ABC News co-host Sunny Hostin must have been listening to so Taylor Swift before Tuesday’s episode of The View, since she proclaimed, “I’m the problem” as she doubled down on supporting Maine’s Democratic Party Nazi Graham Platner. When directly pressured on if she still would vote for him after new sexual assault allegations, Hostin refused to walk away from her previous dedication to him as a Senate candidate. After spending most of their A-block squawking about moderator Whoopi Goldberg getting stuck in Sicily because of an erupting Mt. Etna, they relegated the breaking Platner news to after their first commercial break. First to speak, co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin recalled how many on the left and in the media dismissed the accusations of her friend and earlier Platner accuser because she was a Republican. On cue, co-hosts Joy Behar and Hostin roundly dismissed her again: FARAH GRIFFIN: And, there was another accuser who came out who I've known for over 15 years, who accused him of what I would characterize as domestic violence when they had dated, and that wasn't enough. And many dismissed her claims because she had worked for Republicans in the past and they didn't take them seriously. Domestic violence should be an absolute no- BEHAR: All of that is true, but I don't want to hear from the Epstein protector party, okay? HOSTIN: Yeah.   Joy Behar and Sunny Hostin dismiss the domestic violence and sexual assault accusations against Graham Platner because one of his accusers is a Republican. The audience claps: ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN: And, there was another accuser who came out who I've known for over 15 years,… pic.twitter.com/WrKNHZ1wK7 — Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) July 7, 2026   Knowing full well that Hostin had previously called for Maine Democrats to hold their nose and vote for Platner, co-host Sara Haines condemned such people. Hostin responded by announcing herself proudly: HAINES: It is the disgusting time in politics where we decide what we're willing to morally accept based on the jersey you're wearing. And if you were one of those people that was willing to plug your nose, you're the problem. HOSTIN: Well then, I'm the problem! Because I was one of those people and I said it, if I lived in Maine I would have, you know, plugged my nose and would have voted for him anyway.   "Well then, I'm the problem!" Sunny Hostin doubles down on her support for Platner despite the sexual assault allegations and plays whataboutism: SARA HAINES: It is the disgusting time in politics where we decide what we're willing to morally accept based on the jersey you're… pic.twitter.com/lO6c3cl1Wv — Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) July 7, 2026   Hostin proceeded to justify her position with her hyperbolic rhetoric about America being in an “existential crisis” and scoffing at Republicans for thinking they had the moral high ground: I think we are in a time of existential crisis in this country and I think Republicans fall in line. They don't fall in love. Democrats want to fall in love and not fall in line. You know, the Republican Party, the bar is so very low, I can't believe, I cannot believe that they want to try to assume the moral high ground on the Republican Party. Nearly a month ago, on June 10, Hostin called on Maine Democrats to abandon the moral high ground and vote for Platner: It's time for Democrats to stop that nonsense, put emotions on the side, let's be strategic, let's get some power, let’s take over the Senate and let’s take over the House and let's right the ship! Let's get our country back! I am sorry, I am someone that believes in character, I am someone that believes that morals matter. But because of the state of this country, I would -- if I lived in Maine I would hold my nose and I would vote for Platner! I would!   