MSNBC anchors Chris Hayes and Rachel Maddow opened up about a June interview regarding abuse allegations against Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner. During that broadcast, Platner flatly denied the claims, stating, “Anything alleging physicality is simply not true.”
However, both hosts say his response left them highly skeptical that more skeletons were hiding in his closet.
Reflecting on the conversation, Hayes said he asked the candidate twice if there were any other scandals waiting to drop. “And I’ll just say that he basically said no, but I didn’t necessarily feel like that no was 100% convincing,” Hayes said.
He was quick to point out that his takeaway was based entirely on instinct rather than insider information. “Again, this has been just like reading body language and making a personal judgment. It’s not because I have inside knowledge. It’s just the way that you react — that no felt like a little wobbly. I’ll just say it. I think other people who heard the no felt like it was a little wobbly, too. And I think that’s obviously borne out.”
Maddow said she had the exact same reaction. She first listened to the interview live on SiriusXM, then decided to go home and watch the video footage to see Platner’s facial expressions.
“And on that point, which you were very insistent with him on, I was like, that doesn’t sound like a categorical, clear no,” Maddow said. “And I went home and watched the tape version of you do it because I wanted to see him give his answer, too. And that was my take, too.”
While she acknowledged that “reading body language and reading somebody’s personal affect on things like that is the world’s most unscientific assessment,” she confirmed her gut feeling matched Hayes’s.
The two hosts then discussed how this kind of skepticism plays out on the campaign trail. Hayes noted that everyday citizens use these exact same intuitive measures when deciding who to vote for.
“There’s the question of credibility, which is that you do believe him, but there’s also: This is a person who’s going to run for office, and he’s going to say things to voters, and they’re going to believe him or not believe him,” Hayes said. He added that Platner faces a major uphill battle with his credibility if he stays in the race. “Because voting for a candidate is not the jury room. And it’s not a test, right? Voters get to make decisions based on all kinds of stuff that they’re getting in the atmosphere or getting off your body language or voice. And that’s just kind of the way it works.”
Maddow wrapped up the segment by pointing out that voters have every right to judge candidates this way. “That’s right,” Maddow said. “And perhaps rightfully so, since they’re going to have to decide whether or not you’re a trustworthy, literal representative of them and their needs in Washington.”
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