Lindsey Graham to Jump Into 2016 Presidential Race: ‘Ready to Be Commander-in-Chief on Day One’

ABC News ^ | 6-1-2015 | Erin Dooley

[tcrlaf]

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham is “ready to be commander-in-chief on day one,” the Republican will say when he announces his presidential candidacy in South Carolina today, according to excerpts of his remarks as prepared for delivery.

“I intend to be president not of a single party, but of a nation,” he will say. “I want to do more than make big government smaller. I want to help make a great nation greater.”

Graham, a retired Air Force colonel, enters the race just as a fierce battle over national security rages in the Senate. The South Carolina senator – a noted defense hawk – stands in sharp contrast to Sen. Rand Paul, who spent Sunday night railing against anti-terrorism provisions in the PATRIOT act and just last month declared that GOP hawks have contributed to the rise of ISIS.

“I want to be president to defeat the enemies trying to kill us, not just penalize them or criticize them or contain them, but defeat them,” Graham, 59, will say today.

[LostInBayport]

That’s an insult to the squirrel! lol

[Georgia Girl 2]

Miss Lindsey to the rescue. New commander of the Joint Chiefs will be McStain. Our nukes will get a real workout. :-)

[longtermmemmory]

Graham is just vote splitting SC so no conservative will dominate. His campaign is DOA and is only there for tactical reasons.

[ifinnegan]

Huckabee is another one.

His role is to dilute evangelical votes from Cruz.

There are quid pro quo’s.

There is no reason for him to run other than to weaken Cruz. Afterward, he gets to return to an assured lucrative FOX gig as a two-time presidential candidate.

[wardaddy]

Idiots on parade

90% of these fools just want to charge more for speaking fees and their egos and greed outweigh any sense of patriotic purpose

And after listening to his announcement speech I offer as evidence prima facia that all NeoConservatives are not Jews

I mean good lord he sounded exactly like Kristol and Podhoretz on those hawkish nation building platitudes

[OLDCU]

Just when I thought the race couldn’t get any worse.

[ExSoldier]

No sweat. By his own admission, his only reason for getting in is to block Rand Paul. He doesn't stand a chance.

[ExSoldier]

My ideal ticket is Walker at the top and Cruz as the VEEP.

[Bluewater2015]

This flag will fly proudly over a Graham White House

[Zathras]

John McCain and Harry Reid are probably excited.
His first Primary vote is going to be fun to watch.

[novemberslady]

There is no way I would vote for him.

[novemberslady]

Someone watching his announcement with me wondered why he seemed to be surrounded only by men.

I hadn't noticed it until then.

[clintonh8r]

This whole thing is a goat rodeo. Seriously, this gang is the best we can do? Pathetic.

[RipSawyer]

To what black Corn Shaker might you be referring?

[ColdOne]

Just say NO!

[Vaquero]

The Kenyan kind. Shacks many a corn

[Squantos]

Agree cork soaker polidiot RINO’s are bad news .....

[dearolddad]

Oh joy!! I’m so excited I could just sh*t!!!

[Sam Gamgee]

Hopefully he siphons off support for Jeb Bush.

[TNMOUTH]

That’s it! I guess I won’t be voting for Cruz ;-)