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Swede

(40,425 posts) Mon Jun 8, 2026, 09:35 AM Jun 8

re: Platner - But if personal imperfection disqualifies a candidate, Washington DC should empty itself immediately. [View all]

Oliver Kornetzke-

The same apparatus pearl-clutching over Platner right now protected people who voted for catastrophic wars, wrote healthcare bills with the insurance industry at the table, watched wages and housing and rural life rot for 40 years while calling it responsible governance, and still hasn’t managed to hold Donald Trump, his administration, or the Epstein client list of child-fucking sex traffickers accountable for a single goddamn thing. Apply the standard universally or admit you’re not applying a standard. You’re protecting a class. A class with a documented 40-year track record of delivering for billionaire donors and not working class people.

What Platner offers that no DNC substitute can: an attacking theory of the race. Not “we are the reasonable alternative.” Not “we respect the institutions Collins disrespects.” An actual argument with teeth and with real historical weight about power: who has it, who bought it, who writes themselves into every bailout, every crisis, every legislative fix. Who gets called when the bill is being drafted. Who gets thanked in the press release after it passes. Platner can make Collins the face of a rotting system rather than a politician with whom Democrats merely have a personnel dispute. That is a different campaign and a harder one to run against.
The DNC model asks voters to trust the people who already have power. Platner’s model asks voters to take it back.
Democrats don’t need another fucking candidate who reassures billionaire donors that nothing fundamental will change. They need one who can convince voters that something finally might.

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96 replies

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Highlight:

re: Platner - But if personal imperfection disqualifies a candidate, Washington DC should empty itself immediately. [View all] Swede Jun 8 OP

Starting with the WH.................... Lovie777 Jun 8 #1

Waiting for the count to chime in. rzemanfl Jun 8 #2

I didn't want to disappoint you. Intractable Jun 8 #4

Not the one I had in mind, but thanks. rzemanfl Jun 8 #6

Oh fun! Can I play? I can "predict" the dismissals, excuses, ignoring of historical facts and attacking the messenger. QueerDuck Jun 8 #5

Wish I can RECd you unlimited times ExtraGriz Jun 8 #47

It's a given. eShirl Jun 9 #94

A dirty fighter is better than a saint. Democrats should not disqualify anyone without a felony conviction. dalton99a Jun 8 #3

Really good point - and republicans don't even care TBF Jun 8 #13

+1. Democrats should rid themselves of the self-inflicted purity virus and learn to say "SO WHAT" dalton99a Jun 8 #15

Graham Platner BComplex Jun 8 #44

A dirty fighter..... Horseshoeluck Jun 8 #14

Um . WHAT?! "A dirty fighter is better than a saint" BECAUSE?? ColoringFool Jun 8 #45

A counter point EdmondDantes_ Jun 8 #7

Maine has had perfectly good candidates in the past ... Ritabert Jun 8 #9

What makes you think he will bring in independents? SamuelAdams Jun 8 #11

Because polling. mr715 Jun 8 #19

The last Democrat to challenge Collins led in all the polls... W_HAMILTON Jun 8 #25

As I said in other polls, so perhaps we should just grieve. mr715 Jun 8 #26

Or elect a better Democrat? This is still the primary, after all. W_HAMILTON Jun 8 #27

OK, who do you suggest? I found this on ballot ready TBF Jun 8 #31

If it were up to me, i would vote for Mills. W_HAMILTON Jun 8 #33

Much like Speaker Gideon, a stalwart Democrat who lost. mr715 Jun 8 #37

Platner, this alleged """fighter,""" has never even been in an election to lose. W_HAMILTON Jun 8 #48

So support Susan Collins. Just own it. Don't keep shoveling this mr715 Jun 8 #51

Except that we are a day before the election TBF Jun 8 #61

She's still on the ballot, as is at least one other alternative. W_HAMILTON Jun 8 #67

76% Platner, 10% Mills mr715 Jun 8 #71

Are you saying Sara Gideon wasn't? Emile Jun 8 #32

Gideon wasn't what? W_HAMILTON Jun 8 #36

LOL Emile Jun 8 #38

But our candidate might have a penis. mr715 Jun 8 #40

The primary hasn't even occurred yet. W_HAMILTON Jun 8 #50

Devote time to taking down Collins rather than staying silent. mr715 Jun 8 #53

Implicit in your argument is that we lose with Platner. mr715 Jun 8 #39

No, implicit in YOUR argument is that we win with Platner. W_HAMILTON Jun 8 #49

All I hear is sound and fury signifying nothing. mr715 Jun 8 #52

90% of what you say is your incorrect interpretation of life in general questionseverything Jun 8 #10

