Please be patient and understanding when interacting with others, and avoid getting frustrated or upset if someone does not respond to your posts or if a discussion does not go as you expected. Remember that everyone is entitled to express their own perspectives. Furthermore, even when you don't entirely agree, try to benefit in some way from it.
- Manlobbi
Halls of Shrewd'm / US Policy
No. of Recommendations: 7
I am not a Maine voter. And Mainers have made it clear that they want people who aren’t to stay out of their elections. I respect that, and I intend to. But I will say one thing.
Graham Platner, the Democrats’ nominee to run for the U.S. Senate against Susan Collins, has been credibly accused of sexual assault. He denies it but says he is taking time to “reflect.”
“The woman, a 41-year-old Maine resident named Jenny Racicot, detailed the alleged incident to POLITICO in three interviews over the past two weeks. POLITICO also spoke with a man Racicot dated and confided in the years after the alleged incident, and reviewed documents, including emails between Racicot and her therapist and messages between Racicot and an acquaintance whom she warned against getting involved with Platner years before he ran for office.”
When a candidate who has sexually abused women seeks public office, it doesn’t matter what party he’s in. He should be out. He’s not fit. It doesn’t matter if it’s a Brett Kavanaugh seeking confirmation to become a Supreme Court justice. Or an Eric Swalwell who’s a representative in the House.
If there are allegations that a candidate or an officeholder denies, they should be thoroughly and publicly investigated. The voting public is not a jury in a criminal court; it doesn’t decide whether an accused defendant should lose their liberty and go to prison. It’s not about guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Instead, it’s a decision about whether someone is fit to hold a job, and we should use our common sense to make that determination.
That takes us to Graham Platner, around whom stories of different kinds, including other allegations of mistreatment of women, have been surfacing since shortly after he got into the race. This most recent accusation about him was made by a woman to multiple people, long before he got into politics, including a treating physician. Maine Democrats are already joining national party leaders in calling for Platner to leave the race.
Because this is how it’s done. No man who has raped a woman is fit to serve in public office.
It’s up to Maine voters to decide what to do next. But if they believe these allegations are true, then the only choice they can make is to replace him. They have plenty of qualified candidates, as the contested Democratic primary for governor shows. That choice will be a political one. Removing the current candidate is one of ethics, morality, and common decency.
The contrast here is hard to ignore. Democrats have shown that when credible allegations of sexual misconduct emerge against one of their own, the conversation turns quickly to accountability. Republicans have made a different choice. That’s not a partisan talking point. It’s a difference in how the two parties have approached questions of character and fitness for office over the last ten years.
Democrats shouldn’t lower their standards because the other party already has. If anything, this is the moment to insist that the same principles apply every time, regardless of whose name is on the ballot
Joyce Vance
No. of Recommendations: 2
Democrats shouldn’t lower their standards
This. Is. Funny.
democrat standards can’t get ANY lower. Why?
The dems signed off on the Nazi tattoo. Signed off on his communism. Signed off on his rape fantasies. Signed off on his hanging out on a child predator platform.
Signed. Off. On all of it.
Nah. The democrats are everything they accuse Trump of being, and more. This isn’t going away. In fact - it’ll get worse.
No. of Recommendations: 0
Sheeple as usual din't take a position - now Sheeple sees Sheeple Masters and can sanctimoniously say "No Platner" lol. Usual pattern.
As far as the rape stuff.....
Juanita Broderick.
And Sheeples were fine with Bill Clinton giving defense secrets and trade deals to China all that time.
Maybe Sheeple can own up to misogynistic Liberals pitching Governor Brewer aside for this guy ;)
No. of Recommendations: 0
Correction not Brwer I think she was AZ.
Maine's female governor mouthed off to Trump once and became Sheeple Hero---- she had to quit so Liberals could nominate this guy.
No. of Recommendations: 4
Democrats shouldn’t lower their standards because the other party already has. If anything, this is the moment to insist that the same principles apply every time, regardless of whose name is on the ballot. - Joyce Vance
Hey, you know who would make a splendid Maine Senator? Friggin' Heather Cox Richardson! I wonder if she's ever considered it. I doubt there's even one scintilla of controversy or scandal in her past to worry about.
No. of Recommendations: 3
Hey, you know who would make a splendid Maine Senator? Friggin' Heather Cox Richardson! I wonder if she's ever considered it.
Alas, she’s addressed that question several times in televised interviews. When an interviewer asks if she’s ever considered it, she politely, but firmly says that her gifts are as an historian and that’s what she plans to continue doing.
No. of Recommendations: 5
"Can we really hold Graham Platner responsible for things that he did while he was drunk?" ~Brett Kavanaugh
No. of Recommendations: 0
When a candidate who has sexually abused women seeks public office, it doesn’t matter what party he’s in. He should be out.
Agreed.
And I'm sure Dope and LM would agree with this, too. Right? Right??
OH, it's different if the rapist is named Trump.
Odd.
No. of Recommendations: 1
Alas, she’s addressed that question several times in televised interviews. When an interviewer asks if she’s ever considered it, she politely, but firmly says that her gifts are as an historian and that’s what she plans to continue doing.
Too bad. But quite understandable.
No. of Recommendations: 1
OH, it's different if the rapist is named Trump.
Or a real fascist doing Nazi things-right now.
Vs
A 20 year old Nazi tattoo that someone got while serving in a testosterone filled war zone.
An old tattoo didn’t do it for me.
A pattern of behavior that he hasn’t been honest about did the trick.
