General Discussion

Sympthsical

(11,394 posts)

49. Seriously. So many politicians do this.

Wed Jul 8, 2026, 12:53 PM

Jul 8

If this is new to you, well, today you learned.

It's not whether or not things are known. It's whether or not they care - and it's whether or not it gets out and gains traction. Like most politicians don't have seedy things in their background. They all do. They just don't all get play due to connections and influence, particularly with the media.

Can you honestly - honestly - say Platner wasn't vetted? Because from my perch, he was all a large swath of DU and the online chattering classes could talk about for months. A billion other races happening in this country, but some days would read like Platner Underground (and I would argue the past two days of its dominance of discussion serves to illustrate that nicely). Not only was Platner vetted, I was stone cold sick of hearing about the guy by the time the primary rolled around. People knew. It was all out in the air before the election.

Voters still picked him anyway. What does that tell you about what you were selling?

You seem to be arguing that we just didn't discuss him enough.

Oh, we did. Quite enough. To the point I'm not even sure if there were other primaries this year. I think I vaguely recall my own state's. Oh right, California. Where half the party knew about Swalwell and pushed him anyway.

You mean that kind of leadership and vetting? You should explore that one, because that mess was institutional and far more disturbing in just what the people in power were very comfortable with.

But I guess that's not as interesting. For reasons.

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Highlight:

Platner: Astro-Turfed Authenticity [View all] QueerDuck Jul 8 OP

As someone who has contempt for police, would like to see the party move to the left, etc., I want to add that it is WhiskeyGrinder Jul 8 #1

Indeed... a bad fit from the beginning. QueerDuck Jul 8 #2

I think we need more information. yardwork Jul 8 #11

Increasingly, the consultants and activists groups are doing the vetting. Parties don't have the money, time or WhiskeyGrinder Jul 8 #16

Well, there's a big problem right there if searches are farmed out to consulting firms. yardwork Jul 8 #62

I need some answers. Like who were these the people doing the veting? What's the source of your bio of Platner? flashman13 Jul 8 #36

Post removed Post removed Jul 8 #41

Do you trust Lawrence O'Donnell mcar Jul 8 #68

I do. That was a great segment. QueerDuck Jul 8 #72

Yes, they weren't excited about their other options. LisaL Jul 8 #3

"Too boring" ... The danger of demanding a political soulmate. QueerDuck Jul 8 #7

We haven't dodged a bullet because he has to step down. LisaL Jul 8 #8

True. I'm hoping that calmer and rational thought prevails... QueerDuck Jul 8 #9

I'm hoping that his wife or someone else he trusts spooky3 Jul 8 #29

They just announced on ms now Lifeafter70 Friday #77

It wasn't just the "vetters" (whoever they are) who were OK with Platner's flaws Fiendish Thingy Jul 8 #4

And some of the people still are. LisaL Jul 8 #5

It would be difficult to get an indictment without physical evidence Fiendish Thingy Jul 8 #10

Her testimony is considered evidence. LisaL Jul 8 #13

Since it's a felony, it would have to go to a grand jury to get an indictment Fiendish Thingy Jul 8 #15

Grand Jury just indicted a supposed pool vandal. LisaL Jul 8 #17

They also indicted Comey and Tish James Fiendish Thingy Jul 8 #19

E.Jean Carroll won her case. Her evidence sufficed, and spooky3 Jul 8 #30

That was a civil suit, where the burden of proof is far lower Fiendish Thingy Jul 8 #33

True, but my point still stands. spooky3 Jul 8 #34

And my point still stands Fiendish Thingy Jul 8 #42

You are correct Lifeafter70 Friday #78

In this twisted world, it only depends on the DA in question mdbl Jul 8 #27

That's just the thing... it appears to me that their job was not to vet, but to scrub and polish... QueerDuck Jul 8 #12

whops. And all the scrub and Cha Friday #79

A campaign strategist can make or break you. LeftInTX Jul 8 #50

Absolutely Good Work QueerDuck (Thank You) ahnakneemoose Jul 8 #6

Isn't it odd that most of we Democrats doubted Platner's honesty and authenticity from the beginning... Escape Jul 8 #14

