Sanders refuses to rescind endorsement of candidate sporting Nazi tattoo

[tritsofme]

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

This is utterly disgraceful. The arrogance required to refuse to admit you are wrong even when faced with someone who has worn literal Nazi symbols on their body for over a decade is just astounding.

[Cha]

1. Then Why Didn't he have it Remvoed

after all these years?

[Raven123]

2. Maybe because it isn't in a conspicuous location

And he wasn’t planning on running for Senate.

[eShirl]

4. it's right on his chest

he shared an old video with Pod Save America
(starts just around the 19:20 mark in a 49 minute video)

&t=1158s

[Raven123]

5. To me that's not obvious

I think of face, neck, hands and arms.

[Autumn]

30. Thank you for posting that video Very open and honest

Not quite what the opposition has painted him as being.

[awesomerwb1]

71. It's a totenkopf

You're defending the indefensible. Unreal.

[Autumn]

118. Did you watch his interview? He's a Democratic candidate and I will go with what he says.

In the video video the opposition released on him you can't even make out what the tattoo looks like. I'll take him at his word .

[awesomerwb1]

158. Oh I watched the video.

I froze the video and saw the tattoo quite clearly. It's what I said it was. This is not a "mainstream" tattoo. It's not your typical skull and bones.

I'll take him at his word when he says "I'm dropping out". Which he should do asap.

[yardwork]

184. Apparently he told a friend back in 2012 that he knew what it was.

I was defending him earlier but it's starting to look like he's known what it is all along. Thinks he's being cute.

[EllieBC]

10. It's a hate symbol.

I don’t care if it’s on his ass. Why would he keep it?

[EX500rider]

14. Does it matter where it is? He could easily have something tattooed over it

If I woke up with a Nazi themed tattoo no matter where on my body it would be gone ASAP, I couldn't live with that. YMMV

[eShirl]

131. only in the sense that it's front & center

unmissable when not covered up by clothing (which it usually is)

[DFW]

245. That last, especially.

In the 2008 presidential campaign, Obama once quipped, “whoever gave me my middle name never thought I’d be running for president.” Even John McCain broke up at that one.

[Jack Valentino]

38. A skull and crossbones is not inherently a 'nazi' symbol--- I associate it with pirate radio, myself,

and not with the Nazis AT ALL----

From the OP's clickbait subject line, I was expecting to see a huge SWASTIKA on his chest!
Oh, ok, not so much, after watching the video further down....

[Bettie]

57. A skull and crossbones?

Seriously? I guess I know a lot of secret nazis then...I too was expecting a swastika.

I know a lot of men in my age group, who as young men, got skull and crossbones tats.

[Jack Valentino]

62. Yeah.... it was widely used in pirate ship flags in the 1600's and 1700's by pirates,

long before there was any association with the German Nazi party,
which was not formed until the 1920's.....

[stumpysbear]

66. Yeah and the Swastika is a Buddhist symbol

Yet I don’t recommend you tattoo one to your chest unless you are a literal nazi sympathizer

[LudwigPastorius]

72. It ain't a pirate flag symbol.

It is clearly the Totenkopf the was worn by the Nazi SS who ran the death camps.

[Jack Valentino]

76. Possibly---- I couldn't see it clearly enough from the video offered

to know WHAT the fuck it was---

and maybe I'm not as educated about 'nazi symbols' as YOU claim to be !

[LetMyPeopleVote]

156. This was the insignia worn by guards at NAZI death camps

Link to tweet

[LetMyPeopleVote]

263. This is the same symbol as the symbol on Himmler's hat

[QueerDuck]

222. Good question. Only when it's politically expedient...

rather than when he was aware of what it meant. A strategic cover up rather than a moral or ethical decision that should have been made years and years ago.

[Cha]

224. According to this account he was aware...

https://democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=20741600

[QueerDuck]

225. 😡🤬😡🤬

Figures. The excuses I've been reading are laughable.

[yaesu]

3. Tattoo resembles an SS deaths head, I respect Sen Sanders and his hard work as a progressive but it will be up to voters

Last edited Wed Oct 22, 2025, 02:56 PM - Edit history (1)

to do proper vetting of any candidate. Even if he had it removed, which he said he would do, it wouldn't matter as it is a part of his past.

[Autumn]

120. Is there a better picture of it? In the interview and the video the opposition

sent the tattoo was nothing but a bluish black blob. Do you have a link to a clearer picture of the tattoo he has that looks like a SS death hand? He says his tattoo is a skull and crossbones?

[Disaffected]

6. Since when is a "skull and crossbones" necessarily

a Nazi symbol? Would it be equally sensible to call him a bottle of toxic fluid or a pirate?

BTW, OTOH, I fail to see why he is Senate material anyhow - why is he qualified?

[WhiskeyGrinder]

11. When it is actually literally the SS Totenkopf

[Disaffected]

23. Is it (literally)?

All I can find in news coverage is terminology such as "appears similar to" or "consistent with" etc. I see nothing on the image that states SS or other Nazi affiliation and AFAIK, the "Totenkopf" is not exclusively a Nazi or SS symbol.

In any case, maybe he didn't realize the connotation at the time and I am willing, barring further information, to give him the benefit of the doubt.

I still wonder though why he is Senate material - what are his relevant qualifications?

[WhiskeyGrinder]

31. Yes, it is.

[John1956PA]

41. Until I read this thread, the double-headed-eagle art concept was not part of my knowledge.

I do not know if, prior to getting the tattoo, Platner realized the concept had been co-opted by the Nazis. I think it may have existed before the Nazi Party was formed. Perhaps the drunken Platner picked the image from a catalog of suggestions at the tattoo shop.

Anyway, I do not see evidence that Platner has a Nazi-leaning mentality at this point.

As for his deciding not to have a tattooist ink over the image after he realized it could be construed to have Nazi-sympathizing connotations, I defer to his choice. It is an outright ugly image. Inking it over might make an even uglier mess on the skin of his chest. Having said that, I think that, if I had been in his position, I would have gone for some kind of tattoo revision to take the edge off of what many consider to be a Nazi logo.

As an aside, I do not think Platner has ever released a photo of the tattoo. He knew the fact of its existence would be getting out due to his entry in the Senate race. He seemed to have gotten ahead of the revelation by going public about it himself.

[karynnj]

181. Maybe rather than inking completely over it, add a slash in a different color

Then it could be NO Nazi or anti fascist.

Even drunk, I don't get choosing to have a tattoo drawn on you not knowing what it represented.

Even before this, I thought we had better choices. Especially because he seems to have remade who he is. That suggests that we should want to see him for a pretty long period of time before electing him to a Senate seat. (Just as I thought Connor Lamb would be a better bet than Fetterman, who at least we had seen as mayor of a small town. )
.

[John1956PA]

187. Yes. I had the same idea of the ink-over with a red-line slash. We think alike.

Also, considering the time interval which was required to complete the tatt, he would have sobered up enough to know that what he was submitting to was wrong.

I have my doubts about the drunkenness scenario. I think he made that up based upon the line in Jimmy Buffet's song "Margaritaville."

Yes, maybe he was traumatized by his combat service. Maybe he suffered from PTSD which caused him to act out in a rebellious way. Maybe he has overcome that, and now he has the faculties to be a good senator. There are a lot of questions, but not everybody is going to be satisfied with the answers, which may prove to be sketchy. As started several times in this thread, it is up to the voters of Maine to sort it out to be best of their satisfaction.

