Allegations sink Democrats

[luv2fly]

And yet convictions seem to rally Republicans.

Until this changes were f*cked.

[sop]

1. Republicans know this, they use it against Democrats.

[Tim S]

9. Right on! Every F'ing time -- when there's a (D), (R)s clutch their pearls and squawk to deafen

They move too fast for a reasoned reaction and so loudly they drowned out any other narrative in the media. Dems eat it up when the corporate-paid talking heads that on the “D Team” repeats it.

There’s no such thing as reasoned debate & discussion anymore. It’s all become a sport activity — pick a team and fall in line and hate the other side. I long for the pre-Reagan years.

[dalton99a]

13. The old Karl Rove playbook - turn the Democrats' strength into a weakness

[demmiblue]

2. Fuck Platner.

[RandySF]

3. That says more about the rot in the Republican Party

Platner was a bad candidate from the beginning and people ignored that as long as he said what they wanted to hear.

[AZProgressive]

6. There is a lot of hypocrisy within the party if it is candidate they like

I remember Kirsten Gillibrand was scapegoated for a long time for Al Franken's decision to resign. Some in the party were willing to back Cuomo despite his past scandals and many were willing to overlook allegations made against Biden. Even if you don't believe Tara Reade there were other women that complained about unwanted touching.

The party if they are willing to do this they should have a zero tolerance policy regarding allegations including willing to sink candidates they like.

[RandySF]

8. What Franken did was tacky but not worthy of resignation

Cuomo and Platner were far worse and Gellibrand should have known better.

[Cirsium]

55. Often true

That is often true. It does not only happen to one wing of the party. Also, it is not that "he said what they wanted to hear." He talked policy that they support and agree with. That is legitimate, though Platner is not. You insult and demean his supporters with your statement.

Manchin was, in my view, a bad candidate from the beginning and people ignored that because "it's the best we can do in that state." I think that is similar.

Platner is a really odd case. His team, outsiders who strike me as very strange, capitalized on voter frustrations and "anti-establishment" sentiment in a cynical and manipulative way. They recruited a guy who looked the part and crafted a phony "working class hero" narrative around him.

Platner's oyster business was bought for him by his mother. His only customer was his mother's restaurant. He was supposedly against the wars, but then re-upped. Then he went to work for Blackwater. He was sexting multiple women after he was married. He made racist and sexist posts over the years. He had a Totenkopf tattoo.

I didn't find Platner's explanations for any of that very persuasive. I think that anyone who didn't understand that those issues would come up is not ready to be a US Senator. I found the explanations by his team to be abhorrent and disgusting. I was not impressed by his wife's defense of him, and thought that was a weak and amateurish move to have her defend him.

That said, I didn't find the Politico reporter who was interviewed on Morning Joe to be at all credible. Also, the woman who accused him of rape did not seem credible to me nor to my wife, either.

The whole disgusting episode is a nightmare and a threat to the success of the party at the worst possible time. I would encourage people to refrain from throwing fuel the fire and to refrain from using this to attack an entire wing of the party.

[angrychair]

73. Same could be said for Swalwell

People in Congress absolutely knew about his history and did and said nothing.

Our Party either goes from one extreme to another.
Either we kick people to the curb for anything and everything or we drag our feet until it becomes so public and undeniable that we have to act on it.

[Lovie777]

4. I don't think so...........

[Fiendish Thingy]

5. Nothing can stop the Blue Tsunami in November

Not Platner, not Trump.

The only thing that might is those goddamned, motherfucking not-funny-at-all “X spoke to Mitch for 20 minutes” threads polluting GD all day.

[demmiblue]

7. ...

My neighbor’s kid spoke with Mitch McConnell for 20 minutes

— Hal Sparks (@halsparks.com) 2026-07-08T13:42:27.109Z

[Tim S]

10. Nothing except apathy which has now grown within me too

Yet, There is none so blind as he who will not see

[dalton99a]

11. Republicans see their grip on Senate tighten amid Democrats' dysfunction in Maine

https://apnews.com/article/maine-senate-platner-collins-0abe847799b9779d604425de03a914de

Republicans see their grip on Senate tighten amid Democrats’ dysfunction in Maine
By STEVE PEOPLES
Updated 7:40 PM CDT, July 8, 2026

NEW YORK (AP) — As Democrats scramble to contain a political disaster in Maine, the Republicans on the front lines of the GOP’s fight to hold the U.S. Senate majority are breathing a sigh of relief.

For much of the year, Republican operatives have been quietly considering the real possibility that their party might lose the Senate. No longer.

While much can change before November, Republicans have already begun to rethink their national strategy to take advantage of a political map that suddenly looks much more favorable in the wake of Maine Democrat Graham Platner’s announcement that he intends to withdraw from the race. His decision Wednesday follows Platner’s latest controversy — an accusation of sexual assault that even his most loyal allies have described as credible.

