Dems abandoned him despite Weiner being a firebrand on the floor of the House.

He could have shown current Dems how it’s done.

He lost his seat. He lost his wife. Perpetually monikered with “disgraced”.

And did his resignation materially help the Party or just sustain the status quote?

because the girl was underaged. I guess you don't realize that, or what? I don't think he could have served from prison, by the way.
It would be kind of difficult to vote, no?

Under no circumstances should we stand by that. Platner's texts going to adult women is entirely different (provided it was with consent). People can make arguments about his tattoo and his reddit posts being disqualifying for them. I'm very glad I don't live in Maine where I think either likely choice is deeply problematic.

But when you have to downplay someone's actions or relying on whataboutism it's not a convincing argument. It's not as simple as we are inherently good because we have picked the right party. My biological dad is a Democrat, he's also an abusive jerk and rapist. Sorry but the former doesn't give him a pass.

Last edited Sun May 31, 2026, 02:14 PM - Edit history (1)

Then after having been caught twice, he got caught sexting again! This time wearing under shorts lying on a bed with his son.

As if this wasn't enough, he got caught one more time, this time sending porno to a minor, in which he served 15 months in prison.

Platner is nothing like Weiner, who is a covicted felon and registered sex offender.

It was because he was caught again and the FBI got his laptop that they found several Clinton emails that his wife opened on a shared computer when HRC was SoS. These led Comey to announce they were reopening the emails investigation and the. 3 days before the election to announce none were not seen by them before.

I know there was a period when Weiner was popular here because he was outspoken, however that never made him someone either improving Democratic chances or accomplishing anything in the House.

It's an addiction, no matter what it costs them.

His wife and any political career. It's too bad that he might be to blame for Trump ever becoming President.

His stupid laptop.

Last edited Sun May 31, 2026, 02:05 PM - Edit history (1)

Wow !
I guess we then have to pose the question ... IS there such a thing as disqualifying character or behavior?
Or have we now entered territory where anything (meaning virtually anything) goes?
All good?

(Note: have NOT put Platner in the same category as Weiner - but the issue remains, does questionable behavior (any behavior?) now becomes 'no go', 'hands off' -- because, 'purity' ?)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

is AIPAC money.

Anything else (apparently) up to and including soliciting sex from minors is a "maybe"

Gotta appeal to his rotten supporters somehow. Hopefully our party will fare better than the apples did.

In case you forgot what Weiner did, he was sexting a 15 year old. He committed a crime, he went to jail for it, and he's now a registered sex offender. No matter how much any of us may have originally liked him, he deserved what he got.

As much talk about pedophiles as there is at DU these days, (calling Trump one, ranting about the Epstein files, etc.) and about Trump and other criminals never having to face justice, I'd call this a win. Here's a sex offender who got caught and paid for it. Losing a popular congressperson sucks, but any other outcome would have been worse.

with the help of DU's great hero, James Comey

and

"Work harder to get your rewards in heaven"

Our hope is enough people will come out to vote to get someone who will with their first vote help us take the majority to put a stop on so many bad things.

A lot of Republicans got taken in by Trump and his backers They got taken over and cast aside.

A lot of Democrats are wiser.

I'm not sure.

That’s my purity stim.

What was gained? Gary Hart , John Edward's both were effective in

politics but certainly had bad judgment in personal matters.

The rethugs have no problem looking the other way. Life is messy and the older I get, the more forgiving I've become.
Being idealistic is for amateurs.

What do we expect from a country founded by Purtitans.

that each day brought new “allegations” that demanded his response and interfered with his senatorial work.

But Franken was a different story. He was already in a Senate.
This guy isn't even nominated yet.

resignation helping Dems beat Roy Moore that same year.

did nothing for the long run.

