Anthropic's IPO, Platner's Campaign Controversies, and Blue Origin's Setback

Um, with just a week to go before Maine's, [laughs] speaking of penises, Maine Senate primary, Graham Platner, the presumptive Democratic candidate, is facing his latest controversy.

Multiple outlets reported over the weekend that Platner's wife told a campaign aide last year that her husband sent sexually explicit texts to several women outside the marriage.

Um, by the way, this campaign person had a falling out with Platner and has dropped a dime, which is- has its own ethical considerations.

Platner is calling these reports gossip from a former staffer and accused the media of journalistic malpractice.

As of this recording, none of the women involved in the, in the text exchanges have come forward.

Platner's wife, Amy Gertner, released a video, which I thought was fascinating, over the weekend defending her husband and their marriage.

Let's listen, 'cause it was really quite something to, to listen to.

[whooshing sound] It makes me really angry, um, disappointed, and I find it really shameful that there's a group of media outlets and people who are willing to spread gossip, um, instead of talking about real issues that Graham is, is running on, like healthcare and education and childcare.

[whooshing sound] As I said, it's the, you know, this cont- this has been a controversial campaign.

You know, he reportedly has an active account on Kik, it's a private messaging app sometimes used for sexting.

He's faced scrutiny, of course, about his Nazi symbol tattoo.

He later expressed regret and covered it up.

There were posts from a deleted Reddit account where he said all manner of sexual, you know, jokes about sexual assault, and he's also apologized for that.

It's a really interesting issue, and lots of people disagree on this.

I, I'll, I'll tell you what I think in a second, but there's-- Platner appears to be the real chance of up- unseating Republican Susan Collins, and, uh, who [laughs] just is the zombie of all senators.

He's been leading in recent polls.

Um, I personally, I'm gonna just very quickly say I think voters don't care about this.

I don't, and I thought his wife handled it well.

Um, I have others-- I had an argument with Amanda this weekend.

She doesn't like the Nazi tattoo.

She doesn't like this.

Um, I feel as if, if they, if the husband and wife are working it out, it reminded me a little when Hillary Clinton did, "I-- Should I stand by my man" when he had those Gennifer Flowers things.

Reminds me a little bit of that.

Um, turned out to be a pretty good president.

Not everything.