Lindsey Graham’s big scare: How an ex-con reality star could ruin his life

salon.com ^ | 5/14/14 | Heather Digby Parton

[cotton1706]

These are tough times for the Republican maverick.Where once this was a celebrated archetype among the conservative tribe (as long as it included a devotion to low taxes and global military dominance) today there is just no room for deviation from the party line in even the smallest of ways. Take, for example, the plight of Sen. Lindsey Graham — who just suffered an epic humiliation at the hands of his own party in Charleston County, South Carolina, for being a RINO turncoat:

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) was censured Monday night by Republicans in Charleston County who don’t believe he’s conservative enough.

According to The Post and Courier of Charleston, South Carolina, the vote to censure Graham was 39-32, “done by secret ballot and with limited discussion.”

“I want my politicians to be more conservative,” said Tom Sheridan, one of the supporters of the resolution.

The censure document covered about 30 points, including disapproval of Graham’s support for President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nominees and of his cooperation with Democrats.

The Graham campaign issued a feisty rebuttal insisting that they were going to take their campaign to all 20,000 Republicans in Charleston County and then see who comes out on top. The problem for Lindsey Graham is that the most liberal Republicans in the whole state live in Charleston County. The rest of the state is much more conservative.

The latest polling isn’t great news for him: 40 percent approve and 38 percent disapprove. And that’s actually an improvement over previous polls. Still, he is being challenged by six other Republicans for the GOP nomination and there is little reason to believe that he won’t be the nominee. All the political wags thinks he’ll make it over the 50 percent threshold.

[Kenny]

Assuming Lee wins.

[Nifster]

Ravenal is a power hungry lap dog. He is no different than the nancy boy

[Kenny]

But even if Graham gets the nomination, I want a Republican in that seat, any Republican so that Cruz, Lee, etc. can make a difference. We’re just hamstringing the good guys to make a point if we let the Democrats just have the Senate because we didn’t get 100% of what we want. Last night, three Tea Party candidates won and that number will only increase but it won’t happen overnight and may never happen if we don’t get our act together.

Please, call me any names you like but don’t preach that a Democrat is better than a RINO when that RINO seat can make a difference between Cruz making the decisions or Reid.

Flame away!

[Resettozero]

Assuming Lee wins.

That is a major assumption, considering there is little visible campaign in the Upstate for anyone other than Senator Graham (who is coattailing his main TV campaign upon Tim Scott's conservative reputation as a freshman Senator!)

Unless someone comes forth from the grave, this is as dead a campaign (other than LG's TV ads) as I've seen. And I thought a couple of the challengers were serious about replacing Graham. Must be wrong again.

[wardaddy]

Lap dog for whom?

I think he wants revenge and redemption

Doesn’t have any hierarchy behind him I can see

I doubt he wins but he can sure spoil

[2CAVTrooper]

In a perfect world I’d like to see everyone who has served 2 or more terms as a Senator, or 4 or more terms as a congresscritter to be removed from office.

There is no reason why these creeps need to serve more than 8-12 years in office.

[DoughtyOne]

Agreed. And I’d like to see something to the effect that they can’t accumulate massive wealth while serving.

These people go in hundred thousandaires, and wind up multi millionaires.

Something stinks...

[2CAVTrooper]

it’s all the kickbacks, insider trading, and skids greased by shady lobbyists.

IMO once out of office they should be banned from lobbying, and have that “golden parachute” retirement reduced from life to no more than 2 years after leaving said office.

[DoughtyOne]

I’ll do you one better. Have them serve only two months per year. The rest of the time they work in their old profession.

Pay them expenses, and that’s about it.

When they leave, they go back to work full time.

No retirement whatsoever.

This way they get less time to screw us.
They keep in touch with their community.
They keep in touch with reality.
They don’t gain massive wealthy.
They don’t sap our treasury dry for only having served one to whatever terms in office.
Limit them to two terms for Senators, and at most four for Congressmen.

[deport]

Interesting in that Sen. Graham has six primary challengers and Sen. Scott has none.

[Osage Orange]

Agreed.

[Nifster]

He was part of the political elite until his felonious behavior. He is desperate to regain power ....figure it out

[wardaddy]

Is elite bad by default?

DeMint was elite I assume

My issue with Ravenel is he sounds moderate at best on culture

I liked him on his show....his daddy was hysterical over Lincoln money

Are you a participant in South Carolina...

My wife is partly from Charleston.

I worked in Ninety Six, Lancaster and Greenwood

Does that give me cured..lol

[wardaddy]

Is elite bad by default?

DeMint was elite I assume

My issue with Ravenel is he sounds moderate at best on culture

I liked him on his show....his daddy was hysterical over Lincoln money

Are you a participant in South Carolina...

My wife is partly from Charleston.

I worked in Ninety Six, Lancaster and Greenwood

Does that give me cured..lol

[wardaddy]

Dogfood uglee

[Nifster]

Your bromance was hot and heavy for Rudy Guliani for president until his cocaine bust.

So glad you enjoyed him on the gay channel that Andy Cohen runs. Hope you can see him on there for a long long time

[upchuck]

Thanks for the ping.

Twelve years ago this was elected as our Senator from South Carolina...

Now it is time to

kiss the Fairey
GOODBYE!

Want on or off this ping list? Just FReepmail me.

h/t to martin_fierro for the fairey graphic

[wardaddy]

I was polite with you.

No call to be a jackass.

Maybe its your nature.

Hence likely not a southerner.

But your facts are right. I conceded he was not proper on culture war.

And yes...Andy Cohen is insufferable

[Din Maker]

If somebody other than Graham is the nominee, then Ravenel won’t be running. He’s out to defeat Graham one way or the other.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Well then, the guy can’t be too bad if that’s the case. I know nothing about him, but unless he’s a Registered Sex Offender, he’s better than Lindsey Graham.

[FreeAtlanta]

I would be tempted to put a highway over theirs. No marker, no memory, just dirty, smelly semis driving over them by the thousands each an every day.