Friday’s CBS Mornings was the first major broadcast network flagship newscast to mention the allegations laid out by ex-girlfriends of Maine Democrat senatorial candidate Graham Platner with nothing on ABC or NBC, and all three networks skipping it Thursday night. By Friday night, however, ABC’s World News Tonight covered the disturbing claims and the CBS Evening News led off with them. This left NBC’s newscasts Today and Nightly News as still covering up any mention of this new series of claims that could derail their side’s attempts to take Congress in November. Of course, none of them could bring up the fact that The New York Times – which published the long-rumored piece – engaged in a catch-and-kill operation against Lyndsey Fifield, the ex-girlfriend with the most graphic allegations the paper actually ran (while others she was made aware of by Times journalists were left out). “Turning now to the closely watched Senate race that could decide control of the Senate. Growing questions about main Democratic candidate Graham Platner after reports of several women coming forward with disturbing allegations. Platner now responding,” said Saturday anchor Whit Johnson, filling in for David Muir. Senior White House correspondent Selina Wang told ABC viewers for the first time that “oyster farmer” Platner has been “battling a firestorm of controversy” and he’s been trying to mount a campaign to defeat Republican Susan Collins, but his “past” has been “coming back to haunt him.” Notably, the “oyster farmer” part in of itself is, at best, half-true. Over 24 hours after The New York Times story on Graham Platner came out, ABC News finally covered it on one of their major newscasts, Friday's 'World News Tonight.'@SelinaWangTV said "oyster farmer" Platner has been "battling a firestorm of controversy" as his "past [is] now… pic.twitter.com/c46sPumNOe — Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) June 6, 2026 Listening to and then reading it, you get the sense ABC feels bad for him! Wang continued: “First, a series of sexist Reddit posts now deleted. Then, reports he exchanged sexual text messages with at least six women shortly after he was married in 2023. Platner’s wife Amy standing by him.” After she falsely claimed The Times story came out “overnight” (when it dropped Thursday around 4:00 p.m. Eastern), she all-too-briefly summarized what The Times chose to publish about Fifield plus Platner’s denials (click “expand”): WANG: Overnight, The New York Times reporting several of Platner’s ex-girlfriends describe “unsettling behavior.” One claiming Platner regularly grabbed her by the shoulders, sometimes hard enough to leave marks. And, on one occasion, yanked her out of a cab by her wrist. She said during one argument, Platner “twisted her arm behind her back, shoved her into a bedroom and held the door closed from the other side so she couldn’t get out.” SENATOR SUSAN COLLINS (R-ME): The allegations in the latest story are troubling and I believe that Graham Platner has a lot of questions to answer. WANG: Platner fiercely denies any violence but admits to mistakes in his past, speaking with ABC affiliate WMTW. GRAHAM PLATNER: I’m very happy to talk about incredibly uncomfortable things in my life, but when things come along that are just made up or lies, I’m very much going to push back against those. It was here she brought up the Nazi tattoo, which she downplayed by saying it was just “a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol” and that “Platner insists he only recently became aware of the Nazi connection.” Wang ignored one portion of Fifield’s story The Times did run, which was her texts with him and recollections of him openly admitting he knew its origins. The pity party came back, but this time, it was for her fellow liberals (click “expand”): WANG: It all puts national Democrats in quite a bind, winning Maine is crucial in their effort to retake the Senate. Senator Bernie Sanders standing by Platner. SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT) [on CNN, 06/02/26]: I’m sure he’s not a saint. And by the way, let’s not forget he has acknowledged – this guy served four tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has acknowledged that he came back with PTSD. WANG: But Senator Elissa Slantkin, exasperated. SENATOR ELISSA SLOTKIN (D-MI) [on MS NOW, 06/05/26]: I look forward to the day where I am not answering every single week a question about bad behavior by another dude. I – I just – I’m looking forward to that day. Over on the CBS Evening News, anchor Tony Dokoupil offered a framing of events based on Platner’s terms: “Graham Platner, if you don’t know, is an oyster farmer and the centerpiece of the Democrats’ plans to retake the U.S. Senate. He is also a changed man, he says, full of regret about his past. The trouble is that past keeps coming up.” There’s that sympathy play, again! Friday's 'CBS Evneing News' led off with Maine Democrat Graham Platner with @CHueyBurns returning after having the first network newscast story on Friday's 'CBS Mornings' Here was how Tony Dokoupil set it all up: "Graham Platner, if you don’t know, is an oyster farmer and the… pic.twitter.com/LQsu9ZLDIt — Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) June 6, 2026 But because Dokoupil and CBS have covered it both times Friday as well as his pivot below, one could at least grant partial credit for taking this story seriously: This week, The New York Times reported that three women who had been romantically involved with Platner described the relationship as toxic and detailed behavior they found unsettling and at times emotionally wrenching. And while Platner has denied anything physical, that follows another report about text messages the women not his wife appeared, and still earlier, revelations about drugs, drinking, and tattoo getting. That’s all needed explaining. Congressional correspondent Caitlin Huey-Burns was back on the case and rehashed portions of her story from the AM, down to her characterization of the Nazi tattoo as “widely recognized as a Nazi symbol.” Here, though, she noted “Fifield told The New York Times he did know” what it was. Just like her stories last week about his sexting scandal, an updated version came with sound from a few Maine voters. In both cases here, they implied they’d continue to support him. On Democratic Party reaction, she said he’s “facing criticism within his own party” like from Senator John Fetterman (PA) while “other high-profile senators like Bernie Sanders and Chuck Schumer are standing by Platner.” Full disclosure: I’ve been friendly with Fifield for many years. While I wouldn’t say we’re friends or communicate regularly, I can state unequivocally she has been a woman of high character. To see the relevant transcripts from June 5, click here (for ABC) and here (for CBS).

