Lindsey Graham: The Republicans' Sancho Panza
Like most conservatives, I’m grateful that both senators from South Carolina are Republicans. Jim DeMint, on the one hand, is a skilled political operative. Lindsey Graham, on the other hand, is a Republican version of Joe Biden, a master of the political malapropism who gives every impression of being able to speak without evidence of brain activity. Let’s review:
In January 2010, he said this on climate change:
Now my concern is that every day that we delay trying to find a price for carbon is a day that China uses to dominate the green economy.
Isn’t China the country putting a new coal-burning plant on-line every few days? And long after it was clear the Senate wasn’t going to pass cap-and-trade, wasn’t Senator Graham trying to broker a deal with the Democrats?
In March 2010, he and Senator Schumer co-authored a Washington Post op-ed proposing immigration reform that sounded and smelled like an amnesty bill. Later, after he was for it, he was against it.
On Sunday, Graham, instead of criticizing wild-eyed Afghans who killed several UN workers in Afghanistan (including the beheading of some of them), showed a monumental misunderstanding of American history and the First Amendment by suggesting we limit American’s First Amendment rights (including those of the goofy Koran-burning preacher in Florida) in order to appease the barbarians who kill the innocent. He said,
I wish we could find some way to hold people accountable. Free speech is a great idea, but we’re in a war. During World War II, you had limits on what you could do if it inspired the enemy.
Mark Steyn pronounced him “unfit for office” based on this travesty.
Then, in the same interview, Graham suggested that American broaden its participation in the incomprehensible Libya adventure. Here’s George Will’s description from today’s Washington Post:
Perhaps the CIA operatives should have stayed home and talked to some senators who seem to know what’s what. Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) refers to the Libyan rebels as part of a “pro-democracy movement.” Perhaps they are. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) must think so. Serving, as usual, as Sancho Panza to Sen. John McCain’s Don Quixote, Graham said last Sunday, “We should be taking the fight to Tripoli.”
Now that my rant is over, here’s my question: Shouldn’t the Republicans be working to find a candidate to challenge Senator Panza when he comes up for election in 2014 (someone like Nikki Haley)?
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Aug '10
Re: Lindsey Graham: The Republicans' Sancho Panza
Lindsey Graham is a fine representative of the genus Doofus Americanus.
Big Tent Republicans are surely pleased with the diversity he brings to the team.
Aug '10
Re: Lindsey Graham: The Republicans' Sancho Panza
I assume that Senator Graham represents the whole state of South Carolina, and that it does include the wonderful Harbourtown Golf Course. If that is so, then a pending retirement is fraught with promise. Faster please.
As usual, Kenneth is spot-on with his quick wit. Al Green indeed.
May '10
Re: Lindsey Graham: The Republicans' Sancho Panza
My apologies, Tabula Rasa, for the insult. Some thoughts:
1. There are any number of Republican politicians who are guilty of saying stupid things, but we tend to give them a free pass: Newt Gingrich's absolutely laughable flip-flop on Libya, for instance, or Peter King's misguided support for the IRA's terrorist activity. This is to say nothing of the childish antics of Sarah Palin and her acolytes. Only Republicans who are suspected of being evil moderates or alleged RINOs are assailed.
2. I happen to think Graham is wrong on Libya and probably wrong on immigration, but the man has a 100% rating from NRLC and Americans for Tax Reform, and National Journal -- the same rankings upon which we depended for our attacks on "the most liberal senator" -- says he's the 24th most conservative. How on earth is he a RINO?
Jun '10
Re: Lindsey Graham: The Republicans' Sancho Panza
Graham is an embarrassment. He considers the Tea Party movement an annoyance. He believed that the bogus carbon trading scam of Cap & Trade was a justified way to deal with a constantly changing climate that mankind does not influence. And the MSM delight in putting him in front of the cameras rather than some of the more intelligent new and emerging leaders in the Party - Ryan, Cantor, Rubio, Rand Paul who can more intelligently challenge them.
Even McCain has been more thoughtful lately about what he's saying on the Hill and comprehends the wave of change that the Tea Party is bringing to the Party. Graham is still clueless. Perhaps Vice President Biden's staff can do us a favor and lock Graham in a closet somewhere...so we don't have to be distracted and get some work done.
Aug '10
Re: Lindsey Graham: The Republicans' Sancho Panza
Cap and trade and global warming support for starters. Then there's "We just gotta tell the bigots to shut up!" as a response to people that oppose his amnesty for illegal aliens proposal. And of course the latest outrage regarding free speech that Mark Steyn has so marvelously addressed. There are many more specific examples, but that should be enough to begin to explain why the label fits.