[karynnj]

200. Funny, I thought of the Buffet song too

I would imagine getting a tattoo would be painful any time.

[Jack Valentino]

39. AS IF some admittedly drunken Marines on liberty would KNOW that....

I know what the SS was, but never heard of "Totenkopf" myself either.....

[IbogaProject]

65. This candidate admits its a Nazi Tatoo

The issue is he never got it blended into a different look. Or used the more recent laser tatoo removal.

[Autumn]

148. Do you have a link to a picture of his actual tattoo. In the video

the opposition that they sent him they are using you can only see a dark blob. You seen the actual tattoo or are you taking their word for it? If you have a link to his tattoo I would like to see it.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

150. "In the video the opposition that they sent him they are using you can only see a dark blob."

Not sure what you're saying here, but Platner himself provided the screenshots from the video. The dark blob has the exact outline of the Totenkopf. In some of the frames, you can see it has eyes. It's an SS Totenkopf.

[stumpysbear]

63. It's not, except when it literally IS a nazi symbol

Google Totenkopf. It’s not just a Jolly Roger.

[jaymac]

133. Well

we in Maine don't think Susie "I'm concerned" Collins hasn't been senate material for some time. I'm 80, my son has tattoos on his back and arms. I hate them but all his friends have them too. I knew a guy who went to OOB , got tipsy and had a Daffy Duck tattoo'd on his forearm. Fashion, fad, tom foolery, ...all sorts of Tatts out there, bet there's a scad of guys who wished they hadn't had it done. look at Platner's bio/history. he'll be a world better than ole susie Q

[Autumn]

7. The guy says it was a drunken mistake. He didn't have to disclose

it but he did. As for Bernie not rescinding his endorsement at least he didn't choose to not endorse him. I'm fine with it.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

12. A mistake he hasn't corrected in almost 20 years

[Autumn]

17. Yeah so? I have a small tattoo I have had for 35 years

. I hate it but it's there. It's no big fucking deal. But hey, a damn good reason to go after Bernie it's been about a week.

[tritsofme]

18. Tiny difference, your tattoo probably isn't celebrating Nazis. Unlike Bernie's guy

[Autumn]

21. He owned up to it, it was a drunken mistake .

Don't like it don't vote for him.

[tritsofme]

22. Someone who is unbothered by having symbols celebrating Nazism on his body

over a span of decades, is completely unfit for office.

I thought it was only Republicans who had to make excuses for their candidates “Nazi problems”

Sanders standing by the Nazi tattoo guy is simply disgraceful.

[Autumn]

25. I watched his interview, he's very open and admits to making

some stupid Redit posts about things he knew nothing about. He's has learned different about those posts and he seems like a decent compassionate person. I don't have to vote for him. If you do you have a decision to make. IMO he's a thousand times better than Collins and like all who have served in war zones he has issues.

[tritsofme]

27. It's kind of silly, at this point, to talk about him like he's still a serious candidate.

Mills will be wiping the floor with Collins.

This Nazi tattoo guy should leave before Democrats have to deal with more of his embarrassing shit that is bound to trickle out.

[Autumn]

33. It doesn't matter if you think he's a serious candidate or not.t

He's a Democratic candidate .

[tritsofme]

34. I'd be shocked if he makes it to the end of the week.

[JustAnotherGen]

169. I agree

He's another glamour cat - like John Fetterman. Glitzy and shiny - but then the reality hits or the truth comes out.

Why doesn't this stuff exist on Lauren Underwood, Jasmine Crockett, Maxwell Frost, etc. etc.? Because by the time they were in their early early 20's and late teens -they knew better.

[EllieBC]

53. So we are supposed to support candidates who

tattoo Nazi symbols on themselves just because they have a D?

What’s next?

[MarineCombatEngineer]

135. Amen!!!!!!

[Jack Valentino]

44. Sounds more like an opportunity to "re-fight the 2016 presidential primary"

while muddying the facts about the actual tattoo.......

I don't consider any "skull and crossbones" as an inherently 'Nazi' symbol---
It was a symbol of pirates long before then...... and of 'pirate radio' in the modern era.

If it was a SWASTIKA, that would be another thing altogether--- but it is not...


"MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING", OR---
ANOTHER opportunity to ATTACK Bernie Sanders, a JEW,
it seems to me....

[tritsofme]

49. The guy isn't even pretending it's not a Nazi tattoo at this point, no reason to continue that charade.

[Jack Valentino]

51. Pfffffft.

[sheshe2]

67. How is this refighting the 2016 primary?

That was almost a decade ago!

[Jack Valentino]

75. I was not a 'Bernie Bro'--- and stood in line to vote for Hillary in the 2016 G.E.

I have been a loyal Democratic voter since 1980.... making me a lot older than the 'Bernie bros'---
and was opposed to anyone who with-held their votes for Democratic candidates, whether in 2016 or 2024, or any OTHER year....

In 2016, I just happened to believe that Bernie Sanders would have been a better presidential nominee
than the person who won--- but I supported our party's candidate when the nomination was decided.


Funny thing--- while I stood in line to vote for her for 30 minutes,
I did not notice the conspicuous absence of A.A. voters
in a precinct which should have had a lot of AA voters coming to vote---
I didn't realize it until afterwards....

I think a black VP nominee would have helped AA turnout,
and should have been thought of as an absolute REQUIREMENT,
just after the first black President.....


Possibly Bernie Sanders would have found a black/African American VP candidate,
if he had been the nominee, but we'll never know now....

If he didn't, he would have been as WRONG as the person who won the nomination that year!

[W_HAMILTON]

97. If you think black turnout was an issue, why would you support Sanders?

Sanders has had some of the worst minority support of any major Democratic candidate in recent years.

[sheshe2]

85. bingo!

[Jack Valentino]

87. Wasn't ME....

[sheshe2]

86. 2025 is where we are and what many here are talking about. nm

[QueerDuck]

108. Correct. Thank you!

[Keepthesoulalive]

101. Bernie has made some questionable calls when it comes to candidates and surrogates

A Nazi symbol is never good whether he does it or the other young men who are influenced by Nazi sympathizers. Symbols hurt just as much as slurs. Senator Sanders has some major blind spots which is why bros support him and some minorities do not.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

24. oh is it a nazi tattoo

[Autumn]

42. Well the opposition found a video that was a wedding gag

to his sister in law that the whole family enjoys and the opposition seem to think the skull and crossbones means one is a Nazi. I had a pirate costume one time that had a skull and crossbones but I was 10 years old. I really couldn't make out his tattoo but he says no one has ever seen it when he's at the beach and called him a Nazi.

[Iggo]

196. Is it a Nazi tattoo?

[Jack Valentino]

40. Ever tried to 'correct' a tattoo mistake yourself?

If you ever have, please share the details with us!

[WhiskeyGrinder]

47. People get tattoos covered all the time. Many, many tattooists are willing to cover/repurpose hate tattoos at a reduced

rate. It's not hard.

[Jack Valentino]

50. I don't accept your position that it is necessarily a "hate" tattoo, just for starters!

SOME people very well-versed in historical symbols might think so---
but a lot more people would have no idea of any such possible connection---
particularly drunken Marines on liberty!

This is just a BULLSHIT attack of opportunity,
probably MOSTLY motivated by the fact that Platner had the 'misfortune'
to be endorsed by Bernie Sanders!

