Always believe women. Speaking of which, I have heard that Heather Cox Richardson's name is being bandied about as his replacement. She would be amazing.
Thank You Steven.. I agree with you 100% . I too was uneasy but ready to overlook the tattoo and the allegations in order to get that obnoxious witch out of the senate . I feel queasy when I see her. I hope and pray he steps aside and that the dems don't start fighting about who will be picked to run against her. I read the Bernie wing is demanding someone as progressive as Platner be picked . I just want someone that can beat her. This is not the time for fighting. this is the time for cooler heads to prevail and pick someone Maine can vote for. I have to say I do think they should pick someone who is not getting ready to collect social security .
While perfection in a political candidate is a pipe dream, some failures are too much to bear. Yes, Mr Platner is a progressive candidate with considerable political skill, but the latest accusation is unacceptable. He must step aside now and let the Maine Democratic Party nominate a new candidate, hopefully one who is young and progressive with good political skills.
He would withdraw his candidacy today if he had any integrity. The best thing for the future of our country would include a candidate with the best interests of the people at heart, and no baggage.
Thanks Steven: yes we can't condone the actions of the rapist in chief and then put one with alleged similarities into office. Mr. Platner should step aside and deal with these alleged issues. Be they true or false , We must elect solid men and women with higher standards than the republican party. I really liked Mr. Platner's progressive issues and it is sad he should leave. I'm sure there are others in the democratic party with the same progressive issues.
I was never accepting of Platner's abuse of women nor his Nazi tattoo. I was appalled that Elizabeth Warren took the side of a male abuser over the women he abused simply to oppose Susan Collins. It calls into question anyone who thought Platner's excuses were legitimate. He was not prepared to be a Senator. He was not a good candidate because of his PTSD and Nazi affiliations. Surely Maine has another Angus King or anyone who has experience and a record of voting issues that the Democrats could have put forth for this office. The Democrats have once again stumbled and are again crawling to defeat.
Progressives shouldn't assume we're better at vetting than anyone else. Too often we're captivated by compelling biographies, charisma, or urgency and skip the hard questions. I've worked with executive search firms that were supposed to do rigorous background checks, and even they sometimes missed important warning signs.
Movements that ask the public for trust have an obligation to earn it. Better vetting protects potential victims, protects innocent candidates from avoidable suspicion, and protects the credibility of the causes we care about. Accountability begins long before Election Day
What’s with the deference. It’s not his decision to make. The Democrats should demand he exit NOW.
I was disgusted with the Democratic establishment the first time including Warren and Markey in my home state who couldn’t read the room. Do they do any vetting?
If they had dropped Platner from the the first text dustup what a message that would have sent to women across the country. Instead, they summoned him to Washington to explain himself; no deference to the women involved— per Epstein victims as usual .
The Democrats are shooting themselves in the foot and that’s an assessment by me and many longtime independents who have nonetheless almost always voted for the Democratic candidate.
The historic moment calls for people who will put our very broken Country ahead of their ambitions-serious, thoughtful candidates standing on a party platform that acknowledges all the broken parts of our government and election process and suggest ways to fix—
Term limits
Lobbyists limits
A shorter election window
As it is, there’s limitless opportunity to be bought and live the good life.At some level,most are focused on keeping that lifestyle intact.
I haven’t been following this particular news item closely enough to add anything beyond what you said here, but I agree with the principles you stated. We can’t ignore bad character just to win politically against worse character.
That's a broad sweep. As a retired therapist who once worked in Frederick, MD, I had a young client referred to me by her counselor in HS. The girl was nearly 18 and ready to age out of the foster care program into which she was put because she and all the females in her extended family, which lived together in a large compound somewhere in the woods of central Maine, were being sexually abused. She herself, as well as her mother, were the result of incest. She was very bright and had already garnered literary awards for her poetry. I still think of her with amazement. But I guess you could say that her family, with its multigenerational history of incest and child rape wanted to be isolated, all right.
It’s too bad. I worried about his tattoo and his sexting, while only being married three years. But this is a red line.
Always believe women. Speaking of which, I have heard that Heather Cox Richardson's name is being bandied about as his replacement. She would be amazing.
I've heard this too. HCR would be totally wasted in Congress. It would probably freak the Democratic leadership out, however -- that's a plus!
This is the straw….Platner really must go. Maine Dems, do your job!!!
