Graham Platners downfall should be wake-up call for moms in California

Like many California mothers, I want my children to grow up believing character matters more than politics.I want my daughters to believe that if a woman says she has been abused, her claims deserve to be taken seriously.I don’t want politics to dictate our principles depending on whether someone has a “D” or an “R” next to his or her name.That is why Graham Platner’s approach to his withdrawal from Maine’s US Senate race should concern parents far beyond Maine.His decision to leave the race should have begun with an apology to the people of Maine.

Instead, voters were subjected to an 11-minute tirade against the political establishment he blamed for his downfall.For months, Democratic leaders stood behind a candidate whose campaign was overshadowed by misconduct.His Nazi tattoo should have been enough.

Then a former girlfriend publicly accused him of abusive behavior.Later, another woman accused him of rape, an allegation Platner has denied.

Only after that allegation, by a “progressive” woman, did many prominent Democratic supporters withdraw their endorsements and call on him to end his campaign.California's top news, sports and entertainment delivered to your inbox every day.

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Never miss a story As a mother, what troubled me most was watching political calculations appear to outweigh moral consistency. For years, Americans have heard “believe all women.” Many mothers embraced that message, because it taught our daughters that their voices matter.But when that principle appears to depend on who is accused or who is making the allegation, parents notice.Mothers notice.We notice when Israeli women who survived the atrocities of Oct.7 are treated differently.

We notice when women are dismissed as political operatives before their claims are even considered.We notice when politicians and ...