General Discussion

AloeVera

(4,469 posts)

74. Why leak this now? Who benefits?

Sat May 30, 2026, 07:30 PM

Saturday

Fom the NYT article:

In a statement released by the campaign, [Platner's wife] Ms. Gertner suggested that she had been betrayed by Ms. McDonald, saying she was “deeply hurt” and bothered by “the invasion of our privacy.”

“I confided deeply personal details about my marriage to someone I considered a friend,” she said. “I trusted this person with the most private chapter of our lives — the early days of our marriage before any campaign was on our mind.”

Unlocked:
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/30/us/politics/graham-platner-maine-senate-texts.html?unlocked_article_code=1.mVA.N7oK.801gKbSUrwkY&smid=url-share

Are we falling into a trap here? Made too easy by a propensity to eat your own and the (apparently selective) donning of puritan robes in the ultimate "purity test".

I hope this desparate attempt to derail Platner fails. Makes me wonder though why exactly he seems such a threat to too many - on both sides.

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mzmolly mr715 AZProgressive Gosmudgeyourself luv2fly questionseverything Emile

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This message was self-deleted by its author [View all] Chasstev365 Saturday OP

There were many red flags but we chose to ignore them. Pisces Saturday #1

Not all of us. ananda Saturday #41

WE?? Skittles Saturday #90

"We" The proverbial Democrats. We supported this guy ala Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. Pisces Saturday #100

yeah well, again.... Skittles Saturday #110

!!! sheshe2 Yesterday #126

You can't blame the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad DNC for this guy. W_HAMILTON Yesterday #132

Yes, he's supported by the Progressive Establishment. betsuni Yesterday #145

Who are, I hear, anti-establishment. QueerDuck 20 hrs ago #173

Wow, at least 5 stories on this in the first 20. dem4decades Saturday #2

I didn't care for either candidate JBTaurus83 Saturday #3

Agreed -misanthroptimist Saturday #33

Jeez! surfered Saturday #4

The latest reported problem is only one of many. niyad Saturday #5

Ah yes, thanks Rawstory for providing, what is it? What exactly? mr715 Saturday #6

NYT and WSJ. You could read about it. mcar Saturday #18

This message was self-deleted by its author mr715 Saturday #19

Whatever. mcar Saturday #20

I went a little overboard. mr715 Saturday #21

Multiple news outlets. Google it. surfered Saturday #58

My reflex is to make fun of rawstory mr715 Saturday #61

I understand. In this case, it's not just Raw Story . It's everybody surfered Saturday #65

What's that Rachel Maddow saying? W_HAMILTON Yesterday #135

I prefer John Fetterman to Susan Collins mr715 Yesterday #136

And I'd prefer a strong Democrat with a proven track record who we can reliably count on over all 3. W_HAMILTON Yesterday #143

People in hell want ice water. mr715 Yesterday #146

Is that what you call voting for a strong Democrat that has actually walked the walk and not just talked the talk? W_HAMILTON Yesterday #149

David Costello is on the ballot for the June 9th primary. MorbidButterflyTat Yesterday #155

Im glad his wife and he did the work they needed to do to keep their marriage strong. Nanjeanne Saturday #7

For the record, as a Graham Platner skeptic mr715 Saturday #8

What happened to freedom of expression DaBronx Saturday #104

The primary is soon. mr715 Saturday #108

And here's some more: mr715 Saturday #9

but Raw Story! Cirsium Saturday #23

But Susan Collins! mr715 Saturday #24

Here's another difference between Democrats and Republicans: Republicans wouldn't care. surfered Saturday #10

But the corporate media will make this an issue! Chasstev365 Saturday #12

Just to be clear, I did not mean we shouldn't care. surfered Saturday #16

Sorry to butt in mr715 Saturday #43

It demonstrates poor judgement. Not only on moral grounds, but expecting so many instances of it not to eventually come surfered Saturday #51

I mean, what the hell do we know? mr715 Saturday #54

😁🙏 surfered Saturday #56

When Trump was running the first time oberle 19 hrs ago #175

I don't know.. whathehell Saturday #47

I know, too. We wanted so much to control the senate surfered Saturday #68

Yes, and we may still do that whathehell Saturday #86

👍 surfered Saturday #87

You betcha! whathehell Saturday #89

Consider Abbot in TX. Igel Yesterday #123

Bring back Governor Mils LetMyPeopleVote Saturday #11

She had her opportunity to do opposition research. mr715 Saturday #13

Seriously? MorbidButterflyTat Saturday #98

Nope, not enough. mr715 Saturday #102

Has to be somebody else's fault. Panic as conspiracy is cobbled together. betsuni Saturday #114