When Franken resigned, polling shows Jones losing. Roy Moore, a known PEDOPHILE was leading in the polls

Local TV stations in Alabama were running stories like "Dems are do as I say not as I do", over the Franken accusations

That gave Moore a clear lead in the election in Dec

Emerson +9
CBS News +6
Strategy Research +7

Franken knew if he resigned he would be replace by a Democrat, to ensure that when he announced on December 7, 2017 he would resign, be made his resignation date January 2, 2018. After Tim Waltz would start the job
https://ballotpedia.org/Resignation_of_Al_Franken,_2018

After Franken resigned the winds moved fast in Alabama, most polling showed Jones down a lot just days before the election. but 5 days after Al fell on his sword Jones rallied and barely won the election by a mere 1.5%.

How sad is it that a democrat could only beat a KNOWN PEDOPHILE by 1.5% in Alabama?

Franken resigning helped Jones win, and Jones' vote saved the ACA, PERIOD

And being against someone repeatedly touching people without their consent isn't puritanical. It's basic appropriate behavior.

Being against a guy who was indicted for campaign finance related to cheating on his dying wife is also a good thing in my view.

And going back 40 years, the world was different. But I'll give you Gary Hart.

He elevated his party by making it.

He remains a stalwart. He remains invited to all the best parties.

He recognized that he was not owed his seat, and that there were many others that could do the job as well as he could.

So he did the ethical, moral thing and elevated the Democratic party.

From that comment, I can't imagine you have ever talked to him or Norm about it.

He resigned, under undue pressure, because dozens of Democratic senators and the Governor of Minnesota jumped on his back for conveniance (and some for self-promotion of the darlest kind, and I'm NOT talking about Gillibrand or Harris). He had neither the intention or the desire to resitgn, and he wasn't even thinking of taking a bullut for the Party. He resigned with an unimagininable reluctance, weighted down by the unexpected near-unanimity of the puböic verbal trashings from colleagues who he thought knew better (and some did, but were gutless). Some did apologize to him afterward (Tester, Nelson, Whitehouse, e.g.), but most did not. Al was not thinking of the goo9d he would do the Party when he resogned. he was thinking the world had collapsed on him, and he couldn't for the life of him figure out how or why.

Talk to him some time. Better NOT talk to Franni, though. She is still angrier about it than Al is.

He had a job. He did it well. His replacement is doing just as well.

I don't know why I have to factor his feelings into the calculus.

Plenty of people that work in offices get fired, get forced out, suffer indignities and "office politics".

No elected representative is owed their rank. They must constantly earn trust.

Al Franken was absolutely forced out - but he made the decision to, not anyone else.

He made a moral and ethical call.

It’s like we never skipped a beat.

If you want to put all your eggs into the Maine basket go for it.

I'm going to concentrate on GA, NH, NC, TX, OH, MI, and AK.

Why do we need to nominate someone with so many issues?

Smart people acting stupid.

WTF happened to integrity

As are good judgement, common sense,
and desire to actual win our battle against the MAGAs.

I come from a military family and learned to be in it to win it.

I can put niceties aside, but cannot endorse abject stupid strategies
guaranteed to make us lose the battle and sell our soul in the process.

and I don't like military service being used as a defense to act like a fucking asshole.

popular First Lady were over some industry standard speeches — and she was a proven Democrat over many decades. Attacking her brought us here, fighting to even get back what we had a few short years ago. None of this would be happening.

In the meantime, the war on millionaires and billionaires seems to be over in certain purity circles — a billionaire is bring actively pushed in California.

So all the reverse psychology attempts fall quite short of reality.

who were on social media slamming HRC because she (gasp) gave speeches, who proudly voted for Jill Stein and who were the same people who screamed about "Killer Kamala" are now the ones lecturing us about "purity politics."

about what the purity tests really were about. You nailed it. 👍🏼

HILARIOUS! Not even a "hold my nose" or "lesser of two evils." Well, the true evil was giving a paid speech , right geniuses.

Feeding the clicks is unhelpful.

Neither is keeping the issue alive.

People of Maine, decide not someone from Topeka.

Yeah, it blows. Shake yer head and grouse all you want in private.

But NOT online.

Don’t feed the machine, that’s a vote for the Bad Guys.

Gotcha !!

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feel free to criticize the behavior and expect him to behave.

After the election, if he's our candidate.

