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Quiet Em

(3,338 posts)
Thu Jul 9, 2026, 02:04 AM Yesterday

Chellie Pingree just made a point that echos what Jaime Harrison said the other night about "The Establishment"

"The Establishment" are the people on the ground, state by state, who put in the hours, put in the effort, put in the work to make sure that Democracy in their State works.

Most people here at DU know this but clearly there are a lot of people who don't. Especially online people.

The Democratic Establishment are regular everyday people, they aren't some dark force who is out to do anything except participate in our Democracy. Why these people have been turned into some sort of nefarious group is ridiculous.

The con and Guiliani did these same negative tactics towards election workers. Election worker are merely volunteers who are willing to put in the hours, the effort and the work to make sure all can participate in our Democracy.

I'm happy that the State of Maine's establishment is getting airtime. From Devon to other Maine Democratic Leaders, the Maine Democratic Party is full of good people.

I've said before, I love Maine. It's a beautiful State with beautiful people. They're tough, they're down to earth, they're practical. They don't like outside noise.

Maine Democrats know what they're doing, Susan Collins is extremely vulnerable and Maine Democrats are going to get this job done and do all they can to seat a quality Democratic Senator in 2026.

11 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Chellie Pingree just made a point that echos what Jaime Harrison said the other night about "The Establishment" (Original Post) Quiet Em Yesterday OP
The establishment is not romantic or exciting! LeftInTX Yesterday #1
'Establishment' is used as a slur. sheshe2 Yesterday #2
Well this attack on men, especially white working men Akakoji Yesterday #3
and now Troy Jackson's Platner endsorsement youtube video seems to be private only eShirl Yesterday #4
What attack on men? EdmondDantes_ 23 hrs ago #7
this isnt an "attack on white working men" it's an attack mopinko 22 hrs ago #9
Exactly Quiet Em 21 hrs ago #11
Well said. Thank you for this. 🇺🇸 QueerDuck Yesterday #5
K&R nt PunkinPi 23 hrs ago #6
I never met Chellie Pingree, but saw her speak in Maine 12 years ago DFW 22 hrs ago #8
Sorry, but there is the establishment, and then there is The Establishment. indusurb 22 hrs ago #10

Akakoji

(654 posts)
3. Well this attack on men, especially white working men
Thu Jul 9, 2026, 04:23 AM
Yesterday

will not help Maine or the Democrats in any way. We obviously already have few actual friends that call themselves Democrats.

https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/07/08/congress/cheyenne-hunt-graham-platner-maine-00991442

By ERIN DOHERTY and JESSICA PIPER
07/08/2026, 11:09PM ET

Cheyenne Hunt, a progressive Democratic lawyer whose nonprofit aims to fight misogyny, said she is relieved Graham Platner dropped out of the Maine Senate race.

“Today, I’m proud of my party for drawing a red line and putting our values above political outcomes,” Hunt said in a statement posted on X on Wednesday. “Now the hard work begins to put forth a candidate who can defeat Susan Collins and ensure we send a champion for women to the Senate this November.”


Hunt, the executive director of Reckoning Action, had connected POLITICO with Jenny Racicot, who dated Platner and alleged that he forced her to have sex with him, which he has denied. Earlier this year, Hunt also was key to bringing forward sexual misconduct allegations against former Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), prompting him to suspend his campaign for California governor. Swalwell denies the allegations.[b

Hunt endorsed Platner as leader of the group Gen Z for Change last fall but withdrew her support in June after three of Platner’s ex-girlfriends described what they called “reckless” and “unsettling” behavior from Platner to The New York Times.

but that doesn't stop anyone from jumping ship:

Troy Jackson deletes past X posts about Graham Platner

Jackson, hoping to run if Platner drops out, is attempting to distance himself from the disgraced Senate candidate.
By SAMUEL BENSON and ADAM WREN
07/08/2026, 3:05PM ET

Troy Jackson, one of the Maine Democrats vying to replace Graham Platner on the Senate ticket, quietly removed posts about Platner from his X account Wednesday, a POLITICO review discovered. “Troy rescinded his endorsement and just wanted to make that clear,” said Christine Kirby, a spokesperson for Jackson, after POLITICO inquired about the deleted posts.

eShirl

(20,635 posts)
4. and now Troy Jackson's Platner endsorsement youtube video seems to be private only
Thu Jul 9, 2026, 04:50 AM
Yesterday
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10555728

I guess that's fair after rescinding the endorsement.

mopinko

(74,315 posts)
9. this isnt an "attack on white working men" it's an attack
Thu Jul 9, 2026, 08:07 AM
22 hrs ago

on rapists and sexual abusers. and the impunity their privilege has allowed them.
dont whine.

