There's little 'faux' about folksy Graham (Lindsey, not Bob) BLUMENTHAL ALERT

The State ^ | 6/1/03 | Lauren Markoe

[wimpycat]

Washington: Anyone who followed Monicagate knows that it made enemies of now-U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Sidney Blumenthal, a former adviser to President Clinton.

Graham, then in the House and a prosecutor at the president's 1999 impeachment trial, accused Blumenthal of trying to save Clinton by smearing Monica Lewinsky, the White House intern with whom the president had an affair.

With the publication of "The Clinton Wars," Blumenthal takes his turn to write the history of the impeachment saga and, not surprisingly, pegs Graham as one of the era's most shameless villains.

Expected to land in the top 10 on The New York Times best-seller list, Blumenthal's account describes Graham alternatively as "bumbling," "peevish," and possessed of a "shambling, faux-folksy manner."

More seriously, he charges Graham with publicizing an allegation he knew had no basis in fact: that Blumenthal orchestrated a campaign to discredit Lewinsky.

"He's owed me an apology for years," Blumenthal said in a phone interview Thursday.

As for Graham's elevation to the Senate this year, Blumenthal concluded that the South Carolinian's "exploitation of the impeachment trial has worked very well to advance his ambition."

Graham said he hasn't read the book and doesn't intend to.

"God, no," he said. "I know everything I need to know about Sidney Blumenthal without reading his book."

Asked about Blumenthal's charge that his famously folksy manner is but a crowd-pleasing act, Graham -- who grew up in tiny Central in rural Pickens County -- quipped that he is as real a country boy as they come.

"Have you met my family? Have you met my friends?"

[wimpycat]

Well said. I know everything I need to know about Sid Vicious without reading his damn book, too.

For those who don't exactly know why Blumenthal has it in for Graham, article highlighting the testimony that "exposes Graham as one of the era's most shameless villians".

*snicker*

[wimpycat]

.

[Paul Atreides]

El Sid is just picking up where Monica left off.

[wimpycat]

It makes you wonder what he gets out of kow-towing (for lack of a better phrase) to Clinton after all this time. Do they have something on him?

[Paul Atreides]

That is what I have wondered about Carville, Begala, and the rest of the loyalists. It has to be that they want the Socialist nation as badly as do the Clintons. It is the only explanation.

[fightinJAG]

bump

[Mamzelle]

re: "God, no," he said. "I know everything I need to know about Sidney Blumenthal without reading his book.")))

Lindsey shouldn't be taking the Lord's name in vain. But that's about as "villainous" as I've seen him.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

It has to be that they want the Socialist nation as badly as do the Clintons.

Exactly. They, and most of their associates, are hardcore Communists who will do anything it takes for power. Keep that and all that it implies when you think of them.

[annyokie]

Heck, he was dating Laura Ingraham during the impeachment. How "bad" can he be?

[MosesKnows]

Sidney who?

[wimpycat]

Somehow I don't think of Bill Clinton as wanting anything but to be the center of power, no matter what political system. It's all about Bill.

[oldironsides]

Sidney of the Students for a Democratic Society while in college. Sid the Blowmanthal was a member of the SDS. Nothing more needed.

[Atchafalaya]

OOOOOHHHHHHHH YYYYEEEEAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH! How true.

[Atchafalaya]

I doubt it; he is an idealogue and power junkie. He will never have the "stuff" on his own so he has cast his lot with the Clinton's. He must have had his ass kicked a bunch as a kid; he looks like he needs his ass kicked as an adult.

[thegreatbeast]

"More seriously, he charges Graham with publicizing an allegation he knew had no basis in fact: that Blumenthal orchestrated a campaign to discredit Lewinsky."
This is exactly what catapaulted Christopher Hitchens to "out" Blumenthal. Blummie was pushing the party line on Lewinski to Hitchens over lunch.
Blumenthal and SDS? Are you sure? He looks a bit young to have been involved with them.

[NYC GOP Chick]

All you need to know about Sniveling Sid is that *he* had to pay Matt Drudge in order to make the lawsuit that he filed against Drudge go away.

Also, from some excerpts of his book that I read on salon, he slanders Senator Graham by implying that he's an anti-Semite.

[wimpycat]

...he slanders Senator Graham by implying that he's an anti-Semite.

Ahhh...the favored retort of Jerry Seinfeld's uncle.

[aristeides]

Didn't Christopher Hitchens corroborate Graham's charge against Blumenthal?

[wimpycat]

Yes.

[NYC GOP Chick]

Given Lindsey Graham's strong support for Israel, I can't believe that about him. Not even close.

Sid the Sock Puppet claimed that a few months after impeachment, he was at some event and Mary Bono was there too, and that when they were trying to make small talk, she allegedly said that during the Judiciary Committee stuff (in GOP meetings) that he "made fun of" the Sock Puppet's name.