Sen. Lindsey Graham's (R-S.C.) approach to September's deadly attack in Benghazi has gotten a little out of hand. Indeed, in some corners, it's become a running joke -- Lindsey Graham is considering putting a hold on the Super Bowl until he gets answers on Benghazi. Lindsey Graham doesn't want anyone to finish the third season of Downton Abbey until he gets answers on Benghazi. Lindsey Graham won't let me have breakfast until he gets answers on Benghazi.
But as he gets more agitated, Graham's rhetoric is getting more disturbing (via ThinkProgress).
For those who can't watch clips online, Graham appeared on Fox News this week and was asked about whether he'd consider voting for Chuck Hagel's Defense Secretary nomination. The senator said it would depend on the upcoming confirmation hearing, before adding:
"But the one thing I'm not going to do is vote on a new secretary of defense until the old secretary of defense, Leon Panetta, who I like very much, testifies about what happened in Benghazi.
"I haven't forgotten about Benghazi. Hillary Clinton got away with murder, in my view."
Now, I realize "get away with murder" is a common figure of speech, not a literal accusation of homicide. I'm going to hope that the Republican meant that the outgoing Secretary of State "got away with" doing something wrong, not actually killing someone.
That said, when we're dealing with a crisis in which four Americans were actually murdered, perhaps the senator could have chosen his words more carefully.
But even if we give Graham the benefit of the doubt on this, his position is still increasingly unhinged.
Towards the end of the clip, the South Carolinian vowed to block Hagel's nomination until Leon Panetta testifies on Benghazi. What does the outgoing Pentagon chief have to do with this? Graham didn't say. What questions does Graham have that haven't already been answered? He didn't say.
Why would he block a confirmation vote on the Secretary of Defense during a war? Graham didn't say.
It appears the senator wants to keep talking about this for the sake of talking about this. Maybe Graham thinks this will help back home if he faces a primary challenge; maybe he thinks it'll shave a point off the president's approval rating.
Whatever his motivations, Graham's tirades aren't doing his credibility any favors.
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Does anyone actually like Lindsey Graham...
Yup the person that looks back at him when he looks in the mirror is the only one I can think of...
Being a South Carolinian I feel a slight urge to find some defense of Limpweed. I would therefore remind everyone that even Gov. Ultra sound is still governor.
You only need to find a hot issue to launch you into office then once elected you can prove what a moron you are every day and still get re-elected by simple minded people who use terms like lesser of two evils or at least he has tenure enough to get a commitee. What these morons like Graham the cracker prove is how little we the people value the phrase "We the People...".
his boyfriend of course. it's no secret.
"his boyfriend"? Are you using a charge of homosexuality as an insult? I had to ask since that is one way your post could be taken.
He doesn't have a boyfriend and the truck stops are too dangerous for a closeted (/snark) Senator, that's why this whiney little bitch has nothing better to do.. Do us a favor Lindsey and kill yourself or better yet, go defend the embassy in Benghazi!
He's from South Carolina, which explains everything. As William Pinckney said in 1860 when they were crazy enough to secede, "South Carolina is too small for a Republic and too large for an asylum."
TC
That should be "an insane asylum" There are other types of asylums too. And oh yes it was James L. Petigru not William Pinckney who said it. It seems it's still true for South Carolina today.
I think William is using a charge of Hypocrisy as an insult.
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Graham is so scared of a primary challenge, he will say anything to convince the tea party that he's at least as crazy as they are.
Shorter Graham: "We need to get this impeachment show on the road, people. Somebody give me something!"
Why does Senator Graham hate the military, so much?
Why are you shooting off your foolish, foolish, mouth about things you have no knowledge of? From wiki....
Upon graduating, Graham was commissioned as an officer and judge advocate in the United States Air Force, placed on active duty and sent to Europe as a military prosecutor.
Graham is actually the most logical person to point out the DOD/State coverups.
As someone who Served in The US Army, I can speak from experience that, saying anyone in the JAG Office is the most logical to point out a cover-up, is a mistake. CID or MI yes logical, a Lawyer who doesn't know the first thing about how to actually investigate anything, no way. JAG is like any other Lawyer, they are good at asking questions, with the info someone else dug up and given them. Other than that, they are no more 'qualified' than having Dr Phil or Oprah asking the questions.
Thanks Calvin I was going to try and say something about reserve judge advocates and the fact that they are more a political appointment made to keep chosen sons out of battle but I laughed so hard at shooter the clueless I had to do some deep breathing.
Geez, Shooter, I thought you knew the TV show "JAG" was Fiction.
Whats next, DNA takes 10 minutes to process and CSIs are detectives?
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Lindsey Graham's outraged drama queen schtick is becoming tiresome.