[WhiskeyGrinder]

56. You don't have to. It's the actual SS Totenkopf tattoo.

SOME people very well-versed in historical symbols might think so---
but a lot more people would have no idea of any such possible connection---
particularly drunken Marines on liberty!

If someone gets a nazi tattoo and says they don't know it's a nazi tattoo, it's still a nazi tattoo.

This is just a BULLSHIT attack of opportunity,
probably MOSTLY motivated by the fact that Platner had the 'misfortune'
to be endorsed by Bernie Sanders!

It's not that deep. It's just some yahoo with a nazi tattoo thinking he should be a senator, that's all.

[Jack Valentino]

58. Perhaps my brain can see deeper than some other people....

[WhiskeyGrinder]

59. lmao

[Jack Valentino]

64. or can see some motives that some people will never admit to....

and this OP seems to attack Bernie Sanders for refusing to rescind his endorsement
much more than attacking Platner for having the tattoo---

so anybody with 2 brains cells to rub together can see what the real motive is here...
it isn't rocket science....

[Emile]

269. So true!

Susan Collins must love this.

[QueerDuck]

109. I'm chuckling too 🤣😂

Political paranoia and CT delusions are amusing and sad at the same time. Just another symptom of the deep division and resentment that remains.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

113. ....

SOME people very well-versed in historical symbols might think so---
but a lot more people would have no idea of any such possible connection---
particularly drunken Marines on liberty!

That's exactly how I got my tattoo during a drunken foray into Da Nang with a few of my Marine buddies.

I'm with you on this.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

219. The candidate evidently knew that it was a NAZI tattoo for a long time and called this NAZI tattoo by it correct name

The candidate evidently has known that this tattoo was a NAZI tattoo for a long time
https://jewishinsider.com/2025/10/graham-platner-ss-tattoo-maine-senate/

But according to a person who socialized with Platner when he was living in Washington, D.C., more than a decade ago, Platner had specifically acknowledged that the tattoo was a Totenkopf, the “death’s head” symbol adopted by an infamous Nazi SS unit that guarded concentration camps in World War II.

“He said, ‘Oh, this is my Totenkopf,’” the former acquaintance told Jewish Insider recently, speaking on the condition of anonymity to address a sensitive issue. “He said it in a cutesy little way.”

The exchange occurred in 2012 at Tune Inn, a popular dive on Capitol Hill where Platner later worked as a bartender and was a frequent patron while he attended The George Washington University on the G.I. bill, according to the former acquaintance. He would often take his shirt off drinking with friends late at night at the bar, and on at least one occasion had stated he knew what the tattoo represented, the former acquaintance recalled.

[kacekwl]

138. I'm pretty sure Sen. Sanders has

had a conversation with him and is satisfied with his explanation. I trust Sanders wisdom and judgment.

[Autumn]

149. I think the same thing.

I doubt anyone having a hissy fit watched the interview when he posted the video they are going after him for.

[DoBW]

227. I'm with Sanders, the whole thing stnks of Miller

It's all gaming for Collins (my take). I trust Sanders. I think Platner is one of the good guys, which makes him a target

[QueerDuck]

20. I do.

Everyone should. Some don't... But everyone should.

[Jack Valentino]

46. We denounce EVERY Republican candidate, just for being a Republican!!!

I don't see this actual tattoo as being ANY kind of 'disqualifier'---
and Bernie Sanders, who is a JEW, doesn't think so either!

[EllieBC]

9. I'm glad to see so many are fine with this

type of “drunken mistake” that he has not had removed all this time. But It’s just Jews though who might he hurt or offended so it’s fine. Any other group targeted that this guy would have a tattoo of would have sparked 1028251526 reply threads here demanding he be drawn and quartered.

[tritsofme]

15. Yep, it's more than obvious.

[Jack Valentino]

48. Bernie Sanders IS a JEW.... I am not, so I'll go with HIS judgement on the matter!

[EllieBC]

54. So am I.

And just because he’s willing to back somebody with Nazi tattoos because they have a D next to their name doesn’t mean I will. He doesn’t get to speak for all of us, thanks.

[Cha]

93. Really.. Mahalo, Ellie... It looks like

More than a few on this Thread are Speaking for themselves.

[kacekwl]

180. Maybe he has other reasons

to back him that you won't take the time to find out .

[DFW]

248. Being a Jew doesn't give someone a free pass. Guess who else is a Jew?

Benjamin Netanyahu and every member of the Israeli government that authorized recent excesses on their part. Meyer Lansky was a Jew, too. It’s being very simplistic, I think, and not a rationalization I accept.

[Iggo]

221. Nope. I make my own judgements about Nazis.

There are no good Nazis.

[DFW]

252. The National Socialists were definitely NOT nice people.

Fifty years ago, when I first started spending time in Germany, I would occasionally run into the odd unrepentant “Parteigenosse.” Made my skin crawl.

[BeerBarrelPolka]

259. I used to go to a bar

In Chicago in the late 80s. It was a German bar in a German part of town. There were some old Hitler youth guys that would go in there regularly. They still swore their allegiance to Hitler.

[Easterncedar]

77. Platner says he's removing it

[LudwigPastorius]

81. ...and it only took 18 years to make that decision.

OK

[QueerDuck]

223. Not a moral or ethical decision.

A politically expedient one. A necessity.

[EllieBC]

90. After it came to light.

Sorry I don’t give bearers of Nazi tattoos a pass.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

13. Embarrassing, or should be

[QueerDuck]

16. Wow. That's very disappointing.

Very. Disappointing. VERY.

[IcyPeas]

19. And now the republicans can forever say that democrats support nazis

Because we know that's what they do. If a Democrat so much as jaywalks it is blasted all over fox news for days and will be brought up thereafter every time they need ammo to use it against us. Hello bothsiderism, just perfect.

Wait til trump gets a hold of this.....

And yeah, I've watched enough tattoo tv shows to know it can be removed or reworked.

Goddammit.

[EX500rider]

26. That's my problem with it, yeah maybe u got it while dead drunk but why wouldn't you cover it with another tattoo?

ASAP

[RandySF]

28. I was young once.

But I didn’t get a Nazi tattoo. Economics is everything to Bernie and hurts his judgment on everything else.

[0rganism]

29. So this is how Collins gets re-elected...

I was wondering when the hammer would fall.

[tritsofme]

32. Nope, this is bad news for Collins. With Nazi tattoo guy no longer a factor in the primary, Mills can turn toward the GE

and get to work on taking out Collins a lot quicker.

[eShirl]

121. too early to say, a lot can happen between now and election day 2026

[DFW]

251. Very true

For that reason, I don’t think Platner will drop out so quickly. He has time to hope this blows over. If he’s wrong, he’s no worse off than he is now. He doesn’t have much to lose by trying to weather the storm a while longer, even though it has become a major distraction he would love to see the back of. He is obviously not a National Socialist, and no one trying to pin that label on him will be successful.

His timing and political acumen are a different story, however. They are fair game, and I think he’s more than a little vulnerable there. His chances would improve with the endorsement of a popular Independent member of the Senate. But that, of course, would be Angus King, who is also from Maine. That is an endorsement that Platner doesn’t have. Given King’s normally cautious nature, I’m not sure it will ever be given, either. King and Janet Mills have known each other and worked together for a very long time, and Platner would have to impress the hell out of Senator King to win his endorsement away from Janet.

