Great observations, Noah. One more morsel: In the Louisiana Senate race, Jamie Davis (D) is only 4% points behind the MAGAt Julia Letlow.
Let us also remember that in the 2019 race for governor in Louisiana, the orange-faced, sociopathic lunatic endorsed MAGAt Eddie "Phony" Rispone. In spite of the endorsement, bless his heart, Democrat John Bel Edwards was reelected for a second term.
So, the only streamer the MSM focus on is Hasan Piker, who I had never even heard of before a few weeks ago. And I've held democratic socialist views my whole life. Yet, there are countless right wing streamers (and some MAGAts like Stephen Miller) making horriffic comments. Andrew Tate and Baron Trump, anyone??? Why are they not profiled with their connections to current and wanabe Congress members?
I’m glad you point out the quick endorsements of the winner by Democrats beaten in primaries. It also reminded me about my disappointment with Jasmine Crocker for not fully endorsing Talarico.
I am cautiously optimistic about the midterms, just like this article. After years of seeing MAGA yard signs that were never taken down, two months before the midterms, I have seen only one in my county and surrounding communities. I see tons of NO DATA CENTER signs everywhere, though. I will take that as a good sign.🤞🏼The republican messaging on the tv airwaves are outright lies and misrepresentations of reality. They truly think we are stupid, and they have no shame. If your state has early voting, take advantage of it. I know I will be. Thank you, Noah and Public Notice. Vote 💙 for accountability.
I think Noah gets a little carried away with his descriptors but he's basically dead right. The Democrats are united and for heaven's sake if they can't unite against Trump and his shamefully united behind him Republicans they'll never be united at any time.
I think it's more accurate to say they're more or less unified on winning some of the midterm races.
Actually being unified against trump is a stretch. Jeffries just did a press conference about democratic priorities after the midterms.
"Reverse Trump’s Medicaid cuts
—Extend expired ACA tax credits
—Restore Congress’s authority on tariffs
—“Decisively” end the Iran war
Beyond that: “We’ve established five working groups on affordability” (h/t Sahil Kapur)
Things they won't be able to do without a supermajority that isn't happening and not even trying to hold the regime accountable through investigations or hearings.
Anyone want to bet this was what Jeffries and kushner were workshopping during that meeting not too long ago?
Great piece! Thank you for cutting through all of the "clicks-over-credibility" fog of msm BS.
If America is to catch up with the REST of the civilized nations and offer healthcare as a right, Abdul Al-Sayed LITERALLY wrote the book on it. I want wars to end EVERYWHERE, but Israel and their neighbors will need to make that happen, together, and not just a lone Senator...or even the entirety of Congress. Being more worried about if he will pursue peace in a region that hasn't seen meaningful, lasting peace in centuries (millennia?) than whether we can END medical bankruptcy and the need for Luigis to remind insurance companies that their financially-motivated denials of care kill Americans is just rock stupid. And, as Noah notes, the FAR GREATER THREAT to America and our democracy is electing ANY Republicans (who will rubber stamp PedoPINO's every urge as they have for 2 years): so ensuring that NO Republican bootlickers are elected (preferably NEVER again: #NEAR Never Elect Another Republican, as we have seen what they will do when given power. Republicans: give them an inch, they'll make a ruler!) should be the goal of EVERY American who honors our Constitution.
I was big for Platner. I could go on. He was in recovery from PTSD… our loser wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He acted out, unfortunately, sexually. That was apparently not past enough. Some women needed to have their say. Politically Platner had his head screwed on well and was very appealing. Hopefully Jackson will prevail but this was a revealing episode. Disappointing.
I think it was also shown that he lied about important things. He apparently did know his tattoo was a Nazi symbol and instead of owning that and relating it to being a bad-ass combat soldier when he got it, he pretended not to know. And he also lied about his actions with women.
There were some good essays on Substack about him. He needed more healing and self-awareness before running for Senator.
Sally- Maybe you can show me where you got your info about Platner's knowledge of that the tattoo was a Nazi symbol. He did not according to everything I read. And maybe one could better say that he did not know that the tattoo was ALSO a Nazi symbol.. a skull and crossbones used a lot through history.
