Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is standing firm behind Maine Democrat Graham Platner, a first-time Senate hopeful facing outrage over a Nazi-style tattoo and resurfaced Reddit posts.

Sanders, in an interview with Axios, blamed the media for the fury about the tattoo and Platner’s deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, where he said he went through a challenging chapter in his life.  

«I’m not overly impressed by a squad of media running around saying, ‘what do you think about the tattoo on Graham Platner’s chest,’» Sanders told Axios on «The Axios Show.»

DELETED POSTS URGING VIOLENCE HAUNT DEMOCRATIC SENATE HOPEFUL IN MAINE RACE

It was revealed that Platner, a U.S. Marine and Army veteran and oyster farmer, once had a skull-and-crossbones tattoo resembling the Totenkopf used by Hitler’s SS paramilitary forces. He has since covered the image with another tattoo. 

Meanwhile, resurfaced Reddit posts show him appearing to mock military sexual assault victims, criticize police, and make racially charged comments about tipping. He also said on the social media platform in 2018 that «all» police are bastards and called himself a «communist.»

Platner’s campaign has been rocked by the controversies with his political director, former state representative Genevieve McDonald, resigning in the aftermath of the Reddit posts — the tattoo controversy came after. Platner has apologized for both incidents.

A new poll shows Platner with a decisive lead among a crowded Democrat field. The University of New Hampshire’s Pine Tree State poll shows 58% of likely Democrat primary voters back him. The poll was taken during which the Reddit posts were surfacing, and before the tattoo controversy came to light. 

Senator Bernie Sanders blamed the media for the fury and said the public should focus on the issues facing ordinary Americans instead. (Valerie Plesch/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Despite the disarray, Sanders is doubling down on his support of Platner, who is contesting a crowded field. He told the outlet that Platner «went into a dark period in his life» regarding the online posts.

«I suspect that Graham Platner is not the only American to have gone through a dark period,» Sanders said.  «What he did was he expressed his darkness on the internet. Probably not a brilliant thing to do, alright? And he said things that are stupid, things that were hurtful. He has apologized for them.»

Sanders said the public should focus on the issues facing ordinary Americans instead.

REPUBLICAN LAWMAKER DIRECTS INVESTIGATION AFTER SWASTIKA VANDALISM DISCOVERED IN DC OFFICE

«I think what we have got to do as a nation is not focus on a tattoo,» Sanders said. «We’ve got to focus on a system which in many ways is collapsing.»

Platner said he got the tattoo in 2007 during a «night of drinking» while on leave in Croatia in the Marine Corps and claimed he did not know its historical associations at the time. 

Graham Platner, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Maine, points to a covered tattoo that had previously been an image recognized as a Nazi symbol, during an interview on Wednesday in Portland, Me. (WGME via AP)

In a video posted to Instagram Wednesday afternoon, Platner elaborated that the design was chosen from a flash tattoo wall while «carousing» with fellow Marines in Split, Croatia. 

«We thought it looked cool,» he said. 

He claimed he had «lived a life dedicated to anti-fascism, anti-racism and anti-Nazism» and was «appalled» to learn it resembled a hate symbol.

Platner said he had the symbol inked over with a Celtic knot and imagery of dogs, a tribute to his family pets. He told the Associated Press he opted to cover it instead of removing it because there were no removal services near his home in rural Maine.

«This far more represents who I am now than even the skull and crossbones did,» he said on the video, lifting his shirt to reveal the new tattoo.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is backing Maine Gov. Janet Mills for the Senate seat. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

In the Reddit posts, Platner reportedly asked, «Why don’t black people tip?» in response to a thread asking, «What is one question you have always wanted to ask someone of another race?» according to WGME.

He also argued that if people «expect to fight fascism without a good semi-automatic rifle, they ought to do some reading of history.» And in another post, he said, «an armed working class is a requirement for economic justice.»

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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is backing Maine Gov. Janet Mills for the Senate seat in the race to take on longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine.

The University of New Hampshire’s Pine Tree State Poll shows Mills with 24% of likely voters and just 1% for any other candidate. About 14% remain undecided.

Meanwhile, Collins dominates the GOP field with 66% support, according to the poll.