Admitting it's all for power, Sunny Hostin on her and Democrats having moral standards: "That is over at this point. That is over. (...) It's time for Democrats to stop that nonsense." pic.twitter.com/H6KgLAvPwE — Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) June 10, 2026   Fast forward to Tuesday, and Hostin refused to retract that full-throated support for Platner when pushed on it: FARAH GRIFFIN: You'd be comfortable still voting for Graham Platner if you lived in Maine? HOSTIN: They [Republicans] do not get to take the moral high ground. Hostin made it clear that it was all about taking control of the Senate and making sure Democrats got power. The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read: ABC’s The View July 7, 2026 11:15:18 a.m. Eastern (...) ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN: These are damning allegations, they are credible. They are corroborated, they are horrific. JOY BEHAR: Yes. FARAH GRIFFIN: This woman is incredibly brave for coming forward. But my issue is this: Graham Platner should drop out but I thought he should have dropped out at the Nazi tattoo. I think he should have dropped out at defaming Purple Heart recipients - BEHAR: Right. FARAH GRIFFIN: - and a fallen Navy SEAL. Homophobic slurs. Bigoted posts in the past. Even previously slandering sexual assault victims. And, there was another accuser who came out who I've known for over 15 years, who accused him of what I would characterize as domestic violence when they had dated, and that wasn't enough. And many dismissed her claims because she had worked for Republicans in the past and they didn't take them seriously. Domestic violence should be an absolute no BEHAR: All of that is true, but I don't want to hear from the Epstein protector party, okay? SUNNY HOSTIN: Yeah. [Applause] (...) 11:16:29 a.m. Eastern SARA HAINES: It is the disgusting time in politics where we decide what we're willing to morally accept based on the jersey you're wearing. And if you were one of those people that was willing to plug your nose, you're the problem. HOSTIN: Well then, I'm the problem! Because I was one of those people and I said it, if I lived in Maine I would have, you know, plugged my nose and would have voted for him anyway. I think we are in a time of existential crisis in this country and I think Republicans fall in line. They don't fall in love. Democrats want to fall in love and not fall in line. You know, the Republican Party, the bar is so very low, I can't believe, I cannot believe that they want to try to assume the moral high ground on the Republican Party. I mean, you know, you can miss me with all of that especially when you have Pete Hegseth who was confirmed by the Senate in 2025 as the head -- as a cabinet member, as the defense secretary when he had one drinking allegation.  His sister-in-law, his sister-in-law submitted a sworn affidavit describing his drinking problem. And in order to get confirmed he pledged he wouldn't drink on the job. Number two, he had a tattoo controversy. Not one, but two tattoo controversies, one was a Deus Vult tattoo, which is used by white nationalist groups. Two, he had - has a Jerusalem Cross tattoo which has been interpreted as an extremist symbol. And finally, in 2017 a woman claimed he had sexually assaulted her after a conference. She reported that assault immediately, she had a sexual assault examination, and in 2020 and he says it was a consensual encounter. And in to 2020 he paid her $50,000 to settle the claim yet, yet. FARAH GRIFFIN: Why not condemn them all? Because I condemn them all. HOSTIN: Yet -yet. Well, but the Republicans didn't do that. [Crosstalk] HOSTIN: The Republicans confirmed him and he is the - [Crosstalk] FARAH GRIFFIN: Well, I'm a Republican right here condemning anyone who's been credibly accused of sexual abuse, they shouldn't be - HOSTIN: I'm talking about the Republican Party as a whole. They are the Epstein file protection party and - FARAH GRIFFIN: You'd be comfortable still voting for Graham Platner if you lived in Maine? HOSTIN: They do not get to take the moral high ground.  (...)