QueerDuck

(2,445 posts)
5. Well said. Thank you for this. 🇺🇸
Thu Jul 9, 2026, 06:37 AM
Yesterday

This is an incredibly thoughtful post, and I really appreciate you putting it into such clear focus. All of it is great, but this part was especially worth noting:

The Democratic Establishment are regular everyday people, they aren't some dark force who is out to do anything except participate in our Democracy. Why these people have been turned into some sort of nefarious group is ridiculous.

Demystifying the phrase "the establishment" and reminding us that it consists of regular citizens working to keep our democracy functioning is exactly how we lower the temperature on division.

Your point connects perfectly to how we define the true "base" of our party. There is a tendency in online spaces to claim the title of "the base" based purely on ideological purity. But in reality, the true base is defined by sustained action, loyalty, and labor.

The real base consists of the everyday people you described: the ones who do the unglamorous legwork, donate, volunteer, go door-to-door, collect signatures, and stuff envelopes. Most importantly, the true base is reliable—they show up in every single cycle, unified, to support the entire ticket and protect our democracy.

Thank you for bringing such a steady, constructive, and realistic voice to the thread.

DFW

(60,923 posts)
8. I never met Chellie Pingree, but saw her speak in Maine 12 years ago
Thu Jul 9, 2026, 07:53 AM
22 hrs ago

She seemed level-headed and connected well with her people. Is that establishment?

So many labels, so much sloganeering. Republicans wail about "libbruls (Republicanese for liberals)." Aside from "liberal" meaning "Democrat" to them, ask them what defines a liberal, and they haven't the first clue. Tell them that being against gun control is a very liberal stance, and many Democrats take a far more conservative position on the issue, i.e. NOT everyone who wants a gun should be allowed to have one. Right wingers don't like to hear that, but if they are going to insist on English being the lingua franca, then they will have to live with it. My one friend from the nut case extreme right insists on calling himself "conservative." He has made a lot of money at it for decades, practically created Reagan's direct mail fundraising on his own. I keep telling him, no, you're not, you're just Republican, which he insists he is not. I tell him, look, I have been with my wife for fifty years, raised children to be able to make and earn their own way, like the philosophies of an 18th century thinker, abhor debts, risk-taking and addictions, and insist on living within my means. I'm the conservative here. Oddly enough, I was born in Virginia and later moved to Texas. He was born in Texas and later moved to Virginia. He is always right (except when he's not, but that is rare--he told me so). I am sometimes right, but by no means always (just ask half of DU ), except if you ask Richard (my nut case right wing friend), in which case I haven't been right about anything ever except my choice of life partner and what the weather was like the day before.

indusurb

(382 posts)
10. Sorry, but there is the establishment, and then there is The Establishment.
Thu Jul 9, 2026, 08:27 AM
22 hrs ago

Name it what you will, the good ol' boys club, the establishment, what have you. It is that relatively small circle of people who, due to their power, money and influence, can get things done, even though those things fly in the face of popular sentiment. These are the people who can and do impose their will upon others. Those whose habitat is the smoky back room, whose modus operandi is wink, wink, nudge, nudge, bob's your uncle.

Both parties have these groups, as do various levels of government, from local to state. Perfect example, it was just widely revealed that a company is in the "initial" stages of building an AI data center in my county, with upcoming public information sessions, and no firm plans on file. Turns out the property is already bought and paid for, the county commission is on board(think bribes here) and preliminary construction, leveling the land, etc. has begun. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge, that's The Establishment in action.

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