[oasis]

35. Getting a nazi tattoo is an affirmation of one's

beliefs in Nazi ideology. Refusal to remove said tattoo after many years would indicate a lingering attachment.
Not a good look for a “Democrat” running for any office.

[Jack Valentino]

55. It's NOT a FUCKING SWASTIKA, for Christ Sake!!!! That's the only 'Nazi tattoo' I know about!

I might STILL get a "skull and crossbones" tattoo MYSELF,
as a symbol of 'pirate radio' !


Seems like more of an "opportunity to get rid of a candidate endorsed by Bernie Sanders", to ME!

If Bernie Sanders, a JEW, doesn't have a problem with it---
then I suspect the people raising shit about it have more of a problem with the fact
that it was SANDERS who endorsed Platner, than with Platner---

because they are STILL re-fighting the 2016 presidential primaries,
and can't stop carrying their grudge against him!

[oasis]

60. Newsflash! Bernie Sanders is not 100% right

on every issue.
He gives the guy a pass, I don’t.

[Jack Valentino]

80. I don't think Bernie Sanders is 100% right on any issue either,

nor is Hillary Clinton, nor her 2016 supporters,
nor President Biden, nor President Obama,
nor President Clinton, Kennedy or Roosevelt....

Probably you are not a Democratic primary voter in Maine,
and neither am I...

BUT----
"Not good enough, Bernie! Not NEARLY Good Enough!"

[oasis]

88. "Not good enough, Bernie etc".

If you’re claiming that I wrote anything that diminished the positive accomplishments of Sen.Sanders, then you are wrong.
He’s human, he’s not perfect, and there have been times when he could’ve been more proactive. That said, I’m satisfied Sen. Sanders (I) has been a vote Democrats could consistently count on.
I’ll just leave it at that.

[Jack Valentino]

89. Probably I was just ranting at the direction of this thread, reminding me of previous threads

going back many years..... and slipped in at some higher response position.... nothing personal intended!

[sheshe2]

92. One word.

Fetterman.

[luv2fly]

61. Rec x 1000

The Bernie haters are out in full force... never takes much to get them going.

[Cha]

94. lol... This is about Planter.

[QueerDuck]

112. LOL &...

[uponit7771]

141. Doesn't have to be swastika to be a Nazi symbol

[LudwigPastorius]

78. Pirate Skull and Crossbones:

SS Totenkopf:



Guess which one your pal has sported for years.

[QueerDuck]

114. Thank you! The "pirate radio" excuse sounds even sillier...

and more ridiculous now. Embarrassing!

[LetMyPeopleVote]

157. Thank you for posting this

This is the tattoo worn by NAZI guards at a death camp

[Cha]

167. WOW... and they're excusing That?!!

Unreal...

TY

[DFW]

254. Saved me the trouble, thanks!

The Totenkopf of the Waffen SS does not resemble the Jolly Roger, and both are easily distinguished from one another. If you’re getting a tattoo, making a flag, or sewing an emblem on your uniform, you don’t need a PhD in history to tell the difference. If you say you’re sorry for your choice, I can believe it. If you say you didn’t know the difference, I don’t.

[fujiyamasan]

82. Swastikas are not the only fucking Nazi symbol

You may want to let this go. You’re embarrassing yourself. Even after being educated about this symbol you keep pushing your ignorance.

Not a good look to be honest — for you or Sanders.

[QueerDuck]

127. "Pirate Radio" 😳...😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣

JFC!

[uponit7771]

140. Doesn't have to be, just used by NAZIS is bad enough

[WhiskeyGrinder]

160. which skull and crossbones would you get?

[JoseBalow]

36. Has he called for intifada too?

[Blasphemer]

37. Agreed but I am not surprised. I peeped Sanders game 10 years ago. nt

[LuvLoogie]

43. The equivocating and lack of urgency

on Platners part is classic white male privilege. Never having it be an issue or one that is overconcerning is indicative of centering past youthful male indulgence over current political realities. The trauma felt by others over that symbol is being negotiated for this man's political ambitions. At some point it tips into narcissism.

This guy and Bernie should let it go.

[canetoad]

45. If Bernie endorsed him

NOT knowing about the tattoo, he's only being consistent with Democratic principles. Important difference.

[CoopersDad]

52. 🚧 ⁉️ Platner says he'll remove tattoo that resembles Nazi symbol

3 hours ago:

By Jessica Piper
10/21/2025 06:09 PM EDT


Democratic Maine Senate hopeful Graham Platner expressed regret over getting a tattoo that appears similar to a Nazi symbol nearly two decades ago and plans to have it removed, his latest mea culpa after a week of damning headlines over resurfaced social media posts.

Platner’s campaign sought to front-run opposition research about his tattoo — which resembles a Nazi skull and crossbones — during an appearance on the liberal podcast Pod Save America on Monday, with his campaign sharing a video of him dancing shirtless. Platner said he had no idea of any Nazi link when he got the tattoo.

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/10/21/graham-platner-tattoo-nazi-00617686

[relayerbob]

68. Platner regrets it now .....

Last edited Tue Oct 21, 2025, 10:49 PM - Edit history (1)

But has been ok with seeing it everyday for 20 years? The only thing he regrets is that he got outed. His Blackwater employment record will be harder to remove.

Sanders is being Sanders, he also dumped on Democrats on The View a few days ago. He is not a Democrat, he only chooses to say he is when he wants our support. I supported him for awhile in 2015 and early 2016, until he showed his true colors.

[betsuni]

99. "The View" appearance was:

[sheshe2]

123. Hm.

I missed that one. I will have to look it up.

[betsuni]

163. October 20th.

Again, the "economic anxiety" claim that Democrats made people vote for Trump because they "looked at Democrats and said, What do you stand for? What side are you on?" Huh?

[sheshe2]

164. Thank you!

[Cha]

166. What a surprise.. "dumped on Dems again.."

TY for your post.

[Easterncedar]

73. Nonsense. It wasn't seen as a nazi tattoo when he got it

Skull and crossbones may not be pretty, but the military, which at the time didn’t allow tattoos of questionable meaning, didn’t object to it.

Sanders knows this.

Who benefits from pressing the issue? Who wants to discredit Bernie?

Platner’s reddit remarks seem less defensible than the dumb tat, if you want to pick on something.

[relayerbob]

83. I bet his Blackwater buddies were impressed though

[obamanut2012]

128. It has always been 100% seen as a Nazi tattoo

wtf

[Mossfern]

146. I may be naive

but I would have just seen it as a variation of a skull and crossbones symbol
While I was laid up for a bit I watched junk TV and found this British Show "Tattoo Fixers" - it's about people getting regrettable tattoos covered. (some really talented artists BTW)

Anyway - quite often they use a skull as a coverup. No one questions the origin of the symbol - it's just a tattoo skull - a very popular image.

Nevertheless, once someone points it out - a considerate/wise person would think about a cover up or laser removal. Both are mighty expensive. Do people really think that this candidate is a Nazi sympathizer? I do question his comment on Reddit about Black people and tipping - that's just is pure racism no matter what the excuse. If he planned to go into public service then he should have the common sense not to post such trash on such a popular platform. We need to pick our battles in order to win.

Is there any reason to support him?
Can he win the seat?
Does his lack of common sense disqualify him immediately out of the gate?
Is there a better Democratic candidate?

Sorry I haven't been following this.
Recovering from anesthesia right now-- feeling fine .......

