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Republicans vote for a rapist felon while Democrats squabble over imperfections. (Original Post) dalton99a Sunday OP
We couldnt vote for John Glenn or Gary Hart Johonny Sunday #1
rePUKES are much better at ratfucking wolfie001 Sunday #21
THIS orangecrush Sunday #37
Howard Dean screamed and he was banished. Will Rogers said it best: flashman13 Sunday #51
It's an old story. marble falls Sunday #2
Rape apologists and liars are not exactly "imperfections", in my book, niyad Sunday #3
And definitely not "good" MorbidButterflyTat Sunday #106
Eh, people aren't squabbling over imperfections Sympthsical Sunday #4
+3 Emile Sunday #7
No. We're talking about bad judgment. Quiet Em Sunday #8
Honest question Sympthsical Sunday #12
There is a history of dishonesty, bad actions and bad judgment Quiet Em Sunday #13
Yes, I don't think it's a good idea to nominate someone LisaL Sunday #17
"This is like George Santos level." krkaufman Sunday #53
This claim is George Santos level. mr715 Sunday #65
Let's fix that for you to be more accurate EdmondDantes_ Sunday #117
And he's polling at 76% after all that Sympthsical Sunday #119
And while we're looking for perfection, MAGA and Pukes win time and fucking time again paleotn Sunday #14
I think we are nowhere near perfection with this guy. LisaL Sunday #15
He's nowhere even close to that range, Quiet Em Sunday #19
You want Susan then and more Republican agenda. paleotn Sunday #22
No. I don't want Susan Collins. Quiet Em Sunday #25
At this point, you have two alternatives. paleotn Sunday #27
Your point sounds exactly like Nina Turner's Quiet Em Sunday #31
Life, reality doesn't care what you don't care for. paleotn Sunday #33
how is she wrong? Skittles Sunday #105
She would be correct if she had applied it to this situation - Maine Quiet Em Sunday #109
ahh, OK Skittles Sunday #110
Right. NT was comparing PEDO to Biden... she was Cha Yesterday #124
He's polling 9 points ahead of her. If we don't shoot ourselves in the feet, our odds are quite good. Scrivener7 Sunday #86
Unfortunately polling isn't votes. Quiet Em Sunday #90
I hate that I really don't care about him sexting someone not his wife. Once upon a time I think I would have. But Scrivener7 Sunday #91
I care about him being a rape apologist and a liar. The sexting garbage niyad Sunday #108
No shit. Did you read the rest? paleotn Sunday #20
BUT, with this guy, we ARE near to getting rid of Susan Collins. Scrivener7 Sunday #85
So, someone has to be "perfect" to run as a Democrat? Bettie Sunday #93
Nobody is asking for perfection Quiet Em Sunday #18
Welcome to an imperfect world. You damn sure better get use to it. paleotn Sunday #26
Nobody finds six more years of Susan Collins appealing Quiet Em Sunday #48
Mills could not wrangle enough support to keep the lights on so questionseverything Sunday #56
Few of her supporters seem to recognize this mr715 Sunday #67
Are you telling me that there was nobody else in Maine the recruiters could have found? Quiet Em Sunday #72
Nobody found him, he decided to run and started talking to the people of Maine questionseverything Sunday #75
At this point, that's moot. They didn't find someone better. And this guy is way ahead in the primary polling. Scrivener7 Sunday #87
I have yet to speak to a Mainer who doesn't love the guy. Akakoji 23 hrs ago #131
Yeah, who said anything about wanting "perfect"? Cha Yesterday #127
Yep indeedy RetiredParatrooper Sunday #49
Unfortunately, I think you are right. Reality sucks sometimes for sure. But we nevetheless KPN Sunday #58
Question SocialDemocrat61 Sunday #29
A rare opportunity to disagree with you! yardwork Sunday #57
I don't disagree with you at all Sympthsical Sunday #83
Well said, Sympthsical mr715 Sunday #63
to be fair Skittles Sunday #100
Is it okay if Mainers vote first? MorbidButterflyTat Sunday #107
'Imperfections'? sheshe2 Sunday #5
Or Susan and the Republican agenda. Our choice. paleotn Sunday #16
You should tell that to sheshe2 Sunday #38
Maybe if Janet Mills was a good candidate, she would've done some oppo. mr715 Sunday #64
She was run off...on that we can agree! sheshe2 Sunday #74
I don't think we agree. mr715 Sunday #76
I know we don't, I was being facetious. sheshe2 Sunday #82
DURec leftstreet Sunday #6
We also knife incumbents in the back. nt. BootinUp Sunday #9
