Without getting into the obviously bruising effect of Katie Glueck and Lisa Lerer’s 6.4 N.Y. Times forensic report about the personal romantic history of Maine’s Graham Platner, the likely Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate who is all but certain to run against Sen. Susan Collins, a non-MAGA Republican…
Without accepting or taking issue with the story’s allegations, I’d like to ask a simple question.
Who has been without sin or selfishness in their youthful or semi-youthful (20s and 30s) romantic life? Whose history hasn’t involved a certain degree of avoidance or sudden whimsy or callousness or occasional passive-aggressive ghosting?
Imagine if Gleuck or Lerer had devoted many weeks to exploring your past shortcomings or selfish behaviors or whatnot. Almost anyone’s imperfect life can be sliced and diced.
I’m certainly not saying that Platner, 41, has been an admirably behaved fellow, sexually speaking or one-on-one-relationship-wise, over the last 15 or so years. He hasn’t been a total animal by any measure, but he certainly has blemishes.
There have been reports, of course, that the younger Platner exhibited booze-impacted PTSD behavior, and has behaved like a hound and been unfaithful with this or that ex-girlfriend, and that he’s sexted certain women behind his wife’s back.
Intemperate sexual behavior is unbecoming, obviously, and quite stupid for anyone (man or woman) thinking of running for high office.
But this is mainly an issue for Platner’s wife to kick around. (She’s been supportive.) It should not be a central or even an important consideration when it comes to Maine’s Senatorial ballot, at least in any kind of fair-minded, real-deal world.
Reader responses to Gleuck and Lerer’s report:
