I am finding the coverage of this story an interesting example of the open bias and deliberate slanting of the story depending on who or which side is covering it. The same reports are covered with drasticly different tones, phrasing and include or exclude details depending on which group the reporter is either trying to promote or degrade. For example on This Week Martha Raddatz reported the story in the darkest most impassioned way to present Platner as an out of control phycotic abuser of women and repeatedly elaborated on his sexting of women while dating and slightly after he was married to his wife as a great moral failing making him not worth or qualified to serve in Congress. Yet she never faulted Ken Paxton or tRump the same way. During her report on this story she talked up Janet Mills praising her repeatedly while mentioning that she was the needed alternative to Platner. Her report made it sound like the entire state of Maine and all the Democrats did not want Platner but the majority of people she interviewed were supporting him. In the reporting of this by The Majority Report they take a different tact in the reporting on Platner. They report the facts in a less sensational manner and put everything in context to modern society. Below is just a clip of the transcript of the show. For those not wanting to watch this I recommend at least reading the transcript. There might be details, facts, or context not reported elsewhere. Sam askes where are the other accusers and their stories. Hugs
Um, and I’m also fascinated by the way this story has developed, like who is doing this? Uh, because the the timing of this stuff is strange. Um, and suggests that it’s not just a question of Republicans because Mhm. If the Republicans had this stuff, they would drop it uh you know in October. But why or or it could be about Republicans taking a different tact here and saying we need to get him out of the race as opposed to try and beat him because we may not be be able to beat him. The best thing is for us to get him out of the race. Yeah. And now is the most opportune time to do that. But uh regardless. So let’s put up this tweet from Lindsay Fitfield. She is the only person to suggest uh any type of physicality uh and again uh she wouldn’t have called it like abuse but any type of physicality from Platner and she also suggests that he knew uh what his tattoo
And the reason why she does that is because she wants the Times to carry the story as opposed to another outlet. And she is strategizing. The Times is are going to hit the audience. I want them to hit. If you wanted this on the uh, you know, on the right, you wouldn’t go to the Times. That’s what comms professionals do. We have this story. Where are we going to go? And she went to the Times and made a deal with them. You’ll get an exclusive when you write this.Uh after the story went up, I began to ask them, “Wait, where are the stories from the other women? Where are their accusations of sexual assault? Why am I the focus? Why are there 11 paragraphs uh dedicated to detailing my work history?” Which is that hilarious because it was such a footnote in the story. It obscures the true nature of her collaboration with Republican operatives and her work in Republican politics. And she’s asking, “Where are their accusations of sexual assault?” Yeah, they probably just wanted to embarrass themselves by leaving those out like as if they actually existed.Yeah. because in that instance it the whole thing sounds like a total hit job uh by these reports. Remember they’ve been working on this story for months according to her, right? I mean the dragged on and um and that’s just when they had her stuff. Keep put u why does uh it say nobody corroborate could corroborate when I offered them sources that could corroborate. They obviously went to these sources and those sources could not corroborate.
Scottie's Playtime 
The timing of this is not at all strange. It’s been out there since Platner filed to run. It was out there. It was there for whoever encouraged Platner to come from nowhere to run for a seat in the US Senate, with no governmental experience or knowledge at all, because he talks a mean game and he’s not old. Someone messed up in the process, and there should still be a process. Scottie, you and I got into at least one argument over this back in the winter, where you mansplained “what happened’ (meaning the accusations) according to Sam Seder, but not according to anyone else. I almost left the blog over that; it was so belittling to women, and I couldn’t believe you were doing it, too, and to me, as if I don’t bother to read or learn, and as if women don’t matter.
Anyway, the process has moved on, Mills has withdrawn her candidacy, and those of us who don’t support Susan Collins or Republicans ought to be talking about Susan Collins and Republicans, and quit alienating voters by keeping these problems with Platner in the public view. The Republicans do a fine job of trying to destroy Dem candidates without us helping them. Maybe we at Scottie’s Playtime can jump on the making-the-Senate-better-by-electing-Democrats float in this parade. Platner is Maine’s candidate, and we should be working in that direction.
But I’m so thankful I don’t have to vote for Senator in Maine.
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Hi Ali. I am very confused reading your comment. I mansplained in an insulting way to you? Sorry I came off that way and you understood me as doing that. It is never my intent. I only use facts and reasons in my replies. If I said something it was because it was reported that way and I agreed that it seemed reasonable based on what I understood of the issue. I am glad you did not leave the blog. But I would ask next time you feel I am addressing you in a dismissive or degrading manner you explain to me what you felt I had said and done that was wrong. Honest disagreements I can understand happening. Human communications are very easy to misconstrue or misunderstand. I do not try to belittle a person for having an opinion as long as they can show a reasonable reason why.