Platner, who denies the allegation, was under intense pressure to quit the race. And the lineup of potential replacements has hardly inspired fear among the Republicans backing incumbent Sen. Susan Collins, who is seeking her sixth term this fall. The Maine Democratic Party said it’s planning a convention to choose Platner’s replacement.

The incredible Democratic dysfunction transforms the Maine Senate race from perhaps Democrats’ best pickup opportunity in the nation to one where dejected and divided Democrats don’t know who their nominee will be four months before Election Day.

“Obviously, expectations are that this certainly will be helpful overall,” said Joanna Rodriguez of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Without Maine, Rodriguez added, “Democrats have no path to a majority.”

...

[MorbidButterflyTat]

27. NOPE

[EdmondDantes_]

12. Fortunately most of us aren't willing to lower our standards that much

But there's a simple way to avoid this problem. Don't support men who prove through their entire history that they don't like women. Don't make excuses for people who blame women for rape. Don't support people who tell you they mistreated their partners. Don't support people who do any form of cheating in the months after their marriage.

We shouldn't lower our standards to that which Republicans do. They suck for doing it.

[AloeVera]

21. That moral highhorse may not work on people revolted by far greater moral transgressions

Like in a genocide, for example.

Which, btw is the vast majority of Democrats.

[Llewlladdwr]

31. So how many rapes does a candidate get a free pass on?

One? One hundred?

At what point does a candidate's personal flaws outweigh any potential good they might do?

I think the vast majority of Democrats would say we're there with Platner.

[AloeVera]

36. Read the post I was replying to again.

There are no crimes there, just moral failings.

[Shrek]

37. It's not the quantity; it's the identity of the alleged victim

The rape stuff didn't stick until the accuser was a political ally.

[AloeVera]

39. Facts don't seem relevant in this sub-thread.

No one accused Platner of rape before a Democrat did.

[sarisataka]

32. That is the attitude that gave us Trump

has he stopped any genocides yet?

[AloeVera]

41. Pls show me a correlation between havig morals, values and stopping the Gaza genocide.

Looking at the last two and a half plus years, I don't see one.

The morality higher ground is not going to be a winning argument for voters who want the genocide ended.

[sarisataka]

45. Do you disagree that electing Harris

Would ultimately have been better for Gaza than what we have now?

[AloeVera]

46. Of course not, but that's besides the point I am making here.

And it doesn't address my question so it's a deflection.

[sarisataka]

47. Here is the connection

Harris was a too imperfect candidate to support by millions who sat home.Because "genocide".
And that was also explicitly supported by some here on DU.
Yet you have just admitted Harris would have been a better result despite.

But now we have a candidate with a laundry list of youthful mistakes, bad choice, and actions that he is really regretful for but are all in the past now. We are supposed to overlook all of that and trust that he has changed and will be the person he says he is going to be.
What is there that gives us the confidence to believe such a person? He has already said two or three times that nothing else is going to come up, everything is out there. Yet here we are again.

Harris was too imperfect to support, but this man, who is a walking catastrophe, we should support, because Israel.

[AloeVera]

48. Entirely false equivalence.

Pledging to continue funding a genocidal state is not an "imperfection". It's a value statement millions could not get past.

To me, Harris' fatal mistake was declaring, mere days before the election, that she would continue military support and that her support was "unwavering". Where were her advisors? I remember banging my head in disbelief. No fine words of "unconscionable suffering"could erase that policy and value statement.

People can get past imperfections and flaws of past behaviour. Millions will not be harmed by electing a flawed human being who has admitted his mistakes but whose platform they agree with. It's another story when they don't agree with a policy that ensures the harm continues. That's the real "values" they are looking for.

And the whole point of my original comment was to point out the absurdity - the unrecognized hypocrisy even - of the proverbial beam smyting the mote.

[sarisataka]

50. "Pledging to continue funding a genocidal state is not an "imperfection".

"Pledging to continue funding a genocidal state is not an "imperfection". It's a value statement millions could not get past."

So support the guy who will not only continue to support the same funding AND support the takeover of Gaza- as long as he gets some prime beachfront real estate in the process.

I fail to see the logic.

But "Democrats needed to be taught a lesson".

[AloeVera]

59. Moving goalposts but ok.

I guess you see my point and couldn't rebut it.

Believing Trump's promises and lies was naive and gullible but if you believed him it wasn't illogical. For some of the people who cared about a genocide, what WAS logical was to vote for a guy who promised to end the genocide and illogical to vote for someone who promised unwavering support for the genociders.

Terrible that people had to make these choices in the first place.

[sarisataka]

60. That is rewriting reality

There was no naiveté.

