the bad guys. never forget it.
When we went high and they went low they not only won but seized the entire government.
The problem as I see it is that there is really no alternative to Platner. Gov. Mills simply didn't generate any enthusiasm and didn't campaign hard. Rep. Golden, who dropped out of the race for ME-02, could have run for Senate but didn't. Sarah Gideon, who ran six years ago against Collins, was a more generic Democrat (taking Dem positions and without Platner's baggage) yet she lost. Platner, for all his many problems, does connect with Maine voters and has a shot at winning. If we want to regain control of the Senate, I don't see that we have a choice but to support Platner.
I belive it's already been established that the point behind not jumping into the Platner campaign with money is that we should wait and see what his electibility looks like going forward.
Here's what I think many people are still missing:
Anger.
The deep anger ordinary voters feel about what's happened to middle America over the last 45 years. It helps explain Trump. It explains the Tea Party, Occupy Wall Street, Bernie Sanders, and the wild political swings we've seen every election cycle.
Middle America is fed up with decades of trickle-down Reaganomics and an economy that many feel has left them behind.
Platner has tapped into that anger.
I think it's wise to see how things develop over the next four to six weeks, but my hunch is that he's going to remain competitive. Because of his past mistakes—and whatever additional information may still emerge—he's also going to need Democratic support to withstand the attacks that are coming.
The question is whether we begin providing that support now, while the race is still taking shape, or wait until he's been so thoroughly defined by Republican attacks that it's much harder to change the narrative.
We're already seeing a similar playbook being used against Talarico in Texas. No one is debating whether he's "worthy" of investment; supporters understand that defining a candidate early matters.
This community obviously has limited resources. But if everyone makes the same cautious calculation and waits, we may wake up on August 1 and realize that this was a winnable race—and that support provided in June could have made the difference.
One can tap into that anger and not be consumed by rage. The vest politicians can do so....I'm not sure Platner has found the right balance. I recognize that others who I respect think he has.
You might be right but now it is either Platner or Collins. Dem or Repub.
I think this comment encapsulates what I'm thinking now. The voters in Maine spoke quite clearly, and there is NOT going to be another candidate, much as some might prefer it. As Simon pointed out, it is essential we win in Maine in November. So the only question is whether Platner is so damaged that he can't win. Unless polls show him sinking fast (and there's no evidence of that at this point), then we should be supporting him (financially) in the same way we would support any other candidate in a race we must win.
The comment about ANGER is right on target. There are other factors, of course, including a huge dollop of propaganda, both Russian and American. Put it all together and early support for Platner seems really important. Yes, there is some chance another revelation might pop up and the extremists will construct campaign ads that will curl one’s hair. Even so, I think that most Americans that are not maga have become a good bit more savvy about the propaganda atmosphere and will approach the whole campaign with a better — not perfect — and more analytical attitude than in pre-trump days. One other factor: Very many people look at a man like Platner and are reminded of the errors they themselves made when they were younger. It’s a rare human who has zero regrets and that makes Platner relatable.
Good clarification. Will help keep us on track.
Thank you for sharing that video! All the info I'd had before was just written stuff. (California voter here).
Wow! He's rural electric! His approach reminds me of Magyar (sic?) in Hungary.
In Maine, he can run that kind of campaign... "83 town halls in 8 months, she hasn't held one since I was in 8th grade." Wooch.
And he's branding against the onslaught of money that's coming with the posters and slogan 'A Senate Money Can't Buy."
I'm feeling much better about his chance for winning and for not just winning on slogans but on policies (he name dropped rural health care, education, housing, Medicare for all and roe v wade.)
I support supporting him. He doesn't seem like Fedderman. More like a poor man Teddy Roosevelt.
My 2 cents.
Agree. That acceptance speech was electrifying - and hit a bulls-eye on the targets of affordability and corruption. Also effective critique of Collins. I’m not totally on board yet, but getting there.
He just won … handily. Read your comments. The negatives are all about purity.
He is already a winner. Now we need to get behind him and get back into power.
How can we replace him now though, after the primaries are over?
I am a Maine voter. Ever since I attended a Platner town hall, I have been enthusiastic about him as a senator. I did worry after the latest revelations, but realized I still wanted him to win. His message is electric. I think if he keeps connecting with voters face to face as he has been he has a very good chance to beat Collins who hides from her constituents and votes with Trump 94% of the time. We need to get this guy over the finish line! Collins and MAGA are killing us.
listened to a local reporter up there this morning; he edits a small local paper and is an experienced reporter; like a lot of people, he moved to maine for the quieter life, as if...he said it will come down to older white women who have shown up for collins. i have read that elsewhere. we will have to wait and see. note; the reporter is alex sietz-wald, the paper he edits is the midcoast villager. you can hear his interview on molly jong fast's latest podcast; he does note that platner is charismatic.