"We are oft to blame in this... Torchlight Sunday #10
But look where this felon got us. LisaL Sunday #11
Ugh wolfie001 Sunday #24
Platner isn't a felon. Scrivener7 Sunday #89
..... wolfie001 Sunday #95
Vote for Platner or shoot yourself in the foot. Again wolfie001 Sunday #23
The latest "foot shooting" incident if you been keeping track as they go by. paleotn Sunday #28
I have to be careful. I really don't want to offend anyone here wolfie001 Sunday #94
Fetterman. nt sheshe2 Yesterday #123
Platner ain't runnin in California. And I'm glad he ain't. Iggo Yesterday #125
I'm in Maryland wolfie001 Yesterday #130
Exactly SocialDemocrat61 Sunday #30
Every election cycle. The same thing. paleotn Sunday #32
This happened early in the marriage orangecrush Sunday #34
"This happened early in the marriage" They only been married 2-1/2 years EX500rider Sunday #77
So we won't marry him. He doesn't seem to be very good at marriage. But he's polling ahead of Collins. Scrivener7 Sunday #88
We hold ourselves to a higher standard because we can and we should Grim Chieftain Sunday #35
We're going to hold ourselves to losing a majority orangecrush Sunday #40
So, you don't think we should hold ourselves to a higher standard? Grim Chieftain Sunday #97
Ah, let me think orangecrush Sunday #99
Okay, so we disagree Grim Chieftain Sunday #102
I wonder if she feels we should go high with Trump orangecrush Sunday #104
Yep... They'll say, B.See Sunday #111
Explain How That Strategy Succeeds ProfessorGAC Sunday #96
You show them Renew Deal Sunday #98
We all want the perfect candidate. Guess what? There is no such thing. Platner is flawed, like all the others. Fil1957 Sunday #36
This message was self-deleted by its author Skittles Sunday #103
Much of this controversy is astroturfing by the usual suspects: the same who smeared Mamdani Ponietz Sunday #39
"The usual suspects"? sheshe2 Sunday #112
Republicans are goal oriented and the ends justify the means, any means dlk Sunday #41
We can bask in our purity orangecrush Sunday #43
The gloves came off a long time ago dlk Sunday #46
It's pretty obvious orangecrush Sunday #52
Should We Also Have A Low Bar? Your Definition Of... ColoringFool Sunday #42
Why Are Some Of You Convinced You Know To Whom The OP.... ColoringFool Sunday #44
Yep perfect example is Graham Platner oldmanlynn Sunday #45
That's not the problem. yardwork Sunday #59
Independents might might the tattoo and the XXX pics mr715 Sunday #68
The rules of politics have been re-written a long time ago. Scandals are normalized now. TheSphinx Sunday #47
Just doing everything I can in my home state of Texas limits my time to worry about Maine. walkingman Sunday #50
If you're talking about Platner or Swalwell, I see it differently. yardwork Sunday #54
The people of Maine get to decide, thank goodness questionseverything Sunday #71
We are on the verge of troops in the streets nationally hadEnuf Sunday #55
In a way, we do. ananda Sunday #60
That's what we all have to kinda do. hadEnuf Sunday #66
The big learning curve has been how not to be nice and civil... ananda Sunday #70
Purity tests will be the death of our Democracy. What I am 100% certain of is that the NoMoreRepugs Sunday #61
that's very true samsingh Sunday #62
Here's the thing about Republicans and Trump agingdem Sunday #69
Just Remember Deep State Witch Sunday #73
Fetterman was a completely different person before his stroke questionseverything Sunday #78
It's frustrating MustLoveBeagles Sunday #79
"Republicans vote for a rapist felon" J_William_Ryan Sunday #80
no one is "perfect" Skittles Sunday #116
Is that where the bar is now? RandySF Sunday #81
100% Blue Full Moon Sunday #84
Is there a line short of rapist sarisataka Sunday #92
yup.....literally being compared to Donald Fucking Trump Skittles Sunday #115
ah, OK Skittles Sunday #101
I guess you didn't think the O/P was about Platner. AloeVera Sunday #113
so he doesn't have a nazi tatto? Skittles Sunday #114
... AloeVera Sunday #118
That's been the case for decades. Orrex Sunday #120
Sorry, but I don't use how Republicans act Boo1 Sunday #121
Democrats are afraid to run Women or Gays but donheld Yesterday #122
Hey! LuvLoogie Yesterday #126
This message was self-deleted by its author RandySF Yesterday #128
Suddenly, getting the majority is important. Math makes a return! betsuni Yesterday #129

