Exclusive: Woman who dated Graham Platner says he sexually assaulted her

[paleotn]

67. I appreciate your posts and figure you're due some insight into my meaning.

My judgment is tempered in a number of ways. Cui bono to start with. Who benefits? Secondly, why now? Why not before the Dem primary when this first came out? Or was this purposefully held back? That doesn't necessarily mean she's lying. But it could mean she's being played even if she's telling the truth. Or, this is entirely a fabrication built on what Platner has already admitted to. Don't know for sure.

I would hope these things are run like they use to be. There's an opposite to opposition research. One person in my family, an old time political operator, called it "empty your pockets." A candidate needed to divulge everything that could possibly be dug up and used against them. Then they strategized on how it could be used, embellished, and what they would do to counteract the damage, knowing full well that in bare knuckle politics (like there's any other?) it was bound to come out. Or said family member could simply walk away, knowing the candidacy was doomed eventually and rightly so in some cases. To him, defense was just as important as offense. That person heavily colors my views on politics. An old time, FDR Dem and the root of my Machiavellian streak. It's said he could have made Carl Rove blush but he would have admired Rove's ability to turn an opponent's strength into their weakness.

Surely to God Platner's team did this and this isn't freaking amateur hour. That's always been my worst fear about him. Perhaps they didn't do that. Perhaps not comprehensively. Maybe he didn't divulge it. That would have made a certain old campaign manager I once knew extremely angry. The next 24 to 48 hours will tell. I'm holding judgment until then and others should too.