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Lindsey Graham: New GOP Maverick in the Senate (BARF ALERT)
TIME ^ | 2009-12-23 | Jay Newton-Small

Posted on 12/23/2009 1:19:54 PM PST by rabscuttle385

A few weeks ago, at the end of a 40-minute Oval Office huddle on climate change between President Barack Obama and Republican Senator Lindsey Graham — one of many tête-è-têtes on various subjects between the two this year — Obama leaned forward. "Look Lindsey, I'm ready to play," he said. "I'm for nuclear power. I'm for responsible offshore drilling. I'm for clean coal. I just need a reasonable emissions standard."

"Count me in," Graham replied. "Let's see if we can do it."

Wait, you may ask, a conservative Republican is seriously negotiating with the President? And on global warming, of all things?

Lindsey Graham, however, is not your average Republican. In an era when the GOP is defining itself by saying no, the South Carolinian stands out as one willing to say, "Maybe, let's talk." On hot button issues from Afghanistan and climate change to immigration, Graham is often the only Republican in the room. And as past mavericks have turned away, such as Obama's erstwhile opponent John McCain, Graham has stepped up. He is the first call White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel makes for advice on how to handle Senate Republicans; he's a popular co-sponsor of bipartisan legislation; and he's become a sounding board for top Dems.

Not surprisingly, such unorthodox behavior doesn't come without cost. With tea party activists increasingly dictating the party's agenda, moderate Republicans are getting eaten by their own, and it didn't take long for some of Graham's once loyal supporters to turn on him. The Charleston County Republican Party voted unanimously last month to censure Graham on a litany of complaints. They claimed that South Carolina's senior senator "in the name of bipartisanship continues to weaken the Republican brand and tarnish the ideals of freedom, rule of law, and fiscal conservatism."

(Excerpt) Read more at time.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; Politics/Elections; US: South Carolina
KEYWORDS: lindseygraham; mccainmutiny; mclameslapdog; mclamesrevenge; mclamesrinoparty; rino; traitor
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To: rabscuttle385
Just call him Mini-MeCain!

Funny, I don't remember State Media calling Joe Liebermann a Maverick when opposing socializing healthcare before he was for it.

21 posted on 12/23/2009 2:38:55 PM PST by TexasCajun
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To: rabscuttle385
Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

Lindsey Graham was the only Republican joining Democrats in support of President Barack Obama's first nominee, Sotomayer.

And we're going to have to fight him when Comprehensive Immigration Reform rears it's ugly head again,soon enough.

I'll never forget his disgusting words.."We're going to tell the bigots to shut up!"

22 posted on 12/23/2009 2:44:04 PM PST by spectre (Spectre's wife)
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To: rabscuttle385
TIME magazine, the official mouthpiece of decadence, Communism, and Hell itself, endorses McCain Junior.


Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.

23 posted on 12/23/2009 2:46:14 PM PST by The Comedian (Evil can only succeed if good men don't point at it and laugh.)
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To: rabscuttle385

horse crap.
Graham is RINO garbage and not worth a thimble of spit.
Please hook him up to a horse and drag him for a week.


24 posted on 12/23/2009 2:46:30 PM PST by Joe Boucher (This marxist punk has got to go.)
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To: The Comedian

Actually, he’s Mrs. McCain.


25 posted on 12/23/2009 2:50:21 PM PST by onyx
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To: Gay State Conservative
But South Carolina is *NOT* Maine.The voters of SC most assuredly can flush that turd down the toilet in the primaries and the net result would be a Senator who would represent the voters *and* vote in ways beneficial to the country.

Sorry, ain't gonna happen... at least until the SC GOP pull their collective head out of their ass and CLOSE THE PRIMARIES! Open primaries are how we got stuck with the Rump Ranger again LAST year.

SC democrats LOVE Lindsey, and voted for him in greater numbers than they did for their own candidate in the general election.

26 posted on 12/23/2009 3:10:44 PM PST by PalmettoMason (Let me know when we get SERIOUS about taking this country back!)
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To: Joe Boucher
Graham is RINO garbage and not worth a thimble of spit.

He appears at the drop of a hat on FOX, so who do we drag in front of the camera to replace him? The only reason he ever got Helm's seat was his role in the house impeachment of Clinton.

He is a light in the loafers democrat in RINO clothing.

27 posted on 12/23/2009 3:19:06 PM PST by itsahoot (Each generation takes to excess, what the previous generation accepted in moderation.)
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To: PalmettoMason
at least until the SC GOP pull their collective head out of their ass and CLOSE THE PRIMARIES!

Does anyone ever question why the Party Elite just won't do the right thin there? I have contended for years the Elite RINO's are just as lefty as Obama and his minions, they just lie better.

28 posted on 12/23/2009 3:22:15 PM PST by itsahoot (Each generation takes to excess, what the previous generation accepted in moderation.)
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To: rabscuttle385
It appears that the lefties (represented by Time and the rest of the media) have used up, chewed up, and spit out McCain, and have now found another "Republican" that they can award with their designation of "Maverick."

I've no doubt that Graham will lap it up and continue to side with the left when he needs his ego stroked, just like McCain did.

29 posted on 12/23/2009 3:26:25 PM PST by Washi
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To: itsahoot

Fox is NO better at fairly disseminating news and info than the rest of the MSM.
In Floriduh we are about to pooh can charlie crist for Marco Rubio, a REAL conservative, not a damned RINO.
And still the biggy Pubbies contiue to support this RINO crap Crist.
Everywhere the pubbies have been breached by rinos who need dispatching.
Find a real conservative regardless of party and support them.
To hell with parties, there isn’t a ant hills difference between them.


30 posted on 12/23/2009 3:41:40 PM PST by Joe Boucher (This marxist punk has got to go.)
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To: rabscuttle385
Lindsey Graham: New GOP Maverick

Doesn't a "maverick" at least have to act like a man?

31 posted on 12/23/2009 4:42:02 PM PST by SteamShovel (When hope trumps reality, there is no hope at all.)
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To: rabscuttle385
Lindsey Graham can kiss my grits.

I absolutely LOVED him during impeachment.

Then, he "graduated" to the SINate under the wings of mclame, and lost his bearings.

Yeah, he's been eloquent the past day or two, but I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him.

32 posted on 12/23/2009 5:06:17 PM PST by mombonn (God is looking for spiritual fruit, not religious nuts.)
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To: rabscuttle385

He almost makes one yearn for ol’ “Fritz” Hollings.


33 posted on 12/23/2009 8:15:49 PM PST by Theodore R.
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To: itsahoot

“Liddy” Dole who doesn’t like her nickname got the Helms seat but couldn’t measure up to the strength of Jesse Helms.


34 posted on 12/23/2009 8:17:52 PM PST by Theodore R.
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To: Brett66

In 2008, no conservative of stature dared rear his head in the SC primary.


35 posted on 12/23/2009 8:19:02 PM PST by Theodore R.
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