I don’t understand even a moment’s hesitation to support Platner.
We need to see if he can maintain his lead in Maine before we hand over some of the limited dollars to support his campaign. Because if there are any other shoes that drop, or if what has come out about Platner past hurts him enough with women, racial, and religious minorities, supporting a doomed candidate might harm winnable campaigns.
Derek this is exactly what Simon has been trying to say but the conversation is stuck in the character issue. It's not whether you'd vote for him or not, it's whether we invest in his campaign which could be risky and take funds away from other fights.
yes. also, it's not about moral judgments on one issue or another, it's about investing in a potential senator. my standard for male vet congressperson is Jsaon Crow and, it is to be hoped, Fred Wellman.
I agree.
some of us don't believe in compromising on character to win. i'm not saying i wouldn't vote for Platner but i do have limits.
I like your point about 'saving democracy is the greater good here'.
Simon--A lot of the commenters have hit on what I've observed consistently in response to every anti-Platner article I've read (wearing my info-warrior hat). Massive support for Platner and anger against the Democratic establishment, the GOP, the corporate media and, for some--poisonously so, I fear--AIPAC.
The fact that many of these articles made outrageous equivalences between Platner and Trump, Platner and Kavanaugh, Platner and *Roy Moore* (Jesus, Frum), and the suspicious timing and seeming coordination between all these attacks, all but ensure that any additional revelations are going to be seen as not credible by anyone who supports Platner, and those who do are going to do their damndest to make sure everyone online (which is where this will be decided--not in the corporate media, and not via TV ads, no matter how much the oligarchs spend on them) sees them as nothing but smear tactics against a candidate who is saying what people want to hear, while the establishment sure looks like it wants to talk about everything but. The tattoo? You might be surprised at the number of people who know a lot about that subject and have seen it who say *they* wouldn't have recognized it as a totenkopf (and the person who says he did? Was so traumatized by what he allegedly did to her that three years later she founded Ladies For Kavanaugh. Sure. Right.)
He is tapping into the same anger Trump tapped into, but with a lot more credibility. He *is* working class, not a faux billionaire failson; he has a history of service, not avoiding and mocking it; he has shaded the truth about things most voters realize they would shade the truth about, not a lifelong criminal conman who's told literally tens of millions of lies as Trump and his supporters have over the past ten years ("believe the women?" Not if they're Republicans, not after Franken). And ironically/not ironically, thanks to Trump, that anger has only grown, not been assuaged.
Which is why I've wanted to bang my head against the wall every time a pundit, in making the case for Mills, went FUD about people who wouldn't vote for Platner. As if the bigger problem wouldn't be Platner supporters who'd either stay home or even vote for Collins out of outrage if Platner was "stabbed in the back" and replaced, right when Dems were finally making headway in bringing the white working class back on side. It wouldn't be just the usual snatching defeat from the jaws of victory; it would be reaching all the way down deep into somewhere in the intestinal tract to do it. Sample comment that's stuck with me: "This is what happens every time someone from the working class runs for office and says something that threatens the status quo."
Before Trump, the corporate media and the oligarchs had largely succeeded in trivializing elections into high school popularity contests, to be decided by things like height, hairstyle, wardrobe, who seems "more comfortable in their skin," who "you'd like to have a beer with," who you "want in your living room." But then they got nuclear-greedy and gave us Trump, who simultaneously cauterized every other candidate's personal foibles while waking everyone up--thanks to his tsunami of disastrous and/or corrupt policy decisions--as to what really ought to be determining their vote, and this is where Platner--and Talarico, Ossoff, Slotkin, AOC, Spanberger, and others really shine.
All this said doesn't mean you and we should throw our weight behind his candidacy, though, and actually I think there may be an even more important reason *not* to do so than whether he can win. You've always emphasized that we have limited resources and need to focus them where they can make the most difference, in places where you, in particular, see opportunities that others aren’t seeing and responding to yet, like North Carolina, the blue dot, the state parties we're supporting via the Audacious Fund, and so many others.
In my opinion, Graham Platner has momentum beyond the point where he needs our help, and our time and money would be better spent on his state's party and elsewhere (including helping the party figure out how to separate opposition to the Israeli right-wing from antisemitism, which unfortunately has reared its ugly head in this race). If the Republicans want to try and make Platner the face of the Democratic Party as a core element of their midterms strategy, and remind the masses every day of who's on their side vs who's betrayed them, wow, let'em. It will be fun to watch the *other side* fight yesterday's wars with yesterday's weapons.
Does anyone have any more recent information about his campaign team? The way they handled the sexting thing with finger-pointing and blame was pretty inept and unprofessional. I'm nervous investing in him until he beefs up his campaign team and gets more professional people on board, because the right-wing is sifting through his online past even as we speak. They need to be ready to be up to the challenge and I'm not confident they are right now. Just popping back with meme-worthy responses won't cut it. Only Republicans get to do that sort of thing and still get elected. We don't have that luxury.
I am fully behind Platner too: I encourage all to listen to the NYT Interview with him
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-interview/id1624946521?i=1000768096417
Also Suzi LeVine (former ambassador and political commentator) asked him to do a Zoom call with her followers which I attended. He own his mistakes. He is authentic. The former girlfriend most vocal about his behavior works for the Heritage Foundation. And (this made a difference in my assessment): he is 41. The behavior in question was committed by a vey young man. “Good judgment comes from experience. And experience comes from bad judgment.”
Listen to his acceptance speech. Amazing insight and grace.
Daily reader, first-time commenter.
At the outset, Platner wasn't my first choice. Frankly, given the baggage surrounding him, I'd still prefer someone else. But he's the nominee.
When it comes to offering full-throated support, I think the only question that really matters is: Who is more likely to cause greater harm, Graham Platner or Susan Collins?
Collins will vote to confirm whatever 40-something right-wing ideologues Trump nominates to replace Thomas and Alito. The long-term impact of those Supreme Court appointments far outweighs whatever Platner did—or may have done.
For me, that makes the choice clear. Platner is the less harmful option.
100%
Not only the Supreme Court, but all federal judicial appointments for the next two years. We can not lose sight of that.
Tracy, I believe what you say is the best way to frame whether to vote and/or support Platner. I find blaming the establishment or those who still do not believe in Platner not helpful. How Platner and his team have chosen to address and defend these past actions have only exacerbated and highlighted the past actions. Honestly, some of these past actions are not that far in the past. I think people can respectfully disagree about how they feel about Platner. Platner chose to run for the senate and with that comes all this attention and attacks. I do not live in Maine. If I did, I probably would vote for Platner bc the alternative would be a blank check for Trump again and our democracy would further erode with Collins in the Senate. For those who want to donate to Platner are free do so and those who do not, are also free not to donate to him.
Seems like any support can be wrapped in the absolute necessity of keeping our system of democracy vrs authoritarianism peppered with references to the Supreme Court, federal judiciary nominations and other vital issues we face. Let the former Republican strategists at Lincoln Square do the messaging!
I suggest you read Rick Wilson today who writes he knew of the woman at the center of the Platner “scandals” and says she was a Republican operative, who ran “Ladies for Brett Kavanaugh”.
In our efforts to be respectful of one another this is widely known and understood. The story that mattered last week wasn't the NYT story it was the now admitted serial infidelity in a young marriage. That is what created the new crisis for him.......
I respectfully disagree that the background of the Republican woman at the center of the information about Platner’s past was widely known.
It's in the NYT story. She is IDed in the story as a Republican with extensive Republican ties.
I spend far too much time reading the news and did not know this.
Agreed here, I feel reasonably well informed and don’t know.
I didn't read the article and I knew. It was all over the blogs and online news. But we can all miss stories. I do all the time, but this one I knew. There is so much going on, one can miss stories or information.
My understanding is that his “infidelity” early in the marriage was digital only. He and his wife both say it stopped early and they have jointly worked out boundaries for their marriage with the help of a therapist. Whether elder white women in Maine (I’m almost 80) will accept the Platners assurances that they have healed the early breach of trust in their marriage may be an unknown. Still, it’s hard for me to see that we can know objectively what my northern sisters in Maine will do. Each will vote on her gut feeling. My gut feeling is that he can win and should be supported now.
There is so much about Platner, it's hard to keep track. Is this infidelity the sexting or is there another one? Personally, I don't care about that bc it's between him and his wife but it does add to the baggage.
Reporting I’ve seen documents only online sexting.
Is that not infidelity? 6-12 women?
Yes. I think it is. Since infidelity is such a broad term, it is clarifying to know he is not accused of having physical intimacy outside his marriage. That distinction might have made a difference to his wife.
Oh I am JUST understanding this. There were 6-8 women? Oh my gosh. I guess I was dense about it. While I don't care bc it is between him and his wife, it will matter to some voters. I assumed it was one person and thus was asking if there were more.
If I may, to be noted that he married in fall 2023, so early in their marriage would be 1 or 2 years ago.
Yes. His "sexting" with 6-12 women after they were married. And his profile on the sexting site was still active last week.
LAST WEEK - excuse the all caps - wow!!
Oh Lord. I'm speechless.
Respectfully, his texting was a difficult story, to be sure. And messy, because it seemed to reveal a rift within the campaign. Pundits love a conflict. As a therapist, the Platners response to this crisis in their young marriage seems to have been healthy and apparently effective in helping them to restore trust in the relationship. Good for them. In contrast, a juicy story in the NYT, with details suggesting possible assault of a past girlfriend? You can’t tell me that’s not what caused the Dem panic we’ve seen over the weekend. I read that story. I was NOT a Platner supporter before I read it. After reading the allegations and hearing his response on Chris Hayes, I felt more positively about him than I had before. I don’t think you agree, Simon, and I still find his history problematic, so I get it. Maybe we don’t decide to support him, but if he can win Maine, we must seriously consider supporting him. Would it maybe help to speak with him one-on-one?
Yeah, Wendy, I’m not going to take a stance on which revelation about Platner—the one about sexting infidelity or the one about the accusation of abuse—caused more of the increased concern since last week, since I just don’t know which of those things bothered other people more. But I will say, speaking only for myself, that I’m the opposite of Simon in the sense that I’m far more bothered by the abuse accusation. The sexting thing I can forgive, but if he actually twisted that woman’s arm and locked her into a room, that is very hard for me to forgive. And while it seems very likely the accusation is false, the possibility that it’s true is very disturbing.
Of course, when I’m thinking about it in these terms, I am thinking mainly about to what extent I could support Platner in good conscience, which is only indirectly relevant to the question Simon is focused on, which is how much the revelations will hurt his chances. So it depends how many potential supporters feel the same way as I do
“Ladies for Brett Kavanaugh?” That takes some balls…
Does anyone have an idea when Collins and Platner could schedule their first debate?
I know it's always best for money to flow to a candidate sooner rather than later, but is waiting until then an option for us?
Don't get me wrong - it's not the debate itself I'm waiting for - though we might be able to glean some salient info about the state of his campaign afterward - but let enough time to pass to see where things stand.
I appreciate how Simon framed it. My opinion of him is not important - I'm interested in supporting him if Maine continues to embrace him, and I have a funny feeling we are not done with discoveries yet.
Thanks, Simon, for your emphasis on helping the Maine Democratic Party. I don't know what I think or how I feel about Platner, and am paying attention to posts here about that. But I do know that there's also an important Governor's race in Maine and an important Congressional seat there that we need to win. So, I'll be giving more money to Maine Dems to continue building the robust ground game we'll need there to help all D candidates this fall.
Platner can win. The Dem Party needs Collins to go. Women need Collins to go. Platner said what I needed to hear last night. He is flawed. He is working to be better. He has taken accountability. His wife forgives him. I see he is on a road to redemption with the grace and embrace of his voters. This is what the road back looks like - messy, hard, necessary. We have all witnessed this in reverse many times with long term politicians. It will be refreshing to watch him grow and rise.
Thank you. Agree.
Platner is the candidate we have, and we need to win the seat. I am a Democrat, but I refuse to play the Holier Than Thou game typical of the Democrats. That is how we lost Al Franken from the Senate. He was a terrific senator, and we certainly could use him now in the Senate. We need get behind Platner with everything we've got.
Al Franken was a different situation and he was not treated fairly. I would respectfully suggest that those who are worried about Platner are more concerned that there might be other shoes to drop. I don't think most have a holier than thou attitude. I think they are genuinely concerned. I really think so much of this falls on Platner's team. For all the blaming they have done, they would do well to stop blaming those who are concerned and try to unite. Maybe more town halls with people who want to know more about Platner. Everyone who supports him says he is great at rallies. Maybe he can address Hopium on a Zoom interview?
That was Kirsten Gillibrand and I still can’t look at her.