"Platner said he had never been questioned about the tattoo's connections to Nazi symbols in the 20 years he has had it. He said it was there when he enlisted in the Army, which requires an examination for tattoos of hate symbols." (PBS article )
The skull and crossbones has been a symbol for much in history but this particular variation he got one night of drinking from a parlor, was was Nazi apparently and he says he was unaware of it's Nazi connection. I believe him.
Platner's interview with Jon Stewart was impressive.
This was one of the things that he was being assaulted with. I followed what he said and he did not lie about "important things" that I know of. .. I thought he was very honest about his struggle with PTSD. A couple of women, not every woman he dated, spoke out about their experience and it was suspicious to me (politically motivated) that they chose this moment to speak out as they had not at the time of the event/s.
Yes there was a lot of positive energy for him. Unfortunately even with years of healing this will follow him.. and what a shame. A good man taken down.
Below are the essays and articles I read about him. It was the CNN article that quoted a former lover about the tattoo. People note that she was a right-wing woman. Why then was this 'progressive leader' involved with her? None of our business, obviously, but if you consider that as the reason she came forward, maybe we can ask about his motivation too.
In terms of timing, you probably have seen articles about why women who have been abused in some way often don't report it; the news is filled with such stories. Think of the hearings for Justices Thomas and Cavanaugh, the many women who have reported abuse from our Liar in Chief, Epstein etc. Almost none of them have received justice of any kind, but instead been vilified and threatened.
I am quoting you: "it was the CNN article that quoted a former lover about the tattoo. People note that she was a right-wing woman. Why then was this 'progressive leader' involved with her? None of our business, obviously, but if you consider that as the reason she came forward, maybe we can ask about his motivation too."
His motivation for what- dating her? What was her motivation for causing a stir about his tattoo??
------------
The timeline in that article is very confusing.. what Platner knew when he got the tattoo.. apparently not that it was a Nazi symbol.....His girlfriend may have been the one that identified it as such some time after and did she discuss this with him or the media? Was she out to get him?
---------------
MSNBC/HayesviaCNN: "Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner on Thursday said he could not explain why a former girlfriend was describing his controversial chest tattoo as a Nazi symbol months before he said he learned of its meaning."
I cannot go through all of this. The Snopes does not say he knew the tattoo was a Nazi symbol at the time he had it put on. The girlfriend's claim is from 2025 when Platner was already in politics... very suspicious. Why believe her and not him? If he had it put on when he was inebriated and then found out later it was not merely any old skull and cross bones but a Nazi symbol and then covered it up.. does that mean or prove that he then was a Nazi sympathizer? The problem is that if you are in politics and running for office this tattoo, regardless of the circumstance, can be fuel for any opposition... and it was. The bottom line for me is that no one in the party after that wanted to focus on his PTSD from two brutal useless (Republican) loser wars and that he was recovering. The party seemed spineless and frightened.. had to beat Collins. So Platner went overboard. It was awful. Shameful.
Then/so his views did not matter. It did not occur that such a person would be great in the Senate having gone through war and being against it-- like the one we are in now- useless and damaging to us and the world
I like Daniel Barkhuff's you link..I feel that way.
I might check the others.
Re Jessica Valenti - like others that piled on Platner, men and women, it became a women's fight in general against abusive men. She tars and feathers him for all women it seems. My goodness.
I appreciate Jess Piper's commentary. She has been fighting the good fight against a fascist state government - Missouri- for a long time. In it, she describes the way that many women going into politics assess their potential negative qualities, and potential harm that loved ones might suffer if they seek public office. Her points, and ones made by some of the other writers is that many men - such as Platner- don't seem to do a deep dive into their potential liabilities when considering elected office, and when those episodes, flaws, whatever they are, are inevitably surfaced by the opposition, they blame the messengers and take no responsibility for having withheld important information from their consultants, donors and the voters. This is a double standard and enraging.
Was he ready to be a US Senator? One of only 100 people in a nation of 350 million working on key decisions for our nation's future? Doesn't seem so.
