Dan Pfeiffer, host of the popular podcast "Pod Save America," has publicly expressed regret for his earlier support of Graham Platner, a Democratic candidate for Senate in Maine who suspended his campaign after a bombshell Politico report alleging he sexually assaulted an ex-girlfriend. "I'm mad at myself," Pfeiffer told guest Alex Wagner during a recent episode.
Prior Scandals and Pfeiffer's Initial Support
Before the Politico report, Platner had faced multiple controversies, including a chest tattoo of a Nazi symbol, sexting other women while married, and accusations of "unsettling" behavior from former partners. Despite these issues, Pfeiffer initially believed Platner's narrative of redemption. "I did believe, naively apparently, the story he told about being a person who was dealing with PTSD at a dark time in their life and drinking and did a bunch of things and then changed their life, improved," Pfeiffer said. He added that he believes "we should leave space for people who make mistakes to still be in politics."
Doubts After Sexting Scandal
Pfeiffer acknowledged that the sexting scandal, which occurred recently, raised doubts about Platner's redemption story. However, he continued to back Platner after the candidate's wife released a statement supporting her husband. The sexting controversy, Pfeiffer noted, "brought into question the redemption story that I had naively believed from him."
Bombshell Politico Report
On Monday, Politico published an interview with one of Platner's ex-girlfriends, who alleged that in 2021, he entered her home in rural Maine without permission and forced himself on her. The allegations prompted Platner to suspend his campaign. In an 11-minute video posted Wednesday, Platner denied the allegations and announced his withdrawal from the race. "There is a reason this is happening now," he said, claiming that "larger organizations, the national-level party, the bigger donor networks" would "rather see Susan Collins win than have me be the next senator from Maine."
Reactions from Wagner and Pfeiffer
Alex Wagner, a guest on Pfeiffer's show, reacted strongly to Platner's video, calling him an "asshole" three times. She criticized the video's tone, saying, "Nobody needed to hear Graham Platner uncensored for 12 minutes, and the conceit in that video is preposterous." Wagner accused Platner of implying that the rape victim was a "crisis actor" used by the Democratic establishment to remove him from the race, despite the fact that his exit complicates the race and potentially harms Democratic chances. Pfeiffer agreed, noting that Platner's embrace of "conspiracy theories" makes it "less likely" that a Democrat will defeat incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins. "This video is Trumpian in its nature. It is conspiracy theories. It's denial. It's making it entirely about himself," Pfeiffer said.
Platner's Exit and Future
Platner told Axios he intends to file paperwork with the secretary of state at the last minute on Monday to remove his name from the ballot. Pfeiffer, a former top aide to President Barack Obama, urged Platner to "just go away," calling that "the best thing he can do for the things he claims he cares about." The scandal-ridden oyster farmer's departure leaves the Democratic field in disarray, with less than two months until the primary.