Abandon Biden/Harris knew who Trump was. Other "don't support Democrats" knew who Trump was. The "Genocide Joe and Killer Kamala" chanters knew who Trump was. They were fully aware of the Muslim ban. They knew he supported Netanyahu to a greater extent than Biden. Trump had already made his statements on how to "improve" Gaza that did not include Palestinians.

When asked their reply? "We survived Trump for four years before we can do it again", "It is more important to teach Democrats a lesson"

They made the choice freely with full knowledge.

[AloeVera]

61. We can agree to disagree.

One thing. Trump was entirely deceptive. No mention at all of what he intended to do to Gaza.

[Quiet Em]

63. The con wanted to kick all the Palestinians out and turn Gaza into a vacationland for millionaires.

The con saw Gaza as attractive ocean real estate.

[AloeVera]

64. He didn't reveal that until AFTER the election.

Not before.

[Quiet Em]

66. March - 2024, seven plus months before the election

Jared Kushner says Gaza’s ‘waterfront property could be very valuable’

Donald Trump’s son-in-law also says Israel should bulldoze an area of the Negev desert and move Palestinians there

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/mar/19/jared-kushner-gaza-waterfront-property-israel-negev

[AloeVera]

67. Do you really think that is proof of your assertion?

Voters would make the connection with Kushner's remarks to Harvard six months before the election?

I don't see it.

[Quiet Em]

68. It should have been clear to everyone that the con had zero interest in Palestinians lives

or their well being.

[AloeVera]

72. I know...

The problem is they didn't FEEL much value was placed on Palestinians' lives in the present. Looking at what Israel was doing, they were not wrong. So, out of desparation, they took a stupid gamble on a con man who promised them something better.

Their votes were not material to Trump's win in any case. But they continue to be blamed and scapegoated and the human aspect of this is ignored.

[AloeVera]

65. Is it easier to blame the fraction of Dems who voted for Trump because of Gaza...

Then it is to blame the masses of minority Dems who switched parties and those who stayed home? Who of course stayed home because of Gaza but at least didn't vote for Trump.

If only too many people had not defended and excused a genocide there might not have been a Trump 2.0. Or if weapons had been embargoed...if only.

[sarisataka]

74. Whomever voted for Biden

but chose to not vote for Harris is culpable.

[Boo1]

33. The best way to stop a genocide

is to put a rapist in power?

[MorbidButterflyTat]

35. If he labels himself a progressive?

Based on nothing?

[AloeVera]

38. Not what I said.

No mention of rape in the post I was replying to.

I'd rather put a hypothetical flawed, imperfect person who is working on himself in power than someone who supports a genocide.

[sarisataka]

14. I guess we should elect people just like Republicans

There's no hypocrisy between preaching values and integrity while electing people whose actions are completely opposite to those values

[relayerbob]

15. Sadly,

Welcome to 1988. (re: Gary Hart)

Republicans are fine with their own indiscretions. Ask Newt Gingrich, too.

I agree with you 100%

[FascismIsDeath]

16. The answer is not to throw our own principles out the window just because they get away with being shit humans.

[littlemissmartypants]

17. No compromising. Never surrender your morality and...

Believe women.

[hardluck]

18. The Totenkopf was a dealbreaker for me

Nevertheless, many here saw the Austerführer as the final solution to the Collins question.

In doing so, they ignored obvious red flags and denigrated those who pointed them out that this would end badly. Now that those predictions came true, it’s our fault for not being more like republicans? What bullshit.

[LeftInTX]

26. I thought it ruined his chances. Yet a few months later, he's ahead. Go figure.

[tritsofme]

19. Republicans love rapists. Democrats hate them. Does that explain it for you?

[AloeVera]

23. What Republicans love is Democrats falling on their own sword.

Especially one finely sharpened on both sides.

And with perfect timing.

[tritsofme]

28. The timing could have been much much worse. A few days longer and we would have been stuck with a rapist on the ballot.

I’m not sure what you’re alluding to with this “sword falling” nonsense, the guy got exposed as a rapist, there was obviously no path forward for him.

[AloeVera]

43. There is no path forward for any Democrat ACCUSED of rape.

Democrats are the party of believe women and Repubicans love to manipulate our own values against us.

[Boo1]

34. He didn't fall on his own sword

This conspiracy theory is ridiculous. His victim decided she needed to come out and tell people what happened. Her timing doesn't have to be convenient for you or her rapist. The only person to blame for Platner's downfall is Platner.

[AloeVera]

42. Not Platner. Democrats. N/T

[Jedi Guy]

49. "Not Platner. Democrats."

So it's not Platner's fault that he's dealing with the fallout of, let me check my notes here...

1. Getting a Nazi tattoo
2. Engaging in toxic and abusive behavior towards women
3. Allegedly raping women
4. Sexting with multiple women immediately after getting married

It's not his fault that those things derailed his Senate campaign, but the fault of the Democrats?

