The View Critiques Maine Senate Candidate Graham Platner Over Controversial Tattoo
On Thursday, the hosts of ABC’s “The View” leveled strong criticism against Graham Platner, a Democratic Senate candidate from Maine, following the revelation of a Nazi-style tattoo he has.
Whoopi Goldberg, one of the co-hosts, raised a pointed question: “Doesn’t anyone realize that if you’re going to run for office, yours is going to win? You probably want to talk about it before others do because it feels like you’re making excuses now.” She added a thought about how everyone seems to have a past these days.
Another co-host, Sarah Haines, echoed this sentiment, suggesting that Platner’s tattoos and past statements on Reddit would likely cause concern among voters. “Everyone has a past, but not everyone can just brush off an anti-Semitic or racist tattoo as something they accidentally got while drinking,” Haines remarked, emphasizing that with 1.5 million people in Maine, there are surely others who would be more suitable candidates.
Platner’s Apology and Continued Campaign
As he continues his campaign, Platner has expressed support for Bernie Sanders and apologized for his tattoo. Yet, the hosts felt his actions need to be taken more seriously. Joy Behar pointedly asked, “Who doesn’t have a Nazi tattoo?” highlighting what she perceives as absurdity.
Sunny Hostin noted that while some Democrats stand by Platner in hopes of unseating Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins, she agreed with Haines that a simple acknowledgment of wrongdoing isn’t enough. “Once you get to the point where you deny you’re a Nazi on your podcast, you’re done,” Hostin stated.
Alyssa Farrar Griffin took a firm stance, arguing that elected officials should uphold moral standards. “If you’re near the Nazis, whether on the right or the left, then you need to step aside for a candidate who can competently run,” she said.
Despite Platner’s claims that he was intoxicated when he received the tattoo, the group concluded that this was too significant of an issue to overlook.
Goldberg reflected on her own past mistakes, admitting, “I know I did stupid things when I was drunk, and I take responsibility for that.” She concluded by indicating that the public shouldn’t underestimate the scrutiny candidates face.
In a recent podcast video, Platner was seen with a skull tattoo on his chest that resembles a symbol historically associated with the Nazis. He explained that he had received the tattoo after a night of heavy drinking with a fellow Marine in Croatia back in 2007. According to him, the symbol is quite common in military culture and he had it done before joining the Army.
However, he faced renewed backlash after an old Reddit post resurfaced where he labeled police officers as “bastards” and identified himself as a “communist.” In another post, he remarked that those wishing to combat fascism must arm themselves with semi-automatic rifles, suggesting a disconnect between ideology and practicality.
