South Carolina Ping
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."
The statement did come from DU so I'm not sure how accurate it is. I was hoping someone from his home state would call using the same questions and see how they were answered.
Frankly, I have a higher opinion of the grassroots in South carolina and across the country.
Nor is hagel entrenched. he just never faces a primary challenge. Typically Republicans do not face primary challenges. That begun to change with Toomey. Spectre almost lost in a state that isn't conservative. I don't believe you understand the shift occuring apart from supporting the nominee of the party without question, to fronting our own challengers. That movement is growing and graham will fall victim to it.
That's a great idea. I'm in SC but not sure I can really misrepresent myself that way. They'll ask for my name and they know it, trust me. So I'd have to give someone else's name.
Do you think you could pull this off?
The primary defeat of Bret Schundler this month in NJ negates much of what you have expressed, doesn't it?
;-)
FYI.
Uh, no. Read what I stated.
Toomey almost won in a BLUE state.
N.J. is a BLUE state.
If they are vulnerable THERE, in a conservative state they will be defeated with the same grassroots concentration.
Thanks for the ping peach.
The comments if true are disgusting. But I never knew a DU poster to utilize truth or perspective. So I just sent a letter to Graham quoting the post by the DUer and requesting a clarification by him. We'll see. As you know, I was supportive of the effort to get the filibuster roadblock off dead center, but Graham has been quite shy about responding to either Kennedy or Durbin. I sent letters in both of those cases. If the DU poster is accurate, then I too will fight a renomination of Graham in 2008.
Poor little lind-sissy, he has no idea what he's in for when he runs again.
Ping.
Great idea, M, and thank you so much for doing that. Would you freepmail me if you hear from Graham? Much as I'm not pleased with Graham for various comments he's made in recent weeks, it's hard to believe his staff would agree with that caller.
Will do Peach. If it did happen, that staffer needs to be looking for a new job, and if he/she isn't then Graham needs to be looking.
There's a first time for everything, and I can think of no better time to defeat a SC Senator than when Graham runs again. Graham has proven he lacks the integrity to represent SC IMO, and if SC had recall, I'd vote to recall him. He did not speak for me with his anti-war comments yesterday in the Senate Armed Service Committee meeting, and I don't believe he has heard from many,if any, of his constituents. Democrats?...maybe.
I am very very disappointed, and fast moving towards pissed.
Graham has answered mail and generally was great and I supported him. However, it started going downhill with some of the comments he made when Abu ghraib hit the fan.
Then I think he said some crap about raising SS taxes?
Now this, this is the last straw.
He'll be getting a letter from me.
This is NOT what we need now. What the heck did we elect these guys for and they are wussing out or being outright turncoats. Frittering our majority and acting like losers. Now is the time to quit the pussyfooting around in Iraq, to hell with the media and just get the darn job done!
Graham is going to find out that support for his re-election is going to be waning.
Is Graham also planning to run for President?
Thanks, Big Steve. What's also worrying,is per one of the posters above who posted a DU post and how Graham's office responded to his remarks!
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