Useless comment. It's Platner or Collins. Intractable 21 hrs ago #170

Don't forget "Black people don't tip" MichMan Yesterday #142

I had forgotten it MorbidButterflyTat Yesterday #156

Not being a Mainer, I don't know the story behind her not being the heir to this seat... Mark.b2 Saturday #52

She is still on the primary ballot. nt sheshe2 Yesterday #129

Just makes me despise senator Collins even more!! aeromanKC Saturday #14

Who made this public, an aide working for Platner's campaign doing oppo research on their own candidate? sop Saturday #15

I wonder if that Platner aide MorbidButterflyTat Saturday #82

That was my question on an earlier Cha Yesterday #138

Many of us have been warning about him. nt mcar Saturday #17

Of course! MorbidButterflyTat Saturday #94

He's going to be another Fetterman JustAnotherGen Saturday #105

That should make centrists happy. Emile 22 hrs ago #169

The midterm results will be positive either way gulliver Saturday #22

We don't have that type of time JBTaurus83 Saturday #25

If it gets too obvious he's going to lose... gulliver Saturday #29

He's ahead by 9 points. mr715 Saturday #31

If something like that were to come out JBTaurus83 Saturday #40

He is not the official nominee. The ME primary election is June 9. N/T lapucelle Saturday #95

Which Democratic strategist was that? sheshe2 Yesterday #130

No -- We only win the Senate with Graham Platner. mr715 Saturday #26

Correct JBTaurus83 Saturday #27

If Graham Platner is losing in Maine mr715 Saturday #28

Let's see if there's unrecoverable damage gulliver Saturday #32

To the reality of winning? mr715 Saturday #34

Could be worse SSJVegeta Saturday #30

I was a Mills supporter but that's water under the bridge MustLoveBeagles Saturday #103

Truth is, nobody's perfect. SSJVegeta Yesterday #144

This is true MustLoveBeagles Yesterday #150

And his nazi tattoo and his inappropriate texts, and his comments supporting violence in politics SSJVegeta Yesterday #159

Bottom line, Trump has to be put in check. Too oasis Saturday #35

This MustLoveBeagles Saturday #106

Meh fujiyamasan Saturday #36

again... B.See Saturday #37

Another anti Planter post chelsea0011 Saturday #38

Correct MustLoveBeagles Saturday #107

"We did the hard work that marriage requires...." mzmolly Saturday #39

I need you to know MzMolly, I really like you and your opinions. mr715 Saturday #45

Don't count on Mills for having done any oppo research WSHazel Saturday #42

Talarico and Platner should switch races. sop Saturday #44

Switch wives. Make it a reality TV show. mr715 Saturday #46

I don't waste time on candidates who lie or hide facts to get nominated. delisen Saturday #48

Ossoff is a dynamo mr715 Saturday #50

On that we agree. yorkster Yesterday #124

I'd love to see that, but Jon isn't thinking anywhere near that DFW Yesterday #160

He's going to walk away with it. mr715 Yesterday #162

He will NOT have an easy race, and he knows it DFW 20 hrs ago #174

We shouldn't accept the claim that Platner was "sexting" anyone without seeing the texts. He's controversial... demmiblue Saturday #49

You are accusing a Democrat of being a white nationalist. mr715 Saturday #53

It's humor and it's funny Quiet Em Saturday #59

I guess mr715 Saturday #62

No fan of Platner, but could he do a Bill Clinton 1992 primary talk karynnj Saturday #55

Who cares about his sex life? mr715 Saturday #57

We don't know yet if voters in Maine care, this just came out karynnj Saturday #63

If you are comparing Clinton to Platner mr715 Saturday #64

Do you remember the 1992 primaries? karynnj Saturday #66

I was pretty young. mr715 Saturday #67

I hate to admit I was already 42. karynnj Saturday #69

So you are around my parents age... mr715 Saturday #70

I liked Brown, Tsongus and Harkin karynnj Saturday #72

is that the bar we want to set? Skittles Saturday #91

Respectfully, it is a low bar. mr715 Saturday #92

we don't have to lower ourselves to it either Skittles Saturday #111

I prefer to leave Maine elections to voters in Maine. I would love to hear the thoughts of Mainers. walkingman Saturday #60