May '10
Re: Lindsey Graham: The Republicans' Sancho Panza
I suppose McCain, Lugar, Pawlenty, and Romney are all RINOs, then, for supporting cap and trade at various times?
Jun '10
Re: Lindsey Graham: The Republicans' Sancho Panza
Harlech: My apologies, Tabula Rasa, for the insult. Some thoughts:
1. There are any number of Republican politicians who are guilty of saying stupid things, but we tend to give them a free pass: Newt Gingrich's absolutely laughable flip-flop on Libya, for instance, or Peter King's misguided support for the IRA's terrorist activity. This is to say nothing of the childish antics of Sarah Palin and her acolytes. Only Republicans who are suspected of being evil moderates or alleged RINOs are assailed.
2. I happen to think Graham is wrong on Libya and probably wrong on immigration, but the man has a 100% rating from NRLC and Americans for Tax Reform, and National Journal -- the same rankings upon which we depended for our attacks on "the most liberal senator" -- says he's the 24th most conservative. How on earth is he a RINO?
Apology accepted. Had I written about Gingrich, I'd have been more critical.
My primary point is not the RINO issue, but that Graham makes incredibly inane comments. I think we should expect more from him. I'm a Republican and he embarasses me. I don't think I'm alone.
May '10
Re: Lindsey Graham: The Republicans' Sancho Panza
OK! I can live with that. ;-) Misunderstood where you were coming from, sorry again
May '10
Re: Lindsey Graham: The Republicans' Sancho Panza
Graham is a rational politician. On two of these examples, we may not like his positions (I don't) but they are not crazy.
One of his major constituents is Duke Power, which benefits more than almost anyone else from Cap'n Trade; it stands to reason that he would support one of the largest companies in his state. He's wrong, but every politician has done something like this at some point. His statement about speech also was not my preference, but he is historically correct, and as a military JAG attorney, he is speaking from the viewpoint of a military officer whose colleagues are spilling blood because of stupid things said and done by Terry Jones types. And Walter Jones types.
Would I prefer that the Grahams of the world win in NY so that more conservative people are in South Carolina? Sure. But his ACU rating is solid at 90%, he just strays on a few issues. I would gladly have 60 senators like Graham than 45 like DeMint. Harlech is absolutely right.
Jun '10
Re: Lindsey Graham: The Republicans' Sancho Panza
Duane Oyen: . . . On two of these examples, we may not like his positions (I don't) but they are not crazy.
. . . . His statement about speech also was not my preference, but he is historically correct, and as a military JAG attorney, he is speaking from the viewpoint of a military officer whose colleagues are spilling blood because of stupid things said and done by Terry Jones types. . . .
. . . . I would gladly have 60 senators like Graham than 45 like DeMint.
This is my last post. If you like Graham so be it. I don't.
Three points. First, I didn't say he was crazy, I said he was inane, and his statement that China is a leader on green energy policy is inane. Second, if we had 60 Republican senators like Graham we'd now be living under a cap-and-trade law. Third, free speech is not just a "good idea," it's a constitutional right. The nutty Rev. Jones did not "inpire" the enemy. He offended them and, barbarians that they are, they killed some innocent people. Are we to "limit" our First Amendment rights because there are crazy people in Afghanistan? Not me.
Aug '10
Re: Lindsey Graham: The Republicans' Sancho Panza
What is a 'rational politician'?
A horse trader? A wheeler dealer? A vote for my bill and I'll vote for your bill type of dealmaker? A politician who won't make an attempt because he anticipates failure? '
'Rational politician'. Hmmm. It sounds like something a rational person could put zero trust in. I think I much prefer the principled politician - Someone much more like Graham' s South Carolina counterpart, Jim DeMint.
Edited on Apr 8, 2011 at 4:08pmMay '10
Re: Lindsey Graham: The Republicans' Sancho Panza
Could you provide just 2-3 principles you think all Republicans should embrace and then explain how, say, Scott Brown doesn't fit the bill?
May '10
Re: Lindsey Graham: The Republicans' Sancho Panza
I like Senator Graham, and I wonder if those who choose to bash him have served their own country for as long and distinguished a military career as his. Actions count more than words, for me. If you sign up to put yourself in harm's way to protect me, my family and my country, and if I have problem with something you say, I'll respectfully disagree with you. That's the minimum courtesy we should extend someone who has worn a uniform in service to our country. I know his pragmatism doesn't sit well with some, but that's no reason to attack him. I find him a breath of fresh air among of fanatic Republicans that have recently come to Washington. The fact that he'd rather do what's right for the country than pander to the fringe is why he makes more appearances on Greta than Hannity.
