VIDEO: Democratic Candidate Platner Won’t Apologize for Ridiculing Soldier

Controversy Surrounds Democratic Senate Candidate Graham Platner

Recently, video surfaced of Graham Platner, a Democratic candidate for the Maine Senate, refusing to apologize to a Purple Heart recipient he insulted online. During an encounter outside a market near his home, a reporter asked him if he regretted his comments about veteran Pfc. Ted Daniels, who was shot four times while engaging the Taliban in Afghanistan back in 2012.

The reporter also raised concerns about how voters might react to Platner’s remarks, bringing attention to those who found them offensive. “I served four tours of duty in the infantry, and any attempt to claim I’m disrespecting veterans is defamatory and offensive,” Platner responded, seemingly incensed when asked if he owed an apology. He went on to mention the number of friends of his who have received Purple Hearts or have been injured in combat, before hastily leaving in his truck.

In a Reddit post from June 2019, Platner had made disparaging comments about Daniels, stating, “That stupid son of a bitch didn’t deserve to live. At least his stupidity and fat-ass wheezes can be witnessed and despised by all future infantrymen.” He dismissed the Taliban’s poor marksmanship as the sole reason Daniels returned home, further criticizing his actions in combat.

A Fox article pointed out that Platner, who is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran himself, attributed his past inflammatory social media posts to struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

On another note, Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania recently commented on Platner’s candidacy, describing a “mini-communist takeover” happening in Maine. He labeled Platner as “an avowed communist” for his statements online, expressing his concern about the direction of the party and its shift towards socialism. Fetterman noted the increasing chaos within political factions that diverge from traditional labor values.