Are there any reasons to reject Graham Platner in Maine

Politics & Elections
21

Has anyone actually seen a picture of this tattoo, so that we could judge how obviously totenkopfy it is? The only one I’ve been able to find online is a shot of him shirtless at a BBQ, and in that picture it just looks like a black smear on his chest, not recognizable as a skull, much less a particular skull.

It does seem like there is enough other stuff coming out that this is kind of beside the point now, though.

But the idea that getting a tattoo while drunk in your twenties is intrinsically such a terrible decision that it should disqualify you from political office for the rest of your life is just bizarre.

22

Definitely a totenkopf.

23

If his story about “I didn’t know what it was” held water, then, yeah, it, by itself, shouldn’t necessarily be disqualifying, IMO.

However, it appears that he did know what it was, years ago:

It was only once he started running for office that he was suddenly moved to do something about it.

24

Yes, I was just talking about tattoos in general, not Nazi ones.

25

First: There’s a difference between young and stupid, and young and evil.

Second: He might have decided to get it while young and drunk. But he decided to keep it while full-grown and sober.

26

Yes, that’s the one picture that seems easily findable. I’m not seeing it. I seriously doubt it would ever occur to me that that’s a skull if the idea hadn’t already been in my head. It just looks like a black lump with three white dots in it and some little protrusions like the fins of a rocket ship.

But again, there now seem ample other reasons to reject him, so it’s not a crucial point.

27

I think if you’d seen one before, you’d have recognized it.


28

Technically the truth.

29

Good points.

But he did get rid of it- later.

30

This is a case of: When somebody shows you who they are, believe them the first time.

31

Yeah, once people started saying “We’re not voting for you because you’re a Nazi”.

32

I’d rather have him than Collins.

Sadly, it is either him or a Republican.

33

I don’t know anything about Maine politics. What’s wrong with Janet Mills and why does Platner have a better chance of unseating Susan Concerned Collins?

34

Was Mr. Magoo his tattoo “artist”?

35

Absolutely nothing.

36

About the tattoo, it’s clear that the public photos are all at a low enough resolution to allow a degree of doubt. Considering Platner has acknowledged it was apparently a Nazi tattoo seems sufficient to confirm it on a factual basis, though if you want to defend his intent, well, that’s up to you. As others have said, I think the circumstantial evidence is enough for me to question his intent strongly.

Yes, the testimonials from witnesses who claim to have seen and spoken with him about it may be based on efforts to cast doubt (giving an abundance of generosity), but combined with the rest of the circumstantial evidence, I find it fairly damning. But I’m not demanding a level of evidence needed for a court.

37

She’s a 78 year old Boomer who’s claimed that she’ll only serve one term assuming she doesn’t die in office.

38

It seemed like the Primary was over, in some articles, but yeah Platner is somehow ahead of Mills in polls- Mills would be a much better choice.

But, weird as he is, Platner leads Collins in the polls. Maine is kinda weird,. I mean it is kinda a small miracle to see any Dems leading Collins. If Mills wins the primary, and can beat Collins- great. If it is Platner or Collins- Platner. Hell, if it is a Democratic Lobster roll over Collin…

39

What makes you think he’s not himself a Republican?

40

According to this, Platner knew it was a Nazi tattoo because his attempt to reenlist into the Marines in '09 was blocked by the “no hate/extremist tattoos” policy:

So he’s a liar, and was probably at the very least Nazi-sympathetic back in '09.