Why Lindsey Graham Is Picking A Fight
“If you don’t like it you can leave,” U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (RINO-S.C.) told an angry crowd at a town hall meeting in Greenville, S.C. earlier this week – also exhorting his audience at one point to “chill out.”
In addition to being a symptom of his “Beltway disease” (Graham has been in Washington for fifteen years), it’s also the latest manifestation of a deliberate strategy – specifically, branding his constituents as a bunch of right wing kooks before they can brand him as a turncoat, or “traitor.”
Indeed, Graham has spent the better part of this year not only voting with the Democratic majority in Washington, but picking fights with the right wing of the Republican Party – part of his ongoing effort to be a “center-right” politician in a town whose entire political spectrum has lurched decidedly to the left over the last decade.
And yes, Republicans (like Graham) are every bit as much to blame as President Barack Obama for that paradigm shift.
“I don’t want to be a member of the Club for Growth,” Graham said back in April, shortly after the group blasted Graham’s fiscally liberal voting record – which included out-earmarking U.S. Majority Whip Jim Clyburn.
A month later, Graham slammed libertarians at the SCGOP convention, remarking that “we’re not going to build this party around libertarian ideals.”
Since then, Graham has narrowed his line of attack.
Recognizing that an all-out assault on fiscal conservatism would be a tough sell during one of the worst recessions in American history, Graham decided to switch gears and personalize his attack – going after controversial conservative radio host Glenn Beck.
Beck is obviously an easy target, and as FITS has noted on many occasions in the past there will never be a shortage of kooks and loons in the Republican Party – at either end of its political spectrum.
But that’s just it … Graham isn’t really going after the “kooks and loons,” if you look closer he’s actually going after the core, Reagan-esque principles that the GOP is supposed to stand for – he’s just using the “kooks and loons” to make himself look rational (i.e. centrist) in the process.
“We’re not going to be the party of angry white men,” Graham said at his town hall meeting earlier this week.
Great! Why would Republicans want to be – or be in – a party like that?
Nobody wants that kind of a party. In fact, this website has been front and center when it comes to pressuring the GOP over its ongoing lack of diversity.
But Graham knows it’s not about any of that. Throwing the term “angry white man” out there is his way of deflecting attention from the fact that he’s become part of the problem in Washington – a free-spending, big government liberal who holds the core values of what used to be the “party of Reagan” in utter contempt.
Seriously, what happened to the old Lindsey Graham?
And no, we’re not referring to the sanctimonious blowhard who made a name for himself by bashing Bill Clinton during the 1998 impeachment drama … we’re talking about the guy who in 1995 stood with a handful of fiscal conservatives – dare we say, libertarians – in calling out the leadership of the “Republican Revolution.”
That’s precisely the sort of leadership we need in Washington right now …
UPDATE: The Charleston City Paper has an interesting article on Lindsey Graham today, as well …
Artwork: YSC
Comments
By dirtbogger on October 15th, 2009 at 8:58 am
He will find himself along with Bush and Cheny in a war crimes tribunal sooner or later!
http://911blogger.com/node/21608
By BOYSMOM on October 15th, 2009 at 9:25 am
Too bad that this scum has so long before elections….he needs to be impeached from his Senate Seat representing the state of SC. He has gotten too big for his pants.
By Pat Hendrix on October 15th, 2009 at 9:28 am
“Lindsey Graham has voted with a majority of his Republican colleagues 90.7% of the time during the current Congress.”
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/g000359/
Lindset may annoy you folks from time to time, but calling him a liberal in borderline insane. Perhaps he’s not strident enough. Perhaps it’s something else.
“His uniform was so immaculate I could eat off of it.”
Oh Lindz.
By Reaganite on October 15th, 2009 at 9:44 am
Sen. Graham is handling the Ron Paulers just like President Reagan handled the John Birchers 25 years ago. The Birchers complained Reagan was compromising too much with Democrats (does the deal with Tip O’Neill to extend Social Security ring any bells?). President Reagan didn’t let the rigid, far right ideologues get to him then, and Sen. Graham shouldn’t let them get to him now. Ron Paul and Alan Keyes are entertaining to watch, but they win straw polls — not real elections.
By Red on October 15th, 2009 at 9:48 am
Lindsey is finally beginning to reap what he has sown. Turns out the voters don’t like a deficit spending neocon who has been instrumental in bankrupting our country, giving hundreds of billions to the banks no questions asked, and fighting endless wars.
He took on Ron Paul in Greenville . Watch Ron Paul give Lindsey a public spanking he so richly deserves on CNN yesterday.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEKa3B_dmVo
By CNSYD on October 15th, 2009 at 9:48 am
Pat Hendrix, It is going to snow today. We find something on which we can agree. Graham, unlike Demented, knows that you have to work with others, even those on the opposite aisle, to get something accomplished. My way or the highway does not work. Better to be on the inside to get your points across.
By I was there on October 15th, 2009 at 9:57 am
I was at Graham’s town hall meeting on Monday at Furman, and I was appalled at the lack of decorum by the people who yelled all night. The guy who recorded the YouTube videos stood in the back of the auditorium yelling about 9/11 being an inside job. I think that pretty much says it all.
By stimulus on October 15th, 2009 at 10:11 am
does he always vote with Larry Craig???
By Mab on October 15th, 2009 at 10:14 am
Nancy Graham got served on Glenn Beck’s 5PM Fox slot yesterday. What an idiot. “She” really is on the warpath against anyone who would oppose the “progressives.” That would be the core of the Republican party; the outer shell has already caved to the Thug-in-Chief, who will quash all questioning of his idiocy. He will utilize all the thuggery in his arsenal. And all the “effeminancy.”
Nancy is in the wrong party.
By Red Bank Bar on October 15th, 2009 at 10:16 am
Well, Reagan was a loon. And a liar too. His anecdotes were made up fantasies. He teared-up relating how he was overcome while liberating a Nazi death camp. The small problem with that story was Reagan never left California during the war.
He presided over the largest tax increase in US history(still to this date) and is revered by fools like fitz for being a tax-cutter. He should have been impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors for selling missiles to Islamic terrorists.
He cut and ran in Lebaanon after allowing the murder of over 200 Marines.
The legacy of Reagan is tawdry and dishonest. The only people more dishonest are the Repugnants and their mythology.
By Pat Hendrix on October 15th, 2009 at 10:18 am
Red,
I heard Lindsey likes spankings, just not in public.
Then again, I better watch what I say.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-wLbIY-HJU
By Uncle Walter on October 15th, 2009 at 10:50 am
I heard the “chill out” comment was directed at one person who kept shouting while the Senator was trying to talk.
By Red on October 15th, 2009 at 11:08 am
Reagan was a fiscal conservative?? What book of fairy tales did you read that in? Look at this graph of our nation’s debt during his tenure.
http://zfacts.com/p/318.html
As you can see, Reagan and George Bush presided over the two biggest deficit spending sprees in our nation’s history.
Lindsey voted with the Repubs 90% of the time? Whoopee- some gold standard that is. He helped to effectively double our nations debt in 8 short years. The biggest credit card bill of all time thanks to Lindsey and the “Republicans”. Lindsey voted to give the banks hundreds of billions of dollars last fall – the biggest handout in our nation’s history. Lindsey is about as close to being a fiscal conservative as he is to being a womanizer.
He should be ashamed to come to a public meeting.
By inkog on October 15th, 2009 at 11:20 am
Question: why is graham picking a fight?
Answer: because of this invitation.
http://www.politics1.com/news/moon-invitation1.jpg
By Wilson on October 15th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
He is a closet gay that wants to be out, and proud. Sticking it in the eye of the conservatives (and the most right wing fringe) is the closet he can get. What great satisfaction he must feel when berating a gray headed woman in a town hall meeting!
But he will continue to win election because he raises millions in DC, and buys the leadership of BOTH parties and media at election time.
We are stuck with him.
PS…his conservate voting record is mainly because of multiple small issues that don’t matter, and defense. But on the really big issues…he kills us.
By SuperConservative on October 15th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
Red Bank Bar and Red (I’m curious why you posted twice)
Took quite alot of dough to fix the disasters that Carter and Clinton left behind.
As far as Lebanon goes. It was 1983. I was there in the aftermath along with the rest of my marine and navy buddies. Cutting and running we did not do, I assure you. Course, that’s something you don’t want to know. Fact is, we bombed the shit outta the place. Then again, you don’t care about the truth, it doesn’t make your point.
Maybe you got mixed up with Clinton cutting and running from Somalia after we were embarassed there. Wait, that wouldn’t make your point either
Go save a seal, will ya?
By Pat Hendrix on October 15th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
Super Conservative,
I’m not certain about your “facts.” Carter, shitty president that he was, didn’t run up a deficit. Reagan did. Clinton left a 230 billion surplus. Bush left a trillion dollar annual deficit.
As for Lebanon, after the attack by Islamic Jihad we tossed in a few shells from battleships, but within six months of the bombing, the Marines were entirely withdrawn. It was the right decision. We had no business babysitting Lebanon. Same as Somalia, both parties were in favor of leaving that hellhole. As a matter of fact, the Republican Congress explicitly told Clinton that funding would be withdrawn for further operations. Not that they had to worry, the spectre of American Delta Force operators being dragged through the streets was enough for Bubba to haul ass out east Africa.