I did not read Piper yet, but just to say this about what else you say...about the way women go into politics versus men.. I think this is too broadbrush. Women's roles in society for millenia have been traditionally to care for the children and the home. Men, with testosterone, go out and battle, go to war on the front, kill or they are battling nature.
I agree about Platner not being afraid of his liabilities in fact they could have been an asset and they may have been considered. He was encouraged by some "operatives'' to run. He was involved in local politics.. but young enough- made mistakes and gone through tough times. People were understanding that. Sex is a hot button. Women can use it.
I understand those who thought he had appeal in Maine. He did have appeal. My family in Maine was enthusiastic about him regardless.I could understand why. And some others who ran for office with baggage but had appeal, including experience and youth as well as progressive views, succeeded. You can never tell what is going to get you or not. I still feel he would have been a good senator. I don't think a senator has to be ready in some way. Al Franken was great but taken down by a woman/sex.. some ridiculousness. There is a list of those with no experience- on the Republican side JD Vance, Ted Cruz, Rand Paul. The presidency---Obama was not experienced enough it was said. Was Trump ready to be president-- ever? Did important information matter ( Epstein?)
I disagree with the double standard as you lay it out.. though there is a double standard for sure. And I really don't like the broad brushing.
Pundits gotta pundit but I don't gotta pay attention to most of them. I listen to and/or read Public Notice, Joyce Vance, Kristoffer Ealy, Lucian Truscott, Marc Elias, etc., instead.
My home state of Massachusetts is so blue that we've got a Republican running in the Democratic primary for Cape & Islands district attorney. As a Republican he wouldn't have a chance. Since he's running against a very popular incumbent, Rob Galibois, he doesn't have a chance anyway, but the Republican brand seems to have hit a new low here. True, we're famous for electing Republican governors, but that says more about the Democratic-dominated state legislature than about Republicans in general -- and I don't think it's going to happen again any time soon.
I think that "the circular firing squad" metaphor appropriately describes the DNC and the Democratic Party leadership - if you can even call them leaders. The first shot from the current circular firing squad was at DNC official David Hogg. Of course, let us not overlook their shots at Sanders and Warren, much less letting Florida toss Gore to the wolves rather than go to court to get a recount.
I only vote Democrat when they are the lesser of two bad options - which is most of the time.
The mainstream media have a standard playbook. They sell the news. Literally, they seek ratings to boost the price and desireability of advertisments. They are generating 'click-bait'.
They do this by avoiding talking directly about policies and instead they focus on polling and generally about the 'horse race' of the election. What they also do is work hard to keep the election close. Elections get boring if everyone knows who wins ahead of time.
They find a colorful candidate, and if he is ahead, they tear him down. If he is behind, they build him up or tear his opponent down. They do this with slanted questions, unfair comparisons, blindly repeating polls or pundits, and in fact will use polls to indicate there is a real issue, when the polls merely reflect how much effort the media has put into making it an issue, (such as the skull tattoo Platner had on his torso).
Trump was a dream for the media, because Trump made news. He was colorful, outrageous, often illegal and always newsworthy. So they gave him 'earned media' coverage. The media sells NEWS and so old news gets forgotten, especially if there is newer news to cover, and Trump always managed to provide more news. Side effect of this is that most people just assume the old crimes were "Fake News" just like Trump said, because no consequences ever happened, unlike with Biden or Platner, because they stepped aside when they could have fought, in order to help Democrats win based on what the pundit class told them.
Right now, Trump is getting boring, the Democrats are having a blue wave (my prediction is it will be larger than expected) and so to sell news, the Main Stream media focuses on tearing down the most colorful Democrats, to keep their races tighter.
Thank you for the upbeat reality check and helping to keep me focused. Eyes on the prize... CRUSH MAGA and ignore those so-called pundits!
Thank you for the clear-headed run down on these races.
Great observations, Noah. One more morsel: In the Louisiana Senate race, Jamie Davis (D) is only 4% points behind the MAGAt Julia Letlow.
Let us also remember that in the 2019 race for governor in Louisiana, the orange-faced, sociopathic lunatic endorsed MAGAt Eddie "Phony" Rispone. In spite of the endorsement, bless his heart, Democrat John Bel Edwards was reelected for a second term.
