# Are there any reasons to reject Graham Platner in Maine (campaign suspended July 8, 2026) **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 4, 2026, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179 "2026-03-04T03:50:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 55
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2026, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1083 "2026-06-09T21:59:32Z")
Well that’s just disgusting. Not on your part, mind you. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2026, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1084 "2026-06-09T22:03:36Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > His constant cry of ‘corporate interests are making this up to destroy me’ WILL NOT HELP. That ‘defense’ will be utterly ineffective. > > ## > > #### He needs to give names and a timeline of all the females he’s had contact with, > > because Republicans _ **will be making claims about them.** _ The bit I enlarged in my quote (from post 1070) could easily be misunderstood. If I could reword it I’d make clear that I’m saying Platner should disclose that information to his own top campaign person (or people), NOT to the general public. Again, this is for the purpose of being prepared to counter any stories Republicans decide to try to sell the public. And also again: ignoring this with a ‘I won’t dignify it with a reply’ won’t work for Platner. He’s too well known as a ‘get around guy.’ He has to be able to say “this didn’t happen **because here’s where I was on the date in the claim**.” ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2026, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1085 "2026-06-09T22:04:15Z")
The Republicans aren’t swiftboating him. The “smears” against him are things that are right out there in the public record, and that he’s admitted to. It’s an absolute known fact that he had a Nazi tattoo. It’s an absolute known fact that he was sexting with people on an app whose userbase is mostly minors. Republicans have no reason to smear him at this point, because they want him to be the Democratic candidate, and they wouldn’t even mind much if he wins, because he’s likely to vote with them. Once the primary is over, if (as seems likely) he’s the winner, then the Republican smear machine will start up, not just to smear him, but all Democrats by association. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2026, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1086 "2026-06-09T22:06:56Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > You’re denying it. I’m doing no such thing and you are deliberately misrepresenting what I’ve said. > [@Chronos](#): > > A totenkopf tattoo is definitely evidence that someone’s a Nazi. A totenkopf tattoo is evidence of a totenkopf tattoo. He says he didn’t know what it was. One of his buddies who got the same tattoo says the same thing. What proof do you have otherwise? Are you a mind-reader? > [@Chronos](#): > > Likewise evidence of all of those other things you mentioned, that have been posted repeatedly in this thread. “All the other things” being that his campaign retweeted a C-Span clip from an unfortunate source and that he was on a podcast once. I could make a stronger argument that Tupac is still alive. > [@Chronos](#): > > There’s no evidence whatsoever that he’s a liberal, or a Democrat, or that he’ll vote with Democrats on any issue at all, including senate leadership. You’ve been provided with multiple cites laying out his bona fides. Have you looked at them yet? You’re not being reasonable here. You’ve come to a faulty conclusion based on paper-thin circumstantial claims and you refuse to acknowledge the mountain of evidence that he is who he says he is and has publicly been since he was a teenager. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2026, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1087 "2026-06-09T22:08:13Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Once the primary is over, if (as seems likely) he’s the winner, then the Republican smear machine will start up, not just to smear him, but all Democrats by association. Yeah. And of course a certain someone is DYING to sell the idea that Platner had relations with minors. I’m sure that certain someone thinks he might be able to shut down the entire Epstein Files controversy by using this one accusation. I’m hoping to all that’s holy that Platner did NOT date any underage girls. Obviously ‘proving a negative’ is impossible, but it would help if he had a complete timeline/diary that showed he was too busy with women over 18, to have had time to date any minors. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2026, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1088 "2026-06-09T22:10:14Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > A totenkopf tattoo is evidence of a totenkopf tattoo. He says he didn’t know what it was. One of his buddies who got the same tattoo says the same thing. What proof do you have otherwise? Are you a mind-reader? Who said anything about proof? It’s not proof that he’s a Nazi. It is, however, evidence. And, frankly, very strong evidence. > [@Smapti](#): > > You’ve been provided with multiple cites laying out his bona fides. Have you looked at them yet? I’ve seen lots of links to him saying things. Got any evidence? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2026, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1089 "2026-06-09T22:12:42Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > It is, however, evidence. And, frankly, very strong evidence. It’s evidence that it’s a bad idea to get a tattoo when you’re drunk. You’ve failed to show any reason to believe that it reflects his personal idealogy or that he knew what is was when he got it and got it for that reason. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2026, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1090 "2026-06-09T22:19:52Z")
