# People defending Graham Platner are pathetic and intellectually bankrupt **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 12, 2026, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-defending-graham-platner-are-pathetic-and-intellectually-bankrupt/1030839 "2026-06-12T02:58:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-defending-graham-platner-are-pathetic-and-intellectually-bankrupt/1030839/221 "2026-07-06T20:33:14Z")
The timing could be a massive boon, at least compared to a drop in Aug/Sep/Oct. There’s still time to replace him, if he drops out (which IMO is reasonably likely - according to Bluesky chatter, his response statement included something like “I’m gonna take the time to figure out the next step to do what’s best for Maine” or something to that effect, which in poli-speak means “I might be about to drop out”). ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-defending-graham-platner-are-pathetic-and-intellectually-bankrupt/1030839/222 "2026-07-06T20:35:03Z")
It’s technically possible that he could withdraw within the next week and be replaced on the ballot. If he chooses not to do so, then (feel free to crank the volume to “deafening” for this next bit) we have to vote for him anyway to deny Republican control. ---
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-defending-graham-platner-are-pathetic-and-intellectually-bankrupt/1030839/223 "2026-07-06T20:35:45Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > but the timing is awfully suspicious. If it was politically motivated, they would have waited a week until the replacement deadline had passed. > [@Thing.Fish](#): > > Also interesting that he is flat-out denying this happened, although according to the accuser’s story, he was blackout drunk at the time, so how would he even know? She messaged him weeks later about the incident and to cut off contact. He should remember that. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-defending-graham-platner-are-pathetic-and-intellectually-bankrupt/1030839/224 "2026-07-06T20:35:57Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > The interesting thing about this allegation is that the alternative is six more years of Susan Collins. The better alternative if true. Yeah, sure - the timing is suspicious. But my prima facie smell test is leaning against him at the moment. If I was on the fence before, this knocks me off it. I guess I just gotta hope Collins grows a spine. Not likely, but hey maybe I’ll win a pony in a sweepstakes. ---
**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:** [July 6, 2026, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-defending-graham-platner-are-pathetic-and-intellectually-bankrupt/1030839/225 "2026-07-06T20:36:28Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > Also interesting that he is flat-out denying this happened, although according to the accuser’s story, he was blackout drunk at the time, so how would he even know? He also flat out denies having found out that his tattoo was a Nazi tattoo until very recently, so we know he’s perfectly open to flat out 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:** [July 6, 2026, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-defending-graham-platner-are-pathetic-and-intellectually-bankrupt/1030839/226 "2026-07-06T20:38:21Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > we have to vote for him anyway to deny Republican control. The problem with Republican control of the senate is that Republicans have allowed themselves to become the Nazi Rapist Party; moving the Democrats closer to being Temu knockoff of the Nazi Rapist Party seems like a pretty poor idea. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-defending-graham-platner-are-pathetic-and-intellectually-bankrupt/1030839/227 "2026-07-06T20:38:30Z")
Far better would be for him to drop out and be replaced. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-defending-graham-platner-are-pathetic-and-intellectually-bankrupt/1030839/228 "2026-07-06T20:39:23Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > No, it was in the P&E thread. But yes, multiple times I predicted thag further sexual misconduct accusations will come out against the guy who cruised for teens on Kik. And yet you still only care about the tattoo. Fucking disgusting. > [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > Many of us in the thread suggested, quite correctly, that what we’d seen about Platner was just the tip of the iceberg. Including myself. But there’s a difference between suspicions and actual info. > [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > And speaking of bullshit, I’m waiting for the deafening chorus of “we have to vote for him anyway to deny Republican control.” If it was good enough last week, why isn’t it good enough today? Do you not care about rape?! FFS, what is wrong with you? ---
**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:** [July 6, 2026, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-defending-graham-platner-are-pathetic-and-intellectually-bankrupt/1030839/229 "2026-07-06T20:43:49Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > And yet you still only care about the tattoo. Fucking disgusting. When did I say that I only care about the tattoo? What a weird allegation. No, Platner is a scumbag both because he likes Nazis enough to ink their symbol onto his body and keep it there for 20 years **and** because he’s a disgusting rapist and abuser. And I posit that there’s no councidence there; there’s undoubtedly a strong correlation between being the sort of asshole who rapes and being the sort of asshole who likes Nazi tattoos. I wasn’t the one denying or excusing the allegations of him blocking his ex in a room and threatening her so badly that she didn’t dare to leave until the next day; talk about _fucking disgusting_. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-defending-graham-platner-are-pathetic-and-intellectually-bankrupt/1030839/230 "2026-07-06T20:44:27Z")
For what it’s worth - Maine law says Platner can drop out by July 13th, and then the Democratic party has two weeks to replace him (so by the 27th). Reddit chatter suggests Troy Jackson (who is being described as “Platner with experience and without the baggage”). ---
**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:** [July 6, 2026, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-defending-graham-platner-are-pathetic-and-intellectually-bankrupt/1030839/231 "2026-07-06T20:45:58Z")
> [@CaveMike](#): > > If it was politically motivated, they would have waited a week until the replacement deadline had passed. You assume it’s Republicans behind this hit. The fact is that Chuck Schumer would rather stay in the minority than share a majority with someone who refuses to take orders from Palantir and AIPAC. ---