Thank you for sounding such a positive note during the barrage of utterly horrifying news coming from the Nazi regime.
So, the only streamer the MSM focus on is Hasan Piker, who I had never even heard of before a few weeks ago. And I've held democratic socialist views my whole life. Yet, there are countless right wing streamers (and some MAGAts like Stephen Miller) making horriffic comments. Andrew Tate and Baron Trump, anyone??? Why are they not profiled with their connections to current and wanabe Congress members?
Same here. I think they're fixated on Piker because he's got an Arabic first name.
Thank you! The fury on the ground among the huddled masses is palpable.
I’m glad you point out the quick endorsements of the winner by Democrats beaten in primaries. It also reminded me about my disappointment with Jasmine Crocker for not fully endorsing Talarico.
I am cautiously optimistic about the midterms, just like this article. After years of seeing MAGA yard signs that were never taken down, two months before the midterms, I have seen only one in my county and surrounding communities. I see tons of NO DATA CENTER signs everywhere, though. I will take that as a good sign.🤞🏼The republican messaging on the tv airwaves are outright lies and misrepresentations of reality. They truly think we are stupid, and they have no shame. If your state has early voting, take advantage of it. I know I will be. Thank you, Noah and Public Notice. Vote 💙 for accountability.
I think Noah gets a little carried away with his descriptors but he's basically dead right. The Democrats are united and for heaven's sake if they can't unite against Trump and his shamefully united behind him Republicans they'll never be united at any time.
I think it's more accurate to say they're more or less unified on winning some of the midterm races.
Actually being unified against trump is a stretch. Jeffries just did a press conference about democratic priorities after the midterms.
"Reverse Trump’s Medicaid cuts
—Extend expired ACA tax credits
—Restore Congress’s authority on tariffs
—“Decisively” end the Iran war
Beyond that: “We’ve established five working groups on affordability” (h/t Sahil Kapur)
Things they won't be able to do without a supermajority that isn't happening and not even trying to hold the regime accountable through investigations or hearings.
Anyone want to bet this was what Jeffries and kushner were workshopping during that meeting not too long ago?
Great piece! Thank you for cutting through all of the "clicks-over-credibility" fog of msm BS.
If America is to catch up with the REST of the civilized nations and offer healthcare as a right, Abdul Al-Sayed LITERALLY wrote the book on it. I want wars to end EVERYWHERE, but Israel and their neighbors will need to make that happen, together, and not just a lone Senator...or even the entirety of Congress. Being more worried about if he will pursue peace in a region that hasn't seen meaningful, lasting peace in centuries (millennia?) than whether we can END medical bankruptcy and the need for Luigis to remind insurance companies that their financially-motivated denials of care kill Americans is just rock stupid. And, as Noah notes, the FAR GREATER THREAT to America and our democracy is electing ANY Republicans (who will rubber stamp PedoPINO's every urge as they have for 2 years): so ensuring that NO Republican bootlickers are elected (preferably NEVER again: #NEAR Never Elect Another Republican, as we have seen what they will do when given power. Republicans: give them an inch, they'll make a ruler!) should be the goal of EVERY American who honors our Constitution.
Thanks Noah. Yours is a voice I welcome.
I was big for Platner. I could go on. He was in recovery from PTSD… our loser wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He acted out, unfortunately, sexually. That was apparently not past enough. Some women needed to have their say. Politically Platner had his head screwed on well and was very appealing. Hopefully Jackson will prevail but this was a revealing episode. Disappointing.
I think it was also shown that he lied about important things. He apparently did know his tattoo was a Nazi symbol and instead of owning that and relating it to being a bad-ass combat soldier when he got it, he pretended not to know. And he also lied about his actions with women.
There were some good essays on Substack about him. He needed more healing and self-awareness before running for Senator.
Sally- Maybe you can show me where you got your info about Platner's knowledge of that the tattoo was a Nazi symbol. He did not according to everything I read. And maybe one could better say that he did not know that the tattoo was ALSO a Nazi symbol.. a skull and crossbones used a lot through history.