By SuperConservative on October 15th, 2009 at 7:03 pm
Pat,
Not sure about YOUR facts actually.
We did much more than toss a few shells at them. I happened to be stationed on the USS Independence CV-62. We were just finishing up in Granada when the news of the compound bombing came and we hauled ass across the Atlantic and through the Med.
Upon arriving, our planes and those of the USS Kennedy launched numerous missions at a multitude of targets. I believe the New Jersey battleship was also on station (I got a great pic of a broadside fired by the NJ while in a Helo one day over there)
What effectively ended the attacks from us was a mistake made regarding a target. A plane from the Kennedy screwed up basically and a number of innocent people were killed.
I happened to be there so basically have a firsthand account. There were no blogs back then to take stale news from the papers and throw around accusations. People here in the states knew very little of what we did during my time in the military.
As for Carter, you’re kidding right? The “shitty” mess he left us in took alot of money to get out of. Probably the most expensive was our military, the laughingstock to the rest of the world at that time. You might remember that the Iranians let the hostages go just before Reagan took office. They knew there wasn’t a doubt he’d make them pay for keeping them. Something Carter didn’t have a clue about.
The Reagan and G H Bush admins set the stage for Clinton to take credit for something he couldn’t have stopped. Although he did his damnedest to do that.
You might try checking your facts next time.
By scooter on October 15th, 2009 at 8:01 pm
Go get ‘em, Lindsey. He is one Republican in DC that I might vote for. I can’t say I agree with all he does, but I like more of his decisions and actions than DeMint’s and Wilson’s put together. At least one guy from SC that has a brain and common sense.
By Roy on October 15th, 2009 at 8:47 pm
In 1990 President Reagan said this in his memoirs: “we did not appreciate fully enough the depth of the hatred and complexity of the problems that made the Middle East such a jungle. In the weeks immediately after the bombing, I believed the last thing we should do was turn tail and leave yet, the irrationality of Middle Eastern politics forced us to rethink our policy there.”
Reagan would have the balls to leave Iraq and Afghanistan now for the same reasons. It takes courage and leadership to admit you didn’t understand the situation and the best thing to do is simply leave.
By ICEMAN on October 15th, 2009 at 9:19 pm
Lindsey is the best thing going for Republicans here in the state, and one of the bright spots nationally for the party. He’s considered a conservative by everyone except the ron paul right wing.
By DanielC on October 16th, 2009 at 9:09 am
@ Beach Banter – we asked each candidate for Lt. Governor on their response to “recall” actions to remove non-representative (South Carolina) folks from Washington – You can read the responses here:
http://www.danielscochran.com/?p=2166
By James the Foot Soldier on October 16th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
Super Conservative – YOU are a Great American.
By Gumtoothed Old Party on October 16th, 2009 at 9:20 pm
I for one don’t want my politicians having the same mentality as the dumb rednecks surrounding Greenville (and Clemson) who were present at the auditorium. Some of the brilliant quotes from audience members include gems as, “God doesn’t compromise!”, and, “Obama is a devil worshiper.” Really? People such as those in the audience that night are one of the reasons that when someone asks me what party I am in I say “independent”. These Glenn Beck worshipers are much further from being libertarian than Graham (ask them if they would ever consider legalizing marijuana?).
Graham, of course is not perfect. But at the same time, I can at least respect that has has not let special interest groups like the SC Club for Growth completely run his show (unlike many other SC politicians). SCCFG makes some good points, but at its heart, it is a business special interest group. Interest groups only care about one thing (the interest of business owners), at the expense of many other important things (ie consumer rights in SC Club for Growth’s case).
By Martha Washington on October 17th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
We tried to sway voters last year to elect Bob Conley, a Ron Paul Conservative Democrat, but people , i mean sheeple, just pulled that lever anyway. It was the main stream republicans-the non-thinking variety-the RHINOS and good old boys that got him reelected. SHAME SHAME SHAME.
I said that Graham should be censured for approving Sotomayer and he still should. But the SC GOP won’t touch it. That makes them complicit in the crimes. Join the GOP and take it back people. Get elected in your precinct. join Campaign for Liberty. Get off the train to Auzwitz before your mind is eaten by the GOP zombies. I voted Constitution Party last election and will do it again.
McCAin was no prize. We’d be in Iran at war right now if he was elected. Also we would not be awakening from our slumber.
We have to take back our country and spend less time worrying about partiies. Get good people to run for office and support them with time AND money. The incumbants have corporations and special interest lackeys paying their way.
By Patriot on October 19th, 2009 at 6:59 am
Graham is not a real patriot, he has no values or views of the SC people. He runs as a Republican and wins because most in SC don’t know anything but political party names. Bob Conley who ran as a Democrat would have been the best for the state of SC, but the party name put Lindsey in again. Wake up SC!
Trackbacks