Thread: Lindsey Graham Watch

Senator Graham voted to confirm Tim Geithner as Secretary of the Treasury even though he is a known tax cheater. Evidently Senator Graham thinks that being a tax cheat makes one more qualified to collect taxes from you.

Instead of voting against this crook Senator Graham decided to turn his scorn on those of you who opposed the Geithner nomination. According to the Senator those of you who believe everyone should follow the law, especially those who are responsible for writing and enforcing it, are being “smallâ€

This guy Graham leads a charmed life. He must really have the goods on some powerful people in the South Carolina Republican Party.


http://www.salon.com/news/lindsey_graham/index.html

Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.
THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2010 13:30 ET
Lindsey Graham's war lie: Bigger than Richard Blumenthal's
BY ALEX PAREENE

Long before he was the Senate's most powerful sometimes-moderate who won't support the climate bill he helped draft because of personal pique, Lindsey Graham was just another politician who repeatedly lied about fighting in a war overseas.

According to his (current) official bio, "Graham logged six-and-a-half years of service on active duty as an Air Force lawyer." After he left the active duty force, he joined the South Carolina Air National Guard. During the first Gulf War, Graham was called up to act as staff judge advocate at McEntire Air National Guard Base in South Carolina. As staff judge advocate, Graham's duties "included briefing pilots on the law of armed conflict, preparing legal documents for deploying troops, and providing legal services for family members of the South Carolina Air National Guard. " His service never took him out of South Carolina.

And so, naturally, for years afterward, Lindsey Graham referred to himself in his official biography and elsewhere as "an Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm veteran."

The truth came out in 1998, while then-Rep. Graham was working hard to impeach Bill Clinton. The Hill newspaper broke the story that he was calling himself a vet despite not being one. Graham insisted he had never explicitly said he served overseas or saw combat, but any reading of his official bio made it obvious that he wanted to people to think he did. And it worked!

Yet almost all of the standard political biographies about Graham describe his military record inaccurately. "USAF, 1990, Pursian (sic) Gulf" is how Who's Who in America and affiliated biographical books list him. The Almanac of American Politics states that Graham "was called up to active duty and served in the Gulf War."

Although Graham said he is not responsible for the Who's Who entry and considers it inaccurate, he does acknowledge providing the information for his web site and other biographies that list him as a war veteran.

Bob Somerby notes that Lindsey Graham escaped from the incident relatively unscathed. In 2002, when Graham was running for his Senate seat, Joe Conason discovered that Graham's website still had the misleading biography. And it was still leading people to write stories claiming Graham served overseas. But Graham was elected anyway.

Since then, everyone seems to have completely forgotten that Lindsey Graham lied about being a war veteran. Richard Blumenthal, who seems to have been slightly more careful with his words than Graham was (and who never lied in his official bio!), may not be so lucky.

The Trap Is Set: Lindsey Graham says at the end of this article that he is not gay. It is time to bring forth the proof, disgrace him for lying and misleading everyone about this then force him to resign. This is the only way to ensure the people of South Carolina do not have a Senator who has by his own actions called into question whether or not he has been or is compromised, not because he may be a homosexual but because he is a liar.

As for his comments about the Tea Party, I think what he really meant to say is with these common unwashed folk up in arms it is becoming a lot more difficult to make deals that the big money donors and PACs expect. How many times will the people of South Carolina allow this guy to kick them in the crotch and run away unscathed. Graham is ticked off because the South Carolina Tea Party played a huge role in kicking out the TARP voting Establishment Darling Rep. Inglis and did not elect another TARP supporter Rep Barret for Governor. Follow the money.


http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162- ... 03544.html

July 1, 2010 4:57 PM

Lindsey Graham: Tea Party will "Die Out"

Posted by Stephanie Condon
(Credit: CBS/ Chris Usher)

In the past year, many Republican lawmakers have sought the support of the conservative Tea Party movement. But Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, bucking his party once again, is predicting the movement will "die out."


"The problem with the Tea Party, I think it's just unsustainable because they can never come up with a coherent vision for governing the country. It will die out," Graham said in an interview with the New York Times magazine. "We don't have a lot of Reagan-type leaders in our party. Remember Ronald Reagan Democrats? I want a Republican that can attract Democrats."


Graham added, in a comment sure to rile some in the GOP: "Ronald Reagan would have a hard time getting elected as a Republican today."


In the current hyper-partisan atmosphere in Washington, Graham is one of the few Republicans willing to work with Democrats on hot-button issues like comprehensive energy legislation and immigration reform. In April, he called the controversial Arizona immigration law -- which has galvanized both liberals and conservatives -- unconstitutional. He has signaled he could vote to confirm Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court and even chided his Republican colleagues for labeling liberal icon Thurgood Marshall a "judicial activist."