[Alice B.]

183. I know that show, lol

I read his options were limited, logistically speaking and in terms of removal, etc.

Someone elsewhere here discussed how we might react to a Republican in the same situation. To me, it would depend on how they responded to questions about the tattoo. If they’re Hegseth unrepentant, that would be disqualifying. But if they understood the problem and were willing to address it? I can find other things to criticize a Republican for.

I have several myself for what it’s worth. No problematic imagery. Mine are specific and meaningful to me, not the result of drunken shore leave or whathaveyou. But yes, I know of enough dudes who picked “flash” art out of books based on “looking bada**.”

Whether art is commercial or fine, a whole lot of people have very little grasp of symbolism and meaning in imagery. There was a mystery book I once read where girls were getting characters the artist plucked from a Chinese restaurant menu and passing off as meaning something else. Did not sound far fetched to me.

I missed when and how he became aware but would have to see him speak on that and the time/thought process behind getting it covered before deciding how bothered to be.

[Baitball Blogger]

74. The point is moot.

[fujiyamasan]

79. Maybe this guy really was ignorant

And thought it was just some dumb drunken tattoo years ago. Maybe he actually thought it was “just a skull” and didn’t know the Nazi connotation behind his exact tattoo, which can’t be mistaken. Anyone mixing it up with a pirate flag is being purposely obtuse. It’s clearly the SS version.

Either no one called it out all these years, because anyone that saw it was also too clueless to know the meaning behind it… or someone did and he decided he didn’t want to go through with the removal.

Either way, I’m not sure why anyone is defending it now. It’s not a good look.

[relayerbob]

84. That said, I doubt his Democratic party creds are

what got him a job at Blackwater. Seems likely he knew at the time, or was told later on.

[Easterncedar]

130. It was the attack on Bernie that got me riled

Platner has impressed my friends who have heard him. I wanted to believe he could be genuine.

Janet Mills is, unfairly, like Fauci, genuinely loathed by a significant portion of Maine’s population. I don’t see her defeating Collins. I wish I did.

[fujiyamasan]

242. If it weren't for all the baggage (this and the Reddit comments)

He’d probably be a decent candidate. Maine definitely has an independent streak. The optics of a former marine and oyster farmer facing Susan Collin’s would have been great.

I don’t think this guy is a secret Nazi or anything, but if it’s true what the friend said about Platner knowing the true meaning of the tattoo over ten years ago , I think he should drop out. The issue then is, why didn’t he have the judgment to get it covered or removed since then?

He seems to be trying to get ahead of the news and be transparent about all of the stuff, which is surprisingly rare in a politician but I have to wonder about his judgment in the first place about some of the stupid stuff he said. The stuff about black people tipping , the gay “jokes”, disparaging cops and calling white people dumb in one of the whitest states in the country, and of course claiming to be a communist — at this point it has become way too distracting.

[Easterncedar]

256. Yep

[herding cats]

91. Oh, man.

My mistake. So, here's my thoughts in context after seeing this in regards to Bernie.

Bernie is a good guy who votes with the Dems consistently. I respect him for that.

However, he's not always right and he's stubborn to a fault. He's a human.

This guy, in this current environment, is a loser walking. Remove the tattoo at the very least before entering politics. Get out ahead of the issue LONG before now. He's made too many tactical errors already. The position he running for is a major seat. He's not even remotely ready, IMO.

Having said that, it's not my state and I'm just ruminating here. Ultimately it's their choice, and let's face it, their track record isn't stellar.

[Cha]

95. Aloha Cat... Yeah, it's not our State...

but We all have a Stake in Getting a Dem to Replace Concerned Collins in the Senate.

Our Democracy We're Fight For and We Want the Best to Run Against the Traitor Schmoozer.

[lostincalifornia]

96. A lot of this reminds me of the arguments about Fetterman over Connor Lamb, because Connor Lamb

was "just another establishment Democrat", and Fetterman was the "real deal".

That worked out real well.

What do people really know about Platner?

and it is more than just a tatoo

?

" Platner suggested political violence is necessary to affect social change in a 2018 post. The Washington Post reported Platner downplayed concerns about sexual assault in posts from 2013. CNN reported he labeled all White Americans in rural areas as racist and stupid in one 2020 post and said all cops are “bastards” in a 2021 post. The Bangor Daily News reported Platner asked why Black people “don’t tip” in a 2013 post.

The Reddit posts were deleted prior to announcing his campaign. Platner acknowledged making the posts and has apologized for them."

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/10/17/graham-platner-seeks-to-turn-the-page-on-his-online-comments-00614848

There is a pattern of behavior, and frankly I question his mental stability.

[BannonsLiver]

98. Zero tolerance on things like this for me.

If I lived in Maine I wouldn’t vote for him in the primary, not that I’m a fan of a 77 year old nominee, either, but it’s a bridge too far with this guy.

[Celerity]

100. That sums up my stance as well.

[Dorian Gray]

102. There is right and there is wrong

even if it was a mistake, there were remedies he could have taken.

I am sick to my stomach about all the people in this country willing to excuse Nazi statements and symbols when it's their in-group projecting it to us.

No. I am not in Maine, so it's not up to me. But I am very disturbed by this.

[Cha]

235. We don't have to be in Maine to have

an important Stake in Maine's Very Critical Senate Race.

It's vital Maine gets the best Democratic Opponent to Collins in the Primary.
We can Help from afar.

Mahalo, Dorian Gray

[Tim S]

103. So, Senator Sanders wants to ignore the color on Platner's skin & judge him by his character?

Imagine if MORE people did that?

I care more about what a candidate proposes to do for their constituents than what personal appearance choices they made in the past for two reasons: (1) tattoos don’t affect the ability to govern, and (2) someone else’s tattoos are none of my business.

If someone is espousing vile ideologies, I won’t vote for them and may campaign against them. But reading a book by its cover & then pearl-clutching rarely advances a society.

[uponit7771]

142. If PoC sported I want to murder white people symbols doubt if Sanders would endorse them

[W_HAMILTON]

174. I don't want another Fetterman -- do you?

This guy has raised all sorts of red flags and the only thing that indicates he is a progressive is his words. And talk is cheap. I don't want to get burned by another Sanders-endorsed """progressive""" that gets elected and turns on us. Fetterman also had red flags, but he said the right things at the time and he fooled lots of people.

Surely out of the entire state of Maine, progressives can field a better candidate than this guy.

[EX500rider]

236. So a Grand Wizard KKK tattoo would be no big deal then? Cause this is worse then that IMO

[Tim S]

261. Really?

Disqualifying someone for simply having a tattoo is prejudice and discrimination. The Democratic Party used to fight against such behavior.

I don’t know this person’s platform. If I did, maybe I’d vehemently oppose him. But disqualifying him solely for an old tattoo that isn’t normally on public display sounds like something a GOP’er would do.

I thought we were better than that.

[EX500rider]

262. Not for simply having a tattoo

Having a Nazi SS tattoo that the Concentration Camp guards who killed 6 plus million people in gas chambers wore is pretty sick to most people. YMMV

Having it for 18 years unchanged is even worse.

[Martin Eden]

104. I trust Bernie's judgment

Period.

[QueerDuck]

115. Nobody is perfect. This proves it.

[W_HAMILTON]

175. Gabbard. Joy Gray. Turner. Fetterman. This guy.

I'm not sure there is anyone's judgment that I trust less...

