Posted on 12/11/2015 12:50:19 PM PST by Maceman
MANCHESTER, N.H.-- Lindsey Graham on Thursday stopped just short of becoming the first Republican presidential candidate to say he will not support Donald Trump if the New York businessman becomes the presidential nominee of his party.
But the South Carolina senator came close.
"I'd rather lose without him than try to win with him, if he keeps doing what he's doing," Graham said, using an important caveat in his remark, at a midday stop in Greenland. Trump was to meet with members of the New England Police Benevolent Association in Portsmouth on Thursday night.
Graham also applied to Trump comments made earlier this week by former U.S. Senate Majority leader and 1996 GOP presidential nominee Bob Dole, who said he "might oversleep" on Election Day if U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas becomes the nominee.
But in a one-on-one interview later Thursday in Manchester with WMUR.com, Graham would not say unequivocally that he will not support Trump.
"I’m trying my best to be a good Republican," Graham said. "The one thing I don’t want to do is put the party in a bad spot because we got a guy like Donald Trump, who is dividing us."
"I signed a pledge," Graham said, referring to a pledge to back the eventual GOP nominee that all the candidates, including Trump, signed during the summer.
"And it means something to me," Graham said. "It doesn’t mean anything to Donald Trump, and I don’t want to be like him."
"At the end of the day I believe that the party is going to pick somebody who is a Republican and can bring us together," Graham said.
Paraphrasing Dole's comments about Cruz, Graham applied it to Trump.
"If Donald Trump is the nominee, I'm liable to oversleep that day," he said. "That goes for me, too."
Graham also said that Trump "is not a Republican, he's a fraud."
Earlier, in Greenland, Graham continued his criticism of Trump. And, questioned by an attendee at a Portsmouth Rotary Club meeting, he came close to saying he will not back Trump, but did not cross the line.
"I’ve called him every name I know to call him," Graham said, "from race baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot. I'm running out of adjectives.
"Do I want to buy a ticket on the Titanic? No. Do I believe that Donald Trump will get his clock cleaned by Hillary Clinton? Yes.
"Do I believe that Hispanics are mad at Donald Trump? Without any doubt."
"Do I believe he represents the worst in America and not the best? Yes."
"I'm trying to be a good Republican and even a better American," Graham said, insisting that Trump will not be the nominee. "He's not a Republican."
“Here's what Bob Dole said, 'If he wins I’m likely to oversleep.'"
Graham will continue his latest campaign visit on Friday with a town hall meeting at Concord High School and a meeting with the Concord Chamber of Commerce.
How would Trump survive without his sub 1% voter base? How I ask you, how????
“’I’m trying my best to be a good Republican’, Graham said.”
And you’re doing a perfectly fine job of that, Grahamnesty. The thing is, you don’t ever seem to try to be a conservative, you jerk.
Lindsey.
A man with no credibility and a secret everyone knows.
After decades in the Senate he feels an accute paign of irrelevance.
He’s lost his steady bitch slap and carries with him a foul determination.
Coming home after a long night in Harlem he makes a wrong turn.
Into the twilight zone.
How would Trump survive without his sub 1% voter base? How I ask you, how????
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I think that Linda had visions of winning South Carolina as a “favorite son” and carrying that into the convention as a chip to be used in his quest for the vice-presidency.
It’s hilarious that Linda will be going to the convention without a single “earned” delegate from the South Carolina primary.
It must be very hard to see a non-politician candidate like Trump beating you (Graham) in your own state, SC. I can understand Lindsey’s pain. I hope Lindsey carries a good supply of Xanax in his pocket.
I think little Linda is looking for attention. He’s got more coverage in the last few days than he’s had since his pathetic campaign started.
YES ... LOL.
Its time for the main stream rhino republicans to hold their noses and vote for Trump and Cruz, it’s only fair. The rest of us held our noses and voted for McCain and as did many for Romney. It’s our turn, we the people, to elect the candidate of our choice. If the msm rhinos don’t support the people’s candidate, this will be a Perot and the rusty old slip and cut yourself on it battle ax will be elected president.
Tom Ridge flat out said on a Fox show today that he would not vote for Trump and something to the effect that he didn’t like him.
A lot of sitting politicians who run for president and don’t win the nomination end up losing their seats because their local constituents get a much closer look at them, warts and all, and don’t like what they see.
Y’all feel free to leave your comments on Linda’s Facebook sites. :)
I am willing to bet Graham is a member of the LGTB community and would have no problem voting for Hillary.
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