A political hit job is trying to keep anti-establishment, anti-war politics out of power. Regardless of how we feel about the candidate, those who wish to change the country must fight back.
Susan Collins screwed millions of women with her vote for Brett Kavanaugh. Nothing in Platner's history will ever come close to Collins's violation of women's bodily autonomy.
Joe - here's a thing. Platner might very well be a bit of an ass-hat, but he looks like his constituency. He lived. He fucked up. He suffered. He had PTSD and addictions and said stupid shit on the internet like pretty much everyone under the age of 50 has.
Bill Clinton went to Lolita Island, and the idea he didn't know about the child sex trafficking is a joke. Ditto Larry Summers. Holocaust Harris promised she would bomb Iran on behalf of Israel, and I have spend most of my life watching Gavin Newsome fail upwards.
The difference is that the 0.01% Epstein class have reputation managers. They have so much money that to accuse them will destroy a person's life. They lie, cheat, steal, rape and no one gives a fuck because the blue blood and fine manners cast those sins as peccadilloes, not as indications of 'character.'
But someone from the working and middle class? A heated fight with your lover is recast as 'assault,' stupid shit posting is 'proof' of your racism/sexism/what-ever-ism.
Pete Hegseth's body is a canvas of nazi images. The dems even pretended the AZOV battalion were't REAL Nazis - in spite of their myriad swastikas.
The hypocrisy of this is blinding - and not much different than what was done to Al Franken. You know and I know that if Platner hadn't called Gaza a Genocide none of this would have made the New York Times.
I particularly liked how, in yesterday’s print edition in the 2026 Election section, the NYT featured Reid Epstein’s piece, “Discomfort Over Platner Grows Ahead of Primary,” right beside “Casting Her 10,000 Vote, Collins Sets Senate Record: First to Reach It Without a Single Absence” with a picture of Collins. That record and her struggles to go to every vote certainly seems like it belongs in the elections section (don’t think about what she’s been voting for; instead, focus on the hardship she’s endured: 20 years ago, she even chipped a bone in her ankle getting to a vote! What commitment!), and the placement of the two articles on the page is just super duper neutral.
I think something worth noting is that Fifield's story literally could be true but the reasons for publishing are not to protect women or academic vigor. Much, MUCH more scrutiny is given to politicians on the left that it often serves to muddy the waters of what the substantive differences between candidates are. In this case, the differences between Platner and Collins (or nearly any Democrat and Collins, for that matter) is ENORMOUS.
It must be made abundantly clear that the policies are what matter here (alongside Platner's trustworthiness and adherence to such policies). Supporting a genocide in Congress does far more harm than one's interpersonal private relationships. Refusing to take action against the destruction of our democracy should not be understated.
Politics is often the choice between the lesser of two evils. Graham Platner is the lesser evil.
Please send this article to the Platner campaign office, The Bulwark, and the Pod Save America guys. Those last two have a lot of listeners and they do not dig to get to this level of nuance and truth. Oh, and send it to Chris Hayes who did his damnedest to bury Platner right in front of every desperate and terrified viewer.
What is up with Leftists who say they want the working class to organize itself and develop class consciousness…but then have all this judgments about which working class person is or isn’t worthy? I’ve been listening to Platner for months now. He is a great communicator, his analysis is on point, he’s incredibly genuine and transparent, and he knows how to bring people together across the spectrum of politically propagandized tribalism that ensnares us. He is a natural leader. He has built a legitimate, solid base in Maine, where he is a deeply rooted, contributing member of his local community. Online, self appointed “leftists” need to stfu and take some notes. The working class means everyone, and that is going to include vets with a complicated past. I personally don’t think there is any way this country is going to stop waging endless wars without vets playing a significant roll in the anti-war coalition. If you want to contribute to the working class transformation of this country, stop doing the job of the Epstein class for them by disparaging Graham. It’s counter productive, it’s arrogant, it’s unserious, it’s bad politics. We can’t afford this crap. Cut it out.