Johonny

(26,714 posts)
1. We couldnt vote for John Glenn or Gary Hart
Sun May 31, 2026, 09:41 AM
Sunday

But they voted for Nixon, Reagan, and Trump twice.

Republicans have no morals or ethics at all. It's fucking scary.

wolfie001

(8,061 posts)
21. rePUKES are much better at ratfucking
Sun May 31, 2026, 10:38 AM
Sunday

That's their strategy and media companies are complicit.

flashman13

(2,594 posts)
51. Howard Dean screamed and he was banished. Will Rogers said it best:
Sun May 31, 2026, 11:57 AM
Sunday

I'm not a member of an organized political party, I'm a Democrat.

Sympthsical

(11,162 posts)
4. Eh, people aren't squabbling over imperfections
Sun May 31, 2026, 09:46 AM
Sunday

They're squabbling over their pick going over like a dry fart delivered during eulogy, and just want the world to know it should have listened to them!

I'm watching people compare sexting to drugging and raping women.

Yeah. That's just bitterness coming out without the executive function overriding it before the keys get tapped.

And I say this as someone who really doesn't want Becerra, but if it's him vs. a Republican, I'ma STFU about it.

Platner's going to be the candidate. People need to deal with it.

"Sexting!" from the same people who were all out of sorts that Cuomo lost to Mamdani.

It's excessively disingenuous.

Quiet Em

(3,095 posts)
8. No. We're talking about bad judgment.
Sun May 31, 2026, 10:10 AM
Sunday

Bad character. Bad actions.

MAGA overlooks that sh*t. Doesn't mean everyone has too.

I didn't like Cuomo either. I did and do fully support Zoharan Mamdani. Mamdani is an excellent representative. He doesn't belong in the same conversation.

Sympthsical

(11,162 posts)
12. Honest question
Sun May 31, 2026, 10:26 AM
Sunday

Would you rather:

A politician who sexted and whose marriage seems to have ridden that out?

Or! A politician with a clean personal life who enabled policy that left the employment of new mothers vulnerable, showed abject indifference to unions, supported tax breaks for the rich, etc. etc. etc.

It's a testament to our puritanical roots that we'll get all caught up in what is inconsequential personal behavior between two people while overlooking that the policies certain politicians support, the donations they take, and the lobbyists they give favors to that have far, far, far greater effects.

It feels like "bad character" is always over stupid shit, when the real large scale projects never seem to be down to "bad character." Politician votes for bad policies again and again, but hey, at least their marriage is nice?

When a crime has been committed, someone come find me.

Quiet Em

(3,095 posts)
13. There is a history of dishonesty, bad actions and bad judgment
Sun May 31, 2026, 10:32 AM
Sunday

I have never asked or expected a candidate to be perfect, but this is not even close to normal when you add it all up. This is like George Santos level.

This isn't stupid shit and it's quite offensive to suggest it is.

LisaL

(47,619 posts)
17. Yes, I don't think it's a good idea to nominate someone
Sun May 31, 2026, 10:35 AM
Sunday

with that many issues. That we know of.

EdmondDantes_

(2,147 posts)
117. Let's fix that for you to be more accurate
Sun May 31, 2026, 08:08 PM
Sunday

He's a politician who had a nazi tattoo, is a rape apologist, still uses the word retarded as a slur, told an antisemitic YouTube host he was a big fan, has a bunch of other problematic reddit posts, and shortly after getting married was busted sexting women who weren't his wife.

Sympthsical

(11,162 posts)
119. And he's polling at 76% after all that
Sun May 31, 2026, 08:59 PM
Sunday

Except the sexting. And if the tattoo didn't budge that needle, I doubt this will.

I'm on record repeatedly noting the guy's got some problems and wouldn't have been my first choice.

But I also live in reality where he's going to be the nominee, and it was obnoxiously on-brand for our leadership to go, "You know what'll excite people? An 80 year old in their first term whose been slap-fighting with her own party the past four years!"

There are plenty of ways this went dog-legged. Maybe glance at the leadership's absolutely fucking terrible decision making for the past ten years and start with that. Because Platner's candidacy and the fact he is not only viable, but the overwhelming choice of Maine Democrats so far, is 100% down to the party's failures. Schumer personally recruited Mills.

This was their bright idea, and the surprise people have that it's now blown up all over the place is a testament to their lack of political skill and awareness of what voters are like nowadays.

If people are mad about Platner, fine, be mad.

And then demand people in leadership start retiring. I mean, if we're serious about how we got to this stage.

I suspect we will not see this.

paleotn

(22,852 posts)
14. And while we're looking for perfection, MAGA and Pukes win time and fucking time again
Sun May 31, 2026, 10:33 AM
Sunday

Look around. Do you want more of this?? Do you?? Seriously, DO YOU??? If we don't start using our fucking heads, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE GOING TO GET!

Pukes don't care about their candidate's improprieties for one simple reason. IT'S THE AGENDA THAT MATTERS, not the candidate. You want more of THEIR agenda, then keep this shit up. In that respect, they're way smarter than many Dems. Way smarter.

paleotn

(22,852 posts)
22. You want Susan then and more Republican agenda.
Sun May 31, 2026, 10:38 AM
Sunday

That's what we're going to get with the shit. It's like Gaza all over again. Look where that got us.

Quiet Em

(3,095 posts)
25. No. I don't want Susan Collins.
Sun May 31, 2026, 10:44 AM
Sunday

Sadly we are likely to get more of this shit because it looks like we might nominate a very problematic candidate who needs to face her in the general election. I'm not comfortable with our odds.

paleotn

(22,852 posts)
27. At this point, you have two alternatives.
Sun May 31, 2026, 10:46 AM
Sunday

Neither are good. One's not as bad as the other. Make a choice. And while you're at it. Welcome to life.

Quiet Em

(3,095 posts)
31. Your point sounds exactly like Nina Turner's
Sun May 31, 2026, 10:59 AM
Sunday

"You have a bowl of shit in front of you, and all you’ve got to do is eat half of it instead of the whole thing.’ It’s still shit" - Nina Turner

I didn't care for her wrong and awful point then and I still don't.

I don't vote in Maine.

paleotn

(22,852 posts)
33. Life, reality doesn't care what you don't care for.
Sun May 31, 2026, 11:04 AM
Sunday

Take it from someone who's had to eat a few "half" shit sandwiches.

