Graham: GOP 'not going to be the party of angry white guys'

CNN ^ | October 13, 2009

[GoldStandard]

(CNN) – South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham has always enjoyed a little back-and-forth with belligerent audiences.

He was at it again on Monday night as he faced down an angry town hall crowd in Greenville packed with libertarians and Tea Party activists who accused at the Republican senator of ditching conservative principles by working with Democrats on issues like climate change and voting to send Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court.

But Graham stressed a mantra he's repeated many times since his friend John McCain lost the presidential election last November — that the GOP must reach out to different constituencies, or face extinction.

"I'm not going to leave the Republican Party," Graham said when one questioned asked him why he hasn't yet joined the Democrats. "I'm going to grow it. We're not going to be the party of angry white guys."

His comments were met with a salvo of boos and shouts of "Ron Paul!"

[spodefly]

Having been a contributor to various Republican entities for many years, I still get calls all the time asking for money. This has become a sport for me. I love telling them how they have seen the last dime they will ever get from me.

So the last call I got just a couple of days ago was from the Republican Senatorial Committee. The person on the phone must have used the term “conservative” 5 times in the first minute ... “conservatives like us ...” “working to support conservative candidates” etc.

I took great pleasure in letting them know that if the product of their work efforts was Lindsey Ghramnesty and John McCain, they could count not only on me not giving them any money, but if they ever called me again they would get more than they bargained for.

[Prospero]

Since the major Parties amount to violations of the Establishment clause for the moment, Graham can neither dissolve and elect a new constituency nor can his constituency expel him from the Republican Party.

This may change, one day, "if the Lord tarries," but for the moment, Republicans have to share the room with this enabler.

That being said, you Republican officials and office holders out there take note. We can't disown him, yet, but Mr. Graham of South Carolina has created a very big problem. By checking in his critical judgement at the door and supporting the radical faction in the Executive Branch, he's closed off the steam valve on a boiler filled with Whoopass.

There's a very angry, legitimately frustrated base out here being left with no choice other than to cut off its nose to spite its face. There better be some air, real quick, some visible blue sky between Graham and Republican officials and office-holders or the latter will get caught in the collateral damage.

It's time for Judgement to begin with the House of the Lord.

[Since 2009-07-21]

the GOP must reach out to different constituencies, or face extinction.


McCain, Graham, Schwarzenegger, etc...the GOP's very own fifth column. A party that is defined by these dickless, nutless Vichy types SHOULD go extinct!

[squarebarb]

Angry white guys like Dennis Kucinich (sp?) and Senator Byrd and Teddy Kennedy and ... never mind.

[Bigg Red]

The S.C. Republicans choose to keep Graham in office. Why?

&&&
Not sure how much this is a factor, but there seem to be a lot of NY libs retiring to the Myrtle Beach area. Perhaps they are moving into other SC areas as well.

[truthguy]

South Carolinians, can you please vote this moron out of office?

Of all the RINOS, this guys drives me crazy the most. He is a real POS. Is there any possibility that he can be challenged in a Republican Primary? When is he up for reelection? Can he be recalled? The guy is a flat out menace and is dumber than a box of rocks.

Please South Carolina Republicans, do something about this clown! I will donate the maximum legal amount of money to anyone who will offer a primary challenge.

[Rastus]

It’s worse than that. 2014.

[IronJack]

The GOP is not going to be.

[Chunga]

Would you give your take on the notion that I've seen espoused by a few FReepers that Lindsey is actually trying to scuttle Cap And Tax by adding measures like off-shore drilling and investing in clean coal technologies and nuclear energy, alienating the left to the point that there will be no support for the bill and killing it dead...all the while being able to say "we tried to get something done, but the Democrats in the Senate refused to compromise"?

I don't know a single Democrat in real life who is in favor of drilling, coal or nuclear energy...what Dem Senator would vote for this?

Is Lindsey a stealth lib legislation destroyer, or is he just a lib?

[Rastus]

He got another term the day we were stuck with the Kenyan.

[Josa]

I am praying that South Carolinians will start a
recall petition for graham. I’ll contribute finanically to that effort.

Today I called the Repubican Party and officially told them
to remove my name from their rolls. I am now a conservative Independent.

[JudgemAll]

Typical. THEY NEVER ASK OBAMA TO DISTANCE FROM HIS RADICAL RACISTS, but he yields to pressures to associate with false labels of “angry white guys”.

The guy is a pathetic Vichyist.

[TexasFreeper2009]

Whites are still 75% of the population, and if you count most of the Latinos as white (which they are every bit as much as an Italian) over 85% white.

[Repeal The 17th]

[I see my hands]

[truthguy]

Yes I read this just after I made my post. This is sickening. I don't suppose there's any chance for a recall. We need some kind of a stragedy for dealing with him and Juan McCain. We must start the process of purging the Republican Party of these types.

If we are going to lose, then let's lose to Democrats so that the public will understand the consequences of voting in Democrats. But Graham is the worst of all possible cases. He votes like a Democrat but is a Republican supposedly. What's wrong with South Carolina Republican Party? Yes they have DeMint but honestly I really hate this Graham more than I hate most Democrats.

Let's keep pounding away on him and confronting him with fervor on every issue. Get into the guys face whenever and wherever we can. Pound on him relentlessly.

[Jim Robinson]

Lindsey Graham has his head up his ass.

[bk1000]

“The S.C. Republicans choose to keep Graham in office. Why?”

Don’t you remember? He was their only ‘republican’ choice, and there was a crisis: if we don’t elect repubs, the dems will get their 60 seat majority. It’s all part of the master plan. THEY’RE ALL IN IT TOGETHER! We fell for it. Same thing with Georgia and Saxby Chamblis. We have been duped.

[writetolife]

Levin just played a speech by Barry Goldwater and it was an amazing no nonsense speech about freedom. Why can’t we get guys like that in the Republican Party today?