SouthernWorldwide.com – Combat veteran and Purple Heart recipient Ted Daniels, who was nearly killed by the Taliban, has strongly criticized Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner for a resurfaced online post in which Platner suggested Daniels should not have survived his injuries.
Daniels spoke out on “The Bottom Line” on Thursday, labeling Platner a “coward” for making such comments anonymously online.
“People like this don’t say stuff like this to my face,” Daniels stated. “It’s online, and that right there tells me, Graham, you’re a coward.”
The controversial post originated from a now-deleted Reddit account belonging to Platner, posted in June 2019. It was a reaction to a widely shared helmet-cam video depicting Daniels being shot four times during a 2012 engagement with Taliban forces.
“This video never gets old,” Platner wrote at the time under the username “P-Hustle,” an account he has since acknowledged owning.
The post continued with deeply offensive remarks, including: “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 deleted post has resurfaced and is available in the Maine Monitor’s database of Platner’s past Reddit activity.
Platner, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran with four combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, is facing significant criticism for his past online statements. These comments have drawn condemnation from veterans and lawmakers across the political spectrum. The nature of his deleted Reddit posts, described as vulgar and highly unusual, has also raised concerns about Platner’s judgment.
“Thank you for your service, Graham, but I think you’re a scumbag personally,” Daniels remarked.
Further scrutiny of Platner’s unearthed Reddit posts revealed other concerning content. These included Platner describing himself as a “communist” and “socialist,” alleged homophobic slurs, and expressions of praise for Hamas military tactics.
Daniels suggested that Platner’s vitriolic comments might stem from personal insecurity.
“Hate never comes from above,” he explained. “It always comes from below. I don’t know if Mr. Platner has an inferiority complex. I don’t know if he’s disgusted or not proud of his own service because he’s out there attacking folks who are proud of their service and have done the right things for the right reason.”
Daniels recounted learning about Platner’s post while having coffee with his wife. His initial reaction was to inquire if the comment came from a “liberal” source, unaware of the author.
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Upon confirmation that Platner was the author, Daniels stated that the comments then “made sense” to him.
“This is what they do. It’s the violent rhetoric. It’s hateful rhetoric,” he commented, referring to what he perceives as a pattern of behavior.
Daniels believes Platner requires “therapy” for his tendency to attack fellow soldiers, including the late Chris Kyle, the subject of the book and film “American Sniper.” Platner had previously accused Kyle of killing civilians to inflate his kill count.
“The comments that he made about me are just one thing. He attacked former Navy SEAL Chris Kyle as well. Chris Kyle’s an American hero, he’s an icon, the legend,” Daniels emphasized.
He added that Platner’s remarks cast a negative light on the military community as a whole.
“Everybody thinks that everybody that served in the military is a saint and can do no wrong and that’s just not the case,” Daniels stated.
“Just to have somebody like this involved in our culture in the first place, it’s embarrassing for the entire military and veteran community.”
Daniels further accused Platner of contributing to extreme political discourse online.
“This man has cheered on Antifa. He has called for violence. He hates cops, and it’s like, this is what we’re dealing with,” Daniels said. “From what I see, it’s all behind the keyboard.”
He concluded that Platner’s rhetoric and what he described as emotionally unstable behavior render him unfit for public office.
“This is coming from a man whose party has no idea what a woman is, yet he saw a video of a man online and had an emotional meltdown like a 13-year-old girl who just got dumped by her boyfriend,” Daniels asserted. “Honestly, that’s not the type of leadership that we need in our government.”
Platner secured the presumptive Democratic nominee status after two-term Governor Janet Mills withdrew from the race last month. Should he win the June primary, Platner is set to face the five-term incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins in the upcoming fall election.
