image sourced from original article at Combat veteran and Purple Heart recipient Ted Daniels has condemned Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner over a resurfaced 2019 online post in which Platner mocked Daniels and wrote that he 'didn't deserve to live' after being shot four times during a 2012 firefight with the Taliban. Daniels, speaking on television, called Platner a 'coward' for making the remarks online rather than in person.
The deleted post, which Platner acknowledged writing under a former account, resurfaced in a database of his past online activity and has sparked bipartisan criticism from veterans and lawmakers. Daniels said the comments were hateful and embarrassing to the military community, arguing that such rhetoric reflects poorly on those who have served.
Additional past posts attributed to Platner include inflammatory political statements, derogatory language, and criticism of other service members, including Navy special operations member Chris Kyle. Daniels said the pattern of behavior shows poor judgment and makes Platner unfit for public office as he seeks his party's nomination to challenge an incumbent senator this fall.