Sure, people get stupid tattoos when they’re drunk. But when non-Nazis get Nazi tattoos when they’re drunk, they get rid of them once they sober up. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2026, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1091 "2026-06-09T22:26:02Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > But when non-Nazis get Nazi tattoos when they’re drunk, they get rid of them once they sober up. You’re continuing to make unfounded assumptions. You assume he knew it was a “Nazi tattoo”. You assume it didn’t have a personal meaning to him that trumped the other connotations of the symbol. You assume he had some kind of moral obligqtion to cover up a tattoo on a part of his body that most people would never see in the first place. You assume that the reason he chose not to do so is because he is a Nazi. You assume all his squadmates who got the same tattoo must also be Nazis, which, as cited above, has been flatly denied by at least one of them in a statement that parallels what Platner has said himself. You assume his Jewish in-laws who saw the tattoo must also be Nazis since they never had a problem.with him after seeing it. You assume his wife must also be a Nazi since she didn’t obiect to it either. William of Ockham is spinning in his grave right now. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2026, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1092 "2026-06-09T22:28:26Z")
You add all of that complication, and then you invoke Occam? What’s the simplest explanation for someone wearing a Nazi tattoo? ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2026, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1093 "2026-06-09T22:33:15Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > What’s the simplest explanation for someone wearing a Nazi tattoo? They’re MAGA. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2026, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1094 "2026-06-09T22:46:50Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > What’s the simplest explanation for someone wearing a Nazi tattoo? In this case? He and his buddies were drunk and thought it looked cool not knowing it had other connotations. Is Gene Simmons a Nazi because KISS has an SS rune in its logo? ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2026, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1095 "2026-06-10T00:02:54Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > I’m guessing Platner will get 51% or a better, Polls closing so a little bit to see. I’ll be particularly interested in the exit poll cross tabs if they do them for this sort of race. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2026, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1096 "2026-06-10T00:13:14Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > > [@Sherrerd](#): > > > > No, the point is that the allegations will almost certainly be made by some female Platner HAS met (and likely, dated). > > They already had a GOP operative make baseless accusations- and posters here believed them. On what possible basis have you already concluded that she is a liar? The NYT reviewed diary entries from the time that corroborate her story. What’s your evidence that she’s lying? ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2026, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1097 "2026-06-10T00:16:44Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > I’m hoping to all that’s holy that Platner did NOT date any underage girls. I can think of very few other reasons as to why his sexting app of choice would be Kik of all things. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2026, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1098 "2026-06-10T00:17:47Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > It’s an absolute known fact that he had a Nazi tattoo. It’s a fact that he had a tattoo that some people claim is a Nazi tattoo. I see a really bad tattoo. It doesn’t look like much of anything, I wouldn’t even call it a skull and crossbones. Because of this thread and claims made, I’ve looked at dozens of Tottenkopf tattoos. A few of what I’ve seen are in 3/4 profile (?) and if one squints Graham’s tat sorta kinda looks like a similar outline. Platner’s tat has two eye holes but is missing the nose hole. Seems like Platner also passed marine body checks for gang and other unacceptable tattoo’s. I’ll admit, if one really was a Nazi, into Tottenkopf’s and wanted a “secret handshake” type tat that people in the know could recognize, then I concede that Platner’s could be seen as a Nazi tattoo. “Fact”? I think not. Suspicious maybe? A wisp of smoke, possibly? Result of drunken squadies getting a group tattoo they thought was bad ass, probably? YMMV And the swiftboaters have largely succeeded in the lamestream media including the NYTimes to “call it a Nazi tattoo.” If I get motivated, perhaps I’ll start a swiftboating thread for Platner and/or Talarico and/or all the candidates in the potential flip States. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2026, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1099 "2026-06-10T00:20:30Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > On what possible basis have you already concluded that she is a liar? She’s a known GOP operative who helped get Brett Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2026, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1100 "2026-06-10T00:23:38Z")
If Platner stood in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shot someone, there would be people insisting he had been “swiftboated” into doing it. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2026, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1101 "2026-06-10T00:30:01Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > She’s a known GOP operative who helped get Brett Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court. And that makes her a giant fucking hypocrite, but it doesn’t mean that she lied, nor does the fact that someday in the future she’d help Kavanaugh get elected justify Platner’s behavior towards her. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2026, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1102 "2026-06-10T00:36:52Z")
Alleged, unsubstantiated behavior claimed by a source with hyperpartisan motivations to discredit him and a track record of telling lies to benefit Republican causes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179.md?page=54) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179.md?page=56)