[SSJVegeta]

105. This isnt his worst endorsement by a longshot

[no_hypocrisy]

106. While I trust Bernie, all the same, if I were Platner, I would do one of two things:

get the tattoo removed/covered and publicize it, or vociferously denounce Nazis, the Klan, and MAGA on a regular basis.

[Mike Nelson]

107. Interesting discussion and points made by all...

... in this thread. I enjoyed reading and learning. I don't hold Mr. Planter's tattoo against him... it's not, to most, an obvious Nazi symbol like the Swastika. I would never have known. However, I would wonder -- When did Planter become aware of its meaning, and what did he consider? I would have the tattoo altered, which is common. I have a friend who got a Star of David tattoo and had no idea it was anything other than a star he liked! He is not Jewish, but decided to keep the tattoo. I have a relative who had an image of the Confederate Flag on the top of his car. It was not as big as the one on the "Dukes of Hazzard" TV show. After the discussions went from "way cool" to what the flag meant to African-American friends, he removed the flag. So, I would want to hear about what Planter's views are... we can't throw everyone out of the Democratic Party for old mistakes.

[Shrek]

117. "Don't have a Nazi death-head symbol on your body" seems like a low bar for a Democrat n/t

[Mysterian]

111. This guy seems to be swirling the bowl at this point

Democrats in Maine have some better choices.

[betsuni]

116. Nazi tattoo: fine. Dem campaign funds: Corrupt! Billionaire oligarchs! No taking on, no fighting for working class! Bad!

"What do you stand for? What side are you on?"

Not surprised.

[ShadesOfBlue]

119. Sanders is very used to making excuses....

for anyone from the mythic white “working class.”

[comradebillyboy]

161. Yes he is.

[Mysterian]

122. I'd be open to hear Sanders explain more about why he thinks this guy has changed

I am bothered by the fact the candidate did not remove the vile tattoo before running for office.

[Emile]

124. Is this thread intended to dissuade people

from supporting the Democratic Party or its candidates?

[QueerDuck]

132. Perfectly acceptable during primaries, right?

We have no nominee yet... and it certainly looks like this fellow won't be the one.

[Hekate]

137. One would think so

[QueerDuck]

171. Well, yes... that's what I thought. Yet it seems like some have already "anointed" him as the party's nominee...

and want to just skip right to the general election. It's so weird. This is one of the REASONS we have primaries, right? To test a candidate's mettle? To observe their demeanor and suitability for office? To do some vetting of our own BEFORE the general election when such last-minute discoveries would make it too late to do anything about.

[Emile]

170. Is it perfectly acceptable

to see Democrats viciously denigrated on this website?

[QueerDuck]

172. Ridiculous. Nobody is being "viciously denigrated."

We're discussing whether someone has the demeanor and temperament for the job. We're looking at potential candidates under a high-powered microscope (as will obviously be done during the General Election season) to find flaws and character issues; and poor-judgement issues; and honesty issues... BEFORE it's too late with no "do-over" opportunities. Just because someone declares themselves a candidate in a Democratic PRIMARY does not mean that they should be given the same deference that candidates receive during the GENERAL. Check it out. Ask around. I think you'll find that I'm correct.

[Emile]

179. Constructive criticism is okay. This could be construed as bashing. and comparing one

Democratic general election candidate unfavorably to their general election opponent(s).

[QueerDuck]

190. LOL! Yes... that's what PRIMARIES are all about.

I understand your concern about negative campaigning and "bashing" ... however, the rule against actual (not imagined) bashing/attacking and insulting Democrats is intended for the general election, where the goal is to unite behind the party's nominee. We're not at that stage yet.

Reasonable adults understand that the PRIMARY process is, by its very nature, a contest where we evaluate and contrast the strengths and weaknesses of different candidates to choose the best one to represent the party. Pointing out a candidate's record or potential liabilities and baggage, or their demeanor and temperament, or any evidence of poor judgement and dishonesty, etc. is a standard part of that normal vetting process... and is not a violation of the general election rule.

Toughen-up. It's going to be a long road ahead.

[Emile]

191. Bashing and tearing down our candidates is not constructive.

It only helps the Republicans.

[QueerDuck]

193. He's in a primary. He's not the anointed nominee. He must EARN that privilege and honor.

Face it... he has baggage. People are talking about it. That's not "bashing" that's just being honest. And if anyone thinks that the primary-season vetting is bad... and if a candidate can't weather this little squall of a storm... then there's absolutely no FN way that they would be able to cope with what comes during the General Election season.

The only thing that "helps the Republicans" is running weak and unvetted candidates with "secrets" that will backfire on us during the General Election season. This is all part of the process. Deal with it.

[Emile]

195. Do you think calling a democratic politician a NAZI

is not bashing?

[QueerDuck]

203. Nobody has done that... not that I can find in this thread. Every time the word "Nazi" is used...

... it's in reference to the tattoo, or explaining what the tattoo means and questioning the wisdom of sporting a Nazi symbol, etc etc etc. --- Nobody has said "He's a fucking Nazi" or anything like that. But I do think that the questions that this revelation raises is definitely worthy of further investigation and exploration.

It seems very foolish to ignore or dismiss something as fundamental as this, simply because Bernie Sanders has anointed him with an endorsement. The primary process does NOT stop with an endorsement from Bernie Sanders, you do realize that, right?

It's wrong to try and characterize everything as "bashing" simply to try and squelch legitimate criticism and questions about what motivated this, and why he hasn't been more forthcoming about it prior to this; why he kept it for so long; and how it was that he can believably claim that he "had no clue" what it meant for all this time. These are evasive tactics and diversions that fail to address the things that people/voters deserve to know.

Honestly, it's a sign of weakness that tells me that such things cannot withstand fair and serious scrutiny.

[Emile]

204. So you don't think he's a NAZI?

[QueerDuck]

207. JFC, Emile! Give me a fucking break! You know perfectly well that I never said such a thing.

Just stop. I said that he has baggage. People are justifiably questioning his judgement; his honesty; his temperament; his demeanor; his knowledge and understanding of history... oh, the list goes on and on. These are the things that people legitimately and rightfully want to know. The voters deserve explanations. We deserve to know the full truth.

He's not the right man for the job... and a Bernie Sanders endorsement is not enough to erase the questions people have or to make everyone willing to ignore the reasons for his bad decisions; and why it's take so long for him to do something about it (ie: only now, when it's politically beneficial, rather than YEARS AND YEARS ago.) All of these things are pieces of the puzzle that people need to put together to figure out if he's being honest and forthright, or if his past poor judgement (and his ability/inability to reconcile or correct it) are what the voters deserve.

This is serious stuff, and you can't just dismiss legitimate questions by claiming that everyone is "attacking" him.

[Emile]

209. What's your opinion of Zohran Mamdani?

Giving you a break on the Nazi tattoo.

[QueerDuck]

212. LOL! That's not the topic of this thread, Emile.

You and I have discussed it before. Were you not satisfied with my previous responses? What good purpose is served in rehashing such things... off topic... in this thread?

Good god. Give it a rest. Move on.

[Emile]

214. Can you send me a link? I have no memory ever

discussing the NY Mayoral race with you.

[QueerDuck]

215. Sorry. Not my problem.

It's unclear why anyone would want to go off topic here and engage in this type of personal badgering. Please stop. Move on.

