The ‘Mainstream’ Media and the Rise of Maine’s Graham Platner
14th June 2026
It is, one might say, a completely American media routine.
Out there somewhere in this big country, some far left activist gets attention and the left leaning media loves it.
This has happened so often in American politics that there is no point in denying it.
Way back in the way back – the late 1940’s and early 1950’s – there was a seemingly up-and-coming rising star inside the castle of the American Left. His name was Alger Hiss. Hiss was perfectly credentialed. A Harvard Law grad, followed by jobs in various branches of Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal and the successor Truman administration, holding this or that job in the Justice Department and eventually the State Department.
Eventually, Hiss was, as it were, “ratted out” by a State Department colleague named Whittaker Chambers. Ratted out as a Communist spy. Not good, and a decided attention-getter. All you-know-what broke out, very much in the public and drawing in the Congress. Alger Hiss became a household name, and, yes, was eventually convicted of being a spy and sentenced to several years in the federal pen.
Suffice to say, the American media of the day ate it up. So too did Republicans in the day, notably in that category a young California Congressman named Richard Nixon.
This piece of ancient history comes to mind as a new figure on the Left is increasingly the focus of today’s media. That would be a here-to-fore unknown Maine Democrat activist named Graham Platner. And with all the certainty of rain on on a cloudy day, today’s media has zeroed in on Platner. Platner being the Democrat candidate for the Maine Senate seat now held by Republican Senator Susan Collins.