Fox News’ Jasmine Baehr and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report. 

El artista Naderson Saint-Pierre estaba pintando en su estudio de Manhattan la mañana del martes cuando un amigo le avisó que su héroe, Jean-Michel Basquiat, iba a ser homenajeado por la ciudad de Nueva York con una ceremonia de nombramiento de calle esa misma tarde.

Con su overol manchado de pintura, tomó el metro hacia el centro, donde se unió a las personas reunidas frente al número 57 de Great Jones Street, el edificio bajo donde el Basquiat vivió y trabajó en el momento de su muerte en 1988.

La multitud estaba compuesta por residentes del East Village, periodistas de televisión local y admiradores que llevaban gorras y camisetas con el motivo de la corona de Basquiat. También había miembros de la familia del artista —hermanas, sobrinas, sobrinos, primos— y funcionarios de la ciudad. “Es un día hermoso para verlo ser homenajeado de esta manera”, dijo Saint-Pierre, de 30 años, “y que una calle lleve tu nombre es uno de los grandes honores de Nueva York”.

“Soy haitiano, como él”, continuó, “y cuando me mudé a la ciudad sin nada, vendía mi arte por 20 dólares en Tompkins Square Park y dormía en el metro. Basquiat también luchó en las calles antes de encontrar el éxito. Para mí, él es la prueba de que los sueños de un artista en Nueva York pueden hacerse realidad”.

El edificio de dos pisos en el 57 de Great Jones fue la base de operaciones de Basquiat, nacido en Brooklyn, cuando experimentó su ascenso al estrellato en el mundo del arte, y allí murió de una sobredosis de heroína a los 27 años. Durante años, artistas urbanos han dejado tributos en ese lugar con vibrantes versiones de su etiqueta de grafiti “SAMO”.

“Esto se siente como algo que llevaba mucho tiempo esperando”, dijo Michelle Hogan, residente del East Village. “Ahora los turistas que van a hacer fila afuera de Katz’s quizás puedan tener una verdadera muestra de lo que alguna vez fue el East Village y por qué este barrio fue tan importante para la historia del arte pop estadounidense”. Su esposo, Steve Hogan, estaba de pie bajo una valla publicitaria de Moncler con Al Pacino y Robert De Niro mientras observaba a la multitud frente al 57 de Great Jones, ahora sede de la boutique de moda de Angelina Jolie, Atelier Jolie.

“Basquiat merece este honor”, dijo Hogan, “pero no sé qué pensaría él sobre cómo luce ahora esta cuadra y el centro de Nueva York”.

El concejal Erik Bottcher se dirigió a los presentes. “¡Bienvenidos a la calle Jean-Michel Basquiat!” dijo, entre aplausos. “Como él dijo una vez: ‘No pienso en el arte cuando trabajo, trato de pensar en la vida’. Hoy, honramos a un hombre cuyo arte reflejaba la vida en toda su complejidad: la belleza, la lucha, la verdad”.

Bottcher entregó una carpeta azul con una proclamación oficial a las hermanas del artista, Lisane Basquiat y Jeanine Heriveaux. Mientras Lisane contenía las lágrimas, Jeanine agradeció a la ciudad por asegurarse de que la “estrella de su hermano mayor siga brillando intensamente”.

Un gran aplauso se escuchó cuando alguien tiró de la cuerda que retiró la cubierta que ocultaba el letrero de la calle “Jean-Michel Basquiat Way” en la esquina de Bowery y Great Jones. Entre la multitud estaban dos personas que ayudaron a impulsar el nombre honorario, la exconcejala Carlina Rivera y el historiador del hip-hop LeRoy McCarthy.

En la planta baja de Atelier Jolie, amigos y familiares de Basquiat se sirvieron palitos de yuca y tostones con salsa de ajo. La señora Heriveaux y la señora Basquiat subieron las escaleras hasta el espacio del atelier que alguna vez fue el dormitorio del artista, lleno de pinturas. “El hecho de que, en 2025, en el contexto de todo lo que está ocurriendo, él sea homenajeado de esta manera por la ciudad de Nueva York es profundamente significativo e impactante para nuestra familia”, dijo. “Agradecemos el reconocimiento”.

