Stephen King Walks Back, Deletes Tweet Defending Graham Platner After Avalanche of Criticism
Article excerpt
Stephen King walked back his defense of Maine Democratic Party Senate candidate Graham Platner after an avalanche of criticism over a pair of posts he made. The post Stephen King Walks Back, Deletes Tweet Defending Graham Platner After Avalanche of Criticism first appeared on Mediaite.
Screenshot via X
Prolific horror writer Stephen King walked back his defense of Maine Democratic Party Senate candidate Graham Platner on Tuesday after an avalanche of criticism over a pair of posts he made.
Following a bombshell report from Politico detailing an allegation of sexual assault against Platner, King posted to X, “Tell you what, if you knew the whole truth about everyone in the Senate and House of Reps, those chambers would be dead empty. Jesus said, ‘Let him without sin cast the first stone.’”
King, one of Maine’s most famous residents, also posted in a since-deleted tweet, “Graham Platner may drop out. (I hope he doesn’t, but.) Meanwhile, the Abuser in Chief just keeps on keepin’ on.”
King’s takes were quickly ridiculed by pundits and journalists on social media. The Dispatch’s Jonah Goldberg replied, “LOLOLOLOL. So because we don’t know about hypothetical rapey legislators we should forgive the ones we do know about.”
LOLOLOLOL. So because we don’t know about hypothetical rapey legislators we should forgive the ones we do know about. https://t.co/P1ojzFV6qM
, Jonah Goldberg (@JonahDispatch) July 6, 2026
Kat Rosenfield of the Free Press noted, “My theory is that this worked okay when it was a regrettable tattoo or app-based adultery, but that ‘who amongst us has not raped his paramour during a home invasion’ will be the proverbial bridge too far.”
My theory is that this worked okay when it was a regrettable tattoo or app-based adultery, but that “who amongst us has not raped his paramour during a home invasion” will be the proverbial bridge too far https://t.co/pULVN0CeEU
, Kat Rosenfield (@katrosenfield) July 7, 2026
On Tuesday, King walked back his messaging a bit, writing, “Not defending Grah, Platner. If he committed rape, he should bow out. Just making a comparison.”
Not defending Grah, Platner. If he committed rape, he should bow out. Just making a comparison.
, Stephen King (@StephenKing) July 7, 2026
Below are some more of the scathing replies King received:
“Who among us hasn’t done a little rape???” -Stephen King, basically https://t.co/0oa2OPXOny
, Sara Gonzales (@SaraGonzalesTX) July 7, 2026
Folks… https://t.co/Cp3k3nG6Bn
, David Weigel (@daveweigel) July 6, 2026
So not only is Stephen King hoping that Graham Platner does not drop out of the race, he’s now engaging in further rape apologia.
King is misusing “let him without sin cast the first stone,” a passage from John 8.
That passage is about stopping hypocritical, punitive mob… pic.twitter.com/IZfZvZSNwD
, Yashar Ali (@yashar) July 7, 2026
This is the most slopulist tweet I've ever seen https://t.co/TVMcSsBXlW
, Noah Smith (@Noahpinion) July 7, 2026
Your continued defense of Platner is more horrifying than anything you've written https://t.co/eIs80XZuUB
, James Kirchick (@jkirchick) July 6, 2026
things are just getting super weird and bad and sad https://t.co/NWgitfwO5J
, Jesse Singal (@jessesingal) July 7, 2026
I don’t need them to be flawless.
But I do need them to not be credibly accused of rape.
That’s a pretty reasonable ask Stephen. https://t.co/4grZKObRAF
, Adam Cochran (adamscochran.eth) (@adamscochran) July 6, 2026
Stephen King is giving you a rape pass. Use it wisely. https://t.co/89tlL3bHr8
, Josh Rainer (@JoshRainerGold) July 7, 2026
__
The post Stephen King Walks Back, Deletes Tweet Defending Graham Platner After Avalanche of Criticism first appeared on Mediaite.