Graham's willingness to cross partisan lines has won the ire of Tea Partiers and other hardline conservatives. Republicans in South Carolina have even officially censured Graham for his work with Democrats on issues like immigration.


"Everything I'm doing now in terms of talking about climate, talking about immigration, talking about Gitmo is completely opposite of where the Tea Party movement's at," Graham told the New York Times.


The senator described a contentious meeting he had in his office with a group of Tea Partiers. Graham said he asked them, "'What do you want to do? You take back your country -- and do what with it?'"


"Everybody went from being kind of hostile to just dead silent," he said.


In the story, Graham said that Republicans who will likely be elected in this year's midterm elections will be "more like me, not less like me" -- though he made an exception for at least one Tea Party-backed candidate, Nevada's Sharron Angle.


"Now, this lady from Nevada?" Graham said. "Probably not."


During a Tea Party rally this spring, a speaker said Graham was working with Democrats out of fear that they would out the lifelong bachelor as a homosexual. Graham smirked at the mention of this incident, the Times reports.


"Like maybe I'm having a clandestine affair with Ricky Martin," he said. "I know it's really gonna upset a lot of gay men -- I'm sure hundreds of 'em are gonna be jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge -- but I ain't available. I ain't gay. Sorry."

What a disgusting Son of A B****.

Lindsey Graham wants to ensure that you know elections have consequences and since he blames you for his best friend's loss to obama he is going to punish you with his vote every chance he gets. I agree with Graham that elections have consequences and I hope the people of South Caronlina will teach Mr. Graham that being a traitor does as well.


CQ POLITICS NEWS
July 20, 2010 – 2:01 p.m.

Senate Judiciary Committee Approves Kagan Nomination
With the support of a single Republican, the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday approved the nomination of Solicitor General Elena Kagan as an associate justice of the Supreme Court. The full Senate is expected to confirm her before starting its August recess.

Lindsey Graham , R-S.C., split with his party to support Kagan, President Obama’s second nominee for the high court. That produced a 13-6 vote to recommend her confirmation to succeed retired Justice John Paul Stevens .

“I’m going to vote for her because I believe the last election had consequences and this president chose someone who was qualified, who has the experience and knowledge to serve on this court, who is in the mainstream of liberal judicial philosophy and understands the difference between being a liberal judge and being a politician,â€

What does Senator Graham and his associates really think about you Knuckle-Draggers in South Carolina?


http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix ... y-gra.html

Update, 10:37 p.m. (7/21): Richard Quinn, a consultant to Sen. Lindsey Graham (R), emails the Fix to clarify that his remark that the Senator will do well "among voters with IQ's in the triple digits" was meant in jest. Duly noted.


Note what, I disagree with this update and Mr. Quinn should be man enough to stick with his opinion. I beleive Mr. Quinn meant exactly what he said and that this reflects the Senator's true outlook as well. Put another way he thinks those who spend their lives inside the Beltway or otherwise engaged in non-private enterprise pursuits are more capable of determining what you should be doing with your life.

And by the way it is these faux intelectual elitist who led this nation straight into the mess we find ourselves now. So those triple digit IQ's Mr. Quinn was referencing must be something like 000.

Can you believe this guy. If he truly believes what he is saying then why not encourage a court case to test the legal theory. There are many people who think the Constitution is already clear on the issue and this is another situation where the law is not being enforced by the cheap labor fanatic republicans like Graham and the vote thirsty democrats like Schumer who he cuts deals with.

At least his rhetoric is moving in the right direction and can be used against him later on when he is pushing amnesty. But like his mentor McCain I would trust him a lot more if he only had one vote as a citizen instead of one as a United States Senator.



http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/lind ... /id/366025

Graham: End Birthright Citizenship for Illegals' Children
Thursday, 29 Jul 2010 01:54 PM

By: Dan Weil
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., may introduce a constitutional amendment so that illegal immigrants’ children who are born in the United States no longer automatically become citizens.

Any child born in the United States is now entitled to citizenship under the 14th amendment.

But Graham doesn’t think that privilege should be extended to children of the 12 million illegal immigrants living here.

“I'm a practical guy, but when you go forward, I don't want 20 million more 20 years from now,â€

Can you imagine the internal conflict Senator Graham endured this morning when he stood in the Senate Well and spoke against The Dream Act and repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

Perhaps there is some justice in this world.

If there were ever two enemies that I would like to see together it has to be these two, Senator Grahamnesty and the Taliban.

