Graham Platner Drops Out of Maine Senate Race, Leaving Dems to Find Replacement

[system1]

Originally published at: Graham Platner Drops Out of Maine Senate Race, Leaving Dems to Find Replacement - TPM – Talking Points Memo

Embattled Maine Democrat Graham Platner dropped out of the Senate race Wednesday, giving Democrats less than a month to find a replacement. He announced his decision in a video posted to social media. Platner’s exit was all but assured after news broke that he had allegedly raped a woman, the last straw after months of…

[playitagainrowlf]

As we say in French - “Enfin!”

I was a fan, but agree with this outcome. Now, Maine folks - get your act together and send Collins packing!

ETA: And for the obligatory “cats” picture, my daughter’s “Stormy” and “Moriarty”…

[becca656]

I got my first wish from yesterday with Platner dropping out.

Now, let’s get the other one - McConnell.

[leftcoaster]

It is now up to the Democratic party in Maine to put up a candidate who can beat Susan Collins. It is a tall order but they can do it.

[uneducated]

If he was a Republican they would have made him a up and comer.

[lastroth]

They’re plotting some skullduggery. Your daughter better sleep with one eye open.

[coprophagoussmile]

It is indeed a tall order but Collins and Trump are working overtime to lose: never-ending war with Iran, ongoing trade disruptions, government corruption celebrated, ICE/CBP intact, inflation, no regulation of the AI/data center bubble, constant efforts to sabotage the ACA, etc. Victory is possible.

[globalguy]

Our long national nightmare is over …

[terryelc]

I liked the guy. In many ways he was a natural. But there is no way he can go forward. Blaming “the establishment” won’t help.

[commanderogg]

Maybe I need to Google a little more, but since the Hunting of President Clinton in the 1990’s there is only one elected official that I know of who suffered no political consequences after he bragged about molesting women and was found liable for rape sexual assault.

That said I will agree that the press is wired for Republicans and ALWAYS sets a hire standard for the behavior of Democrats. They have elevated their skills at sanewashing the Orange POS to a high art form.

The media's double standard for Trump needs to stop

[jwr12]

For various reasons, I heard his statement immediately as it came out. And my immediate response is: this is what a Democratic version of MAGA would look like. The shameless gaslighting. The conspiracy-mongering. The failure to engage either with critics or with any self-criticism. The utter rejection of any responsibility for anything, or of a need to do anything but attack. The weird fetishism of the ‘the people of June 9,’ as if winning a primary was a world-altering event, as opposed to a decision made on one day and hello it’s a month later. To the extent that various pod-bros had a hand in creating the Platner phenomenon, I hope they have a look in the mirror and decide whether they want to be the Steve Bannons of the left. Because that’s where this is headed. And I say this as a person much more aligned ideologically with what the Platner platform was than with anything coming out of ‘kitchen table’ wisdom in DC.

[wintermoon]

@jwr12

For various reasons, I heard his statement immediately as it came out. And my immediate response is: this is what a Democratic version of MAGA would look like. The shameless gaslighting. The conspiracy-mongering. The failure to engage either with critics or with any self-criticism. The utter rejection of any responsibility for anything, or of a need to do anything but attack. The weird fetishism of the ‘the people of June 9,’ as if winning a primary was a world-altering event, as opposed to a decision made on one day and hello it’s a month later. To the extent that various pod-bros had a hand in creating the Platner phenomenon, I hope they have a look in the mirror and decide whether they want to be the Steve Bannons of the left. Because that’s where this is headed. And I say this as a person much more aligned ideologically with what the Platner platform was than with anything coming out of ‘kitchen table’ wisdom in DC.

Right. This is deep-state bullshit he’s spouting. He’s been watching long enough that he should understand that only Trump can get away with this nonsense.

[Lacuna-Synecdoche]

@TPM @ Top

Maine Democratic Party Executive Director Devon Murphy-Anderson said in a video posted Tuesday that the Platner camp was attempting to influence the party’s choice of replacement.

“We have repeatedly reiterated to Graham Platner’s team that they have no role in determining our next Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, nor in determining what this process looks like,” she said.

She added, “We just don’t think ‘Hi! Vote for me. I’m the Nazi rapist’s hand-picked successor!’ is a winning slogan.”

[becca656]

It is, though.

for Collins.