Quiet Em

(3,095 posts)
109. She would be correct if she had applied it to this situation - Maine
Sun May 31, 2026, 06:23 PM
Sunday

I strongly disagree with the situation she did apply it to which was the 2020 Presidential election.

Scrivener7

(60,144 posts)
86. He's polling 9 points ahead of her. If we don't shoot ourselves in the feet, our odds are quite good.
Sun May 31, 2026, 03:48 PM
Sunday

Quiet Em

(3,095 posts)
90. Unfortunately polling isn't votes.
Sun May 31, 2026, 04:05 PM
Sunday

Sara Gideon was polling ahead of Collins, too.

I will stress again that I do not want Collins to return to the Senate for another six years. She's awful. But my optimism for flipping this seat isn't as high as it was.

Scrivener7

(60,144 posts)
91. I hate that I really don't care about him sexting someone not his wife. Once upon a time I think I would have. But
Sun May 31, 2026, 04:13 PM
Sunday

he seems to be our best bet unless some big plot twist comes up in the next few weeks. Yes, he's not who I would have picked, but if he can beat her, he adds one more seat toward us controlling the committees. One more link in the chain of saving our Democracy. And those really are the stakes.

He still seems to be our best bet for that seat.

niyad

(134,356 posts)
108. I care about him being a rape apologist and a liar. The sexting garbage
Sun May 31, 2026, 06:23 PM
Sunday

ranks below those, the totenkopf, him stating he was a communist, etc., etc. The "r's" are going to have a field day (hypocritical, I know) with him. I have already seen one rather large piece they have on him and his oyster business. Whether it is true or not, I have no idea.

paleotn

(22,852 posts)
20. No shit. Did you read the rest?
Sun May 31, 2026, 10:37 AM
Sunday

You want more of the Republican agenda? Do you? And when we get exactly that for voting stupid, don't come boohooing to me. I don't want to hear it.

Scrivener7

(60,144 posts)
85. BUT, with this guy, we ARE near to getting rid of Susan Collins.
Sun May 31, 2026, 03:46 PM
Sunday

And we get one more seat to give us the Committee control. As we are fighting for the life of our Democracy and need every seat we can get.

Let's keep our eyes on the prize.

Bettie

(19,929 posts)
93. So, someone has to be "perfect" to run as a Democrat?
Sun May 31, 2026, 04:20 PM
Sunday

That's why we lose.

Our side never seems to stand behind anyone.

Look at Biden, he had one bad debate performance and 3/4 of the party suddenly thought he should be thrown out like garbage.

Then, they had Kamala, a shiny new candidate, followed by the screaming that we should have had a primary (in the short time before the election)....then, when she lost, it was all about her failings as a candidate and "we should have had a primary" and a bunch of other crying over things that were done.

Do you live in Maine? If not, you have no say over the outcome of the primary or the election.

I don't live there. I don't get to choose their candidate. I get to vote on my choice in Iowa and I hope that the Iowa seat and the Maine seat go to Democrats.

There are plenty of Democrats I find to be not what I would choose. I don't pretend that I am the arbiter of morality for the entire country though.

Quiet Em

(3,095 posts)
18. Nobody is asking for perfection
Sun May 31, 2026, 10:36 AM
Sunday

nobody is looking for garbage either.

Shouldn't be too much to ask.

The MAGA way does not appeal to me at all and never will I am not interested in pursuing the MAGA way.

paleotn

(22,852 posts)
26. Welcome to an imperfect world. You damn sure better get use to it.
Sun May 31, 2026, 10:44 AM
Sunday

Does the Republican agenda appeal to you? Because that's what we're going to get if we play politics this way. It never ceases to amaze me that people actually think politics is some honorable activity. It isn't. People are imperfect and politics is a machiavellian business. But it's what drives policy. Pukes understand that, if little else. We screw ourselves.

But go on and do just that. Just don't come crying about the outcome. You'll get no sympathy from me.

Quiet Em

(3,095 posts)
48. Nobody finds six more years of Susan Collins appealing
Sun May 31, 2026, 11:42 AM
Sunday

You do realize that what should have been an easier flip will now be quite difficult if Platner wins the primary, right?

Not a single Mainer has voted in the primary let alone in the general and I am not as confident as your are that Mainers will toss out Collins in favor of this unknown guy with all the baggage. It won't just be Democrats voting. Independents and Republians get to vote too.

questionseverything

(12,017 posts)
56. Mills could not wrangle enough support to keep the lights on so
Sun May 31, 2026, 12:11 PM
Sunday

To suggest supporting her would of lead to an easy win is comical

mr715

(4,382 posts)
67. Few of her supporters seem to recognize this
Sun May 31, 2026, 01:30 PM
Sunday

That she ran virtually no campaign, raised so little money she couldn't afford her Zoom bills, and got heckled out of every town hall she attended.

Mainers did not want her.

And she didn't want the job.