"Platner said he had never been questioned about the tattoo's connections to Nazi symbols in the 20 years he has had it. He said it was there when he enlisted in the Army, which requires an examination for tattoos of hate symbols." (PBS article )
The skull and crossbones has been a symbol for much in history but this particular variation he got one night of drinking from a parlor, was was Nazi apparently and he says he was unaware of it's Nazi connection. I believe him.
Platner's interview with Jon Stewart was impressive.
This was one of the things that he was being assaulted with. I followed what he said and he did not lie about "important things" that I know of. .. I thought he was very honest about his struggle with PTSD. A couple of women, not every woman he dated, spoke out about their experience and it was suspicious to me (politically motivated) that they chose this moment to speak out as they had not at the time of the event/s.
Yes there was a lot of positive energy for him. Unfortunately even with years of healing this will follow him.. and what a shame. A good man taken down.
Below are the essays and articles I read about him. It was the CNN article that quoted a former lover about the tattoo. People note that she was a right-wing woman. Why then was this 'progressive leader' involved with her? None of our business, obviously, but if you consider that as the reason she came forward, maybe we can ask about his motivation too.
In terms of timing, you probably have seen articles about why women who have been abused in some way often don't report it; the news is filled with such stories. Think of the hearings for Justices Thomas and Cavanaugh, the many women who have reported abuse from our Liar in Chief, Epstein etc. Almost none of them have received justice of any kind, but instead been vilified and threatened.
https://shaystewartbouley.substack.com/p/a-messy-man-for-senate-and-silencing?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=1985n
https://dbarkhuff.substack.com/p/on-platner-and-me?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=1985n
https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/05/politics/graham-platner-cant-explain-why-ex-girlfriend-knew-tattoos-nazi-link-before-he-says-he-did
https://jesspiper.substack.com/p/vetting?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=1985n
https://jessica.substack.com/p/the-platner-pattern?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=1985n
https://naomiklein.substack.com/p/we-have-a-right-to-be-furious-with?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=1985n
https://saltypolitics.substack.com/p/the-one-person-platner-didnt-trash?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=1985n
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/graham-platner-nazi-tattoo/
I am quoting you: "it was the CNN article that quoted a former lover about the tattoo. People note that she was a right-wing woman. Why then was this 'progressive leader' involved with her? None of our business, obviously, but if you consider that as the reason she came forward, maybe we can ask about his motivation too."
His motivation for what- dating her? What was her motivation for causing a stir about his tattoo??
------------
The timeline in that article is very confusing.. what Platner knew when he got the tattoo.. apparently not that it was a Nazi symbol.....His girlfriend may have been the one that identified it as such some time after and did she discuss this with him or the media? Was she out to get him?
---------------
MSNBC/HayesviaCNN: "Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner on Thursday said he could not explain why a former girlfriend was describing his controversial chest tattoo as a Nazi symbol months before he said he learned of its meaning."
I cannot go through all of this. The Snopes does not say he knew the tattoo was a Nazi symbol at the time he had it put on. The girlfriend's claim is from 2025 when Platner was already in politics... very suspicious. Why believe her and not him? If he had it put on when he was inebriated and then found out later it was not merely any old skull and cross bones but a Nazi symbol and then covered it up.. does that mean or prove that he then was a Nazi sympathizer? The problem is that if you are in politics and running for office this tattoo, regardless of the circumstance, can be fuel for any opposition... and it was. The bottom line for me is that no one in the party after that wanted to focus on his PTSD from two brutal useless (Republican) loser wars and that he was recovering. The party seemed spineless and frightened.. had to beat Collins. So Platner went overboard. It was awful. Shameful.
Then/so his views did not matter. It did not occur that such a person would be great in the Senate having gone through war and being against it-- like the one we are in now- useless and damaging to us and the world
I like Daniel Barkhuff's you link..I feel that way.
I might check the others.
Re Jessica Valenti - like others that piled on Platner, men and women, it became a women's fight in general against abusive men. She tars and feathers him for all women it seems. My goodness.
