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Opinion | Democrats and the Platner Standard
The Maine Democrat is the left’s equivalent of Republican Ken Paxton.
Center
The Hill News
Platner addresses scandals: ‘Nothing out there that’s actually concerning’
Center
Maine Senate hopeful Graham Platner (D) addressed the string of controversies about his past behavior on Wednesday, following his recent win in the state’s Democratic primary election. “There’s nothing out there that’s actually concerning,” Platner, who is looking to unseat incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), said on MS NOW’s on “Morning Joe.” “People will make…
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Is Platner Fit To Be a U.S. Senator?
For a week I've watched the commentators and the party line up to tell me Graham Platner is too compromised for the United States Senate. Last night the Democrats of Maine answered them. He's on track to win his primary with about 72 percent of the vote, carrying nearly every county in the state. This is not the outcome of a candidate distrusted by the voters, it's in fact the opposite. It's a landslide.
Center Right
New York Post
New York Times reporter downplays accusations against Graham Platner as ‘not like classic abuse allegations’
"There are allegations from former girlfriends that are not — the way my colleagues reported them were not like classic abuse allegations,” Jodi Kantor said.
Right
Blaze Media
From sexting scandals to election fraud — if you’re a Democrat, ‘no one asks any questions’
Elections across the country this week have delivered no shortage of political drama, but two stories in particular are turning heads.In Maine, several ex-girlfriends of Senate hopeful Graham Platner have hurled accusations of disturbing patterns of behavior at the Democrat — and his response hasn’t been promising.Platner is also being accused of exchanging sexual text messages with women after he was married in 2023.“So, Graham Platner, looking to move on from a week of controversy after telling supporters that his past had been weaponized,” BlazeTV host Stu Burguiere tells co-host Dave Landau. “That’s what happens, Dave. When you do something horrible and people catch you, that means they’re weaponizing what you’ve done.” “Well, of course, it’s not being held accountable for the things you’ve done in your past. It’s just weaponizing the things you’ve done against you,” Dave jokes.“When you’re a Democrat and you’re in one of these controversies, you’re able to live like this. No one asks any questions. You don’t address it, and no one follows up. What a wonderful way to be,” Stu says.But it’s not just the Maine Senate election that is mired in controversy.The Los Angeles mayoral race has shifted significantly over the weekend, as candidate Nithya Raman has passed Spencer Pratt for second place and will now go to the runoff against mayor Karen Bass.“So we will have Democrat versus Democrat at the end of all of this,” Stu says.“Are you saying that a system designed to lock out Republicans is locking out a Republican?” Dave asks.Stu points out that there’s clearly a “tiny bit of skepticism by most people on the right that this is actually real and not just out-and-out fraud.”“Well, I think it’s also because the way that it seems that the voting system works is you have the maybe some older conservatives come in early, you see the numbers, and then at the last minute, like a big giant bag of letters to Santa in a courtroom, all of a sudden they all just appear for one person,” Dave jokes.“And they’re not even for Karen Bass. They’re just for this other person to then beat Spencer Pratt to then push Karen Bass forward,” he adds.Want more from Stu and Dave?To enjoy more of Stu and Dave's lethal blend of wit, humor, and insightful commentary subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.
Right
Latest Political News on Fox News
Republicans fear of 'fatal mistake' in must-win Platner race
The NRSC warns Republicans that scandal-plagued Democrat Graham Platner remains a credible threat to Sen. Susan Collins in Maine's pivotal Senate race.
Right
Raw Story
Trump's cognitive test is actually a major red flag
Donald Trump’s latest boast should concern Americans far more than it reassures them.Trump announced on social media that he has passed three cognitive decline tests while mocking former presidents for supposedly never taking one. He framed the tests as proof of his fitness and mental sharpness. In reality, his comments highlight the fact that the United States still has no meaningful standard for evaluating the cognitive fitness of its presidents. For years, I have advocated for routine cognitive testing for all presidential candidates and sitting Presidents. That position was never about Donald Trump specifically, nor Joe Biden, nor any individual politician, but about the presidency itself. The presidency is one of the few jobs in America where advanced age does not require objective evaluation. We require airline pilots, surgeons, and military personnel to undergo cognitive and physical health assessments. Fighter pilots have their executive functioning tested. Yet the President and Commander-in-Chief of the United States, who oversees all military operations and nuclear capabilities, faces no standardized cognitive screening requirement.Public concern is bipartisan and substantial. Polling from Healthcare for Action found overwhelming support for cognitive testing for elected officials,regardless of political affiliation.. Americans recognize that aging affects everyoneCognitive decline is not a moral failing or a partisan issue, but a medical and human reality.I understand how closely cognitive health is tied to physical health. Conditions affecting blood flow, cardiovascular function, and sleep can influence memory, judgment, and processing speed. Cognitive changes often emerge subtly, appearing as repetition, confusion, impulsivity, or difficulty handling stress.When the lifeline of our country depends on one person, the slightest impairment, whether physical or cognitive, matters. One of the most commonly discussed assessments is the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, known as the MoCA. The test evaluates memory, attention, language, and executive function. It is not designed to diagnose dementia on its own, but is a validated screening tool that can identify whether further evaluation is warranted.However, passing a MoCA is not equivalent to proving exceptional cognitive fitness. It’s simply a baseline screen. Bragging about passing one, like President Trump has done, is comparable to boasting that you passed a standard vision exam while renewing your driver’s license. It may be reassuring if concerns exist, but it is hardly definitive evidence of superior functioning. If cognitive testing becomes treated as a performative talking point, we will lose an opportunity to establish a serious public health standard. The goal needs to be transparency and trust, not scoring partisan victories.The American public has spent years watching uncomfortable debates over aging and mental acuity among political leaders. Voters are often asked to ignore what they see with their own eyes. Critics argue that cognitive testing could stigmatize aging, but I disagree. Avoiding evaluation fuels suspicion and misinformation while honest assessment respects both candidates and voters. Others claim voters alone should decide whether a candidate appears mentally fit. But voters already rely on mandatory disclosures in other areas such as financial status.. Transparency strengthens public trust. Cognitive health should not be any different simply because discussing it makes politicians uncomfortable. None of this is about disqualifying older Americans from leadership. Age alone does not determine competence. Some individuals remain extraordinarily sharp well into their 80s, while others experience meaningful decline much earlier. The only responsible approach is objective evaluation. Trump is correct about one thing: cognitive testing is now part of the national conversation. But instead of using the issue as another political taunt, we should finally treat it as a serious institutional question. The presidency demands mental endurance, judgment, and clarity. Voters should never have to guess whether those qualities are intact. They deserve to know.
Far Left
Politics
Some Senate Dems still won’t commit to Graham Platner
Even as progressives and party leaders rally around the Maine Democrat, senators like Catherine Cortez Masto and Mark Kelly are wary.
Center Left
The Hill News
Trump rips into Platner after primary win: ‘Low-level thug’
President Trump ripped into Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner on Wednesday, calling him a “low-level thug.” “He’s worse than any human being that’s ever run for office probably,” the president said. Platner, a progressive oyster farmer, easily won the Democratic primary on Tuesday to become the party’s candidate to face incumbent Republican Susan Collins.…
Center