She was NOT the perfect candidate in reality, despite what her resume might've said in theory

Quiet Em

(3,095 posts)
72. Are you telling me that there was nobody else in Maine the recruiters could have found?
Sun May 31, 2026, 01:54 PM
Sunday

They just found this one and settled?

questionseverything

(12,017 posts)
75. Nobody found him, he decided to run and started talking to the people of Maine
Sun May 31, 2026, 02:00 PM
Sunday

Imagine that, a politician who listens and talks to regular people instead of asking what the party bossy want

Scrivener7

(60,144 posts)
87. At this point, that's moot. They didn't find someone better. And this guy is way ahead in the primary polling.
Sun May 31, 2026, 03:53 PM
Sunday

This is the one we have, unless there's a big upset in the primaries which doesn't look likely.

Akakoji

(577 posts)
131. I have yet to speak to a Mainer who doesn't love the guy.
Mon Jun 1, 2026, 09:05 AM
23 hrs ago

And I speak with a whole lot of them. He’s a man. He’s done the extraordinary thing of being honest and transparent and open with his wife. Most of the women in Maine never even got that amount of decency from a man who was drunk or just imperfect.

Cha

(320,998 posts)
127. Yeah, who said anything about wanting "perfect"?
Mon Jun 1, 2026, 01:12 AM
Yesterday

Not a good argument against all the stuff that keeps coming out on Planter's own actions.

I want Collins gone, too. I'm pissed that he didn't clean up his act before he started running.

And I don't like at all the way he's dissing other Dems... We need all Dems to win across the country for the Midterms. He can't do it alone. He has some nerve attacking other Dems.

RetiredParatrooper

(242 posts)
49. Yep indeedy
Sun May 31, 2026, 11:53 AM
Sunday

Far too many Dems are fixated on hand-wringing over flaws than getting out and saving the GD republic.

Throw out the old rulebook - it's not useful to keep using it when the GOP set their copy on fire 40 years ago.

KPN

(17,542 posts)
58. Unfortunately, I think you are right. Reality sucks sometimes for sure. But we nevetheless
Sun May 31, 2026, 12:22 PM
Sunday

need to accept and deal with it if we want to survive, move forward in a positive way, and possibly one day actually thrive.



yardwork

(69,771 posts)
57. A rare opportunity to disagree with you!
Sun May 31, 2026, 12:19 PM
Sunday

I see this differently. I think Platner is a ticking time bomb scheduled to go off in October. He never should have gotten this far. There have got to be better candidates in Maine.

I'm seeing a lack of leadership on the part of the DNC. A short list of things that have me very worried:

1. The DNC released a report on their analysis of what went wrong in 2024 and it has no analysis, no action plans. It ignores big issues like the I/P protests. It appears to have been written by AI. Basic facts are wrong. (Our local paper reviewed the section on the gubernatorial win in NC and reported that this "analysis" got basic facts wrong and missed the big point - which was that the Republicans ran a disastrous candidate.)

2. I'm watching Talarico twist in the wind in TX and all our party seems to be doing to support him is engage in schoolyard taunting online.

3. Swalwell. Turns out it's more than sexting and even more than harassment. This should have been flagged much earlier. At least he resigned but it's a bad look for us. Should never have run.

4. Platner. Sexting on Kik is not good. His campaign knew about it a year ago. Where's the strategy? The crap keeps piling up. His little Tottenkamp tattoo that he's cute about. His false origin story. Years of problematic statements. Why was he encouraged to run?

5. Most importantly, where is the pushback every single day as we watch our country go down the tubes? Why aren't our leaders holding press conferences every day? I don't want to watch Schumer read from a piece of paper. Where is the fire and strength?

I agree that Democratic voters can be stupid about little things. I'm still angry that Al Franken was forced out (looking at Schumer again).

Whatever the hell is wrong we need to fix it fast.

Sympthsical

(11,162 posts)
83. I don't disagree with you at all
Sun May 31, 2026, 02:37 PM
Sunday

Which is why I've always been a little "Eh . . ." about him. But given the party's major alternative would be a geriatric running for a first term after she managed a series of very corporate friendly actions (and boy howdy, those vetos) during her governorship, I get it. I think if I lived in Maine, I'd get Platner's appeal even more. Not merely populism, but just sheer frustration at politicians making choices they do not have to outside of what's good for their vested interests over what's good for the people.

He very well might implode. Absolutely. He's risky to say the least. But what really prompted me is the . . . let's just say pattern of names who went hard to bat for Cuomo and almost to the mat for Swalwell until that became virtually impossible who are now play-acting, "Verily, servant, fetch me the smelling salts!" over Platner. It's like people don't get the Internet is forever. I can see what you wrote in the past year about much worse people, y'all.

It's cynical pretense, and I just hate that shit.

Completely agree with you on Talarico. But you know what? Maybe it's a good thing our national party is mostly leaving it alone. Do we really want Newsom's interns bothering Texan voters? How would that play there? The people who run the national party - particular the ones who hang around social media all day every day - have proven themselves time and time again to have no idea what a normal voter looks like. They seem keyed into a terminally online perspective and no one else. Sometimes I wonder if they've even talked to someone who lives outside of Twitter or a city. It may redound to Talarico's benefit if they just let him do his thing without their "help." I've spent a little time in Texas, and they think people from Oklahoma are practically foreigners. Maybe the coastal consultant class should leave those plane tickets unused.