I was always told to Vote Blue No Matter Who AZProgressive Saturday #71

But David Costello, a 65-year-old Brunswick Democrat Sewa Saturday #73

Why leak this now? Who benefits? AloeVera Saturday #74

Wait a sec... purity tests? mr715 Saturday #76

Think of it as the Literal Purity Test. AloeVera Saturday #79

Oh I get it, so as long as kneel on enough glass mr715 Saturday #81

Why yes! But actually... AloeVera Saturday #83

Gonna level with ya -- I still think Platner is gonna win. mr715 Saturday #84

I do too. AloeVera Saturday #85

"Purity being derived from puritanical." Actually "puritanical" is derived from "purity" (or purify). sop 19 hrs ago #177

We don't know who leaked it. Quiet Em Saturday #88

Do you really think Collins' team doesn't have tons of oppo on him? mcar Saturday #96

Well, let's help her out then! AloeVera Saturday #97

Oh, so we hide all his red flags? mcar Saturday #101

Janet Mills suspended her campaign. mr715 Saturday #109

Interesting. sheshe2 Yesterday #151

Felonious adulterer and neo-Nazi supporter Paxton is going to shame Platner? AloeVera Saturday #113

What are his strategies for all those grand plans? MorbidButterflyTat Yesterday #154

Populist promises have no strategies. betsuni 23 hrs ago #166

Well. That clinches it. I will never date or marry Graham Platner. Scrivener7 Saturday #75

Why not? mr715 Saturday #77

I wouldn't date or marry him before this came out. He's kind of a pig. But I'd vote for him if I lived in Maine. Scrivener7 Saturday #78

That is the same thinking that got us.............................. sheshe2 Yesterday #137

You prefer Collins? Scrivener7 20 hrs ago #172

He is? MorbidButterflyTat Yesterday #158

You're seeing another Dem shooting up in the polls? Scrivener7 20 hrs ago #171

he gives me the creeps Skittles Saturday #93

Winner! AloeVera Saturday #80

We have a 3-time adulterer in the White House and sexual assaulter videohead5 Saturday #99

That's why I'm going to hold off until November before calling Platner a mistake. BannonsLiver Saturday #112

Read the rest. A Nazi tattoo, among other things. ColoringFool Yesterday #148

It doesn't matter whether we think all this is disqualifiying or not. DemocratSinceBirth Saturday #115

The primary is June 9th and David Costello yorkster Yesterday #133

We're Democrats. We can overlook just about anything. Seeking Serenity Saturday #116

We don't know details other than "sexting" TVguyCards Saturday #117

Seems like an issue between der Austerfuhrer and his wife hardluck Saturday #118

Unacceptable, please reconsider. mr715 Saturday #119

Hard disagree Music Man Saturday #120

the real question Skittles Yesterday #122

That's a good question Renew Deal Yesterday #128

yup Skittles Yesterday #131

His wife summed it up well luv2fly Saturday #121

So I guess they won't be using any negative ads or negative stories against Collins if Platner wins the primary? MorbidButterflyTat Yesterday #161

His wife defends him. Easterncedar Yesterday #125

I don't think we made a mistake. We knew all this stuff. oldmanlynn Yesterday #127

Is Mills still on the ballot? RandySF Yesterday #134

yes Quiet Em Yesterday #139

Yes. The three Dems are Mills, David Costello, yorkster Yesterday #141

Once again another epic fail like the idiot in Pa. Historic NY Yesterday #140

Just GD Swell. 😡😠🤬 And It's More Than Steamy Texts. ColoringFool Yesterday #147

I don't get why Platner gets a pass after what transpired with Eric Swallwell jmbar2 Yesterday #152

Because there is a difference between infidelity and rape. mr715 Yesterday #153

It is unbelievable people are making that comparison Sympthsical 22 hrs ago #167

Oh geez, as a Maine voter I will probably now have to vote for Sue Collins. OAITW r.2.0 Yesterday #157

This explains all the shirtless and posing pictures and Nixie Yesterday #163

Collins? Stable? mr715 23 hrs ago #164

I see references to Anthony Weiner and hope there are only oysters, no sausages. betsuni 22 hrs ago #168

I've been at weddings where drunken, overweight buffoons were guests, lapucelle 19 hrs ago #178

Many liberals preferred the Nazi Tattoo over the women's rights/LGBTQ+ progressive Pris 23 hrs ago #165

You need to learn how to spell his name. Emile 19 hrs ago #176