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 ...
Funny, I don't remember State Media calling Joe Liebermann a Maverick when opposing socializing healthcare before he was for it.
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!"
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.
Actually, he’s Mrs. McCain.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Doesn't a "maverick" at least have to act like a man?
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.
He almost makes one yearn for ol’ “Fritz” Hollings.
“Liddy” Dole who doesn’t like her nickname got the Helms seat but couldn’t measure up to the strength of Jesse Helms.
In 2008, no conservative of stature dared rear his head in the SC primary.
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