I appreciate Jess Piper's commentary. She has been fighting the good fight against a fascist state government - Missouri- for a long time. In it, she describes the way that many women going into politics assess their potential negative qualities, and potential harm that loved ones might suffer if they seek public office. Her points, and ones made by some of the other writers is that many men - such as Platner- don't seem to do a deep dive into their potential liabilities when considering elected office, and when those episodes, flaws, whatever they are, are inevitably surfaced by the opposition, they blame the messengers and take no responsibility for having withheld important information from their consultants, donors and the voters. This is a double standard and enraging.
Was he ready to be a US Senator? One of only 100 people in a nation of 350 million working on key decisions for our nation's future? Doesn't seem so.
I did not read Piper yet, but just to say this about what else you say...about the way women go into politics versus men.. I think this is too broadbrush. Women's roles in society for millenia have been traditionally to care for the children and the home. Men, with testosterone, go out and battle, go to war on the front, kill or they are battling nature.
I agree about Platner not being afraid of his liabilities in fact they could have been an asset and they may have been considered. He was encouraged by some "operatives'' to run. He was involved in local politics.. but young enough- made mistakes and gone through tough times. People were understanding that. Sex is a hot button. Women can use it.
I understand those who thought he had appeal in Maine. He did have appeal. My family in Maine was enthusiastic about him regardless.I could understand why. And some others who ran for office with baggage but had appeal, including experience and youth as well as progressive views, succeeded. You can never tell what is going to get you or not. I still feel he would have been a good senator. I don't think a senator has to be ready in some way. Al Franken was great but taken down by a woman/sex.. some ridiculousness. There is a list of those with no experience- on the Republican side JD Vance, Ted Cruz, Rand Paul. The presidency---Obama was not experienced enough it was said. Was Trump ready to be president-- ever? Did important information matter ( Epstein?)
I disagree with the double standard as you lay it out.. though there is a double standard for sure. And I really don't like the broad brushing.
Pundits gotta pundit but I don't gotta pay attention to most of them. I listen to and/or read Public Notice, Joyce Vance, Kristoffer Ealy, Lucian Truscott, Marc Elias, etc., instead.
My home state of Massachusetts is so blue that we've got a Republican running in the Democratic primary for Cape & Islands district attorney. As a Republican he wouldn't have a chance. Since he's running against a very popular incumbent, Rob Galibois, he doesn't have a chance anyway, but the Republican brand seems to have hit a new low here. True, we're famous for electing Republican governors, but that says more about the Democratic-dominated state legislature than about Republicans in general -- and I don't think it's going to happen again any time soon.
I think that "the circular firing squad" metaphor appropriately describes the DNC and the Democratic Party leadership - if you can even call them leaders. The first shot from the current circular firing squad was at DNC official David Hogg. Of course, let us not overlook their shots at Sanders and Warren, much less letting Florida toss Gore to the wolves rather than go to court to get a recount.
I only vote Democrat when they are the lesser of two bad options - which is most of the time.
The mainstream media have a standard playbook. They sell the news. Literally, they seek ratings to boost the price and desireability of advertisments. They are generating 'click-bait'.
They do this by avoiding talking directly about policies and instead they focus on polling and generally about the 'horse race' of the election. What they also do is work hard to keep the election close. Elections get boring if everyone knows who wins ahead of time.
They find a colorful candidate, and if he is ahead, they tear him down. If he is behind, they build him up or tear his opponent down. They do this with slanted questions, unfair comparisons, blindly repeating polls or pundits, and in fact will use polls to indicate there is a real issue, when the polls merely reflect how much effort the media has put into making it an issue, (such as the skull tattoo Platner had on his torso).
Trump was a dream for the media, because Trump made news. He was colorful, outrageous, often illegal and always newsworthy. So they gave him 'earned media' coverage. The media sells NEWS and so old news gets forgotten, especially if there is newer news to cover, and Trump always managed to provide more news. Side effect of this is that most people just assume the old crimes were "Fake News" just like Trump said, because no consequences ever happened, unlike with Biden or Platner, because they stepped aside when they could have fought, in order to help Democrats win based on what the pundit class told them.
Right now, Trump is getting boring, the Democrats are having a blue wave (my prediction is it will be larger than expected) and so to sell news, the Main Stream media focuses on tearing down the most colorful Democrats, to keep their races tighter.
Thank you. Fuck the republicans and anyone doing anything to help them continue destroying this country.