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CNN panelist Bakari Sellers compared Hunter Biden and California Gov. Gavin Newsom to a weird “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”-style political pairing Saturday.
Sellers said some Democrats appeared drawn to the combative posture Biden and Newsom brought to the conversation during a “Table for Five” discussion about Biden defending Maine Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner.
“You had two people that were together for a particular cause, right? A singular cause,” Sellers said.
“And I think that a lot of times people assume that Gavin Newsom ascended to the level of popularity he did because he had the same type of arrogance, egomania and Twitter presence that Donald Trump did. And when you match him with Hunter Biden, you kind of get this really weird, like, ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.’”
Abby Phillip moderates a “Table for Five” panel that discussed Hunter Biden’s defense of Maine Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
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The panel discussion came after CNN aired a clip of Biden defending Platner during an interview with Newsom despite the controversies surrounding the Maine Democrat.
“I have not heard anything in any way that would say to me that he is an abusive, misogynistic or antisemitic or racist person,” Biden said.
Biden then pointed to Platner’s progressive policy positions as a reason Democrats should not dismiss him.
“And I have heard this from Graham Platner, though, that he thinks we should all have free health care,” Biden said. “I have heard this from Graham Platner also that he thinks that we have to radically change our politics. I have heard this from Graham Platner that working people are getting screwed.”
Hunter Biden appeared with California Gov. Gavin Newsom before CNN panelists questioned whether Democrats should elevate his attacks on President Donald Trump. (Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images; Astrida Valigorsky/Getty Images)
SCANDAL-PLAGUED PLATNER CAPTURES DEMOCRATIC SENATE NOMINATION
CNN anchor Abby Phillip said the reaction from some Democrats to Biden’s online attacks against President Donald Trump showed a willingness to elevate him despite broader concerns about the Biden family’s political baggage.
“The Hunter Biden thing, like, first of all, I don’t think most people care one way or another,” Phillip said. “Nobody really is like begging to hear from Hunter Biden. But the quickness with which some Democrats are like, ‘Oh, he’s trashing Trump online. Let’s elevate that,’ I don’t know. I mean, why?”
Former DNC communications director Xochitl Hinojosa said Democrats should be careful about rallying behind Platner nationally because women make up a critical part of the party’s coalition.
“One thing I think I would caution the Democratic Party more broadly about it, is, that women make up a majority of the electorate, especially independent voters,” Hinojosa said.
Graham Platner’s Senate campaign in Maine became the focus of a CNN panel debate over character, progressive politics and Democratic strategy. (Matthew Symons for Fox News Digital)
Hinojosa said the allegations surrounding Platner could create political risk for Democrats heading into the midterms and the 2028 presidential election.
“For national Democrats to really go out on a limb right now, I don’t think it is a smart idea for the reason that we need them to win in the midterm elections,” Hinojosa said. “We need women to win in 2028, and we start alienating women. That is terrible for the Democratic Party.”
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Platner, an oyster farmer and Marine veteran, won Maine’s Democratic Senate nomination Tuesday and is expected to face Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November. Reuters reported that Platner has faced scrutiny over past online posts, a tattoo critics linked to Nazi imagery and allegations involving explicit texts.
