In 2012 the Missouri Press Convention was held in Columbia. Connie and I packed up quickly — after an awards luncheon — to return home for a barbecue hosted by the Gasconade County Republican Central Committee at Owensville’s Memorial Park.
In attendance on Sept. 22 were U.S. Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer, Tom Hurst, Republican candidate for the newly created 62nd House District, Dave Schatz, the Sullivan Republican for the 61st House District, and then State Sen. Mike Kehoe.
The featured speaker was 6-term U.S. Congressman Todd Akin, winner of the Missouri Republican primary for U.S. Senate.
Just over 30 days before, Akin committed a gaffe in a television interview about how women do not become pregnant from “legitimate rape.” He quickly apologized for his remarks. It was too late; the statement made him toxic. National Republican party leaders — including presidential hopeful Mitt Romney — immediately pressured Akin to end his campaign to the point of removing all financial support.
Favored to beat incumbent Democrat U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill in early polls before the gaffe, Akin quickly became a skunk that no one wanted to be associated with.
Akin lost to McCaskill in November, a blow to Republicans who wanted to flip the Democrat seat and help take the majority in the upper chamber.
That was the last U.S. Senate election in which Missouri went blue.
Fast forward to the current election cycle. National attention is on the state of Maine, where far-left populist and self-described socialist Graham Platner wants to unseat Republican moderate Sen. Susan Collins.
Platner has more than egg on his face for a simple gaffe. In 2007, Platner paid for a tattoo on his chest. It is a Totenkopf — German for “death’s head” — tattoo. This is a black skull-and-crossbones symbol associated with the Nazi SS paramilitary forces during World War II. These were forces in Hitler’s concentration camps. Totenkopf is classified as a hate symbol and is often used by neo-Nazis and white supremacists.
Platner denies knowing the symbol’s meaning until 2025, when he had it covered up at the beginning of his senate campaign.
Last week The New York Times reported that several of his ex-girlfriends said he was aware of the Nazi link to his tattoo long before 2025.
Interesting that the political party that calls Republicans Fascists and White Supremacists, for the most part, is supporting a candidate who wore a symbol associated with Fascism and White Supremacy. I guess that’s okay when it’s your party.
Democrats pushed Platner as their choice even before the primary season started, knowing there were problems with his past.
But a tattoo is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Platner’s problems. In Reddit posts he made between 2013 and 2021 he questioned why Black people “don’t tip,” suggested that people concerned about r*pe should avoid being inebriated around strangers, and called police officers “b**tards.”
Next, the Maine Democrat’s wife told the campaign he has sent sexually explicits texts to at least six women since they have been married. Also, he maintained an active profile on Kik for over a decade — an app known to be a hub for pedophiles.
You would think that would be enough evidence for Platner to lose support from national Democrats.
Last week, he met with Senate Democrats in DC, where all but Senator John Fetterman rallied behind him.
Let’s continue: Platner called white men in Maine racist and stupid, in another post, he said a wounded U.S. soldier did not deserve to live.
Finally on Fox News’ Outnumberd reported on Friday that, “several of his ex-girlfriends are speaking out, alleging Grahm Platner has a history of heavy drinking, violent episodes and strange behavior.”
Platner denies this, and his supporters take him at his word, even though the “#MeToo movement” told us to accept women’s allegations of sexual harassment or sexual assault.
Principals do not seem to matter to many Democrats; only power does. In 2012, Republicans stood by their principles as they pulled support for Akin.
Do you have principles, or will you vote for anyone? What is your red line, or do you have one?