Wow, okay. I guess that's one way to look at it.

I look at it as he made a ton of truly awful choices and the chickens finally came home to roost. That's not the Democratic Party's fault. That is his fault since he, not Democrats, made those choices. Then he had sufficient hubris to run for high office knowing full well that his past would be put under the microscope.

Platner is not a victim here and trying to spin it that way is frankly bizarre.

And please do me a kindness and don't bring up genocide in an attempt to defend him. It doesn't work.

[AloeVera]

58. Falling on one's sword means a noble act of sacrifice and honour.

But when one falls on a sword sharpened and placed there by an opponent(s) it's something else.

[Jedi Guy]

62. Ah, not quite the correct metaphor, I'm afraid.

A more apt metaphor would be a rake lying in the tall grass, a rake Platner placed there and then forgot about until he stepped on it and got blatted in the face.

Or perhaps the sword of Damocles, dangling dangerously overhead, the cord fraying more and more with each revelation of his unsavory past.

This is not the fault of Democrats and it's frankly bizarre to see it framed in such terms. Platner did this to himself years ago and foolishly hoped the chickens would get lost along the way.

Alas for him, the chickens have GPS.

I don't feel a bit sorry for him and again I'm frankly astounded that you're blaming Democrats for his downfall.

[flamingdem]

20. So who will replace Platner?

That is the question.

Seems like a Kamala situation. "Pop-up" primaries?

I pray they have a plan, a semi star about to appear.

[spooky3]

22. As I understand it, they will call a convention and select

A process to move forward.

[AZLD4Candidate]

24. Great. Party insiders will triangulate and nominate someone. Meanwhile, when this happens, we lose

2024 is a great example.

Prepare for a Collins victory.

[sheshe2]

25. Watch tonights LD show.

Devon Murphy-Anderson, Executive Director of the Maine Democratic Party, was just interviewed by Lawrence O'Donnell. It was a good show and the way forward for ME.

[MorbidButterflyTat]

30. Great minds!

[MorbidButterflyTat]

29. Watch Lawrence O'Donnell's segment tonight with Devon Murphy-Anderson

Executive Director of the Maine Democratic Party for reassurance.

She is fierce!!

[Kid Berwyn]

40. Don't forget Jeffrey Epstein.

That rotter corrupted the Elite, the funders of politics in the USA.

[Torchlight]

44. The standard we're talking about isn't difficult for any adult to meet:

Don't assault people, don't engage in bigoted behavior, work within the broader party platform, be honest, and don't commit fraud. That's not a purity test, it's the bare minimum standard of human decency.

Lowering that bar to match what the GOP is willing to tolerate is a race to the bottom. If we abandon basic standards in the name of political expediency, everyone loses.

The GOP will continue to reduce standards certainly, but I think it would be a dramatic net-loss to the Democratic party to meet and try to beat that challenge.

[QueerDuck]

51. Are you suggesting that we, as a party, should lower our standards? ⁉️

If not, how do you propose that we change the cycle of "being fucked" as you eloquently put it? My best suggestion is that we do a better job at thoroughly vetting the candidates we put forth to be considered for high-profile races with national importance. Maybe you have something else in mind?

[NeoTrajan]

52. I loved what Platner was saying

He misrepresented his history, and when that was revealed, he became unsupportable

This is life ... accept it and move on

This doesn't mean he was saying the wrong things ....

Those things he said are STILL true, and those words can be said by someone else

Stop being so weak kneed

Toss Platner, and vote for the other Democrat

We have a foreign psyop to conquer

[ColoringFool]

53. Thing is, we want to be better than Republicans. So there ya go.

[Quiet Em]

54. What are you suggesting should change?

Emulating the Republicans is not the answer. Yes, Republicans seem to be perfectly fine with rape.

Republicans also think very little of women, they think women are liars and even if they aren't liars women should all be home having babies even if those babies are the product of a rape.

Republican Megyn Kelly went so far as to attempt to change the definition of pedophilia. She thinks the sick urge to sexually assault a child is ok unless they are under the age of 8.

Republicans are sick people. Rape is not ok. A person who rapes someone is not a good person. It's not hard to find candidates who have not raped.

[wnylib]

56. Bull shit.

[usonian]

57. Wilhoit's Law

“Conservatism consists of exactly one proposition, to wit: There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect.” That line—written by Frank Wilhoit—has become a popular aphorism to sum up the hypocrisy and moral bankruptcy of the modern Republican Party.

https://pylimitics.net/wilhoits-law/

[Cha]

69. This is all on Graham Planter, and those

who plucked him out of nowhere to make him into the image they wanted to sell.

Without proper Vetting.

Don't blame this on Dems.

[DoBW]

71. 💙 luv you Bernie