Posted on 06/24/2005 4:50:47 AM PDT by The Anti-Democrat
WASHINGTON--Sen. Lindsey Graham described himself Thursday as a firm supporter of the war in Iraq from the pro-military state of South Carolina and then bluntly told Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld that people in his state are beginning to rethink their support for the conflict.
Speaking at a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, the Republican senator told Rumsfeld: "The public views this every day, Mr. Secretary, more and more like Vietnam. ... In the last year, sir, the public support in my state has turned, and I worry about that, because that's the only way we'll ever leave before we should, is if the public loses faith in us."
"People are beginning to question, and I don't think it's a blip on the radar screen," Graham said.
At the same hearing, the top U.S. commander in the Middle East contradicted Vice President Dick Cheney's insistence that the insurgency is fading, saying the militants are as active as six months ago and more foreign fighters are flowing in all the time.
Gen. John Abizaid gave his view of the war in response to lawmakers who expressed concern about progress in Iraq and support at home.
Added Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn.: "I fear that American public opinion is tipping away from this effort."
Lindsey, you aren't fit to speak for S.C. You didn't care what they thought about the filibuster, and you certainly do NOT have the intellect to understand by electing G.W. they made their feelings about this war and the president known.
Ravanel has my pledged support.
Lindsey has less than four years left off his time in Washington.
I've had a few opportunities to hear Mr. Ravenel speak on several issues and there's no doubt he's the guy who should have been sent to Washington.
I don't know this Ravenel well. Who is he? Was his father a "moderate" Republican congressman from SC who threatened to turn Democrat in the early 1990s but was persuaded not to do so by the late RNC chair Lee Atwater? Whatever happened to Mrs. Atwater, by the way?
SC has not defeated an incumbent senator since 1966, and even then the incumbent had appointed himself to a temporary stint in the Senate. Most SC incumbents are safe for senator.
It's a BS tactic, and our Senators are either in favor of it (the tactic -OR- the underlying issue), or not bright enough to see through it.
I agree with the media phenomenon assertion. If it bleeds it leads, local, US or world news, it's all the same.
Not when you tell constituents you know how they feel about an important issue, but that you know BETTER. As Graham did.
Graham screwed himself with the filibuster. Now he does so with WOT. And in his calls to raise taxes for social Security.
Ravanel finished seond in the primaries last fall for Senate. he has announced interest in running in '08. he has the money to do so. He has the support of grassroots conservatives that no longer will support Graham.
Lindsey will be gone in '08.
AF makes more sense....he is losing conservative support so moving to shore up the middle in hopes of keeping his seat.
Oh! Air Force. That explains a lot.
/weak attempt at humor.
Sounds like he is waiting to take over for McCain so he can be McMedia's favorite Republican.
I just found this on DU, not sure how true it is, but if it is true it's downright disgusting
Yesterday Sen. Graham told Rummy-the-Dummy that even in the conservative state of South Carolina he was hearing grumblings about the war in Iraq. This morning, on learning of the five female Marines killed in Iraq, I called Senator Graham's office. I talked to an aide for about 10 minutes. I said that I assumed that Sen. Graham meant that he was hearing anti-war sentiments from SC Republicans. The aide said that was exactly what Graham was saying.
The aide agreed with everything I had to say! I told him that I am a Democrat and was deeply offended by Roves remarks about 9/11. Graham's aide agreed with me. I told him that I really think the shit will hit the fan next week when the additional Abu Ghraib pictures and videos are released. The aide not only agreed, but told me that that is Sen. Graham's sentiment too.
I told Graham's aide that we must find a way out of Iraq and that we must avoid future wars in the region. He agreed 100%. I told him that we need a full bi-partisan investigation into how and why we went to war in Iraq in general, and the implications of the Downing Street Minutes in particular. He agreed and offered that Sen. Graham, as an Air Force Reserve lawyer, is concerned about violations of international law in going to war and in our treatment of prisoners.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1881916
This is South Carolina.
Conservative state.
Republican primaries attended by the most conservative.
There is no middle ground that can save him.
I didn't know his remarks were there, but could have guessed.
I wonder if S.C. have an ability to recall like california? If so, they shouldn't wait for '08 to remove him.
For what it is worth, I believe that I read somewhere that he is distant kin to Charles "Pug" Ravenel.
Asked the gal who answered if she thought the people in South Carolina are the cut and run type. Asked if that is what he thinks of us.
She hung up on me without a word. But she heard my words!
What's this guy's background??
Was he ALWAYS a Republican, or did he become a Republican of convenience? He sounds like a yellow-bellied liberal to me, more and more.
I hope the good people of South Carolina flush him down the bowl next primary time. We don't need another John McCain.
Aaargh!!!
Graham's office sound just like leftists. And agreeing with a Democrat, over EVERYTHING, makes Graham less than a RINO.
He's despicable.
Ping to #34 on this thread.
Check out what Graham's office staff is saying to Democratic callers!
Few states have senatorial recall. WI does but declined to recall Russ Feingold some years ago. It is also not clear if the U.S. Senate would accept senatorial recall, for the procedure is not in the Constitution.
Graham sees McCain as a likely nominee in 2008, and McCain may win the nomination because of the weakness of his potential opponents. Wouldn't that be a shame. But Graham could be as entrenched in SC as Hagel is in NE.
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