Your fifth point is where it gets interesting. Platner seems willing to be that type of politician. Maybe we should hang up our pearls for a moment and just let that ride. Especially, and I wrote a long post on this before, we're entering an age where a lot of people are going to have long social media histories that aren't going to be perfectly curated for political respectability.

We've been electing "respectable" people, and those people keep doing some not so respectable things in regards to policy and governing. I'm willing to give some people of ill-repute a shot if they're going to champion policies that help people on the ground. Barring criminality of course. We can and should draw a line there.

And this is, after all, the party that still holds Bill Clinton in some esteem. Acting like he wasn't a much worse mess back in the day - and still pretending he wasn't.

The hypocrisy is just too much to let slide without comment. It's like those people on the Right. Their pastor molests a school bus and they don't have much to say. But when a politician they dislike does something even a tenth as bad, suddenly they're in front of cameras, "As a Chreeestyan . . . ."

I don't enjoy it when we emulate that.

mr715

(4,382 posts)
63. Well said, Sympthsical
Sun May 31, 2026, 01:21 PM
Sunday

People are so very concerned. Oh so very concerned.

And the purity tests, oh my God.

I've been accused of having purity tests because I'm critical of leadership but I recall a whole lot of people here supporting the love gov Cuomo because he wasn't an anti-genocide young Muslim. Oh, how we had to hear how he was the real Democrat and Mamdani was an upstart, flash in the pan know nothing.

Janet Mills didn't want the job. She didn't campaign effectively. She didn't raise money. She would not have beat Susan Collins.

Graham Platner, by all metrics, is beating Susan Collins.

Whatever sex he has, I don't care as long as he doesn't fuck the country like Collins.

sheshe2

(98,656 posts)
38. You should tell that to
Sun May 31, 2026, 11:23 AM
Sunday

Schiff, Franken and Hill.

These 'imperfections' keep leaking, lots of them and they are giving fodder to our enemy. Yes, we need that seat, and I am afraid we may lose it. I just wish we had a better vetting process and the big names that came out with immediate endorsements used it. That includes my Senator that I adore.

That said, I am hoping for the best in the primary and a huge Democratic victory in the general election.

mr715

(4,382 posts)
64. Maybe if Janet Mills was a good candidate, she would've done some oppo.
Sun May 31, 2026, 01:23 PM
Sunday

She didn't, because she was never really running. She was being run.

mr715

(4,382 posts)
76. I don't think we agree.
Sun May 31, 2026, 02:03 PM
Sunday

My understanding is she didn't want the job, and that the DSCC - Schumer and Gillibrand basically begged her.

On the campaign, she did terribly. I watched her town halls and zoom calls. She was contemptuous of her constituents. She didn't want to be doing that.

Nor should she have been asked. She had a rich, successful career and didn't need to fight at 78 years old.

Heck, if she was promising 1 term as a 78 year old freshman Senator, that is a pretty troubling sign. Worthy of concern.

Gov. Janet Mills saw she was losing by 40-50 points because Maine did not like what she was selling. They preferred the dude with the nazi tattoo and the great speeches.

She wasn't going to lose, she was going to be humiliated by a man with a nazi tattoo.

She didn't want to actively be a part of that.

So, she stepped away.

Because... she was just on the tracks set for her by Schumer and Gillibrand.

Torchlight

(7,105 posts)
10. "We are oft to blame in this...
Sun May 31, 2026, 10:18 AM
Sunday

with devotion's visage, and pious action we do sugar o'er the devil himself.”

LisaL

(47,619 posts)
11. But look where this felon got us.
Sun May 31, 2026, 10:21 AM
Sunday

It's not like voting for felon turned out well, did it?
Maybe there are good reasons to not vote for the felon.

paleotn

(22,852 posts)
28. The latest "foot shooting" incident if you been keeping track as they go by.
Sun May 31, 2026, 10:49 AM
Sunday

We're also very good at circular firing squads.

wolfie001

(8,061 posts)
94. I have to be careful. I really don't want to offend anyone here
Sun May 31, 2026, 04:21 PM
Sunday

But we're in a war with the nazi fascist republican party. We need to overcome this tyranny together. Cheers!

Iggo

(50,082 posts)
125. Platner ain't runnin in California. And I'm glad he ain't.
Mon Jun 1, 2026, 01:01 AM
Yesterday

Unless he runs for President or VP, I’m never gonna have to vote for him.

Y’all do what yer gonna do. It’s got nothing to do with me.

wolfie001

(8,061 posts)
130. I'm in Maryland
Mon Jun 1, 2026, 07:12 AM
Yesterday

That Maine keeps re-electing that waste of a space republiCON for the Senate every 6 years is quite appalling. Change is needed. STAT.

paleotn

(22,852 posts)
32. Every election cycle. The same thing.
Sun May 31, 2026, 11:02 AM
Sunday

Dems screwing themselves because fundamentally they don't understand politics. Politics is machiavellian at its heart and no amount of happy thoughts will EVER change that. It many times requires holding one's nose to advance the agenda. And it's the AGENDA that's important, not that Platner may have some improprieties. The only time those improprieties should come into play is if it will cost him the general AND if there's an alternative. There's not. Mills dropped out so hold your damn nose.