I would ask if you watched or listened to the video or if you just based your opinion on the transcript I copied and pasted for the post. The written words do not carry the context of the conversation. Sam was questioning the timing of the Times article being posted at this time rather than later when Platner wouldn’t have time to explain or refute it. My understanding is he felt as do I that this was not being pushed to help Collins or the republicans but as a way for the democratic establishment to tank Platner’s primary run. The pundits agree it is better for Collins to run against Mills than Platner.
Also as you say much of this has been out in the public view for a while. It was Platner’s own wife that informed a campaign staffer who she thought was a friend of the sexting. The wife did not think it an issue but wanted the staff to know about it.
Ali I agree there should be a process and we are seeing it play out. I have always felt that during the primaries a voter should vote for whoever best represents the policies the voter wants to be enacted / fought for. But in the general election anyone who wants a democratic majority should vote blue no matter who. The corporate Democrats in charge of the democratic party showed with Mamdani being the nominee that they feel that way only went it is a corporate Democrat, not a progressive. Especally a progressive who won’t support Chuck Schumer. I voted for Biden when I did not agree with him because he was the better choice than tRump and I supported him before he dropped out.
I am a progressive. A lot of the media I consume is geared to the need to change the country’s shift to the right and bring the democratic party back to the party of Ted Kennedy. The democratic party needs to return to supporting the lower income and working person along with equality for all that it left long ago under the guidance of Schumer and Pelosi. History has shown that every time the republicans moved hard right those leaders of the democrats pushed the party to move right to “capture the center”. That center doesn’t exist in my opinion and the polls show that. The public and the average democrat want the party to do more supporting of the lower incomes and a lot less supporting of the upper incomes.
So I agree with you there needs to be a process and it has played out in Maine as it is designed to. The majority of Maine democratic voters do not want a corporate Democrat like Mills who supports the establishment but they want a candidate who supports the progressive policies that will help the lower incomes / working person. The average democrat wants someone who will defend the minorities and LGBTQ+. They do not want their candidate to run from defending trans kids.
Ali I was confused by what you wrote here, Maybe we at Scottie’s Playtime can jump on the making-the-Senate-better-by-electing-Democrats float in this parade. Platner is Maine’s candidate, and we should be working in that direction. I felt we do that here. Yes the republicans do a good job of attacking the democrats and that is what the Times article was pushed by a republican operitive. But I also feel that we need to know what the other side is saying about us and our candidates so we can publish the rebuttals to their attacks. As I tell Ron we can’t know how to defeat those against us unless we know what they are saying and doing. When I post what the other side is attacking my side with I normally include the arguments why it is false. I am not sure what more I can do in that regard.
If you have suggestions of what more we can do on the blog to encourage democratic candidates and getting voters to vote for them please let me know. I want a better country for everyone, republicans especailly maga wants a better country only for themselves. Hugs
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OK, Scottie. What we each wrote is right up there to be read. I did make a suggestion-concentrate on getting Dems elected rather than continuing to keep the dirty laundry front and center. We should be talking about Collins’s record, not the Dem’s prior misdeeds that have naught to do with being a Senator. It’s all up there.
The situation I write of was some months back when you were having a bad time in general, and I took it as anger and tried to remember you’re not answering me with the mansplaining, you’re trying to reach other readers. At least, that’s what you told me then when I brought it up back then. Still, in this discussion, I needed to remind you of that. Because, well, as I said, what we wrote is up there to be read.
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Hi Ali. Yes you do often mention how to do more to be involved in the system and to assist in campaigns. Your suggestions are grand. I just feel they are one side of a two sided coin. And yes I often do talk to the unseen readers who read comments on blogs but never reply. The purpose of the blog is to get information out into the public on subjects and causes I believe in.
As for mansplaining. Maybe I don’t understand the term but I do take that seriously. I do not think men or me in particular are smarter or better than women. Full stop. Not everyone has the same levels of mental or physical ability. I freely admit there are a world of women with far better mental facilities than mine. There are some I have more mental ability than. Those abilities of reasoning can be in specific areas also.
That all said. I think mansplaining is when a man tells a woman something obvious that he thinks she can’t understand because she is a woman. I hope I never do that. I do have my opinions and ideas and I do voice them along with my reasons for them. It is why my replies to comments gets so long. But it is never that I think the other person can’t understand due to their gender. I often wonder if the other person thought of that side of an issue or if they have information on it that I don’t such as a data point of fact or study they are willing to share. I can change my mind if the reasoning is persuasive.
That is of course if it is an honest back and forth discourse. If it is me against a hater of the LGBTQ+ community or a racist that is spreading hate and misinformation I do not assume they have the facts or are dealing honestly. I do treat those conversations much differently. If the person is repeating stuff I have already shown to be lies or incorrect I will write more with the idea of educating the other readers of the comment as I have already mentioned.
