Hillary Clinton Dismisses Scandals
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton found herself carefully navigating a politically awkward question this week when asked whether she supports Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner, whose campaign has been overshadowed by a series of controversies.
Appearing Monday at New York’s 92NY in a conversation with The New Yorker editor David Remnick, Clinton stopped short of offering an endorsement and instead emphasized that she wants to see how Platner’s candidacy develops.
“I feel about him the way I feel about any candidate,” Clinton said. “I want to see what kind of candidate he actually turns out to be.”
The exchange quickly turned toward the growing list of allegations and controversies that have followed Platner since launching his Senate campaign. While discussing the issue, Clinton appeared to characterize the problems as obstacles that would ultimately test the candidate’s character.
“The bumps on the road that he has experienced and some of the things he has said…” Clinton began.
Remnick immediately challenged the phrasing.
“Bumps on the road?” he asked skeptically.
Clinton stood by the description, though she acknowledged the seriousness of the concerns.
“Yeah, clearly bumps on the road in terms of his prior behavior, some of his prior statements,” she replied. “And I will tell you, I served with Susan Collins, she is going to be very hard to beat. It’s going to be a tough election. So I’m reserving.”
The answer left little doubt that Clinton was reluctant to fully embrace Platner while also avoiding a direct rebuke of her party’s candidate.
Remnick pressed further.
“But if you were a Mainer, where would you pull the lever?”
Clinton sidestepped again.
“I’m not a Mainer. I’m a New Yorker,” she joked, drawing laughter before pivoting to a broader discussion about Democratic efforts to regain control of Congress in 2026.
The hesitation reflects the difficult position many Democrats find themselves in as Platner continues to face mounting scrutiny.
Since entering the race, the Maine Democrat has been dogged by controversies that have generated headlines and raised questions about his viability as a statewide candidate. Reports have highlighted sexually explicit messages allegedly sent to women, offensive social media activity, a tattoo reportedly linked to Nazi symbolism, and significant turnover within his campaign staff.
The situation intensified earlier this month when The New York Times published a report detailing additional allegations involving former girlfriends, including claims of volatile behavior and troubling personal conduct.
Those allegations added another layer of pressure to a campaign already struggling to move past earlier controversies.
Despite the growing list of questions surrounding Platner, Democratic leaders have not responded uniformly. Some party figures have publicly defended him or expressed confidence in his campaign. Others have declined opportunities to either endorse or explicitly distance themselves from the candidate.
Clinton’s comments appear to place her somewhere in the middle. Rather than offering support, she emphasized that she remains in a wait-and-see posture while acknowledging both the challenges facing Platner and the political reality that incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins remains a formidable opponent.