Well, Lindsay is only emoting on this issue because he's never forgiven Hillary for killing Vince Foster, and Bill Clinton for not having sex with that woman! -Kevo
Lindsays unrequited love for Bill, pity.
I've been wondering lately if Graham is trying to build some macho cred in reaction to Charles P. Pierce and others rather nastily calling him "Huckleberry Closet Case."
Closet queens are basically contemptible, so Miss Lindsey doesn't get any respect.
I think the old saying is "Make hay while the sun shines" but in this case the only hay Senator Graham has is the stuff the Bull has already finished and left in piles out in the pasture.
Off camera, Graham was heard to mutter, "Oy, the cramps! This PMS can be such a bitch."
That might be funny if Graham were cranky a couple of days a month, but he's like that all the time. He's just trying to build a scandal out of thin air and the facts aren't working for him. Sadly, the majority of his party has chosen to ignore the fact-checkers (because that worked so well for the Romney campaign?), so the echo chamber is failing to tell him that he looks like an idiot. Again.
I have no doubt Graham meant "Got away with murder" literally. The GOP needs more audio clips to use against Hillary in 2016.
Yes and he's channeling his inner JEFF DUNCAN who said 'Madame Secretary, you let the consulate become a death trap.' Murder is just the next step.
Hillary and Lindsey "Fencejumpingham", both lie.
When are they going to let this crap go and move on? 4 deaths vs. bush asleep at the wheel before 9-11.
You're onto something important there. At some deep level this GOP meltdown over Benghazi is supposed to compensate for the Bush administration's intelligence screw-ups before 9/11.
Exactly, trompeter . . . that way they can keep shoveling that old "both sides do it" crap.
Don't forget the 11 Embacies attacked under Bush. No hearings.
Well, according to GOP talking points 9/11 was Clinton's fault (Bill in this case).
This runs one of three ways (depending on situation and audience):
1. Bill neglected the threat of terrorism and actively prevented his successor from doing anything about it.
If this 150% BS does not fly:
2.By warning Bush the Lesser about the threat of terrorism and urging him to act, he essentially guaranteed that Bush would do no such thing, which was Bill's intent (reverse psychology). So, Bill not only is at fault for 9/11, he wanted it to happen.
In the presence of the 27% (or 23% in other sources):
3. 9/11 happened when Bill was POTUS (or Obama when the audience is young enough). Bush, what Bush? Never heard of that guy, you must mean Carter.
Is this senator on the Intelligence Committee, if so, did he go to the briefing that his pal McCain and dull witted Ron Johnson missed? I'm confident the FOX interviewer ask Graham some back-up questions during his latest display of the vapors, what no back-up questions? Well I'm shocked. The continued performance art of Lindsey Graham is so transparent as is that of Paul Ryan, how truly brain washed are their minions, it's mind boggling. Two days ago, Ken Blackwell, Ohio GOP official in charge of 2008 vote, blamed activists for the long lines to vote in minority communities. In other words, if so damn many people hadn't showed up to vote, there would not have been a problem with lines. I laughed out loud, but honest to god, it was treated as a reasonable statement on MSNBC.
Here's the problem: Graham and McCain know what the answers to their questions are and they're furious, absolutely furious, that the facts keep turning out to be inconsistent with them and administration officials persist in not telling Graham and McCain what they already know, with absolute certainty whatever any ol' objective reality nonsense may indicate, to be true.
That's why there will be no new Bond, Hobbit, Star Trek, or Star Wars movies until they get the answers they know are true instead of the actually true answers.
Also, you gawdam kids get off Gampa McCain's lawn right damn now!
And don't touch Miss Lindsey's flowers!
Lindsey Graham reminds me of the Dustin Hoffman character in "Rainman" - he gets fixated on an object/thing and nothing will tear him from it. The difference being that the "character" being portrayed actually had a mental health issue and he was at least likeable - Lindsey Graham not so much...
Lindsay Graham hates the president and Hillary Clinton. He has the heady power to make trouble for them, so that's what he does.
He is a destructive and miserable human being. Fortunately, few take him seriously.
Props to Zora for making that comparison about likeability rather than autism.
Fran - autism is something physical/mental/chemical that can't be changed. Being a brain-dead, treasonous, arrogant ass, that's a choice.....
Give a rube a little power and he becomes Napoleon.
Miss Lindsey might have Napoleonic aspirations, but in reality will be more like Enver Hoxa.
As in going down....? Oops.
Maybe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_ONyukSLqA :-)
Graham's re-election campaign is in full gear. When he was asked if immigration reform should provide for same-sex couples, he said
More craziness to come.
Please say that he has an opponent? Please...
Abortion for same-sex couples?
It seems that the amount of Republican crazy is proportional to the time to reelection. This is just Graham warming up. By election time he will be totally unhinged.
"Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Benjamin Franklin It is obvious there are trolls in congress.
