Platner Panic

09:44 Monday, 11 May 2026
Current Wx: Temp: 48.33°F Pressure: 1022hPa Humidity: 56% Wind: 5.61mph
Words: 176

David French is clutching his pearls over Graham Platner. (Gift link.)

Comments were closed by the time I got to it, so here's what I would have written:

Platner is a symptom, not the disease. And as symptoms go, I think he's mild.

French ignores the larger problem: Why don't people of unimpeachable character and integrity run for office?

Sure, politics today is a cesspool. Who wants to beg for money, endure the scrutiny, the attacks, assemble a team, track the paperwork and the endless hours campaigning? Evidently, not the people of character French would prefer. Sure, Mills didn't have the baggage, but her age was not an asset. And surely it isn't the case that the only people with character and integrity are over 60?

I'm fine with Platner. At least he has the courage to step into the ring and endure the process.

But the real problem is the lack of engagement by broad swathes of American society from whom we might expect to draw more attractive candidates.

The rot runs deep.

Very deep.