“Veníamos a menudo a visitarlo aquí”, dijo la señora Heriveaux. “Es emotivo estar aquí. Pero al mismo tiempo, hay una sensación cálida al estar aquí”.

Pensó en lo que su hermano podría haber sentido ante el homenaje de la ciudad. “Creo que habría estado eufórico”, dijo. “Él quería ser famoso. Eso es algo que expresó”.

Una vez que la multitud se fue, la cuadra volvió a su ritmo habitual. Repartidores pasaban rápidamente en bicicletas eléctricas. Personas vestidas a la moda almorzaban en las mesas de la acera frente al Bowery Hotel. Y el nuevo letrero con el nombre de Jean-Michel Basquiat brillaba bajo el sol.

Fuente: The New York Times

[Fotos: Michelle V. Agins/The New York Times]

EXCLUSIVE: A top House Republican is criticizing one of Democrats’ senior leaders for saying the government shutdown and its effects are a «leverage point» to accomplish their goals on healthcare.

«It’s appalling to see the number two House Democrat openly admit that the left is weaponizing hardworking Americans as ‘leverage’ for political gain, even acknowledging families will suffer in the process,» Republican Study Committee Chair August Pfluger, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital.

«This isn’t governance — it’s calculated hostage-taking, with struggling families caught in the balance as Democrats attempt to force through their radical agenda. Families are seen only as leverage by Democrats. We always knew it, now they’re saying it out loud. Absolutely shameful.»

House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., sat down for an interview with Fox News’ Chad Pergram last week. At one point, Clark was asked about who Americans would find responsible for the ongoing shutdown.

BATTLEGROUND REPUBLICANS HOLD THE LINE AS JOHNSON PRESSURES DEMS ON SHUTDOWN

«I mean, shutdowns are terrible and, of course, there will be, you know, families that are going to suffer. We take that responsibility very seriously. But it is one of the few leverage times we have,» Clark responded.

«It is an inflection point in this budget process where we have tried to get the Republicans to meet with us and prioritize the American people, and it’s been an absolute refusal, and they were willing to let government shut down when they control the House, the Senate and the White House rather than come and talk about an issue as important to the American people is if they can afford healthcare.»

Fox News Digital reached out to Clark’s office for a response to Pfluger’s comments.

The government is in a shutdown after Congress failed to reach an agreement on federal funding. (Getty Images)

The government shutdown is now in its 23rd day after Senate Democrats rejected the GOP’s federal funding bill for a 12th time on Wednesday evening.

Republicans proposed a measure that would keep federal funding roughly flat until Nov. 21, a spending patch called a continuing resolution (CR), so that negotiators would have more time to strike a longer-term deal on fiscal year (FY) 2026.

The bill passed the House largely along partisan lines on Sept. 19.

But Democrats have been pushing for any funding deal to include an extension of Obamacare subsidies that were enhanced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those enhancements are set to expire at the end of 2025.

Republican leaders have signaled a willingness to negotiate on those subsidies, but have ruled out doing so in the current package.

SCREAMING MATCH ERUPTS BETWEEN HAKEEM JEFFRIES, MIKE LAWLER AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CHAOS CONTINUES

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol on the 10th day of the federal government shutdown in Washington, Oct. 10, 2025. (Alex Wroblewski/AFP via Getty Images)

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«Mike Johnson said, we have an eternity to talk about this, an eternity. This impact of the ACA is in the next few weeks,» Clark said. «Yes, there are repercussions to a shutdown that are terrible for people.»

She continued, «I feel for military families that even if they get paid, you know, there are lots of spouses that also work that are feeling these cuts because we’ve encouraged military spouses to become federal workers to accommodate all the travel and moving that military families so frequently experience. And now we’re saying to them, you’re not going to be paid for your work. I mean, let’s get it together here. The Republicans need to come to town. They need to sit down with us.»

Republicans have seized on Clark’s comments in recent days, however.

House GOP Chairwoman Lisa McClain, R-Mich., said in a statement on Wednesday, «Democrats are holding American families hostage to advance their political agenda, and they’re admitting it.»