On the heels of Atlantic magazine's prominent writer Jonathan Chait panicking about communists taking over the Democrat party, he went full blast five days later on Monday torching the party enablers of Graham Platt in "With Graham Platner, Democrats Got Drunk on the Beer Test."  Specifically Chait blasted those who performed the laughably lame vetting of Platner as well as those who continued to promote him despite the many scandals that erupted around him. Chait's first blast was directed at Morris Katz, whose unbelievably weak vetting of Platner in the first place ultimately led to the Democrats being in the unenviable situation of perhaps being forced to switch out their candidate for U.S. Senate in Maine. Last September, the progressive strategist Morris Katz confessed to The New Yorker that the process by which he decided that Graham Platner was qualified to run for U.S. Senate required less time than drinking a cup of coffee. Actually, it seems to have been less a confession than a boast. “Within a few minutes of talking to him, I was, like, ‘This guy owes it to the country to run for Senate,’” Katz recalled. Another Platner vetter in Chait's sights was a very strange dude with an annoying vocal fry: Dan Moraff, one of the strategists who helped select and vet Platner, “wants his candidates to back Medicare for All and characterize the Israel-Hamas conflict as a genocide, but beyond that, doesn’t believe voters care about detailed proposals,” The Wall Street Journal reported last month. Having a policy agenda that could fit comfortably on a Post-it note without omitting any important details certainly speeds up the process. Platner, indeed, has boiled down nearly all political problems to the perfidy of sinister oligarchs. Whatever the merits of this worldview, it does not demand much knowledge. ...Donald Trump has described liking his appointees to come right out of “central casting,” by which he means that they look like a Hollywood version of the position they are filling. Katz and Moraff have taken an almost literal approach to this “central casting” criteria, searching for candidates whom the camera loves and then offering them to an adoring progressive fanbase. Platner’s qualifications in this regard are obvious. He has a masculine baritone, and works with his hands. Last year, Katz filmed a video of his new protégé shucking oysters, chopping wood, swinging kettlebells, and speaking directly to the camera in a muddy sweatshirt about how the oligarchy had screwed their beloved state. Finally, Chait chastised the Democrats who engaged in Platner idolatry based on the incredibly poor vetting of their beloved: ...More skeletons kept turning up, though. Platner had sexted with at least half a dozen women after he was married, and reportedly lied about what he knew about his tattoo. He assured Senate backers that no additional negative stories would come out, only for his promise to crumble again. Platner’s enthusiasts initially continued to support his campaign and reject the evidence of his misconduct. When The New York Times reported that a past girlfriend alleged he had physically abused her, the paper dismissed her testimony on account of her being a Republican, ignoring the discrepancies in Platner’s own defense. ...Platner was the Democratic-candidate equivalent of the grinning empty suit who gets the job after a handshake because the boss likes the cut of his jib. He looked like the authentic working-class hero so many progressives wanted, so he had to be one. George Burns once quipped, “When you’re playing a role you’ve got to be honest. And if you can fake that, you’ve got it made.” In politics, people call this “authenticity.” But maybe looking and sounding like a working-class dude who hates big corporations is not adequate qualification for high office—or even proof that you can be taken at your word. So does this mean the Democrats and much of the media will send their former adoration of the Maine oyster shucker down the memory hole?

Over a month ago, after The New York Times reported Lyndsey Fifield’s allegations of abuse against Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner, Fifield took to X to blast The Times for not including allegations of sexual assault made by another woman against Platner that she claimed The Times said would be included. However, on Tuesday, Axios senior contributor and director of Syracuse University’s Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship, Margaret Talev, claimed on CNN News Central that there is no evidence Democrats had any foreknowledge of the Monday rape allegations made by Jenny Racicot and that her accusations have been a “stunner.”  Host John Berman observed that, “I don't think that there's been a Democrat who's been asked whether they still support Graham Platner in the last 12 hours who said they still do. So, the idea that people coming out and saying that they're not backing him anymore, I think it ceased to be news at this point.”    