(this was dealt with months ago)
I also think that Platner has proven himself (all by himself, and on a number of different fronts) to be a questionable 'pick'

If he turns out to be 'your guy', then so be it. But - have to admit there's a big "Sheeesh" involved there too.

wouldn't try and pretend otherwise. He's a flawed candidate.

He's also proven himself, on a number of different fronts, to be a candidate who says a lot of things voters want to hear.

Does he believe them? Is he just pretending to be a Dem?

My guess is yes and no.

Either way, better than the alternative. Hopefully.

Last edited Mon Jun 1, 2026, 11:15 AM - Edit history (1)

to be pulling the lever for ' the lesser of two .. '
That's just plain common sense - and hard won knowledge of bedrock reality, and necessity.

My argument would remain with those that would imply that these things (issues of character) - simply don't matter any more ... Because .. "the world we live in .. " - "the other side .." and yada, yada. It DOES still matter. And I'll not be talked down from pointing to a lack ... (honesty, decency, basic moral character, etc.) If I have to elect a person with a questionable track record - so be it. But please don't tell me I'm not suppose to notice (or comment on) all the warts in evidence.

but if he becomes the candidate, you might not want to do it here.

Anyone damaging the Democratic Party with lies that they're corrupt, "ignore" the working class, don't fight, both sides, all is lost, is basking in their own stupidity for nothing.

Platner's situation isn't a purity test.

Last edited Sun May 31, 2026, 11:09 PM - Edit history (1)

Nailed it!

After MeToo, Epstein, Swallwell, tRump, Hegseth, etc., we should recognize this behavior. Exploitive, narcissistic, and entitled behavior towards women. And women are supposed to shut up about it and "stand by our man".

Yeah, he says all the right stuff, he's charismatic, and we really need Maine. But he treats women like crap, and we are supposed to shut up.

The video from his wife was painful to watch. Their marriage is still young. They have invested their whole lives into getting him elected, and now could lose it all because of his entitled dick. His wife is having to fall on her sword, and try to save his candidacy because they will both lose a lot if he gets dumped. Double penalty for her - getting cheated on, and now having to save him from the consequences of his selfish, entitled behaviors.

Not mentioned are the responses of the other women he has been harassing. Most of them are probably Dems. They are put in the same spot. Because of the precarity of the seat, they have to keep silent about what he's been up to. We don't have the full picture on that, and may never know because of the pressure on them to not talk, or lose the seat.

All of the women are expected to shut up and support him because we want the seat. We have learned nothing from the victims.

SMDH...

Why do we need to nominate someone with that kind of issues? And who knows what else is going to come out. Susan Collins is presumably waiting until after the primary to release her opposition research.

Anyone who doesn’t support the murder and mayhem Israel heaps on the rest of the world gets millions spent against them by AIPAC and the minions they pay…:

NT

As usual, expected to sit down and shut up, get over it and disappear while the entitled white guy "saves" us.

Excellent post.

Platner is an unknown opportunist with poor judgment, who treats women like crap. I don't live in Maine, but given the choice between two unknowns, would prefer they elect the other Dem without the baggage.

This is not my race to vote in, but I cannot believe there is not a single qualified candidate in all of Maine that we could have run.

should maybe think about leaving party politics all together.

Politics is not for the weak stomachs.

Or we wouldn't have had Trump.

or else we would have President Harris right now.

They chose excrement in human form over a perfectly qualified woman because he campaigned on quickly and forcefully improving the cost of living. They were lies of course, but it shows how you win elections.

Did the cost of living improve any?
Or are we all going downhill in a handbasket? Should you be believing a known liar?
Maybe we shouldn't just be concerned with winning elections, but whether the candidate is actually going to deliver on whatever they are promising?

In party politics that's ALL that matters. Winning.

Leave the policy to the policy wonks, not the candidate.

If that's the goal of the election, to make the candidate happy?

I seem to suspect 2016 Trump was probably very upset he lost because he didn't seem to want the gig.

If a politician is happy they won an election, it better be because they can deliver on their promises to improve the lives of those that voted for them.

Otherwise, I hope that a dour and internalize the gravity of the responsibility of their investiture.