Thursday’s PBS News Hour kept up its desperate rear-guard action fight against the Trump administration’s tactics in deporting illegal immigrants, so it was emotional and delighted to find a change of heart in a “deeply conservative” Montana town that didn’t turn out to be full of hate-filled rubes after all. The online headline: “ICE arrest in a rural Montana town prompts a conservative community to take action.” PBS didn’t issue headlines like “liberal Minneapolis fights ICE” earlier this year. Co-anchor Amna Nawaz declared: In a northeastern corner of Montana sits the small town of Froid. Rural and deeply conservative, it backed President Trump during every one of his White House runs. But, earlier this year, when federal immigration agents detained one of the town's longtime residents, this tight-knit community pushed back. Here's Montana PBS's Matt Standal. PBS News Hour anchor Amna Nawaz: "Rural and deeply conservative, [Froid, Montana] backed President Trump during every one of his White House runs. But...when federal immigration agents detained one of the town's longtime residents, this tight-knit community pushed back." pic.twitter.com/9nEspDw3Vg — Clay Waters

With America’s 250th birthday coming up next month, ABC News co-host Sunny Hostin went on an anti-American rant during Friday’s episode of The View. Hostin, who once said she felt more comfortable in Ghana than America, proclaimed she was “embarrassed” by many things about the country that gave her the privilege to be a multimillionaire TV co-host. She even asserted that America was a “failed experiment” in self-governance. While reacting to the UFC stage being built on the White House lawn, Hostin raged at America and ranted about how “embarrassed” the country made her. She was especially embarrassed by what other countries thought of America: And at this point, I am embarrassed at our government. I'm embarrassed at our lack of healthcare. I'm embarrassed on the assault on the press. I'm embarrassed of our Congress. I'm embarrassed by the criminal felon president that is in the Oval Office that has a UFC cage on the White House lawn. (…) I'm embarrassed about all those things. And I'm also embarrassed at how America is now seen across the globe. I don't think that many Americans understand that we are part of a wonderful global community. And when you look at our allies, our allies are now giving us a one-star rating as a country. She went on to declare that America “is, at this point, a failed experiment, quite frankly.”   Sunny Hostin, who once said she was more comfortable in Ghana than America, says she's "embarrassed" by the country as America nears 250 and calls it a "failed experiment" in self governance: SUNNY HOSTIN: And so I think we have a very complicated history here. I think it's a… pic.twitter.com/gILwK0E8y8 — Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) June 5, 2026   Faux conservative co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin pushed back and asked if America was “beyond redemption.” Hostin walked it back slightly but said former President Bill Clinton sapped her hope for a swift recovery: FARAH GRIFFIN: You think it's beyond redemption at this point? HOSTIN: I think at this point it is failing. It is a failed -- FARAH GRIFFIN: You don't think elections could bring it back, a change could bring it close -- HOSTIN: I spoke to President Clinton when he was here, off camera, and he believes that it's going to take this country decades to recover from what has been done. Moderator Whoopi Goldberg was not going to stand for such doom and gloom on the show. “I don't. I don't think it's going to take us decades,” she directly addressed Hostin’s comment. Goldberg talked about how proud she was to live in America after living other places: Let me start with this, I am really proud to be an American, because I've lived in other places, as have we all. And to be able to do what we do and not get arrested tells you this is still America. I love all the places I've lived but this is the only country that I know that allows us to do what we do and for that, I'm forever grateful.   Whoopi says she's "forever grateful" to America and for 250 years of it: HOSTIN: I spoke to president Clinton when he was here, off camera, and he believes that it's going to take this country decades to recover from what has been done. WHOOPI GOLDBERG: I don't. I don't think… pic.twitter.com/hjbotK0ClS — Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) June 5, 2026   Fake Republican co-host Ana Navarro had mixed feelings about America. “But I think you can separate feeling proud of America, feeling proud of being an American, feeling proud of the exceptionalism and resilience of this country, and feeling really ashamed and embarrassed and horrified by the American government right now,” she said. Navarro went on to falsely claim the Trump administration ordered, “U.S. citizens killed for exercising their right to protest; like they killed Alex Pretti and Renee good in the streets of Minneapolis.”   