We can't toss him. LisaL Jul 8 #18

I hope he doesn't step down. BComplex Jul 8 #45

The candidate's own actions tell a different story. QueerDuck Jul 8 #65

Yet they keep winning elections and have a devoted cult mdbl Jul 8 #28

Populist Them (establishment elites) vs Us (The People, the working class). betsuni Jul 8 #20

Only working class white men mcar Jul 8 #26

"What you're talking about is identity politics. We are so proud that for the first time we have a judge betsuni Jul 8 #53

... mcar Jul 8 #56

Platner posted a few years ago that "Black people don't tip" MichMan Jul 8 #66

Lawrence was great on Platner on the Last Word LetMyPeopleVote Jul 8 #21

Yes... that was excellent. QueerDuck Jul 8 #24

Thank you for this information Progressive dog Jul 8 #22

Like many, I was leery of him from the beginning, PatSeg Jul 8 #23

Yes. There was a lot of bullying and attempts to silence critics. This was coming from his campaign... QueerDuck Jul 8 #25

If you spoke out you were deemed a traitor to "the cause." It just wasn't coming from his campaign, it Raftergirl Jul 8 #39

Exactly PatSeg Jul 8 #40

I think Bernie's endorsement propelled him. boston bean Jul 8 #31

You're absolutely correct. QueerDuck Jul 8 #35

Hey, if Platner was good enough for Bernie Sanders, then he was certainly good enough for DFW Sunday #84

One thing about Platner that has not been mentioned in this thread -- he's a very talented speaker. He also gives good Fil1957 Jul 8 #32

I agree. Nt spooky3 Jul 8 #37

That is what caused me to brush aside my misgivings MustLoveBeagles Jul 8 #46

Spot on. Charisma is exactly why rigorous and honest vetting is vital. QueerDuck Jul 8 #67

You would've hated Abraham Lincoln Sympthsical Jul 8 #38

There is a vast difference between standard marketing and material fraud. QueerDuck Jul 8 #48

Seriously. So many politicians do this. Sympthsical Jul 8 #49

A simple misunderstanding of terms. QueerDuck Jul 8 #51

Swalwell had institutional vetting Sympthsical Jul 8 #55

I still can't past the Nazi tattoo! And he didn't get rid of it until after it was made public. LeftInTX Jul 8 #58

There's so much faux hand-wringing about this Sympthsical Jul 8 #61

His strategist could have dumped him early on. It happens. It wasn't his idea to run. LeftInTX Jul 8 #64

What a fighter! MorbidButterflyTat Jul 8 #69

Lincoln was self taught and grew up poor Kaleva Jul 8 #52

Absolutely Sympthsical Jul 8 #54

It was his performance at the Lincoln Douglass debates that garnered him national fame Kaleva Friday #73

Yes, but we're talking about campaign personas Sympthsical Friday #74

Interesting! I've never heard about that Kaleva Friday #75

Totally off topic but a neat anecdote you might appreciate given your obvious knowledge about Abraham Lincoln. Jedi Guy Sunday #80

Ok, but Abe the Shingle Splitter is not nearly as catchy Sympthsical Sunday #81

Dude, that's so cool! Jedi Guy Sunday #82

Most lawyers back then didn't attend law school Stacey Grove Sunday #83

True but Lincoln didn't serve as an apprentice Kaleva Monday #85

Actually a lot of that information on his background karynnj Jul 8 #43

This is the worst dodged bullet since Trump's ear. mr715 Jul 8 #44

Agreed MustLoveBeagles Jul 8 #47

Note to self... "do not read anything from mr715 with food in my mouth" QueerDuck Jul 8 #59

Never gets old! MorbidButterflyTat Jul 8 #70

You are correct Keepthesoulalive Jul 8 #57

It wasn't a swastika, it was a SS totenkopf. MichMan Jul 8 #60

German or Nazi military history I will not get in the weeds with Keepthesoulalive Jul 8 #63

Actually it looked like what it was, a Nazi SS Deaths Head tattoo EX500rider Jul 8 #71

When they show you who they are, believe them. SheltieLover Friday #76

The Tea Party wasn't grassroots either, but Justice Democrats/Our Revolution types believe it was. betsuni Monday #86