[Emile]

216. I didn't think you could back that up. Adios

[QueerDuck]

217. Again. Not my problem. Deal with it.

Sorry... Just so you know, and for future reference, I'm not into silly game playing, empty challenges, responding to baiting, off-topic gotchas and assorted sea lioning absurdities.

Adios!

[Emile]

218. Adios

[Cha]

237. Okay! Just want to Thank You

for your Posts and how you handled that.

[betsuni]

250. Yes. He has to earn the votes. Feet held to the fire. People will vote their conscience. No cheerleaders.

[MichMan]

228. So, questioning him having a Nazi tattoo is fair game, but if he was to win the primary, we must defend him having it?

[QueerDuck]

231. He won't win.

The damage has been done. The truth is out.

Regarding your specific question, it does seem very odd, doesn't it?

[W_HAMILTON]

176. There are other candidates in the Democratic primary, including one that is, in my opinion, MUCH preferable to this guy.

[Emile]

185. That's great you have a preference. But

comparing and bashing one Democratic general election candidate unfavorably to their general election opponent(s) is not great.

[W_HAMILTON]

188. He doesn't have a general election opponent -- he has a Democratic primary opponent. Several, actually.

[QueerDuck]

194. Politics is not for the thin-skinned, is it?

[Stacey Grove]

126. Just because one is ignorant of WW2 history

doesn't make the SS Death's Head any less a celebration of NSDAP.

[MichMan]

229. Apparently Platner is well versed in WWII history

[DFW]

255. I'd even bet

Half the people who use their abbreviation don’t even know what NSDAP stands for without looking it up.

[EX500rider]

265. To be fair, Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei is kinda of a mouthful.

I knew what it stood for but had to look up the spelling as I am not a German speaker.

[DFW]

266. The Europeans do love their abbreviations.

In English, we usually just say “National Socialists,” although many people use the verbal abbreviation for Nationalsozialistische by using the first two syllables of the German pronunciation, which is “nah-tsee-oh-NAHL-zo-tsee-ahl-IST-ish-eh.” I still bet that most people who use the abbreviation “Nazi” have no clue that it means “National Socialist.” I was born after the National Socialists’ “Third Reich,” but I did get to experience their immediate successors, the Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands, the Socialist Unity Party of (East) Germany, as well as Castro’s Cuba and the “mild” versions in France of Mitterand and the even milder Hollande. None of were places I would ever want to live, and all were places that more people wanted to leave than move to. I don’t imagine that a country run by “Democratic” Socialists would end up being much different, but I’m in no hurry to find out.

I speak German, am married to a German and live in Germany. Our daughters are fully bilingual. My family and I are used to mouthfuls. My younger daughter went to law school in the USA, and in one class, the students were all asked to read aloud brief portions of a case involving VW. The company’s full name was written out in italics in mid-sentence in the portion that landed in my daughter’s passage: Volkswagenaktiensgesellschaft. My daughter, who grew up here in Germany, breezed right through the word without stopping, while the rest of her class and the professor gaped and said WHOA!! She looked at them with a “what’s da big deal?” look, and reminded them, “I’m German!” I only WISH I had the video!

[Blue Full Moon]

134. After all the crap from the right does.

This is absolutely a nothing burger.

[Quiet Em]

136. A week or so ago Senator Sanders said that Governor Mills should exit the race

because he didn't want a divisive primary. Well, it's Platner that is making the primary divisive. If the goal here is to run against the Democratic party and not Republicans and the Republican agenda, I don't believe there will be an appetite for that.

[comradebillyboy]

162. When did Bernie get to decide who could or couldn't

run in Democratic primaries?

[kacekwl]

139. I think 14 democrats voting

to confirm another trump judge is more concerning.

[uponit7771]

143. I wish I could afford to ignore racist symbols like that

[kacekwl]

147. The head of the DoD has what some consider a nazi tatoo

and Republicans are ok with it. How about you listen to his words and beliefs before we dump another Democrat down the drain. He said it wss a mistake until something he says or does changes that we will see.

[Maru Kitteh]

151. Republicans being ok with Nazis isn't new and it's not a problem for Democrats.

Democrats being ok with and making excuses for Nazi stuff with other Democrats, harms Democrats.

Shit is not fair. But we need to realize one really important thing, it’s fine to have a bunch of incompetent Nazis hanging around if you are the party tearing everything down, because it doesn’t matter if they’re any good or not. They’re not there to be competent. They’re not there to be effective. They’re where they are to tear things up and break them.

It’s not ok to hire a bunch of screw-ups and make excuses for their bad judgment if you are the party of making the systems work better for the people. That requires seriousness, competence and good judgment. This guy would be another Fetterman, but that’s extraordinarily unlikely now. It’s absolutely gobsmacking that he’s whining about reporters digging up his reddit posts. REALLY? You want a seat in the Senate of the United States of America and you didn’t think they would look through your old reddits? You think that’s unfair? Jesus Christ that’s some blazing, incandescently poor judgment.

[QueerDuck]

153. He's not even the nominee 🙄

It's primary season, this is what primaries are for.

[uponit7771]

246. The symbols on his body aren't his words and beliefs?!?; Some privileged right there man

... again, more than half of democratic voters can't afford to ignore that.

He can have them removed

That's what MAGA does, gives Trump a pass on racism cause it doesn't affect them as much when eventually it'll affect them a lot.

[Emile]

144. Why would they do that?

[W_HAMILTON]

177. Was one of them Fetterman, another Sanders-backed """progressive""" at one point?

[kacekwl]

182. We were All fooled by Fetterman.

[W_HAMILTON]

186. Maybe so, but I wasn't fooled by a lot of other questionable characters Sanders has surrounded himself with...

...like Gabbard, Turner, etc.

I think we need to start judging our progressive candidates by their progressive accomplishments and not simply whether they support Sanders/Sanders supports them.

[Emile]

189. I won't bash Senator Sanders. I wish we had more

Senators just like Bernie.

[uponit7771]

247. ***THIS!!!** 👆🏿👆🏿👆🏿

[sheshe2]

232. Not everyone.

Not my state, but it was an important race and I paid attention. It should have been a big turnoff for everyone after Fetterman chased a black jogger in his truck and held him in place with a rifle until the police arrived. Why did he do that? He thought he heard gunshot.

[OilemFirchen]

145. My stepfather had a Nazi tattoo.

FTR, it didn't look like a Nazi tattoo, yet the Nazis insisted upon it when he checked in at Mauthausen.

[Klarkashton]

152. If it's a skull with what looks like the bones are coming

Out of the ears it's THE totenkopf.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

154. Kinda not great to see a lot of people handwaving away a nazi tattoo on a Democrat!

[Maru Kitteh]

159. One poster says they will get their own Nazi tattoo now because Bernie

Is okay with it and something about pirates. I don’t understand personality cults and their power to utterly supplant reason in people. I guess I never will. I can’t wrap my head around even threatening to tattoo NAZI SYMBOLS on my skin, because of some obscure nuance discussed on a message board about what some politician said about a failing Senate candidate that NOBODY will know about in six months. Hurts my brain.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

155. The insignia - death skull - was worn exclusively by SS guards at death camps

Link to tweet

[msfiddlestix]

165. Abhorrent and shocking! Seriously disappointed with Sanders. I feel like maybe reaching cognitive disorders?

[JustAnotherGen]

168. Sanders always returns to the Independent Column

While in office.

