And when to run

I’m not sure if this will be sufficient to convince the Obama-hanger-on podcast community et al that it’s time to fold their hand rather than continuing toss money into the pot when they’re drawing dead, but:

A progressive U.S. Senate candidate in Maine, who has already apologized for earlier misogynistic and racially insensitive remarks and said he did not realize that a tattoo on his chest resembled a Nazi SS emblem, is again under scrutiny, this time for anti-LGBTQ+ comments.

In an interview on Wednesday afternoon with The Advocate, Graham Platner, a 41-year-old Marine and Army veteran running in Maine’s Democratic primary, seeking to become the nominee to challenge Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, confirmed that he authored a series of Reddit comments that include homophobic slurs, anti-LGBTQ+ jokes, and sexually explicit stories denigrating gay men.

The existence of the comments, posted under the handle P-Hustle between 2016 and 2021, has not previously been reported. The Advocate obtained the posts independently this week. The revelations come on the same day Platner is scheduled to hold a town hall in Ogunquit, a seaside resort long known as one of New England’s most prominent LGBTQ+ destinations, featuring a thriving gay community and Pride celebrations that draw visitors from across the region.

Again, many people have expressed offensive and derogatory things toward LGBTQ+ people and recognized that they were wrong and changed their views. I don’t think these comments mean that he has to be ostracized from polite society. But anyone who was staying this stuff during the Biden administration very, very obviously cannot be a Democratic candidate for Senate in 2025.