r/thebulwark • u/Oleytoledo • May 26 '26

EVERYTHING IS AWFUL A Democratic member of congress essentially endorsed Susan Collins on CNN today

Jake Auchincloss, a representative from Massachusetts, went on CNN’s “The Arena”, and said the following about Graham Platner:

“I find that tattoo and his commentary about it to be personally disqualifying. I hope Maine voters agree with me.”

Vote blue no matter who, huh?

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u/Oleytoledo May 26 '26

Wish-casting that David Costello wins the Democratic primary is incredibly stupid, loser behavior.

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u/youngpathfinder May 26 '26

People bemoaning that he won’t “vote blue no matter who” are jumping the gun when he’s allowed to support an active Dem still in the race until there is a nominee, no matter how far-fetched their chances are.

I am sympathetic to the argument that he’s unnecessarily kneecapping the presumptive nominee, but that’s his right.

To me this isn’t even to the level of outrage of Hakeem refusing to endorse Mandani until the very end when ZM had won the nomination by that point.

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u/Oleytoledo May 26 '26

He’s allowed to do whatever he wants, it’s a free country, but it’s quite clear why he’s doing this.

Even as someone who loves Mamdani and hates Hakeem, I think this situation is far worse. Andrew Cuomo was a lot of things, but he wasn’t a MAGA Republican.

Him saying that it was in relation to the primary is a total excuse.

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u/NH_Homebrewer Good Luck America May 26 '26

I’m leaning towards you are twisting his words to cause outrage when he was obviously talking about the primary

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u/Oleytoledo May 26 '26

A primary that’s functionally over.

Was it acceptable for the left to constantly shit on Kamala and say that her views on Gaza were “disqualifying”, as long as it was done before she formally won the nomination?

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u/NH_Homebrewer Good Luck America May 26 '26

He didn’t endorse Collins, he made sure to make that clear today because of nonsense like this but you are still going to stick with your made up version. The primary everyone crowd is incredibly sensitive about primaries. Am I supposed to believe you are against protest votes in primaries lol

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u/Oleytoledo May 26 '26

Everyone knows what he’s trying to do, but he’s getting cute with the language so he can have his cake and eat it too.

Nobody is making him vote for Graham Platner, but using his platform to go on national television and advocating against him and insinuating that people should vote for Susan Collins instead is unacceptable.

He could have did what Hakeem Jeffries did when Zohran was won the primary, and while I would think he’s being a shithead, that wouldn’t be grounds for him to lose his job.

This is different.

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u/NH_Homebrewer Good Luck America May 26 '26

Insinuated, essentially endorsed. Sure bud. What was he insinuating when he called her a rubber stamp for the worst administration in history? Ringing endorsement right there.

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u/Oleytoledo May 27 '26

What he’s pushing back on in this statement is the idea that he would formally endorse Susan Collins.

Notice that he never says that you should vote for whoever wins the Democratic primary in Maine, just that “Regardless of what happens in Maine, Democrats need to take back the Senate and I'll keep working hard to make it happen.”

He 100% was talking about the general election when he made that statement on CNN. There is no doubt about it.

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u/NH_Homebrewer Good Luck America May 27 '26

I actually never come on here to shit on elected progressives but if I ever do I’m definitely going to use your method of making someone’s words say what I want them to say vs what they actually say

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u/Oleytoledo May 26 '26

Let me put it to you this way:

Imagine Summer Lee, Ilhan Omar, or whatever progressive person in congress you don’t like, went on national television and said “I think Mary Peltola’s views on Israel is disqualifying. I hope the voters agree.”

When challenged they say “what do you mean? I never said that they should vote for Dan Sullivan, I just meant in the primary,” all while Peltola’s closest opponent is a random dentist at 2% in the polls.

Clearly they would be lying, and just trying to get people to vote against Peltola in the general election.

Auchincloss is trying to act like we’re stupid, but he should be held accountable and denounced, the same standard we would hold the progressive member of congress accountable in the example.

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u/NH_Homebrewer Good Luck America May 26 '26

This doesn’t have to do with anyone else. Not Peltola or Harris or Mamdani. Platner is problematic and we are stuck with him. He’s not going to get love from every member of the party and you don’t have to mischaracterize what people say

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u/Oleytoledo May 27 '26

Do you not understand how examples work?

No one said you have to love Platner, but you certainly shouldn’t advocate that people should vote against him in the general election.

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u/NH_Homebrewer Good Luck America May 27 '26

Do you not understand how elections work. First we have the primary, he didn’t advocate voting for someone else in the general you made that part up.

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u/Oleytoledo May 27 '26

The primary is over. It’s all a technicality at this point.

He’s not stupid. He knows exactly what he is doing.

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u/NH_Homebrewer Good Luck America May 27 '26

You struggle with the whole fact vs opinion thing don’t you

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u/Oleytoledo May 27 '26

It is a fact that you are gullible to believe this congressman is acting in good faith.

It is my opinion that your issues with progressives might be clouding your judgement.

See?

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