Molly McPhersonCrisis and Reputation Strategist | Creator of Mollyfi | Host of The PR Breakdown

He spoke to pain better than anyone. That's the lesson.

14 Jul 2026 · 1 min

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In this brief political commentary, Molly McPherson asserts that Grant Platner’s appeal stemmed from his ability to "speak to pain," addressing the grievances of ordinary people against an entrenched oligarchy, billionaires, corrupt Congress, and the influence of money in politics. She notes that Platner also targeted the Trump administration, positioning his message as a call for accountability in politics and public life. McPherson acknowledges that despite clear warning signs, the strength and momentum of Platner’s movement caused many observers to overlook those red flags.

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You speak to pain. That's what Grant Platner did. He spoke to pain. He spoke to people's pain, not just Manor's pain, but everybody's pain. Okay. The oligarchy, billionaires, corrupt Congress, money, you know, corrupt politicians, money and politics that resonates with people. He would go after the Trump administration that resonates. We want that to be a standard in politics, in life, in the people who we put in trusted positions. We want accountability. We want that. But this is also where it goes. We also had the warning signs. We also had the warning signs, but because he had such a movement, people were missing them.