Two candidates walk into a bar.
They’re approached by reporter Jon Fetherston of The Maine Wire.
Janet Mills, 78, one of the candidates, throws a beer in his face.
A second candidate, Graham Platner, 41, buys him a beer.
Therein the stark difference between someone who alienates and someone who exudes class.
Fetherston, as well as other Maine Wire reporters, have made a career out of trying to engage Gov. Janet Mills, who is running against an oyster-farmer Marine, Platner, for the Democrat U.S. Senate nomination.
The bitter, angry, chip-on-her-shoulder Mills simply will not take a question – not one – from The Maine Wire. Nor will anyone from her clique.
Maybe it’s because the outlet has been so tough in covering her administration. Mills is not used to actual questions, preferring the milquetoast puffballs from quasi-government organizations such as the Portland Press Herald.
Then there’s Graham Platner’s approach.
In fact, approach is an apt term with Platner.
He is approachable, even by the snakes of The Maine Wire.
Let there be no mistake – The Maine Wire has absolutely blistered Graham Platner, poked fun at him at every turn since he became a candidate.
The outlet has gone after his alleged Nazi tattoo. His saying that cops are bastards. That poor people are stupid.
And yes, The Maine Wire has even mocked his “great sperm.”
And what does he do?
He actually talks to The Maine Wire. With pure civility.
Fetherston approached Platner at a recent Portland campaign rally to ask him a question.
What did Graham Platner do?
Engaged Fetherston, took his questions, cordial and friendly-like.
Now there’s a Democrat even a Republican can like.
“I’ve had half a dozen conversations with Graham Platner,” Fetherston told Managing Editor Tom Shattuck on Shattuck’s podcast. “He’s always been pleasant, he’s always been nice to me.”
If you click on the podcast link you can see an exchange between Platner and Fetherston. Can’t make this stuff up. See it for yourself.
Shattuck had Fetherston on the air to tell his story about how he deals with hostile candidates who otherwise are no friends of The Maine Wire.
Fetherston’s tale is instructive for journalists and politicians alike.
He told about one time with Platner.
“The second conversation we had, I literally flat out said to him, ‘I don’t agree with anything that comes out of your mouth. But I will always treat you fairly and report you honestly,’” Fetherston told Shattuck.
“And he literally shook my hand and hugged me and said ‘that’s all I can ask, because if I’m going to be successful I need people who don’t agree with me to talk with me.’”
There you have a seasoned reporter who will approach anyone, Republican or Democrat, black or white, and a candidate who holds no animosity, no grudges toward a news outlet that – this can’t be underscored enough – has been absolutely brutal on him.
Janet Mills, time for you to grow up and stop acting like a child.
In fact, here’s an idea.
Next time you run into Jon Fetherston, try buying him a beer.
You might learn something. Heck, you might even like Fetherston. Heck, he might even like you!
Warming up a bit might also help your beleaguered fundraising efforts.
Platner raised $4.6 million in the fourth quarter, far outpacing Mills, who took in $2.7 million.
The moral to the story may be hostility doesn’t translate well into dollars, which a campaign sorely needs to win an election.