What exactly is Graham's agenda? Just because he is willing to sell out American Jobs, Lives & Freedom that does not make him ignorant. It could just mean he is a global elitist that has no concern whatsoever for the common citizen. He has been living, working and some say playing (if you know what I mean) Inside The Beltway for far too long.

The permanent Air Force Bases in Afghanistan that Graham is calling for and the expense of that along with all the treasure that has already been expended is a steep price to pay. And for what? To "defend" against an enemy without an air force, navy or other means to conventionally transport themselves to attack the United States. When defending against the Taliban it would make far more sense if Graham were calling for resources to be used in order to fund securing our borders, ports of entry, access by foreigners to airlines, ships, trains etc. Why no call for billions to be spent improving the visa system and physically tracking down and removing those in violation? Without illegal immigration there is no 9-11 attack. Every single one of the 9-11 hi-jacker participants were illegal aliens. Why wasn't that fact made a major focus point of the Bush Administration and the so called Homeland Security leaders. Is the cost of protecting access to cheap illegal alien labor a foreign invasion and occupation? Perhaps the occupation of Afghanistan is not really about cheap illegal alien labor and it is really about something else. Maybe an oil pipeline or keeping the heroin trade booming? Seriously, do you secure your home by leaving the doors and windows wide open and then proceed to leave for the next state over and set up a patrol in a town there?

While I don't agree with everything here or even like any of the people involved I find some interesting things being presented that are worthy of research.
http://www.oilempire.us/afghanistan.html
http://www.theforbiddenknowledge.com/ha ... il_war.htm

And if as Graham argues the Afghan people are better off now than they were under Taliban rule then why doesn't he have confidence in them to maintain their preferred lifestyle? Why should the price be paid in American blood, treasure and debt? Is our Congress seeking to make the entire world dependent on it and the debt servicing capacity of the American taxpayer?

As for Graham's desire to have a beneficial relationship between the two countries I cannot help but think this is code for something. First, why can't our two countries have a mutually beneficial relationship without our military, taxes and debt invovlved? And what exactly do we need a relationship with them for anyways? Cheap labor, Oil, Poppy, War? What do they buy from us, what do they manufacture that we cannot manufacture for ourselves? Do they export foodstuffs that we need in order to keep from starvation? What am I missing? Say hi to their ambassador when he walks through Dupont Circle and let it go at that.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/01 ... latestnews


Taliban Singles Out Sen. Lindsey Graham Over Comment on U.S. Bases in Afghanistan

Published January 06, 2011
FoxNews.com
AP

A U.S. senator who suggested placing permanent bases in Afghanistan has caught the eye of the Taliban, which issued a statement this week saying South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham has proven the U.S. is trying to colonize the Near East nation.

"The Taliban Voice of Jihad Online" is described by the U.S. intelligence community's Open Source Center as an anti-Western, anti-Afghan organization representing the interests of Taliban leader Mullah Omar under the umbrella The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

In a statement issued Tuesday demonstrating its increasing sophistication, the group responded to comments made by Graham during an appearance Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press."

Graham said putting U.S. air bases in Afghanistan -- on Afghan request -- would be "enormously beneficial to the region."

"We have had air bases all over the world. A couple of air bases in Afghanistan would allow the Afghan security forces an edge against the Taliban in perpetuity. It would be a signal to Pakistan, the Taliban are never going to come back in Afghanistan that it could change their behavior," he said. "It would be a signal to the whole region that Afghanistan is going to be a new and different place."

In a strongly worded, propaganda-style statement in which it called out Graham by name, the Taliban group responded that the senator's remarks "reveal the colonialist intentions of America" under the guise of a War on Terror.

"Such remarks by a well-known official of invading America clearly shows that the war on terrorism has been a drama, produced by Washington," the Voice of Jihad said of Graham's comments.

The Taliban Voice of Jihad Online also claimed the U.S. wants to "loot" the nation of its raw materials in order to capitalize on the shift in industrial development from Western nations to Asia and called attacks on Afghan civilian sites like markets and mosques "conspiracies by the invading America."

"They only carry out raids on people's homes like thieves during the night and martyr innocent Afghans," the statement says in a plea for cash and moral support from sympathizers.

The U.S. military and NATO allies "have lost the ability to confront the mujahedeen in broad daylight," it added.

Graham, who recently visited the country, responded that the terror group is grasping at straws as the Afghan people realize they are better off than under "Taliban domination" and can work with the U.S.

"The overwhelming majority of Afghans have no desire to return to Taliban control. Taliban control represented one of the darkest periods in Afghan history," Graham told Fox News. "It is my desire to have an enduring relationship with the Afghan people that would be mutually beneficial to both countries."

"So do we call him and tell him thanks or send him this thread?"