If you're not down with all that, what it takes to win, you don't get to do the governing part. Republicans understand that, if little else. The supposedly smart party many times does not and has a long, storied history of f'ing itself.

orangecrush

(31,353 posts)
34. This happened early in the marriage
Sun May 31, 2026, 11:19 AM
Sunday

And his wife said they worked through it and it's nobobys fucking business, and said the campaign aide she confided in "spread malicious gossip".


"The wife of Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner said she was “deeply hurt” after details of her husband’s extramarital sexting became public Saturday, accusing a former campaign official and confidante of betraying her trust."

"“I know who Graham is,” Gertner said in a statement delivered through Platner’s campaign. “I know the man I married and the husband he has been to me on the best and the worst days of my life. That hasn’t changed, and it won’t.”

https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/30/politics/graham-platner-wife-campaign

The way the press is presenting this seems to be intended to destroy the campaign.

The headlines are misleading.

They really are using every tool in their ratfucking box to prevent a Democratic majority.




Scrivener7

(60,144 posts)
88. So we won't marry him. He doesn't seem to be very good at marriage. But he's polling ahead of Collins.
Sun May 31, 2026, 03:57 PM
Sunday

He does seem to be good at politics.

orangecrush

(31,353 posts)
40. We're going to hold ourselves to losing a majority
Sun May 31, 2026, 11:27 AM
Sunday

We can bask in our purity as we are rounded up by the secret police.

Grim Chieftain

(2,132 posts)
97. So, you don't think we should hold ourselves to a higher standard?
Sun May 31, 2026, 05:02 PM
Sunday

We should get in the trough with Republicans? I recall a great Democrat who said "When they go low, we go high." I stand with her.

orangecrush

(31,353 posts)
99. Ah, let me think
Sun May 31, 2026, 05:45 PM
Sunday

"There's no such thing as fighting dirty. There's fighting like you want to live, and fighting like you want to die." — Seanan McGuire

Fil1957

(923 posts)
36. We all want the perfect candidate. Guess what? There is no such thing. Platner is flawed, like all the others.
Sun May 31, 2026, 11:22 AM
Sunday

However, we're only talking texts. Bad taste, lewd, but in the final analysis, in the big picture, inconsequential.

The culture in America has changed. Things that were socially unacceptable decades ago, though still frowned upon, carry less of a taboo today.

One good thing about this revelation, is that it's coming out now, and will have been flushed down the memory hole well before November.

The main question has to be, would the country be better served with Susan Collins or Graham Platner? What is worse, Collins voting with Trump 96% of the time, or Platner sexting last year?

Response to Fil1957 (Reply #36)

Ponietz

(4,465 posts)
39. Much of this controversy is astroturfing by the usual suspects: the same who smeared Mamdani
Sun May 31, 2026, 11:23 AM
Sunday

dlk

(13,372 posts)
41. Republicans are goal oriented and the ends justify the means, any means
Sun May 31, 2026, 11:32 AM
Sunday

Democrats not only view the goal but the journey, as well.

As the cliché goes: to victor belongs the spoils

ColoringFool

(1,200 posts)
42. Should We Also Have A Low Bar? Your Definition Of...
Sun May 31, 2026, 11:33 AM
Sunday

"Imperfections"?

If you mean adultery, we've been known to overlook that particular private transgression, to the ultimate good of the country.

If you mean harassment, assault, coercion, yeah, no.

If you mean financial crimes, another hard no.

ColoringFool

(1,200 posts)
44. Why Are Some Of You Convinced You Know To Whom The OP....
Sun May 31, 2026, 11:38 AM
Sunday

Refers??

Moreover, anyone who thinks "The end justifies the means" is anything less than REPREHENSIBLE AS A POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY has not been paying attention to its historical manifestations.

oldmanlynn

(859 posts)
45. Yep perfect example is Graham Platner
Sun May 31, 2026, 11:40 AM
Sunday

Democrats will squabble over some text messages he may have received or some tattoo he had from a long time ago and decided not to go vote for him and hand it over to Susan Collins before they vote for him because of their squabble over being perfect. Dems have to vote for Dems no matter what.

yardwork

(69,771 posts)
59. That's not the problem.
Sun May 31, 2026, 12:22 PM
Sunday

Democrats will vote for the Democratic candidate. But independents - who determine our elections - might not vote for a candidate who seems to have his own personal shitstorm following him everywhere.

TheSphinx

(8 posts)
47. The rules of politics have been re-written a long time ago. Scandals are normalized now.
Sun May 31, 2026, 11:42 AM
Sunday

Pre - Nov 2016 a text or rude comment would have ended a GOP politicians career forever. Today that would probably get them a promotion. After seeing Trump win despite being the most disgusting piece of shit in history, MAGA has been operating under these new rules since then.