Same
I think your more cautious position on Platner is wise. Hopium’s support for the Maine Democratic Party is very important and will help Platner. I have been worried about his candidacy all along but was encouraged about his chances after listening to his entire speech last night… which was really outstanding. Let’s see what happens in the next couple of months and continue to support Maine’s Democratic Party.
Agree and I need to listen to his speech. I only heard a clip. Thank you Simon for posting a link to his speech.
Jen Psake podcast of her show last night featured the entire speech so I listened to it on long walk this morning
Good idea. I take long walks.
Excellent speech.
When I listen to Platner, I'm impressed. On the issues that appeal to working people in Maine, I think he makes a very strong appeal. Would I prefer he had less personal baggage? Yes. But he seems to be addressing it well. Also, if we want to start nominating younger candidates (and we should want to), we're going to have to get used to candidates with online histories, some of it less than ideal. Let's not freak out over what the Republicans will do to attack him. They're going to do it anyway, no matter how "clean" our candidate is (look at what's happening in Texas against Talarico). Platner is our candidate and from the looks of it he has at least as good a chance to win the seat (and probably a better chance) as any of our other candidates to flip Senate seats. If we keep behaving like the circular firing squad, we're not doing what we need to do.
David, c'mom ffs. 1) No one is doing a circling firing squad. We are having a respectful conversation. 2) the idea that everyone will get attacked no matter their baggage is absurd. Means there is no reason to vet candidates.
Asking folks to raise their game here on a tough issue and not throw silly stuff around.
Perhaps I wasn't clear. The comments here are fine. But I do think we need to keep some perspective - not all the criticism of Platner we hear is coming from a place of wanting us to have the best chances of winning the Senate; some people (including some Dems) have hidden agendas and don't like what Platner is saying. Fine to look at polling. But let's not take the position that some people take - that there will always be more stuff coming out and that Platner is sure to lose. Even after sustained criticism, he's still ahead of most of the candidates we're hoping will flip seats.
Character attacks are tried and true strategies to defeat an opponent. That's our anxiety. News about attack ads from Collins where women on the street are shown reading and responding to Platner's statements on Reddit terrify me.
True, Schumer recruited a terrible candidate for the Maine senate primary, but leftists dismissing what would be deal breakers for any other candidate is disturbing.
More scared than Repos should be of ads showing Collins saying "I'm concerned" with what she voted for underneath? In the world we live in today, why would anyone believe the women in Collins' ads are anything but paid actors (and/or partisans)?
The problem is all they can say about Talarico is he’s gay and eats vegetables. That pales in comparison with what they say about Platner on a daily basis.
That may be worse in Texas than what Platner has said and done is to people in Maine. Heck, based on how well the likes of Paxton have done down there, Platner's foibles might be a positive for him in TX. If I were Talarico, I think I'd have a mouthful of steak every time I said "I approved this message."
Exactly. They have absolutely nothing against Talarico 😂 so it’s simply not true that everyone has baggage that is like Platner’s
I would recommend Daniel Barkhuff’s Substack piece from yesterday for a different insight into Graham Platner and the forces that shaped him and still probably influence him:
https://substack.com/@dbarkhuff/note/p-200627811?r=50lse&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
I also suggest Rick Wilson’s Substack piece posted today.
Rick Wilson doesn’t always get it right. But he is right more often than he is wrong.
And he knows how the game is played.
I hope one day that the game is no longer played that way, and the past experience of operatives such as Rick Wilson is no longer relevant. Until then, however….
Dr. Barkhuff's piece was brilliant in my opinion. My father, uncle and two of my three brothers all served, and my best friend's son is a quadriplegic from a sniper in Fallujah. I think many people do not understand the sacrifices and devastation that happened to people in war. I would appreciate someone at senior levels of our government who can speak for the human cost of sending our sons and daughters to fight.
I agree. Dr. Barkhuff’s piece was not an apologia for Platner’s past, nor was it in any respect an exoneration. It was a deeply moving request that we try to give deeper understanding to what a very small, infinitesimal in proportion, percentage of our population experience in service to their country, and how it impacts them. Some people never recover, but many grow from those experiences and have much to offer for having had those experiences.
Hello everyone.
Graham Platner represents a new face for Democratic leadership—someone shaped by the realities of overseas wars and our own volatile political climate. He carries the scars that reflect the dysfunction of our society, whether that manifests as PTSD, past relationship struggles, or personal missteps.
The fundamental question for us is this: Do we demand perfect angels as our political leaders, or do we support flawed humans who are willing to grow and improve their humanity? I have seen enough of Graham Platner to know where I stand: I fully support Graham Platner!