Axios contributor Margaret Talev tells CNN "I don't think there's any evidence that any of the national Democratic figures, Elizabeth Warren or Ro Khanna, that were talking about— knew about this allegation [against Graham Platner], you know, beforehand. This is just been a… pic.twitter.com/nL4BasJLhO — Alex Christy (@alexchristy17) July 7, 2026   However, he also wondered, “Margaret, and we have about 30 seconds left. Do you think this will have a lasting impact on any of the people who backed Platner in the past?” Talev defended Platner’s supporters, “I mean, it'd probably make them—some of these Democrats more likely to really want to try to find out about someone who was—isn't well vetted first, but I don't think there's any evidence that any of the national Democratic figures, Elizabeth Warren or Ro Khanna, that were talking about— knew about this allegation, you know, beforehand.” On June 3, the Wall Street Journal reported that during a meeting with Platner, Warren claimed that Platner’s marital issues should not be put on the same moral plane as sexual assault allegations. Platner had told Sen. Bernie Sanders no such allegations would be forthcoming. The Times’s article about Fifield was released on June 4, and her X criticisms were posted on June 5. Racicot’s allegations were published on July 6 and she claims the reason she went on the record is because she was upset that Platner’s defenders were using Fifield’s conservative political beliefs to dismiss her allegations even though she herself is more closely aligned with Platner politically. The idea that Warren, et al. could not have seen this coming is not credible. Nevertheless, Talev continued, “This has just been a stunner for the Democratic Party. And I think Jackie's right. They have a very quick window to decide. Is there any way to tap the will of the people in the Democratic Party in Maine, or do they just pick someone and move on?” Whatever Democrats ultimately decide to do, reporters-turned-journalism professors should not be inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt on Platner. Perhaps they didn’t know the specifics of Racicot’s allegations, but there were enough clues to indicate that something would come out. To anyone paying attention, Racicot’s allegations were not a “stunner.” Here is a transcript for the July 7 show: CNN News Central 7/7/2026 8:38 AM ET JOHN BERMAN: Again, I don't think that there's been a Democrat who's been asked whether they still support Graham Platner in the last 12 hours who said they still do. So, the idea that people coming out and saying that they're not backing him anymore, I think it ceased to be news at this point. But, Margaret, and we have about 30 seconds left. Do you think this will have a lasting impact on any of the people who backed Platner in the past? MARGARET TALEV: I mean, it'd probably make them—some of these Democrats more likely to really want to try to find out about someone who was—isn't well vetted first, but I don't think there's any evidence that any of the national Democratic figures, Elizabeth Warren or Ro Khanna, that were talking about— knew about this allegation, you know, beforehand. This has just been a stunner for the Democratic Party. And I think Jackie's right. They have a very quick window to decide. Is there any way to tap the will of the people in the Democratic Party in Maine, or do they just pick someone and move on?

Last Saturday night's Washington D.C. speech by President Donald Trump at the National Mall, for America's 250th birthday, was a glowing tribute, full of praise and optimism for a nation the President referred to as history's biggest dream, full of winners, with nothing that Americans can't do. But that hasn't stopped many in the liberal media from calling it divisive, and Sunday on MS NOW's Politics Nation, Host Al Sharpton, took it much further. Sharpton began with a brief monologue which featured the language of Nazis.  SHARPTON: With the nation's 250th birthday commemoration largely behind us, Americans are turning from reflecting on the past to battling over the future of our deeply divided nation. President Trump and MAGA used this holiday weekend to remind us of their vision, one rooted in blood, soil, and total loyalty to a leader who's unable to tolerate dissent and unwilling to compromise. According to The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, "“Blood and Soil” (Blut und Boden) was an early Nazi slogan used in Germany to evoke the idea of a pure “Aryan” race and the territory it wanted to conquer. The concept was foundational to Nazi ideology and its appeal, though it predates the Nazi regime. Blood referred to the goal of a “racially pure” Aryan people. Soil invoked a mystical vision of the special relationship between the Germanic people and their land." We've all heard the liberal media refer to President Trump as a Nazi time and time again, but Sharpton has seemingly stooped to a new low. Don't expect an apology. During the introduction to his guest, Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), Sharpton claimed that Trump's Saturday night celebration put people's lives at risk. SHARPTON: I want to start with the President's Salute to America 250 event, which went on late into the evening and early this morning in DC, seemingly with little regard for the safety of attendees who were braving scorching temperatures and severe storms. In fact, as reported by PBS, Trump didn't speak until 11:15 pm, due to stormy weather which forced evacuations and delays. "There had been some doubt the festivities could go ahead at all after federal and local officials told attendees earlier on Saturday night to evacuate and seek shelter in nearby federal buildings and museums due to "a severe thunderstorm."  