I do like him as the person he has grown into and I absolutely support his policy platform! Voting on policy and then holding them accountable for that policy platform is what we need to do!
My criteria for supporting any candidate is:
They have to support Medicare for all
They have to commit to ending all funding and support for Israel
I have many other policies that I’m committed to, but these are my red lines. If a candidate can’t support these two items, they don’t get my support.
Bro worked for Blackwater and he has nothing to suggest he’ll do what needs to be done apart from merely rhetoric. I’m not going to defend him nor promote him. The unforgivable shit he’s done overseas isn’t something I can just ignore
The American left bending backwards for a dude that bragged about killing brown people and was just fine being genocidal himself isn’t an unreasonable line to have. Also you know working for fucking Blackwater
This is his brother. Seth Frantzman. That’s him with the Israeli president at his book signing. That’s him in Gaza; serving in the genocide. Has Graham ever mentioned his own AIPAC sponsored brother who works as a state propagandist for Israel?
You sure about that? Because you even deleted the post you shared; where I commented with all those photos; so that way we’re forced to engage here where there are no photos allowed to be posted. You’re a sketchy fuck man. Shame on you
Just to clarify something really quickly, in order to contextualise rest of my comment:
Platner's Senate platform includes pledges to restore flagging US army recruitment, and to close the "ship-building gap" (a reference to US fearmongering about eventually not having several times more naval ships than China).
A genuine anti-war/anti-imperialism candidate would not be trying to make the US army larger and more effective, they'd be trying to make it smaller and create employment elsewhere. They also wouldn't be cheering on military industrial maufacturing, or the idea of confronting or overwhelming China militarily.
Anyway, that's of most importance. Following that:
"And though I played a far less significant role than soldiers such as Platner, as a tax-paying American citizen, my hands are not clean from the blood of nations pillaged by the American government."
I really don't believe you're morally equivalent to Platner, or anyone who killed Iraqis and Afghans overseas. I also don't believe you, or the vast majority of American leftists/progressives/liberals would make this argument with respect to members of ICE or American police, in place of US soldiers. The key difference is that the people killed by ICE and US police are in close proximity to or are Americans, which makes their death and suffering far more obvious and intuitive to Americans, than the comparatively more remote Middle Easterners who Platner, let's be frank, murdered.
He is welcome to pursue redemption. Redemption generally does not entail or require pursuing positions of wealth, power, and leadership over what and who the left should be. This argument is unfortunately similar to those who argue that repentant celebrities accused of, for example, rape, are entitled to hold on to their fame, wealth, and adulation.
If I were in Maine I’d still vote for Platner, but it would leave a bad taste in my mouth. I'd like to see him sitting down with feminist activists and listening to their concerns, and also making a visit and a donation to a women's domestic violence shelter. Prove that you recognize your misogyny as an issue and that you're taking concrete steps to do better.
At the end of the day, the right to vote is too important for us to waste it over imperfect candidates. In a two-party system we vote for the best available option and we keep holding them accountable.
i'm so tired of hearing about platner but at least your essay gave me a little pause. the research regarding who is smearing him is pretty eye opening and convinces me that it's targeted. for that reason alone, he's worth supporting.
i just wish it wasn't him - another white guy who has an unsavory history with women, who will use his position to redeem himself. its voting for potential instead of proven results. it reminds me too much of the movies. but as someone else said "you just gotta hold your nose and vote for him"
Susan Collins screwed millions of women with her vote for Brett Kavanaugh. Nothing in Platner's history will ever come close to Collins's violation of women's bodily autonomy.
Collins was a key player in overturning Roe v. Wade. That should not be ignored!!
Then there’s me, and I like him. Like, not for a boyfriend - he seems a shit boyfriend. But I am not electing him to be my boyfriend.
And so far as we know, he didn’t visit Islands filled with little girls.
If I have to listen to one more Epstein associate throw stones at other people...
