The ugly truth is that there, but for the grace of god, go many working class men. They are directionless, insecure, malleable, and want to feel like they're part of something. It's kind of a fluke in Platner's case that he didn't end up in the alt-right echo chamber during the 2010s because it was designed to ensnare people like him. How the hell do you get peer pressured into getting a "scary looking skull and crossbones" when you're 23, re-enlist and redeploy a bunch of times, join fucking Blackwater, and not turn out to be a MAGAt?
On one side, you have the most annoying liberals in the world telling these men how terrible they are for failing to recognize their own misogyny and white privilege. And in a veteran's case you also have the most annoying Leftists in the world telling these men how terrible they are for "killing babies" and "murdering brown people" because they willingly joined the military. You are totally irredeemable, no matter how much you try to take accountability and become a better person and there's no place for you.
On the other side, you have the most deplorable reactionary fascists, telling these men how much society has taken from them, and how they should never apologize for being an "alpha male" who fights for traditional values. It's okay if you have skeletons in your closet or skulls on your chest. "Cancel culture" is bullshit, and you're always welcome on their podcasts.
A sociopolitical movement that fights for the working class must also accept uncomfortable truths about the working class. That does not mean Graham Platner is a qualified candidate or that candidates should be held to a lower standard. It definitely does not mean that adopting a platform for the working class can (or should) exempt a candidate from the consequences of having and failing to remove a Nazi tattoo.
In light of these thoughts and observations, I have two points to make on the subject of electoral calculus.
First, by making redemption impossible, you concede crucial votes to your opposition. A party that claims it wants to win back younger men must reckon with the fact that these voters have said and done terrible things; that they have said and done ignorant things. The party should signal loudly and clearly that it is willing to offer amnesty to all who approach with good intentions. I won't get into the nitty gritty of the terms or conditions of that amnesty, but they should ensure the safety of marginalized communities without asking for excessive or performative self-flagellation. You can't please everyone, so don't try. The goal is to win back younger men without selling anyone else out.
Now, I've seen many BlueSky libs and Leftists hand-wringing about Platner. Leftists who hate him because he joined the military and is a white, cisgender, heterosexual male. Liberals who hate him because he's pro-Palestine and is a white, cisgender, heterosexual male. The most persuasive argument they've made is that it's not too late to replace him with someone better (e.g., a Bernie bro without the baggage). Which brings me to my next point.
Second, Maine is a small state and Platner is the only person who has actually rolled up his sleeves and done the work to organize people around a platform like Mamdani's that prioritizes affordability and the working class. The reason corporate and AIPAC-aligned libs along with corporate and AIPAC-aligned fascists are so motivated to take Platner out early is because they perceive him to be a threat to their interests. Make no mistake: He is the only viable threat to their interests from Maine. There is nobody else waiting in the wings, and even if there were, that person hasn't actually put in the work required to mount a serious challenge to Susan Collins. It pains me to say this, but this is Maine's only shot. I'm encouraged to hear that he's getting the tattoo removed, and because the stakes are so high, I hope he stays in the race.