Was Sharpton outright lying when he claimed the event proceeded with little regard for attendees, or was he just reading what someone wrote for him? Either way, the Congresswoman picked right up on Sharpton's Trump bashing, and made a bizarre reference to the weather. MENG: We have seen how Trump continues to put himself and billionaires and corruption over the everyday American people. And let's be clear Trumpism is not patriotism. He missed a big opportunity to bring together the country and celebrate our country's birthday, but instead used this opportunity to further divide us. And how ironic that even the weather wasn't cooperating and extended the celebration into the next day. Later in the show, Sharpton brought on the head of The Human Rights Campaign, Kelly Robinson, to get her reaction to the recent SCOTUS decision that went against boys identifying as girls participating in girls sports, and ask her about the reaction to the decision from Melania Trump, and pure filth spewed from Robinson's mouth. SHARPTON: Quoting from her own book, she said, quote, "we can support the rights of the LGBTQ IA-plus community, and also protect opportunities for female athletes," end quote. What was your reaction to her comments and also the point of her message? Do you think that it offered any real clarity or comfort to the families affected? ROBINSON: Not at all. And frankly, it's insulting that she used the last day of pride month to pee on our legs and tell us it was raining.  I'd love to tell you that Sharpton demanded some respect from Robinson, for the First Lady, who is not the President, but of course that did not happen. False accusations, Nazi slogans, and filthy gutter talk. That's how Al Sharpton and Politics Nation celebrated the day after our nation's July 4thth celebration.

MRC Original: “I feel like I’ve been lied to my entire life about America,” an Australian entrepreneur recently proclaimed while visiting the United States, echoing a sentiment loudly heard in viral videos as the country hosts the FIFA World Cup. Is Apple News participating in the cover-up this Australian tourist alluded to? New findings from the Media Research Center suggest a pattern of selective coverage on Apple News that directly reinforces that perception. Tourists marveling at America have become one of the tournament’s biggest surprises, exposing the disconnect between the media’s portrayal of the United States and what foreign visitors actually experience. Yet Apple News, arguably the largest amplifier of media outlets behind that anti-American narrative, all but erased those viral stories from its June feed.  Of the 69 World Cup-related items it featured in its top daily feed, only one highlighted visitors encountering a very different America than the one often portrayed in the international media. Of the many impressions tourists shared, the only headline Apple News elevated about the experience highlighted something entirely different: the prevalence of air conditioning in America. MRC’s Findings: Despite promoting 69 World Cup stories, Apple News featured just one about tourists’ overwhelmingly positive impressions of America. Instead, the news app promoted stories about topics such as travel, politics, and health concerns. The World Cup stories that Apple News featured in June exemplified recent polling showing that only 27% of Democrats express high levels of pride in being an American versus 93% of Republicans. Given that Apple News is a hard-left news app, it is unsurprising that it ignored a multitude of viral stories from right-leaning outlets that explained how much World Cup visitors have found they love America. Out of 557 daily headlines from AllSides-rated outlets that MRC examined, Apple News promoted over 70% (393 stories) from left-leaning outlets and just under 2% (10 stories) from right-leaning outlets. Apple News showed slightly less bias against right-leaning news outlets in June compared to May, moving from a paltry 1% stories from right-leaning outlets in May to under 2% in June. Another 154 stories (nearly 28%) came from center-rated outlets. Apple News Gave Limited Attention to Tourists’ Viral Praise of America Tourists from around the world visiting the U.S. for World Cup matches have been pleasantly surprised by how much they have enjoyed America and its residents. Some tourists have rightfully blamed the elitist media for selling them a host of misleading and downright false narratives about the United States.  