May '10
Re: Lindsey Graham: The Republicans' Sancho Panza
I agree with Karen.
Jun '10
Re: Lindsey Graham: The Republicans' Sancho Panza
Karen: ...
Actions count more than words, for me. If you sign up to put yourself in harm's way to protect me, my family and my country, and if I have problem with something you say, I'll respectfully disagree with you. ...
Nicely said, Karen. The purist streak is a bit much. Voting is not a precision tool -- it is a blunt instrument. We must move the country in the direction we want. We have to take the good with the bad, especially if they have the kind of ACU rating that Senator Graham does.
Duane Oyen: Regarding the idea that we should shoot for 45 DeMints rather than 60 Grahams: wow does that miss the point of what a democracy is. I understand it from the point of view of a two year congressional session but not for a longer time. The 45 DeMints would give you the filibuster power but that is all -- absolutely nothing beyond that. How about 39 DeMints -- what then? Purists often do more harm than Rino squishes.
Politics is a decision making process that takes disparate and competing ideas and forces a decision to come out the other end. It's not complicated.
Dec '10
Re: Lindsey Graham: The Republicans' Sancho Panza
Karen: "That's the minimum courtesy we should extend someone who has worn a uniform in service to our country. I know his pragmatism doesn't sit well with some, but that's no reason to attack him."
Well, yes, that is precisely a reason to attack him.
If we are going to rate politicians by military service, then we should make Sen. Inouye President for Life for his incredible bravery as part of the Nisei Brigade in WWII. His giving an arm for a not-always-grateful nation makes him a war hero, but his politics still stink on (shave) ice.
Graham's military service doesn't give him a pass for being dangerously wrong on climate change, immigration and Gitmo. And it in fact makes his position on the Qu'ran burning controversy that much more incomprehensible and indefensible - apparently he thought he was defending an America where the First Amendment is an inconvenient anachronism and not a bedrock foundation of our freedoms.
What is it you like about him, again?
Edited on Apr 8, 2011 at 6:28pmSep '10
Re: Lindsey Graham: The Republicans' Sancho Panza
It's principle versus pragmatism. Given a choice, I choose principle every time.
When I was younger, more liberal, and voted democrat most of the time, I used to despise Jesse Helms, my senator from N.C. But as I have gotten older, and maybe a little wiser, I now appreciate his uncompromising positions. If nothing else, he created an anchor from which the country could only drift so far to the left.
Jim DeMint is the closest thing I am aware of in politics to being a truly principled operator. The rest all have flaws: McDaniels and his state supreme court nominees, Romney and Romneycare,. Bachman's insistence on farm subsidies, Scott Brown, whose first vote in the Senate was to spend 19 billion dollars above and beyond the budget and stimulus package, Barbour and global warming, and John McCain's election finance reform debacle. Need I go on?.
At this point in history, we need 60 Jim DeMint's in the Senate to save a sinking ship by adhering to sound budget principles. Britain needed Churchill during WWII, we need principled politicians NOW. That, to me, is real pragmatism.
Jun '10
Re: Lindsey Graham: The Republicans' Sancho Panza
Karen - I'm in full agreement with Stuart's and Standfast's sentiments above. Frankly I'm not sure who the "fanatic Republicans" are that you reference. Is Allen West a fanatic? Rand Paul? Marco Rubio? Michele Bachmann? When I hear them speak in the measured tones that they do, I find them thoughtful and perceptive and a breath of fresh air because for too long I haven't heard such devotion to original Republican and founding principles from Republicans on the Hill - and I would take anyone of them to Graham, Snow or Collins in a heartbeat.
If by "the fringe" you refer to the millions of Americans in the Tea Party movement, then count me among the fringe. I am proud to be part of a group who only want limited government, fiscal solvency and adherence to the Constitution and the rule of law.
The elitist, establishment Republicans who for years have pragmatically compromised and knowingly expanded the federal government beyond Constitutional enumerated powers have brought this country to the brink of financial ruin and allowed for an aggressive socialist-inspired Democrat Party to run amok. Forgive me for not applauding Graham and his ilk for doing so.
Edited on Apr 8, 2011 at 7:28pmJan '11
Re: Lindsey Graham: The Republicans' Sancho Panza
Supposition confirmed, in that and other issues!
Dec '10
Re: Lindsey Graham: The Republicans' Sancho Panza
Harlech: I suppose McCain, Lugar, Pawlenty, and Romney are all RINOs, then, for supporting cap and trade at various times? · Apr 8 at 1:58pm What Anon said. And I suspect that they all still believe deep-down in the urgent need to save Earth from all that evil carbon.