[FadedMullet]

178. I'm going to give Plantner a pass on this until I hear more from him and another pass to Sanders for the......

......same reason. I prefer that we choose not to eat our own at every opportunity.

[Iggo]

198. Nope. No pass for Nazis. (Even if they're just a wannabe Nazi.)

[FadedMullet]

241. If you are comfortable with the information that you have, to be able to call him a Nazi, then you must have......

......more information than many of us here. Bernie included.

[Rob H.]

192. And yet Pelosi, Hoyer, Jeffries, and Clyburn endorsed Henry Cuellar,

the target of an active criminal investigation by the FBI, and people seemed to barely notice and/or supported him anyway because he was a milquetoast centrist Democrat, despite him being anti-choice and less progressive than his primary opponent.

Getting a tattoo when you're young and stupid isn't a crime; good thing, too, otherwise lots of people would be in jail for it.

Edit: he says he's since gotten it covered and he should show proof, imo.

[Iggo]

197. Cuellar wasn't a Nazi, either real or wannabe.

NO.

FUCKING.

NAZIS.

[Emile]

201. Who is a Nazi?

[Rob H.]

202. As I edited my post above, Platner says he's since gotten it covered

I'd like to see proof, though.

[Rob H.]

205. Cuellar was subsequently indicted for bribery, conspiracy to commit bribery,

money laundering, conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, and acting as a foreign agent. In exchange for the bribes he allegedly took from Mexico and Azerbaijan, he agreed to perform official acts and influence U.S. legislation and executive branch officials.

But hey, endorsing, recording robocalls, and making campaign appearances supporting a candidate accused of multiple felonies is okay because at least Cuellar didn't get a tattoo in his 20s that he subsequently disavowed and covered.

[GreenWave]

199. Breaking: Tattoo covered. Reconsider animosity posts please.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/22/politics/graham-platner-tattoo-senate-candidate?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us

[Rob H.]

206. Thanks for that and thanks for the link

[QueerDuck]

208. Yes... covered, but only just now... when it's politically expedient.

Questions remain about why it took so long. When did he first learn that it was a Nazi symbol? Why didn't he do anything about it sooner? These are legitimate questions that people deserve honest answer too... not evasive answers, not "youthful indiscretion" excuses.

A perfunctory and reactive response of "There! It's covered! Happy now?!" doesn't tell voters what we deserve to know.

[Emile]

213. Thank you. By the color of the ink, it's been covered

over for awhile.

[Bluestocking]

210. If he is not smart enough to know that he has a nazi concentration camp symbol

On his chest for all these years than he is not smart enough to be a US senator.

[QueerDuck]

226. Bingo! This!

Thank you.

[everyonematters]

211. There is nothing in this guys bio that suggests he is a racist.

His explanation for getting the tattoo is reasonable for a young man in the military. I did stupid things when I was a young man in the Marines. This reaction is typical of the base of both parties.

[MichMan]

230. When he was a bartender, he said "Black people don't tip"

[Iggo]

234. Except for his Nazi tattoo.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

220. MaddowBlog-Maine's Graham Platner faces difficult questions about his record -- and a tattoo

Once a Senate candidate reaches the point at which he has to deny being a secret Nazi, his campaign isn’t quite where it should be.

Link to tweet

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/maines-graham-platner-faces-difficult-questions-record-tattoo-rcna239152

Things changed, however, when Platner’s honeymoon period came to a rather sudden end.

The first sign of trouble came to the fore last week, when Politico reported that Platner “once suggested in online posts that violence is a necessary means to achieving social change.” Around the same time, CNN reported on since-deleted comments Platner had made online in which he “once called himself a ‘communist,’ dismissed ‘all’ police as bastards, and said rural White Americans ’actually are’ racist and stupid.”

The candidate disavowed his earlier rhetoric, but other revelations soon followed. Indeed, also last week, The Bangor Daily News reported that Platner also posted messages online in which he asked why Black people “don’t tip” and suggested people concerned about being raped shouldn’t be inebriated around people they don’t feel comfortable with.

After that report reached the public, Platner’s political director resigned.

That was late last week. This week, we learned about the Senate hopeful’s choice in tattoos. Politico reported:

Democratic Maine Senate hopeful Graham Platner expressed regret over getting a tattoo that appears similar to a Nazi symbol nearly two decades ago and plans to have it removed, his latest mea culpa after a week of damning headlines over resurfaced social media posts. ... Platner reiterated that he got the tattoo while out drinking with fellow Marines in Croatia, choosing the skull and crossbones off a wall at the tattoo parlor. He said the similarity to Nazi iconography never came up, including when he underwent physical exams mandated by the U.S. Army, which prohibits tattoos of identified hate symbols.

In other words, Platner’s defense is that he didn’t know he had a tattoo on his chest that resembles a Nazi symbol. What’s more, on Wednesday morning, he and his team said the image has now been covered......

Whether or not that’s true, once a Senate candidate reaches the point at which he has to deny being a secret Nazi, his campaign isn’t quite where it should be.

Democratic officials had already started rallying behind Mills, who has said she’ll only serve one term if elected. In light of the revelations about Platner’s record, it’s likely that party support will intensify. Watch this space.

[ificandream]

233. Why is Twitter being considered a source?

There's a rule in this website about using right-wing sources. I'm reporting it.

[thought crime]

238. Seems like a lot of pearl clutching over some superficial nonsense from his military past.

He seems like a good candidate for working class gains. Good enough for Bernie, good enough for me.

[MichMan]

240. You don't see a problem with his homophobic statements?

Or saying "Black people don't tip" ?

[thought crime]

243. It is obviously a political problem. But I accept his explanation and apologies.

Here's a more recent quote.

"They know that this is all nonsense. It is no surprise that these stories dropped within days of DC's chosen candidate getting into this race,” Platner said.

[Emile]

260. IMO, It's shit stirring from the elite resistance wanting a centrist.

So their shit stirring begins.

[MichMan]

239. According to Sanders, it is the "corrupt campaign finance system" that deserves the blame

[Celerity]

253. I agree with this. It's a bad look. He needs to walk away from a horribly vetted Platner.

I was not a true Mills fan (she is too centrist for my taste and will be 85yo at the end of her first term, 91yo at the end of a 2nd term, if she ran again) but she is now our best chance IMHO, so I am now in her camp. That POS Collins has to go.

[betsuni]

257. First rule: All dysfunction in government caused by money in politics, both sides controlled by billionaire oligarchs.

The corrupt establishment Them whose only motivation is money and the incorruptible anti-establishment whose money is pure and nice because it's called "grassroots."

[pansypoo53219]

249. sadly the nazi's had good icons. this one is on the bottom + does not scream nazi.

[Cha]

267. Yes it does if you read all the information

associated with what Planter has said about it.

[mucholderthandirt]

258. Then Sanders is wrong, and he needs to hear it from us.

I don't care how someone had some tough shit in their lives. So did I. I never once looked at the Nazis as anything but evil. I never once tried to do someone else dirty for my own benefit. I never once killed anyone, raped anyone, stole from anyone. My childhood was horrible, but I was a liberal as far back as I can remember, I've always supported liberal and small-"D" causes.

There's no excuse for this nonsense. If the guy made a mistake, well, the ability to get tattoos removed as been around for decades. He should have gotten it removed. The end. Sanders needs to get his head out of his ass and stop supporting this guy.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

268. The image in the tattoo is the same as the one on Nazi headgear for some branches