Of course you do EdmondDantes_ Jun 8 #17

THANK YOU!!! niyad Jun 8 #12

I hope you will never be judged by a selective, agenda-driven gotcha of your past words and actions. AloeVera Jun 8 #20

Weird that you claim to be against selective agenda driven gotcha while being selective yourself EdmondDantes_ Jun 8 #35

Robert Byrd... mr715 Jun 8 #42

Robert Byrd had actions that demonstrated his change EdmondDantes_ Jun 8 #63

So, to be clear, you WOULD vote for former klansman Robert Byrd mr715 Jun 8 #64

That you failed to point to where Platner has demonstrated that growth and improvement is weird EdmondDantes_ Jun 8 #86

I'm not his confessor. mr715 Jun 8 #88

I have responded in other threads and replies to you, as you know AloeVera Jun 8 #59

That's an opinion based on what you desperately want to believe EdmondDantes_ Jun 8 #87

If Costello were running against Collins, instead of Platner, who would you vote for? jmbar2 Jun 8 #22

He is polling at 3% so evidently they don't want to vote for him questionseverything Jun 8 #55

The question is... jmbar2 Jun 8 #62

Impossible to answer. mr715 Jun 8 #65

OK, so Platner's probably going to be the candidate. But... jmbar2 Jun 8 #66

There is campaign activity mr715 Jun 8 #68

I take personally the gay slurs. I'm surprised at how many people (and which people) appear to be okay with it. QueerDuck Jun 8 #23

I'm gay and don't care Sympthsical Jun 8 #54

Yep. I couldn't care less if he used the F word. I want him to vote with Democrats and oppose Christian nationalists. Hassin Bin Sober Jun 8 #70

Don't forget about rapist Eric Swalwell. mr715 Jun 8 #73

Some of it is genuinely funny Sympthsical Jun 8 #75

No one? Seriously? --- Well, I care. QueerDuck Jun 8 #78

Oh, there is absolutely privilege at play Sympthsical Jun 8 #79

While I deeply respect the work you have done with LGBTQ youth... QueerDuck Jun 8 #81

It's a matter of priority Sympthsical Jun 8 #85

I appreciate the response, though I think you are creating a false binary. QueerDuck Jun 9 #92

I appreciate your perspective and yes those comments are deserving of condemnation. But what might Nanjeanne Jun 9 #96

Whether or not individuals within a community use certain language with each other is a personal choice. QueerDuck Jun 8 #72

This sounds exhausting Sympthsical Jun 8 #77

No it's not. QueerDuck Jun 8 #80

These statements are incendiary in the extreme, and many of these issues cited BComplex Jun 8 #57

I support Democrats gab13by13 Jun 8 #8

If so many can vote for a Pdeo, Sexual Abuser, multigraincracker Jun 8 #16

Simple logic Bobstandard Jun 8 #18

AND it's another Democratic butt in a Senate chair to help bring us into the majority, and Scrivener7 Jun 8 #82

I wish I could vote for him but I'm in Maryland wolfie001 Jun 8 #21

That's why I disagree with my own Democratic Representative mvd Jun 8 #24

Everything I see says that We the People want to take power from the establishment. flashman13 Jun 8 #28

Wrong Framing! We love imperfects! We hate being lied to. delisen Jun 8 #29

No party is perfect, but at least we try to get better. mr715 Jun 8 #43

Re Platner - if only he had more serious sexual misconduct he could run for POTUS. Vinca Jun 8 #30

This is how I voted in the Texas primary - TBF Jun 8 #34

If I were perfect, I might have a different attitude Bluetus Jun 8 #41

I believe we need to hold our elected representatives to a higher standard, rather than making excuses... QueerDuck Jun 8 #46

I don't believe anybody who says they knew all along that Bluetus Jun 8 #56

Post removed Post removed Jun 8 #58

Okay, FUHGEDDABOUTIT. But One Thing Platner MUST CHANGE..... ColoringFool Jun 8 #60

"...personal imperfection..." MorbidButterflyTat Jun 8 #69

Known as a purity test. Swede Jun 8 #83

I get it MorbidButterflyTat Jun 8 #90

Kick and rec. 58Sunliner Jun 8 #74

Bam SuzyandPuffpuff Jun 8 #76

"personal imperfections" Is that what they're calling Cha Jun 8 #84

I don't know about that MorbidButterflyTat Jun 9 #91

Whining that Democrats want to "rip my life apart" -- help help they're out to get me! betsuni Jun 9 #95

I'm going to take an unpopular position Metaphorical Jun 8 #89

Hear Hear! OldBaldy1701E Jun 9 #93