Joe - here's a thing. Platner might very well be a bit of an ass-hat, but he looks like his constituency. He lived. He fucked up. He suffered. He had PTSD and addictions and said stupid shit on the internet like pretty much everyone under the age of 50 has.
Bill Clinton went to Lolita Island, and the idea he didn't know about the child sex trafficking is a joke. Ditto Larry Summers. Holocaust Harris promised she would bomb Iran on behalf of Israel, and I have spend most of my life watching Gavin Newsome fail upwards.
The difference is that the 0.01% Epstein class have reputation managers. They have so much money that to accuse them will destroy a person's life. They lie, cheat, steal, rape and no one gives a fuck because the blue blood and fine manners cast those sins as peccadilloes, not as indications of 'character.'
But someone from the working and middle class? A heated fight with your lover is recast as 'assault,' stupid shit posting is 'proof' of your racism/sexism/what-ever-ism.
Pete Hegseth's body is a canvas of nazi images. The dems even pretended the AZOV battalion were't REAL Nazis - in spite of their myriad swastikas.
The hypocrisy of this is blinding - and not much different than what was done to Al Franken. You know and I know that if Platner hadn't called Gaza a Genocide none of this would have made the New York Times.
Your last point is what's important. They don't care about morality. Just protecting Israel.
I particularly liked how, in yesterday’s print edition in the 2026 Election section, the NYT featured Reid Epstein’s piece, “Discomfort Over Platner Grows Ahead of Primary,” right beside “Casting Her 10,000 Vote, Collins Sets Senate Record: First to Reach It Without a Single Absence” with a picture of Collins. That record and her struggles to go to every vote certainly seems like it belongs in the elections section (don’t think about what she’s been voting for; instead, focus on the hardship she’s endured: 20 years ago, she even chipped a bone in her ankle getting to a vote! What commitment!), and the placement of the two articles on the page is just super duper neutral.
I saw that! Just absolutely incredible, all the way around.
I think something worth noting is that Fifield's story literally could be true but the reasons for publishing are not to protect women or academic vigor. Much, MUCH more scrutiny is given to politicians on the left that it often serves to muddy the waters of what the substantive differences between candidates are. In this case, the differences between Platner and Collins (or nearly any Democrat and Collins, for that matter) is ENORMOUS.
It must be made abundantly clear that the policies are what matter here (alongside Platner's trustworthiness and adherence to such policies). Supporting a genocide in Congress does far more harm than one's interpersonal private relationships. Refusing to take action against the destruction of our democracy should not be understated.
Politics is often the choice between the lesser of two evils. Graham Platner is the lesser evil.
Please send this article to the Platner campaign office, The Bulwark, and the Pod Save America guys. Those last two have a lot of listeners and they do not dig to get to this level of nuance and truth. Oh, and send it to Chris Hayes who did his damnedest to bury Platner right in front of every desperate and terrified viewer.
What is up with Leftists who say they want the working class to organize itself and develop class consciousness…but then have all this judgments about which working class person is or isn’t worthy? I’ve been listening to Platner for months now. He is a great communicator, his analysis is on point, he’s incredibly genuine and transparent, and he knows how to bring people together across the spectrum of politically propagandized tribalism that ensnares us. He is a natural leader. He has built a legitimate, solid base in Maine, where he is a deeply rooted, contributing member of his local community. Online, self appointed “leftists” need to stfu and take some notes. The working class means everyone, and that is going to include vets with a complicated past. I personally don’t think there is any way this country is going to stop waging endless wars without vets playing a significant roll in the anti-war coalition. If you want to contribute to the working class transformation of this country, stop doing the job of the Epstein class for them by disparaging Graham. It’s counter productive, it’s arrogant, it’s unserious, it’s bad politics. We can’t afford this crap. Cut it out.
“War criminals are fine if they’re on my side”
Yes, exactly.
I do like him as the person he has grown into and I absolutely support his policy platform! Voting on policy and then holding them accountable for that policy platform is what we need to do!
