‘I’m Not a Secret Nazi’: Graham Platner’s ‘I’m Not a Witch’ Moment

In a sense I am late to the game on Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner. But in my defense, for once this was by design. Unlike too many of my media peers (I am thinking in particular of my excitable progressive friends), I was never persuaded to take the bait on Platner, currently challenging Republican Senator Susan Collins for her seat in Maine. Collins has a heck of a race on her hands for her final electoral campaign, but the threat to her always came from Governor Janet Mills, not from a papier-mâché progressive candidate.

I needed only to watch Platner’s launch video (which went viral among the liberal chatterati several months ago, like the clap passing through a San Jose polycule) to suspect there was something fugazi about him. A former Marine, a current oysterman, bearded, booted, and tatted, spouting progressive pieties but phrased in authentic “working class” branding? Be still my bleeding heart!

JB

About the Author

Jeffrey Blehar

Jeffrey Blehar is a National Review staff writer living in Chicago. He is also the co-host of National Review’s Political Beats podcast, which explores the great music of the modern era with guests from the political world happy to find something non-political to talk about.

Featured Tags

In a sense I am late to the game on Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner. But in my defense, for once this was by design. Unlike too many of my media peers (I am thinking in particular of my excitable progressive friends), I was never persuaded to take the bait on Platner, currently challenging Republican Senator Susan Collins for her seat in Maine. Collins has a heck of a race on her hands for her final electoral campaign, but the threat to her always came from Governor Janet Mills, not from a papier-mâché progressive candidate.

I needed only to watch Platner’s launch video (which went viral among the liberal chatterati several months ago, like the clap passing through a San Jose polycule) to suspect there was something fugazi about him. A former Marine, a current oysterman, bearded, booted, and tatted, spouting progressive pieties but phrased in authentic “working class” branding? Be still my bleeding heart!

JB

About the Author

Jeffrey Blehar

Jeffrey Blehar is a National Review staff writer living in Chicago. He is also the co-host of National Review’s Political Beats podcast, which explores the great music of the modern era with guests from the political world happy to find something non-political to talk about.