So to wrap this up I may not understand what you mean when you say I mansplained at / to you. If you feel I have then please call me out on it so I can first understand why you feel that way as it is not my intent and second to better explain what I was trying to say that I clearly phrased incorrectly. Hugs
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Scottie, I’ll tell ya-I think it’s important for me to remember that this is your blog, and you are entitled to represent, both yourself and your blog, as you see fit. I think I’ve been posting here a little too long, and may be feeling a bit as if I have a say-so on what’s represented and how, when really, I only have a say-so over myself. I’m thinking we’ve come to a point where we’re going to disagree on these Venus-Mars issues, and again, this is your blog to represent as you see fit. I understand that.
When I first started here, the scope was a bit different than it is now. Both of us have changed with time, the times have changed, and I’m not sure what my place is here. I mentioned that earlier, a few months or more back, but you had a relapse and the discussion stopped. However, this is a good point: you’re not well, but you’re attending to things, and we’ve come to one of those places where you need to steer your very own blog your way. I really believe I should back out, and become a reader-commenter again.
I’m not mad, or picking up my toys and leaving. I’m just saying, I don’t belong here as a contributor other than friendship and comments. It’s been good, I like to think I’ve helped you, and now I think you should fly your way. Does that make sense?
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Hi Ali. It is true I started the blog. But you are an integral part of it and have built a following far seperate from mine. I have never tried nor ever will try to control what subjects you post. I have never and will never try to tell you how to comment or reply to people including me. I do think you have a say. But as I have control over what I post and you control over what you post. All I have ever asked is it generally fits with the goal of the blog and you have always done so. Also you have never asked me for changes to what I have posted and I have also never asked you to change anything you have posted. So I do not see this as just my blog, I see it as a community. I just really wish Randy would post more but his work load right now is over the top with new projects plus dealing with two elderly parents with health issues. He is maxed out.
I do agree we see issues differently. I don’t have a problem with that. We have different life experiences and are I believe of different generations. We also live in very different areas of the country. But I don’t see what is the problem with us having different ideas, feelings, and positions on things. I admit I am confused as to why when we disagree it upsets you so much. I don’t want to upset you, it is never my goal, I just am voicing how I feel or my opinion. It doesn’t make it a supreme opinion, better than your opinion, or even the correct opinion.
You say you are not sure of your place here. To me that is a serious issue and somehow I have given you the impression you are not seriously valued or wanted. Again not my intend. I seem to be saying that a lot. Your place here has grown and in truth is what you want it to be. I am not setting any rules on you. I never did. I guess I did ask you to use the tags and make the first letter of the word capitalized but that just made it easier for me and helped WordPress push the blog.
Ali you need to do what is best for you and the blog be danged no matter what. I wouldn’t want you unhappy or distressed. I don’t even want you simply tired or over taxed. I have always asked you to do what made you happy, and it seemed you were happy. What seems to distress you is our discussions. I am sorry that is so, and again never my intent. I don’t want to say we shouldn’t reply to each other but if that is the source of your distress I will agree to it. I have really enjoyed our back and forth in the comments and I think the unseen readers learn a lot from it.
Ali I will honor what you want. If you just want to slow down I am OK with that, but to stop posting I don’t think would make you happy. You have gained a lot of following and there is no way I can post the stuff you do, I simply don’t have the interests, energy, or time. All that said. I want you to be happy. I do care about you. If you don’t want to post anymore I wont hold it against you. I will miss the stuff you do, and I know the people who read and follow you will.
So in the end my friend / big sister you need to do what is best for you. I wont make any changes, your status will remain the same for now. You decide what you want and how you want to do it. I thank you for all you have done. You are a grand person and you have been a great asset to the blog. Maybe you will open one of your own and will feel more comfortable there. If so let me know and I will subscribe. But I have not been getting to any other blogs for months. Best wishes always, and hugs.
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Thanks, Scottie. I’m not sure you’ve gotten what I wrote, but the important part you did get (I realize reading is difficult because of your sight), and yes, I’d be more comfortable reverting to reader/commenter here. You have a mission, and it’s way easier for me to be respectful of that if I’m not a writer here; that way I can skip, in good conscience, what I don’t like.
Our discussions don’t upset me. They do tend to go on for days when I take your bait, and that’s annoying but not upsetting! 😀
I appreciate your kind words, and your cooperation with this, Scottie. It seems like a good time for you to make this little change. I’m glad I’ve been able to help you out with this, and I hope you’ve been able to gain something from some of the time you’ve been able to use getting better. But it is time for you to fly your blog again, and do it your way. And this Free Mom/Nana Hugs ally can support you from the comments section.
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