{"id":43649,"date":"2025-09-03T12:43:24","date_gmt":"2025-09-03T19:43:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/?p=43649"},"modified":"2025-09-03T12:43:25","modified_gmt":"2025-09-03T19:43:25","slug":"the-biggest-applause-line-from-graham-platners-labor-day-speech-was-about-ending-us-bombs-in-gaza","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2025\/09\/03\/the-biggest-applause-line-from-graham-platners-labor-day-speech-was-about-ending-us-bombs-in-gaza\/","title":{"rendered":"The Biggest Applause Line From Graham Platner’s Labor Day Speech Was About Ending US Bombs in Gaza"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Sen.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and US Senate candidate Graham Platner are seen at a rally on September 1, 2025 in Portland, Maine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0(Photo by Anna Bahr\/Friends of Bernie Sanders)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the second biggest was about naming the enemy which his Senate campaign will seek to target: “the oligarchy.”<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

JULIA CONLEY<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sep 02, 2025 (CommonDreams.org)<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/strong>Graham Platner, the Democratic hopeful in Maine looking to unseat US Sen. Susan Collins next year, received the largest applause of his Labor Day speech in Portland on Monday when he railed against the ill-spent taxpayer money used to support the Israeli genocide in Gaza\u2014a sharp contrast with many in the party who have shied away from such direct criticism of Israeli’s assault and the backing it receives from the US government.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even as support for Israel’s assault on Gaza<\/a> has plummeted<\/a> among US voters and Americans across the political spectrum have increasingly demanded an arms embargo on the country, a number of Democratic politicians have struggled to keep up with the electorate in recent weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg<\/a> called<\/a> the conflict in Gaza that’s killed more than 63,000 Palestinians and starved hundreds of people “complicated,” while Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) last week accused<\/a> a Jewish comedian of “justifying antisemitism” for noting that more than 80% of people killed by the Israel<\/a> Defense Forces were civilians. Both responses<\/a> garnered condemnation<\/a> from Palestinian rights advocates and progressive commentators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But on Monday\u2014before a packed house of more than 6,500 in Portland\u2014Platner took a much different approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Our taxpayer dollars can build schools and hospitals in America, not bombs to destroy them in Gaza,” said Platner, leading the audience to stand up and applaud for a full 30 seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Platner: Our taxpayer dollars can build schools and hospitals in America, not bombs to destroy them in Gaza. pic.twitter.com\/DwVzZZ7FoG<\/a><\/p>— Acyn (@Acyn) September 1, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote>