Graham Platner exposes agendaless Democrats’ larger leadership problem

OPINION:

The troubles that Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner is facing (he may have withdrawn by the time you read this) are only a small part of his party’s larger problem.

Five days before the deadline to withdraw from the Maine race, a woman came forward to accuse Mr. Platner of sexually assaulting her in 2021. Mr. Platner denied the accusation, saying any claim of nonconsensual behavior is “categorically false.” This comes on top of his Nazi tattoo, revelations that he sexted women after he was married and his acknowledgment of a drinking problem during what he called a “very dark period” of his life.

Democrats were so desperate to win a majority in the House and Senate that they were willing to nominate someone they knew had a tainted past. They also cannot separate themselves from attacking President Trump, though he will leave office in January 2029.

Voters deserve to know what Democrats have to offer. Will no reporter ask Democratic candidates whether they have an agenda, other than investigating Mr. Trump? If the Democrats win a majority in one or both chambers, will they do more than investigate and again impeach the president? Those are not policies; they are retribution.

Will Democrats reopen the southern border, allowing a flood of people to violate our immigration laws? Will they refuse to finish building the wall that has significantly reduced crossing attempts by those intent on breaking the law to get into America?

Will Democrats bow to the surging socialists, defund the police, open prisons and add to the unsustainable $39 trillion debt by increasing spending and raising taxes? What will they do about Iran? Will their hatred of Mr. Trump reverse his policy of vowing to never allow the ayatollahs’ regime to have a nuclear weapon?

What about education? School choice is sweeping the country, but the ironclad hold of the teachers unions on the party might force Democrats to stick with public schools, even those that are failing to provide a rudimentary education.

Then there is the question of character, a subject that seems to have evaporated from the political discourse. According to The New York Times and others, the president’s sons Eric and Donald Jr. have made billions of dollars from cryptocurrency and other questionable deals, including with foreign governments. The president has said that it is their business, but it is really all in the family.

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There is also the hypocrisy of many evangelical Christians who forgive the president for his sexual misconduct, including a civil judgment that found him liable for sexually abusing and defaming writer E. Jean Carroll. A judge later clarified that the jury’s finding reflected conduct that, as commonly understood, constituted rape, even though it fell outside New York’s narrow statutory definition.

In two separate trials, juries awarded Ms. Carroll more than $88 million in damages. The Supreme Court declined to hear Mr. Trump’s appeal. Mr. Trump must now pay the $5 million jury verdict entered against him in the Carroll case.

Before Bill Clinton became president, many voters — especially Republicans and, certainly, many evangelical Christians — believed that good character was an important component of any president, whether he actually possessed it or not.

So what do Democrats stand for, and who is their leader? Kamala Harris? Hardly. California Gov. Gavin Newsom? Less and less likely. Mr. Newsom’s wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, is the subject of a federal investigation into her personal taxes and the finances of her affiliated nonprofits.

Look to Graham Platner to see how such things can turn out. Perhaps we are learning that character no longer matters.

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Bottom line: Democrats have no leaders and no positive agenda. The Democratic Party in Maine is refusing to provide Mr. Platner with any more money for his campaign. Endorsements are being withdrawn, and an increasing number of Democrats are calling on him to drop out of the race.

Mr. Platner is pausing his campaign to contemplate what to do going forward. Too bad Democrats cannot sit out this election and regroup.

• Readers may email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@tribpub.com. Look for Cal Thomas’ latest book, “A Watchman in the Night: What I’ve Seen Over 50 Years Reporting on America” (Humanix Books).

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