Ana Navarro falsely claims the Trump is killing American citizens for protesting using children "as human bait" and allowing them to die in custody: "But I think you can separate feeling proud of America, feeling proud of being an American, feeling proud of the exceptionalism… pic.twitter.com/jyDGRAvCYQ — Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) June 5, 2026   Additionally, she ridiculously asserted the administration was abusing kids: Or small five-year-old children used as human bait. Thousands of children are being held in detention centers all over this country like Dilley outside of San Antonio in deplorable conditions, they are dying from lack of medical care. They are getting sick from dirty water. Of course, the “bona fide news program” didn’t provide evidence. The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read: ABC’s The View June 5, 2026 11:04:47 a.m. Eastern (…) ANA NAVARRO: But I think you can separate feeling proud of America, feeling proud of being an American, feeling proud of the exceptionalism and resilience of this country, and feeling really ashamed and embarrassed and horrified by the American government right now. You know, I never thought in my entire life I would see U.S. citizens killed for exercising their right to protest; like they killed Alex Pretti and Renee good in the streets of Minneapolis. Or small five-year-old children used as human bait. Thousands of children are being held in detention centers all over this country like Dilley outside of San Antonio in deplorable conditions, they are dying from lack of medical care. They are getting sick from dirty water. (…) 11:07:13 a.m. Eastern SUNNY HOSTIN: And so I think we have a very complicated history here. I think it's a very complicated country. And at this point, I am embarrassed at our government. I'm embarrassed at our lack of healthcare. I'm embarrassed on the assault on the press. I'm embarrassed of our Congress. I'm embarrassed by the criminal felon president that is in the Oval Office that has a UFC cage on the White House lawn. SARA HAINES: It's really American, Sunny. HOSTIN: I'm embarrassed about all those things. And I'm also embarrassed at how America is now seen across the globe. I don't think that many Americans understand that we are part of a wonderful global community. And when you look at our allies, our allies are now giving us a one-star rating as a country. While I am conflicted about this country because I feel that it is at this point a failed experiment, quite frankly. I am also discouraged by how this country is viewed by the rest of the world. ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN: You think it's beyond redemption at this point? HOSTIN: I think at this point it is failing. It is a failed -- FARAH GRIFFIN: You don't think elections could bring it back, a change could bring it close -- HOSTIN: I spoke to President Clinton when he was here, off camera, and he believes that it's going to take this country decades to recover from what has been done. WHOOPI GOLDBERG: I don't. I don't think it's going to take us decades, because everyone has -- Let me start with this, I am really proud to be an American, because I've lived in other places, as have we all. And to be able to do what we do and not get arrested tells you this is still America. HAINES: Yeah. GOLDBERG: I love all the places I've lived but this is the only country that I know that allows us to do what we do and for that, I'm forever grateful. For 250 years, if we've gotten to here, forget the last two years. Figure how far we got. Figure all the things, all the stuff women were able to do, all the things that we were able to take care of ourselves, finding the ways to make our lives better. That's why glass ceilings were broken. That's why people fought and got run over and hit by water cannons. Was for the right to be an American, to be considered an American. Which is why I get so angry when I listen to people talk about who we're not. We are all Americans. We don't have to believe everything each other believes, but we are all Americans. [Applause] This is our country and we're going to fight like hell for it. We'll be right back.

A “Flash Report” issued Friday by the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank reveals that data “more precise” than that published earlier in the day show that May’s unemployment rate actually declined over the past month – and that the labor market remains resilient. In “Flash Report: May Unemployment, Job Gains Signal Steady Labor Market,” the bank details the findings: “The headline U.S. unemployment rate in May was 4.3%, where it has been since March. More precise data show the rate fell slightly to 4.296% in May from 4.337% in April.” …. “The unemployment rate has been broadly stable over the past year, and the labor market continues to show resiliency.” The indicators in May’s employment report “point to a resilient labor market,” the report reiterates later in its analysis. What’s more, the report notes, the number of people finding, losing or newly-seeking jobs was virtually unchanged from April, “providing further evidence of a steady labor market.” The business and economic reporting of CNSNews is funded in part with a gift made in memory of Dr. Keith C. Wold.

“The only thing we get wrong is: it’s always worse than we initially thought,” House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said Thursday, commenting on the superseding indictment the Justice Department (DOJ) filed against the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) this week. “Cross burnings. Extremist rallies. Ku Klux Klan (KKK) robes. All funded by the SPLC,” the committee noted in a social media post regarding news of the superseding indictment. Cross burnings. Extremist rallies. KKK robes. All funded by the SPLC. pic.twitter.com/BTxY5LdjRI — House Judiciary GOP