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Comment by JumpCrisscross | Hacker News Reader

> no idea that particular image was nazi-related and I don't think most other people would have either

He knew what it was [1]. That doesn't mean he's unelectable in 2026.

[1] https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/05/politics/graham-platner-cant-...

I'm sure he figured it out at some point and should have had it covered up sooner, but I doubt he knew what it was when he got it.

Honestly, I'd be more concerned with someone who knows too much Nazi minutiae rather than too little.

EDIT: reading the CNN story, I'm actually less convinced, this is all coming from a conservative activist ex-girlfriend. Its a really obscure symbol and then there's this quote:

"Platner argued that he had the tattoo for 17 years without anyone raising concerns about Nazi symbolism, noting that he received a State Department security clearance, reenlisted in the Army after being screened for gang and hate-related tattoos, and regularly appeared shirtless around family members, including Jewish relatives."

> I doubt he knew what it was when he got it

Sure, maybe. I'm doubtful. But that's irrelevant. He knew when he launched his campaign. He chose to keep it. Worse, there's a good chance his family and his staffers knew as well. This is Jill Biden covering up Joe Biden's dementia all over again, except this time for racism.

Platner is a rubbish candidate. But! There is a case to be made that he's better for America than Susan Collins.

Did you recognize that skull as a Nazi symbol without being told? Like, "Oh, that's the Totemkompf"?

Personally, like I said, I think the more recent sexting thing is way more damaging to his brand. "Got a dumb tattoo on shore leave and posted dumb reddit comments 10 years ago" are fine for an everyman candidate, recent infidelity is not.

Plenty of people recognize that as a nazi symbol. Its why he covers it up in photos but leaves other tats uncovered. We only found out because of a leaked video from a personal event and someone inside his life confirming.

> Did you recognize that skull as a Nazi symbol without being told?

Nope. But if you're sending your pics out, someone is going to come back to you with that feedback. In this case, we have someone who says they did that.

> the more recent sexting thing is way more damaging to his brand

Sure, why not. I don't think, at the end of the day, we have any evidence either is electorally relevant anymore.

For the record, and I hope this isn't too forward, I respect your honesty and understand it's gotta be tough being a liberal zionist with everything that's going on. I respect it so much more than just going full Stephen Miller which I've seen some friends do.

> it's gotta be tough being a liberal zionist

Not sure why you’re being (a) so randomly wrong and (b) randomly irrelevant.

EDIT: Ah, a 4-month old single-issue troll account. Lovely.

>troll account.

Why do you say? What is the single issue? I can’t find a linking theme.

For the record, I rotate accounts every year or two and this account's age coincides with the age of the current Iran conflict so I probably have a disproportionate amount of comments on it.

JumpCrisscross, I wasn't trying to pigeonhole you but that was my impression based on your interaction with a number of threads over the years, my apologies if I mislabeled you, I meant it with respect.

lostlogin, thanks for the neutral reading, I appreciate you.

I think people are really past the point of caring. The limousine liberals of course make a fuss but sitting on the high horse has not really served democrats that well, just taking L after L. And the sitting president is Epstein-Mossad pedofile and huge number still stand behind him without any shame.

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