My criteria for supporting any candidate is:
They have to support Medicare for all
They have to commit to ending all funding and support for Israel
I have many other policies that I’m committed to, but these are my red lines. If a candidate can’t support these two items, they don’t get my support.
Bro worked for Blackwater and he has nothing to suggest he’ll do what needs to be done apart from merely rhetoric. I’m not going to defend him nor promote him. The unforgivable shit he’s done overseas isn’t something I can just ignore
It's him or Susan Collins, who has a 100% chance of voting for more wars.
This is how I see it.
Ok he’s still giving CIA plant aura with what we know of him. The US is truly cooked
The man called a genocide a genocide. I am a one issue voter.
The American left bending backwards for a dude that bragged about killing brown people and was just fine being genocidal himself isn’t an unreasonable line to have. Also you know working for fucking Blackwater
Hmmm. How much are you earning per post?
This is his brother. Seth Frantzman. That’s him with the Israeli president at his book signing. That’s him in Gaza; serving in the genocide. Has Graham ever mentioned his own AIPAC sponsored brother who works as a state propagandist for Israel?
I don’t believe that’s his brother. Frantzman has referred to Platner as a childhood friend.
To all those reading this; just fucking Google it. This asshole is lying to you
You’re gonna hide my replies so your audience doesn’t catch you lying?!
I didn't hide anything.
You sure about that? Because you even deleted the post you shared; where I commented with all those photos; so that way we’re forced to engage here where there are no photos allowed to be posted. You’re a sketchy fuck man. Shame on you
Another war criminal shaped blindspot for the American left
This aged like milk.
Just to clarify something really quickly, in order to contextualise rest of my comment:
Platner's Senate platform includes pledges to restore flagging US army recruitment, and to close the "ship-building gap" (a reference to US fearmongering about eventually not having several times more naval ships than China).
A genuine anti-war/anti-imperialism candidate would not be trying to make the US army larger and more effective, they'd be trying to make it smaller and create employment elsewhere. They also wouldn't be cheering on military industrial maufacturing, or the idea of confronting or overwhelming China militarily.
Anyway, that's of most importance. Following that:
"And though I played a far less significant role than soldiers such as Platner, as a tax-paying American citizen, my hands are not clean from the blood of nations pillaged by the American government."
I really don't believe you're morally equivalent to Platner, or anyone who killed Iraqis and Afghans overseas. I also don't believe you, or the vast majority of American leftists/progressives/liberals would make this argument with respect to members of ICE or American police, in place of US soldiers. The key difference is that the people killed by ICE and US police are in close proximity to or are Americans, which makes their death and suffering far more obvious and intuitive to Americans, than the comparatively more remote Middle Easterners who Platner, let's be frank, murdered.
He is welcome to pursue redemption. Redemption generally does not entail or require pursuing positions of wealth, power, and leadership over what and who the left should be. This argument is unfortunately similar to those who argue that repentant celebrities accused of, for example, rape, are entitled to hold on to their fame, wealth, and adulation.
I don't buy 9/10ths of the shit they are spewing.
If I were in Maine I’d still vote for Platner, but it would leave a bad taste in my mouth. I'd like to see him sitting down with feminist activists and listening to their concerns, and also making a visit and a donation to a women's domestic violence shelter. Prove that you recognize your misogyny as an issue and that you're taking concrete steps to do better.
At the end of the day, the right to vote is too important for us to waste it over imperfect candidates. In a two-party system we vote for the best available option and we keep holding them accountable.
i'm so tired of hearing about platner but at least your essay gave me a little pause. the research regarding who is smearing him is pretty eye opening and convinces me that it's targeted. for that reason alone, he's worth supporting.
i just wish it wasn't him - another white guy who has an unsavory history with women, who will use his position to redeem himself. its voting for potential instead of proven results. it reminds me too much of the movies. but as someone else said "you just gotta hold your nose and vote for him"