Democratic party's progressive agenda and ideals forward most effectively. It's a pragmatic choice, not a personality contest.

politics shouldn't include THAT, especially Democrats

the guy is barely alive at this point, is the most hated man on this planet, and Americans are NOT better off.

The fact that he was able to pull a coup on the government is not something to emulate, it is something he should serve time for. There is no way I can look at what he has done and say "Oh it looks like that works - let's do that team blue".

Just no.

What we need to get tough on is resisting in a way that CAN take him down. The complete Epstein files should have been released years ago, and I have some good guesses as to why they weren't. Let the chips fall where they may and release them now.

I hope he means it.

This is true in any war or competition.

Biden thought he could "turn the page" on Trump and beat him by ignoring him and look what happened.
They took advantage of that and RAN HIM OVER.

MAGA is ruthless against us with no shame and if we cant strike fear into their hearts then they will keep beating us over the head. We are at risk of losing 2 more SCOTUS seats for fucks sake.

Nice time is over.

I said RELEASE THE EPSTEIN FILES.

Are you afraid of what's in there? I'm not. They already took down a Prince, let's take down the rest of the MFer's.

Is that tough enough for you? I think they not only raped and brutalized girls, I think it's possible they killed some of them. It's time to release it all. As I said above, let the chips fall where they may - and I mean that.

Calling for things do NOTHING. Take action. Trump feels cozy and safe enough to promote and broadcast a trashy UFC fight on the White House lawn.

If Dems were smart at countering Trumps misdirection tactics, they would use that opportunity to embarrass him on national TV and draw attention back to the files. Get someone to get in front of the cameras with photos of Epstein and Trump.

Organize a protest close to the WH and use airhorns to drown out the talking and disrupt the fight.

I do like the airhorn idea, though, that has merit.

For some reason the new bouncer is afraid of the Epstein files. But I'm not. Release them all, clean house. Starting with the White House.

they would have had this been a case of underage girls or unsolicited, etc - it basically shows a guy who chose poor judgment in his marriage and it’s up to his wife to forgive him. Sexting is a newer phenomenon and it’s done by many many people. Had texts been a thing years ago Im quite sure we would have found many of our politicians involved in it. If I way this against getting universal healthcare, decent and affordable housing, education and wages — it’s desperation on the part of some anti Platner people in search of a story.

I am sure it's coming.

That’s the real story here

When AIPAC is pissed the candidate is doing something right!

A lot of us warned folks that this guy had too much baggage. If we don't beat Collins this time, the people who refused to listen and continued to back this guy when we had a chance at choosing someone without all the drama will be squarely to blame for it.

But Platner did this to himself. If reporting is correct, he texted multiple women. How could he expect it not to come out?

NT

WTF

That’s pretty much it.

And heck, woman are just asking for it anyway, right.

And if they are child rapists, all the better.

Having an affair does not make someone any of those things.

I want to make sure I am adhering to the new morality correctly.

Americans are fine with men raping and beating up children.
So I guess everything else is fine now too.

That makes it easy.
Anything men do sexually is A-OK.
The victims be damned.

Just like the old days.
The patriarchy is alive and well.

As in he just sexted women who had no idea at all of who he was?

I'm sorry, I didn't read that anywhere

From his wife -

"“I confided deeply personal details about my marriage to someone I considered a friend,” she said. “I trusted this person with the most private chapter of our lives — the early days of our marriage before any campaign was on our mind.”

“Our marriage today is stronger than ever before,” she added. “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.nytimes.com/2026/05/30/us/politics/graham-platner-maine-senate-texts.html


Or doesn't her opinion count?

Have a great day.

But as you keep telling me, it is all fine and OK.

Here. you can view his alleged profile in a towel. At least he is wearing a towel. Could have been worse, I suppose.

"Law enforcement officials at the time described Kik as “the problem app of the moment,” noting it was used by roughly 40 percent of American teenagers."
https://www.themainewire.com/2026/05/maine-democratic-senate-candidate-graham-platner-kept-sexually-suggestive-account-on-app-dubbed-predators-paradise/