Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

General Discussion

Showing Original Post only (View all)

Swede

(40,323 posts)
Mon Jun 8, 2026, 09:35 AM 14 hrs ago

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.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14jrNh36ubA/

91 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Starting with the WH.................... Lovie777 14 hrs ago #1
Waiting for the count to chime in. rzemanfl 14 hrs ago #2
I didn't want to disappoint you. Intractable 14 hrs ago #4
Not the one I had in mind, but thanks. rzemanfl 14 hrs ago #6
Oh fun! Can I play? I can "predict" the dismissals, excuses, ignoring of historical facts and attacking the messenger. QueerDuck 14 hrs ago #5
Wish I can RECd you unlimited times ExtraGriz 11 hrs ago #47
A dirty fighter is better than a saint. Democrats should not disqualify anyone without a felony conviction. dalton99a 14 hrs ago #3
Really good point - and republicans don't even care TBF 13 hrs ago #13
+1. Democrats should rid themselves of the self-inflicted purity virus and learn to say "SO WHAT" dalton99a 13 hrs ago #15
Graham Platner BComplex 11 hrs ago #44
A dirty fighter..... Horseshoeluck 13 hrs ago #14
Um . WHAT?! "A dirty fighter is better than a saint" BECAUSE?? ColoringFool 11 hrs ago #45
A counter point EdmondDantes_ 14 hrs ago #7
Maine has had perfectly good candidates in the past ... Ritabert 14 hrs ago #9
What makes you think he will bring in independents? SamuelAdams 14 hrs ago #11
Because polling. mr715 13 hrs ago #19
The last Democrat to challenge Collins led in all the polls... W_HAMILTON 12 hrs ago #25
As I said in other polls, so perhaps we should just grieve. mr715 12 hrs ago #26
Or elect a better Democrat? This is still the primary, after all. W_HAMILTON 12 hrs ago #27
OK, who do you suggest? I found this on ballot ready TBF 12 hrs ago #31
If it were up to me, i would vote for Mills. W_HAMILTON 12 hrs ago #33
Much like Speaker Gideon, a stalwart Democrat who lost. mr715 12 hrs ago #37
Platner, this alleged """fighter,""" has never even been in an election to lose. W_HAMILTON 11 hrs ago #48
So support Susan Collins. Just own it. Don't keep shoveling this mr715 11 hrs ago #51
Except that we are a day before the election TBF 10 hrs ago #61
She's still on the ballot, as is at least one other alternative. W_HAMILTON 9 hrs ago #67
76% Platner, 10% Mills mr715 9 hrs ago #71
Are you saying Sara Gideon wasn't? Emile 12 hrs ago #32
Gideon wasn't what? W_HAMILTON 12 hrs ago #36
LOL Emile 12 hrs ago #38
But our candidate might have a penis. mr715 12 hrs ago #40
The primary hasn't even occurred yet. W_HAMILTON 11 hrs ago #50
Devote time to taking down Collins rather than staying silent. mr715 11 hrs ago #53
Implicit in your argument is that we lose with Platner. mr715 12 hrs ago #39
No, implicit in YOUR argument is that we win with Platner. W_HAMILTON 11 hrs ago #49
All I hear is sound and fury signifying nothing. mr715 11 hrs ago #52
90% of what you say is your incorrect interpretation of life in general questionseverything 14 hrs ago #10
Of course you do EdmondDantes_ 13 hrs ago #17
THANK YOU!!! niyad 13 hrs ago #12
I hope you will never be judged by a selective, agenda-driven gotcha of your past words and actions. AloeVera 13 hrs ago #20
Weird that you claim to be against selective agenda driven gotcha while being selective yourself EdmondDantes_ 12 hrs ago #35
Robert Byrd... mr715 12 hrs ago #42
Robert Byrd had actions that demonstrated his change EdmondDantes_ 10 hrs ago #63
So, to be clear, you WOULD vote for former klansman Robert Byrd mr715 10 hrs ago #64
That you failed to point to where Platner has demonstrated that growth and improvement is weird EdmondDantes_ 4 hrs ago #86
I'm not his confessor. mr715 3 hrs ago #88
I have responded in other threads and replies to you, as you know AloeVera 10 hrs ago #59
That's an opinion based on what you desperately want to believe EdmondDantes_ 4 hrs ago #87
If Costello were running against Collins, instead of Platner, who would you vote for? jmbar2 12 hrs ago #22
He is polling at 3% so evidently they don't want to vote for him questionseverything 11 hrs ago #55
The question is... jmbar2 10 hrs ago #62
Impossible to answer. mr715 10 hrs ago #65
OK, so Platner's probably going to be the candidate. But... jmbar2 9 hrs ago #66
There is campaign activity mr715 9 hrs ago #68
I take personally the gay slurs. I'm surprised at how many people (and which people) appear to be okay with it. QueerDuck 12 hrs ago #23
I'm gay and don't care Sympthsical 11 hrs ago #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 9 hrs ago #70
Don't forget about rapist Eric Swalwell. mr715 8 hrs ago #73
Some of it is genuinely funny Sympthsical 5 hrs ago #75
No one? Seriously? --- Well, I care. QueerDuck 5 hrs ago #78
Oh, there is absolutely privilege at play Sympthsical 5 hrs ago #79
While I deeply respect the work you have done with LGBTQ youth... QueerDuck 5 hrs ago #81
It's a matter of priority Sympthsical 4 hrs ago #85
Whether or not individuals within a community use certain language with each other is a personal choice. QueerDuck 9 hrs ago #72
This sounds exhausting Sympthsical 5 hrs ago #77
No it's not. QueerDuck 5 hrs ago #80
These statements are incendiary in the extreme, and many of these issues cited BComplex 10 hrs ago #57
I support Democrats gab13by13 14 hrs ago #8
If so many can vote for a Pdeo, Sexual Abuser, multigraincracker 13 hrs ago #16
Simple logic Bobstandard 13 hrs ago #18
AND it's another Democratic butt in a Senate chair to help bring us into the majority, and Scrivener7 4 hrs ago #82
I wish I could vote for him but I'm in Maryland wolfie001 12 hrs ago #21
That's why I disagree with my own Democratic Representative mvd 12 hrs ago #24
Everything I see says that We the People want to take power from the establishment. flashman13 12 hrs ago #28
Wrong Framing! We love imperfects! We hate being lied to. delisen 12 hrs ago #29
No party is perfect, but at least we try to get better. mr715 11 hrs ago #43
Re Platner - if only he had more serious sexual misconduct he could run for POTUS. Vinca 12 hrs ago #30
This is how I voted in the Texas primary - TBF 12 hrs ago #34
If I were perfect, I might have a different attitude Bluetus 12 hrs ago #41
I believe we need to hold our elected representatives to a higher standard, rather than making excuses... QueerDuck 11 hrs ago #46
I don't believe anybody who says they knew all along that Bluetus 11 hrs ago #56
Post removed Post removed 10 hrs ago #58
Okay, FUHGEDDABOUTIT. But One Thing Platner MUST CHANGE..... ColoringFool 10 hrs ago #60
"...personal imperfection..." MorbidButterflyTat 9 hrs ago #69
Known as a purity test. Swede 4 hrs ago #83
I get it MorbidButterflyTat 37 min ago #90
Kick and rec. 58Sunliner 8 hrs ago #74
Bam SuzyandPuffpuff 5 hrs ago #76
"personal imperfections" Is that what they're calling Cha 4 hrs ago #84
I don't know about that MorbidButterflyTat 18 min ago #91
I'm going to take an unpopular position Metaphorical 3 hrs ago #89
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»re: Platner - But if per...