Apple News is one example. Of the 69 stories featured about the World Cup in its daily morning top stories, only one discussed the positive experiences of international visitors. Sadly, that positive story focused not on America’s freedom, beauty or culture, but on its air-conditioning: “European soccer fans enjoy a brief fling with America’s air-conditioned culture,” read the June 29 headline by The Washington Post.  Among the featured stories about the World Cup were many that focused on controversial issues, such as: “The World Cup Is a Petri Dish,” by Bloomberg on June 1. “How do you stop Ebola at the World Cup?” by Politico on June 7. “Somali referee is dropped from World Cup after turned back at US border,” by AFP News on June 9. “As FIFA forces stadiums to change names, one embraces its bland new brand,” by The Washington Post on June 11. “Frustrated Iran vents about restrictions after draw with New Zealand at World Cup,” by the Los Angeles Times on June 16. “Visa costs kept her from seeing her son’s star World Cup moment. Now she’s going,” by The Washington Post on June 18. “How migration, colonial ties and tweaks to FIFA eligibility rules have made this the diaspora World Cup,” by The New York Times on June 18. “FIFA revokes credentials of World Cup commentator after expletive-laden on-air rant,” by The New York Times on June 25. Apple News Shuns Right-Leaning Outlets Covering Viral Tourist Reactions Soccer fans from Europe, Asia, South America and Africa may have expected to find an inhospitable country when they travelled to the U.S. to watch the World Cup. After all, the elitist media's reporting reflects the growing dislike of America among Democrats and liberals. According to recent polling, 93% of Republicans are very proud or extremely proud to be Americans, while only 27% of Democrats said the same.   Apple News seemingly doubled down on this messaging, largely camouflaging the truth about America’s greatness and stories from international tourists about how much they surprisingly love America. It’s not as if there simply were no positive stories to promote. Apple News could have promoted headlines from some of the most-visited right-leaning news outlets in America, including: “Brits Visiting U.S. for ‘First Time for World Cup Apologize to Americans: ‘We Owe America a Huge Apology,’” by Breitbart on June 24.  “Europeans Visiting U.S. for World Cup Fall in Love with America: ‘The Most Wonderful People in the World,’” by Breitbart on June 22. “Bill Maher lauds foreign visitors at World Cup: ‘They are reminding Americans this place is kind of awesome,’” by Fox News on June 27. “World Cup fans fall in love with American culture, comfort food classics,” by Fox News on June 13. “World Cup tourists swoon over the real America – and they’re making us fall in love, too,” by the New York Post on June 15. “Foreign Soccer Fans Are Discovering Something Many Americans Forgot,” by the Daily Wire on June 11. “How European World Cup athletes have trained for US heat – as visitors admit: ‘We owe Americans an apology,’” by the New York Post on June 19. “Brits visiting US for first time during World Cup are apologizing to Americans: ‘We were wrong,’” by the New York Post on June 24.   Apple News Once Again Focused Almost Entirely on Stories from the Left, Improving By Less than One Percent Since May According to the latest Press Gazette rankings, seven right-leaning news outlets are among the most visited news sites in America, including the following (in order): Fox News, New York Post, Daily Mail, Breitbart, The Gateway Pundit, Newsmax and The Epoch Times. Apple News featured stories from only one outlet from this list.  Apple News promoted 557 articles from AllSides-rated outlets in the month of June. Of these, ten were from Fox News, the only right-leaning outlet featured by Apple News in June. This amounted to less than 2% of the daily top stories featured throughout the month. Apple News’s habit of favoring the left matters. According to the Pew Research Center, 86% of Americans turn to their digital devices for news “at least sometimes.” With Apple News coming preinstalled on every iPhone, and with approximately 150.7 million iPhone users in the United States, millions of users are exposed to its leftist bias by default. The tech giant boasts 125 million visits per month. MRC Free Speech America Intern Abel Jones contributed to this study. Methodology: During the time period of June 1 - 30, 2026, MRC researchers examined the top 20 stories featured on Apple News each day at approximately 8:30 AM ET. MRC researchers used the AllSides media bias ratings, which categorize an outlet as “left,” “lean left,” “center,” “lean right” or “right” to determine the overall bias presented by Apple News and analyzed the results. MRC conducted manual reviews in search of World Cup-related stories.