SouthernWorldwide.com – Democratic Senate hopeful Jon Platner has refused to apologize to a Purple Heart recipient and voters for a resurfaced post that mocked a soldier under enemy fire.
Platner, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, stated, “I did four tours in the infantry, any attempt to say that I disrespect veterans is slanderous and offensive,” when questioned about potential offense to Maine voters and an apology to Daniels.
He further challenged the question by asking, “Do you know how many of my friends have Purple Hearts, do you know how many of my friends got wounded?” before acknowledging, “yeah, a lot of them, thank you.”
The resurfaced Reddit post, which Platner has acknowledged owning the account “P-Hustle” for, dates back to June 2019. In it, Platner shared a viral video of a soldier, identified as Daniels, wearing a helmet while taking enemy fire.
The accompanying comment from Platner read, “Dumb motherf—– didn’t deserve to live. At least his stupidity and fat a– wheezing are available for all future infantrymen to witness and hold in contempt. Poor marksmanship on the Taliban’s part is the only reason this mouthbreather made it home. He managed to make every possible s— decision possible when it comes to small unit combat.”
This post generated significant backlash online, with critics deeming it disrespectful to fellow soldiers. Rob O’Neill, a U.S. Navy SEAL credited with killing Osama bin Laden, was among many veterans who condemned Platner’s remarks.
O’Neill described the post as “completely barbaric” and stated, “I don’t understand. If you swear an oath to the country, it doesn’t even matter what the politics are. Every single time you fight it’s for the man next to you, it’s for the person next to you. Politics goes out the window. And to wish ill on someone like that under fire is just, you know, like I said, it is the opposite of everything I’ve ever been raised to believe.”
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This incident is not the first time Platner has faced scrutiny over incendiary social media posts. He has previously attributed such content to his struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
In October, before the post concerning Daniels became public, Platner had offered a general apology for offensive online content. He stated, “For those of you who have read these things and been offended, have read these things and seen someone that you don’t recognize, I am deeply sorry.”
He added, “I’m sorry for this. Just know that it’s not reflective at all of who I am. I don’t want you to judge me on the dumbest thing I ever wrote on the internet. I would prefer if people could judge me on the person I am today.”
Daniels himself responded to Platner’s deleted online attack, telling Fox Business, “People like this don’t say stuff like this to my face.”
Daniels characterized Platner’s actions as cowardly, stating, “It’s online, and that right there tells me, Graham, you’re a coward.”
Platner has become the presumptive Democratic nominee for the Senate in Maine. This occurred after his rival for the nomination, two-term Governor Janet Mills, withdrew from the race last month, citing Platner’s lead in polling and fundraising.
The Democratic Senate primary election in Maine is scheduled for June 9. On the ballot, Platner will compete against fellow Democrat David Costello for the opportunity to challenge incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins in the general election.