Thank You Steven.. I agree with you 100% . I too was uneasy but ready to overlook the tattoo and the allegations in order to get that obnoxious witch out of the senate . I feel queasy when I see her. I hope and pray he steps aside and that the dems don't start fighting about who will be picked to run against her. I read the Bernie wing is demanding someone as progressive as Platner be picked . I just want someone that can beat her. This is not the time for fighting. this is the time for cooler heads to prevail and pick someone Maine can vote for. I have to say I do think they should pick someone who is not getting ready to collect social security .
Ideal would be “someone that can beat her” and NOT pull a Fetterman.
Exactly or a dreadful Kyrsten Sinema ..thank you Susan ..
While perfection in a political candidate is a pipe dream, some failures are too much to bear. Yes, Mr Platner is a progressive candidate with considerable political skill, but the latest accusation is unacceptable. He must step aside now and let the Maine Democratic Party nominate a new candidate, hopefully one who is young and progressive with good political skills.
He would withdraw his candidacy today if he had any integrity. The best thing for the future of our country would include a candidate with the best interests of the people at heart, and no baggage.
Good luck with the “no baggage” thing. Everyone’s got some
There are several levels of baggage, his is very heavy, most people have minor issues.
His baggage is reprehensible.
As I recall, both US political parties are full of human beings. The moral high ground is not free.
This lack of proper vetting by Dems scares me!
Thanks Steven: yes we can't condone the actions of the rapist in chief and then put one with alleged similarities into office. Mr. Platner should step aside and deal with these alleged issues. Be they true or false , We must elect solid men and women with higher standards than the republican party. I really liked Mr. Platner's progressive issues and it is sad he should leave. I'm sure there are others in the democratic party with the same progressive issues.
I was never accepting of Platner's abuse of women nor his Nazi tattoo. I was appalled that Elizabeth Warren took the side of a male abuser over the women he abused simply to oppose Susan Collins. It calls into question anyone who thought Platner's excuses were legitimate. He was not prepared to be a Senator. He was not a good candidate because of his PTSD and Nazi affiliations. Surely Maine has another Angus King or anyone who has experience and a record of voting issues that the Democrats could have put forth for this office. The Democrats have once again stumbled and are again crawling to defeat.
Progressives shouldn't assume we're better at vetting than anyone else. Too often we're captivated by compelling biographies, charisma, or urgency and skip the hard questions. I've worked with executive search firms that were supposed to do rigorous background checks, and even they sometimes missed important warning signs.
Movements that ask the public for trust have an obligation to earn it. Better vetting protects potential victims, protects innocent candidates from avoidable suspicion, and protects the credibility of the causes we care about. Accountability begins long before Election Day
Why did they wait this long? I hardlycall him a progressive. Bernie Sanders should have known better.
I
What’s with the deference. It’s not his decision to make. The Democrats should demand he exit NOW.
I was disgusted with the Democratic establishment the first time including Warren and Markey in my home state who couldn’t read the room. Do they do any vetting?
If they had dropped Platner from the the first text dustup what a message that would have sent to women across the country. Instead, they summoned him to Washington to explain himself; no deference to the women involved— per Epstein victims as usual .
The Democrats are shooting themselves in the foot and that’s an assessment by me and many longtime independents who have nonetheless almost always voted for the Democratic candidate.
The historic moment calls for people who will put our very broken Country ahead of their ambitions-serious, thoughtful candidates standing on a party platform that acknowledges all the broken parts of our government and election process and suggest ways to fix—
Term limits
Lobbyists limits
A shorter election window
As it is, there’s limitless opportunity to be bought and live the good life.At some level,most are focused on keeping that lifestyle intact.
💯
I haven’t been following this particular news item closely enough to add anything beyond what you said here, but I agree with the principles you stated. We can’t ignore bad character just to win politically against worse character.
Sadly, I agree. I hope the dems have someone who can beat Collins waiting in the wings. Rape is a line no one should cross.
People live in Maine to be isolated. They're allergic to places like the Capitol
That's a broad sweep. As a retired therapist who once worked in Frederick, MD, I had a young client referred to me by her counselor in HS. The girl was nearly 18 and ready to age out of the foster care program into which she was put because she and all the females in her extended family, which lived together in a large compound somewhere in the woods of central Maine, were being sexually abused. She herself, as well as her mother, were the result of incest. She was very bright and had already garnered literary awards for her poetry. I still think of her with amazement. But I guess you could say that her family, with its multigenerational history of incest and child rape wanted to be isolated, all right.