**Author:** ![ZosterSandstorm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e0b2c6/32.png) [@ZosterSandstorm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZosterSandstorm)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-defending-graham-platner-are-pathetic-and-intellectually-bankrupt/1030839/232 "2026-07-06T20:46:01Z")
Racicot says the reason she went public was disgust at the DNC, New York Times, and other institutions who should know better trying to discredit Lyndsey Fifield’s recounting of Platner roughing her up while dating because of having the wrong politics. I hope all the people in this thread who were doing the same are proud of playing a little part in making today’s outcome happen. > [@Thing.Fish](#): > > It’s technically possible that he could withdraw within the next week and be replaced on the ballot. If he chooses not to do so, then (feel free to crank the volume to “deafening” for this next bit) we have to vote for him anyway to deny Republican control. Not to condescend to someone who has the incredible political instincts of a Graham Platner supporter, but one of the reasons you don’t send a rapist to the Senate even if you agree with him about the Jewish Question is that rape is a serious crime that could land someone a very long prison sentence. It would be trivially easy for anyone with further felony-level dirt to blackmail Platner into voting for anything (and at this point we know there is further dirt, nobody rapes once), or for Trump to lead him around by the nose with the promise of a pardon. ---
**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:** [July 6, 2026, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-defending-graham-platner-are-pathetic-and-intellectually-bankrupt/1030839/233 "2026-07-06T20:46:35Z")
Platner dropping out would require an abusive, rapist, Nazi tattoo fan to make a personal sacrifice in order to do the right thing. Why would anyone count on that happening? ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-defending-graham-platner-are-pathetic-and-intellectually-bankrupt/1030839/234 "2026-07-06T20:47:23Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > I wasn’t the one denying or excusing the allegations of him blocking his ex in a room and threatening her so badly that she didn’t dare to leave until the next day; talk about _fucking disgusting_. That would be pretty nasty, yes. And learning about this behavior, I went from being uneasy about him but still thinking he’s better than the alternative, to there being no way in fucking Hell I would want to see this guy in office. ---
**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:** [July 6, 2026, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-defending-graham-platner-are-pathetic-and-intellectually-bankrupt/1030839/235 "2026-07-06T20:47:47Z")
> [@ZosterSandstorm](#): > > Racicot says the reason she went public was disgust at the DNC, New York Times, and other institutions who should know better trying to discredit Lyndsey Fifield’s recounting of Platner roughing her up while dating because of having the wrong politics. I hope all the people in this thread who were doing the same are proud of playing a little part in making today’s outcome happen. Ooooh, so she came out due to sympathy with a known Republican operative? Is that enough for us to call her a republican operative by proxy and ignore her allegations too? Quick, ask @DrDeth. ---
**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:** [July 6, 2026, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-defending-graham-platner-are-pathetic-and-intellectually-bankrupt/1030839/236 "2026-07-06T20:48:02Z")
> [@ZosterSandstorm](#): > > Racicot says the reason she went public was disgust at the DNC, New York Times, and other institutions who should know better trying to discredit Lyndsey Fifield’s recounting of Platner roughing her up while dating because of having the wrong politics. …and so she decided to go to Politico, a pro-Trump outlet. Suuuuuuuuure. ---
**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:** [July 6, 2026, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-defending-graham-platner-are-pathetic-and-intellectually-bankrupt/1030839/237 "2026-07-06T20:49:06Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > And learning about this behavior, I went from being uneasy about him but still thinking he’s better than the alternative, to there being no way in fucking Hell I would want to see this guy in office. Cool - learning about this behavior, I went from being disgusted by his Nazi tattoo and finding him unfit for office, to finding him fit for jail. What’s the statue of limitations for this sort of crime in Maine? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-defending-graham-platner-are-pathetic-and-intellectually-bankrupt/1030839/238 "2026-07-06T20:49:17Z")
> **[Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona.bsky.social)](https://bsky.app/profile/justinbaragona.bsky.social/post/3mpyxeeo4pc2p)** > > "We are taking the time to reflect on the best path forward for the state that I love, the people that I love, the movement I belong to, and the goal of defeating Susan Collins. Those were the goals when we launched this campaign, and they remain my... He’s clearly considering dropping out. Hopefully he pulls the trigger. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-defending-graham-platner-are-pathetic-and-intellectually-bankrupt/1030839/239 "2026-07-06T20:51:35Z")
Yeah, when politicians start “taking time to reflect”, it’s a pretty safe bet that they’re on the way out. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-defending-graham-platner-are-pathetic-and-intellectually-bankrupt/1030839/240 "2026-07-06T20:52:22Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > What’s the statue of limitations for this sort of crime in Maine? I don’t know but I think the only “office” he should have is one with bars on it. Between the statute of limitations and the fact that his accuser didn’t get tested at the time and deleted most of her interactions with him after the attack, I’m not sure there is any chance of conviction. But I have no reason to doubt her, and the fact that there are two accusers of similar behavior leads me to not give him the benefit of the doubt. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-defending-graham-platner-are-pathetic-and-intellectually-bankrupt/1030839.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-defending-graham-platner-are-pathetic-and-intellectually-bankrupt/1030839.md?page=13)