Quick Hits: Volume CDXV

- The fact prominent leftists (including many elected members of Congress) turned a blind eye to the dark, creepy background of U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner was a mere confirmation of their lust for power as opposed to standing on the principle of "believe all women." 

When conservative activist Lyndsey Fifield discussed Platner's abusive behavior when the two dated a decade-plus ago, many dismissed her story as a partisan attempt to undermine his candidacy. So when a different former girlfriend of Platner, who happens to be left-of-center, comes forward with serious allegations of assault, that is apparently a whole other can of worms. 

The woman, a 41-year-old Maine resident named Jenny Racicot, detailed the alleged incident to POLITICO in three interviews over the past two weeks. POLITICO also spoke with a man Racicot dated and confided in the years after the alleged incident, and reviewed documents, including emails between Racicot and her therapist and messages between Racicot and an acquaintance whom she warned against getting involved with Platner years before he ran for office.

Racicot said she had an on-and-off relationship with Platner, who is now the Democratic Senate nominee in Maine, for more than two years before he entered her rural Maine home uninvited one night in late 2021, deeply intoxicated, and forced himself on her while she repeatedly told him to stop. She said she cut off contact with him after telling him the encounter was not consensual.

“I remember him grabbing my pelvis and being really forceful of me,” she said. “I remember the specific moment where I thought to myself, like, ‘This is no longer my choice.’”

Platner denied the allegations.

But the catalyst for Racicot going on the record resulted in a collective exploding cigar in the face to the aforementioned prominent Dems who were all in on Platner despite Fifield's abuse allegations.  

Racicot said she later felt compelled to go public about her experience because the reaction to the Times story was dominated by controversy about another woman, Lyndsey Fifield, who alleged Platner mistreated her and faced attacks because of her ties to the Republican Party.

It's notable that there is a July 13 deadline to replace Platner as the Dem nominee. You can bet your last dollar had these same allegations occurred after that date, there wouldn't be nearly the fervent calls for Platner to step down as there have been since this story broke Monday.

Yeah, it would appear leftists were willing to sell what little moral fiber they owned in an effort to attain a Senate majority. Now it appears they didn't even do that correctly. Heckuva job, all. 

- Buzzkill. 

The USMNT lose 4-1 to Belgium in the Round of 16 and are eliminated from the 2026 World Cup. 🇺🇸💔 pic.twitter.com/s3naug2WoT

— USMNT Only (@usmntonly) July 7, 2026

Oh, well. I guess this means we can now return our full attention to America's real favorite pastime: summarily ignoring soccer. 

- Of the 20 or so major metropolitan areas which are home to at least 3 of the 4 major men's sports leagues (MLB, NFL, NHL and NBA), the Twin Cities has the longest championship drought at nearly 35 years. 

Before that it was Cleveland, which endured a 52-year dry spell before their NBA team the Cavaliers won a title in 2016. The centerpiece of that championship team? LeBron James. 

So is it possible that, 11 years later, James could be the missing piece in bringing a different championship-starved region an NBA title? 

The Minnesota Timberwolves have ramped up their push for LeBron James, with full belief that they are very much in the hunt to land one of the greatest players in NBA history, league sources told The Athletic.

The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe ongoing deliberations, said the Timberwolves have been in contact with James’ representatives with a bold pitch: team up with Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert to go after the kind of championship that could end any discussion about who is the greatest player of all time.

The Wolves firmly believe they have the best situation for the 41-year-old James as he prepares for his 24th season. They have a core headlined by Edwards, Ball and McDaniels that can take a lot of the offensive pressure off James’ shoulders. They have McDaniels and Gobert to help ease James’ workload on defense, as well.

Most importantly, they have a story for James to tell. Unlike several of the other options on the table for him, including the Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat and James’ hometown Cleveland Cavaliers, the Timberwolves have never won a championship. The Vikings and Wild are title-less as well. The Twins’ World Series win in 1991 marks the last time a Minnesota men’s professional sports franchise won it all, the longest drought among U.S. markets with all four major sports. The people of Minnesota are desperate for a championship.

The Wolves think if James picks them over all the other suitors — cold weather and lack of spending power be damned — it would be the biggest possible statement he could make in the long-running greatest player of all time debate between him and Michael Jordan.

The kicker? James would be the first player in NBA history to be a part of four different franchises to win a title. Having accomplished literally everything else in the game (i.e. championship rings, MVPs, all-time scoring leader, accumulating a billion-plus dollars in wealth, etc.), why not notch something that literally no one else can lay claim to? 

As a Timberwolves fan, I'd sign any petition advocating for a LeBron statue outside the team's home arena the millisecond the franchise hoists a Larry O'Brien trophy. 

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