[philmore]

@jwr12

To the extent that various pod-bros had a hand in creating the Platner phenomenon, I hope they have a look in the mirror and decide whether they want to be the Steve Bannons of the left. Because that’s where this is headed. And I say this as a person much more aligned ideologically with what the Platner platform was than with anything coming out of ‘kitchen table’ wisdom in DC.

Right on target. What you are describing has been termed the horseshoe principle of politics, where the farther left and right one travels, the more they resemble one another.
I just read a term that also encapsulates what you described: Blue MAGA.

[Lacuna-Synecdoche]

@TPM

“We went toe to toe with one of the most entrenched political systems in the history of the world, and we won. We beat them on June 9th in overwhelming numbers,” he [Platner[ said, adding: “And now, they are not going to let us have it. Not if it’s me.”

Jeepers. That combo of self-aggrandizement, resentment, conspiracy-mongering, and whiny self-pity is positively Nixonian.

Grow-up, Graham. Accept responsibility. As has been said repeatedly elsewhere, you never should have entered the race with skeletons like these practically doing the jitterbug in your closet.

[kelaine]

@Lacuna-Synecdoche

That combo of self-aggrandizement, resentment, conspiracy-mongering, and whiny self-pity is positively Nixonian.

Funny you should say that, because I just shared the below post in the Graham Platner thread in the Hive.

@kelaine

Whoa. Charlotte Clymer also was not impressed with Platner’s statement.

From Threads –

Graham Platner just posted a video claiming he “intends to withdraw” and that he’s “suspending” his campaign.

I think he’s lying. I think this is strategy. Let me explain.

Most of his 11-min video is spent denying the allegation as totally false, portraying himself as a “regular person” and a victim against “large forces” and as a defender of the people.

Here’s what I think is his strategy..

Graham Platner’s campaign is currently encouraging Mainers to send feedback to the Maine Democratic Party.

I believe he’s hoping that over the next few days, enough Mainers will send feedback defending him that he can justify not submitting the withdraw paperwork by the Monday deadline.

This is strategy. That’s why he only says he’s “suspending” and why he doesn’t give a concrete date for officially withdrawing.

There is a famous precedent for this. Richard Nixon did it.

In 1952, Nixon was chosen as Eisenhower’s running mate.

He was subsequently ensnarled over his use of a very shady slush fund. He faced intense pressure to drop from the ticket.

So, he asks Eisenhower for the chance to make his case to the voters on television. Eisenhower lets him.

Nixon goes on TV and doesn’t really address the concerns of how the slush fund is inappropriate.

Instead, he cleverly talks around it, denies wrongdoing, talks about his “modest” personal finances (the appearance of transparency), paints himself as an honest family man being attacked, and ends by saying he was gifted a dog that his daughters loved and had named “Checkers” and he wasn’t giving up the dog.

He then told voters to write to the RNC if they believe he should be kept on the ticket.

It’s called “the Checkers speech,” and it worked.

Four million letters, telegrams, and phone calls were placed to the RNC overwhelmingly in support of Nixon.

Eisenhower kept him on the ticket. The use and impropriety of the slush fund was never really properly addressed.

Platner is, I believe, hoping that Maine voters will flood the Maine Democratic Party over the next few days urging them to keep him on.

I think that’s the strategy here. He wants enough “feedback” to point to the “will of the voters” and justify staying on the ballot.

This guy is a sociopath.

[irasdad]

@kelaine

“This guy is a sociopath.”

Not sure I can disagree with that at this point.

[DuckmanGR]

Trash that useless sack as the feckless trump sucking fascist asshole that she is.

No more this spineless concern troll who supports destroying, literally destroying our Capitol, wasting hundreds of millions of our tax dollars on projects whose only purpose is to glorify trump.

No more murdering fishermen on the high seas with out any kind of a trial, no more murdering American soccer moms or ICU nurses, shooting them in the back 12 times, for no reason, no more masked nazi brownshirts harassing and beating and handcuffing citizens and legal aliens and undocumented aliens and Democratic politicians, no more furrowed brow Susan Collins selling her soul to the billionaires and letting the people of Maine foot the bill.

No more Susan Collins.

[ronbyers]

I watched Pltner’s video and have to agree he was very whiny, blaming everyone but himself for his collapsed candidacy.

I can’t help but think this might be what happens to a candidate who tries to demand the rich and entitled democratic establishment live up to their hype. If you can’t take a hit like Platner was hit with you don’t have any opportunity to take part in big time politics. The problem is the only people who can take those sorts of hits never come out from behind their sponsors’ skirts to actually fight for Americans.