Dems are still stuck in 2005 with their "standards". Better get with the times, get tough and win elections like the other side.

walkingman

(11,193 posts)
50. Just doing everything I can in my home state of Texas limits my time to worry about Maine.
Sun May 31, 2026, 11:56 AM
Sunday

Good luck to everyone that is brave enough to run for public office these days. It is a nasty business at best. I seriously doubt that any of us are that "squeaky clean". ☮

yardwork

(69,771 posts)
54. If you're talking about Platner or Swalwell, I see it differently.
Sun May 31, 2026, 12:02 PM
Sunday

The Democratic National Committee, our party's organization, should have one goal: elect Democrats up and down the ticket in every local, state, and national contest.

To achieve that goal our party must find strong candidates, encourage them to run, and support their campaigns with money, messaging, and grass roots support.

A person with Platner's baggage never should have gotten the party's support. There have got to be strong Democratic candidates for senate in Maine.

I'm watching Talarico fight off dirty campaign tactics in TX and I'm not seeing the DNC come to his support with anything more than schoolyard taunts back and forth.

We need a strong party apparatus.

questionseverything

(12,017 posts)
71. The people of Maine get to decide, thank goodness
Sun May 31, 2026, 01:44 PM
Sunday

Platner is against the murder and mayhem going on in the mid east, AIPAC will accept nothing but complete support for Israel so they will spend many millions trying to defeat platner

hadEnuf

(3,668 posts)
55. We are on the verge of troops in the streets nationally
Sun May 31, 2026, 12:08 PM
Sunday

We already have them in cities. We have a cabal of open criminals looting our government and we have a demented, murderous dictator running wild, along with a congress who is sitting back and saying "what problems?"

We don't need to be having this conversation about Democrats.

ananda

(35,608 posts)
60. In a way, we do.
Sun May 31, 2026, 12:25 PM
Sunday

For the past 25 years, Republicans have never been
bad enough, and Dems have never been good enough.

Me... I have always held my nose and voted for the
Democrat, even when I preferred a different nominee.

hadEnuf

(3,668 posts)
66. That's what we all have to kinda do.
Sun May 31, 2026, 01:24 PM
Sunday

We are literally fighting a fascist situation that is being fully enabled by the Republican Party, so it's all hands on deck.

It's Trump fascism or democracy.

ananda

(35,608 posts)
70. The big learning curve has been how not to be nice and civil...
Sun May 31, 2026, 01:41 PM
Sunday

in the face of monstrous inhumanity.

NoMoreRepugs

(12,256 posts)
61. Purity tests will be the death of our Democracy. What I am 100% certain of is that the
Sun May 31, 2026, 12:27 PM
Sunday

WORST Democrat is BETTER than the best Republican.

agingdem

(8,987 posts)
69. Here's the thing about Republicans and Trump
Sun May 31, 2026, 01:40 PM
Sunday

particulary the few Republicans that still have a few working brain cells…they know he’s garbage in sub-human form…they hate his existence but they will never say it out loud… they will say he’s a complicated man with baggage ..and when they vote they are not voting for a convicted rapist, a pathological liar, a hate spewing psychotic degenerate, they are voting for a Republican..period

We Democrats tend to parse are candidates..what we like and what we don’t like…and we never fully vet them
and rarely discourage the more controversial to sit this one out..and we do all this publicly…

So when the few Republicans that still have a few working brain cells stand before a voting machine (fully aware Trump is a loathsome cretin) they will still pull the “lever” for the loathsome cretin because the Democrats ran a guy with Nazi tattoos..

MustLoveBeagles

(17,636 posts)
79. It's frustrating
Sun May 31, 2026, 02:12 PM
Sunday

If this is about Platner I have issues with him but he's not Swallwell. Democracy is on the line. We need butts in the seats bottom line and the Republicans are much worse.

J_William_Ryan

(3,611 posts)
80. "Republicans vote for a rapist felon"
Sun May 31, 2026, 02:13 PM
Sunday

The problem is that voters other than Republicans voted for the rapist felon while voters other than Democrats refuse to vote for the imperfect Democratic candidate.

RandySF

(86,782 posts)
81. Is that where the bar is now?
Sun May 31, 2026, 02:14 PM
Sunday

There are three people on the Maine primary ballot. There’s still a choice to make?

sarisataka

(22,874 posts)
92. Is there a line short of rapist
Sun May 31, 2026, 04:16 PM
Sunday

or is anything less than that simply an "imperfection"?

Because that seems a rather low bar; is that where we are now?

AloeVera

(4,476 posts)
113. I guess you didn't think the O/P was about Platner.
Sun May 31, 2026, 07:56 PM
Sunday

As he is neither of those things.

You will not find one record or utterance from him to validate those smears.

You might want to think about why the same people who attacked Mamdani are now attacking Platner.

Orrex

(67,445 posts)
120. That's been the case for decades.
Sun May 31, 2026, 10:46 PM
Sunday

Republicans will vote for the guy who takes a dump on camera during a kindergarten reading circle, while Democrats will reject someone for having used the wrong fork at a charity luncheon in 1997.

donheld

(21,334 posts)
122. Democrats are afraid to run Women or Gays but
Mon Jun 1, 2026, 12:19 AM
Yesterday

Republicans can elect the 34x convicted felon rapist child molesting conman president tRump with the IQ of a tadpole.

Response to dalton99a (Original post)

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Republicans vote for a ra...