Steroids?
Lindsay Graham is a joke to everyone but himself.
I wonder what would have happened if Ambasador Stevens sent his emails concerning the lack of adequate security directly to the Sec of State instead of through state dept channels ? I think the Sec of State would have taken more immediate action well before Sept 2012.
It maybe there are way too many "assistant Sec of State or Deputy Sec of State" who probably passed the email requests to another "assistant/deputy" who passed it to another "assistant/deputy" instead of the one it was addressed to ACTUALLY taking ownership and responsibility.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Recent focus on the status of the mental health care system in the United States, being at the end of its long decline, it could mark the low point of this problem affecting 10% of the nation. The general public ideally wants to push this issue away, because given the cultural worship of youth, health, vitality, invincibility and immortality; there is little comfort in seeing the world as it is wheel chairs, oxygen tubes, adult underwear, restraints, drooling grandfathers, wandering old pole and rocking savants.
Sen. Lindsey Graham's (R-S.C.), really is a prime candidate to demonstrate mental illness, as drama, as Senator he could transform the nation and address mental issues.
Senator Graham should stop dramatizing mental illness and get help in addressing problems that need solving.
The ultimate insult? Senator Graham doesn't give a hershey squirt about those people who were actually killed and this is a bitch-hunt of the lowest order..
As another queen once said, "Off with her head!".
"
Consider a Congressman, then consider an idiot. Ah, but I repeat myself." -- Mark Twain, 1872
Some things never change.
Once again I'll bring up Watergate. The scandal began with a break-in at a campaign headquarters and was perpetuated by the "fixation" of the press (and hence the American people) on the involvement of the Nixon Administration and in its cover-up of its involvement. In the end a President resigned and many of his administration colleagues served time in prison.
In Benghazi, a US Ambassador was killed, along with three other Americans -- two of whom died hours later after an extended firefight. Within the first week after the incident, Secretary Clinton and the Obama Administration were hard-peddling a narrative that the whole incident was an unfortunate spontaneous reaction to an insensitive YouTube video made by a loathsome and intolerant anti-Muslim filmmaker.
In other words, "Don't blame us!"
Even in the face of clear evidence that there was no YouTube video protest occurring prior to the incident, the Obama Administration continued to cite the YouTube video and denounce "religious intolerance." When pressed on the issue, all they could say was that things were still under investigation. Never was any evidence presented to support the spontaneous protest narrative.
Sec. Clinton dodged questions about whether the Administration misled the American people deliberately by pushing the YouTube story, and no Woodward and Bernstein are out there trying to expose what should be an obvious snow-job for political (re-election) reasons.
What Sen. Graham is saying, when he says that in his view "Hillary Clinton got away with murder", is that no one (ie. popular press coverage, etc.) is holding her accountable for anything related to Benghazi. Not for the security failings at the consulate, not for the State Dept. response during the firefight, not for her role in perpetuating the fraud of the YouTube video narrative, not for her role in the Administration cover-up, not for her dodging of questions regarding how the American public was misled, and not for anything else.
Don't live in reality do you. Here is a clue unlike GWB getting a memo stating Terrorist were going to strike no one knew what was going on nor do you righties even care, you just want another witch hunt. Remember the last time you went on a witch hunt and spent 50 mill on a stained blue dress. Really put a cork in it.
I hold President Bush, VP Cheney, Ms. Condi Rice, and Mr. Powell personally responsible for the deaths of thousands of our young military men and women in IRAQ and all innocent citizens of that country killed or injured during our invasion of their lands looking for the WMDs that did not exist.
I am willing to bet that Senator Graham is giving them a pass.
All that serves to do is highlight a fact of human nature -- when it's YOUR GUY, you're more apt to give him a pass, but when it's the THEIR GUY, the same behavior will illicit vociferous condemnation.
Such as it is (that is, in the absence of objective discussion by the media), it can at least be healthy to the national dialog if there are partisans on both sides getting the word out -- and it doesn't mean Sen. Graham (who I don't much care for) doesn't have a point about the appalling lack of accountability following the death of a US Ambassador.
Spin, spin, spin, spin, spin....
I will respond as Hillary, "What difference does it make, what the Sunday morning talking points were?" 4 Americans are dead - fact. Terrorist motivation - conjecture. It took them weeks to get the video footage of what happened. All of the people who experienced what happened, are dead. How is not knowing at the moment of crisis, what happened an impeachable offense? You Obama haters and Hillary haters just need to calm down, you aren't going to be able to prove anything, because nothing sinister is a foot! And the next time there is a briefing about a security issue - try to attend, so we don't have to keep hearing your stupid, stupid comments.
Swine!
So why does he not say the same about Bush and Channey since it has been reported: ‘He Kept Us Safe’: Bush Ignored Repeated Warnings Of Terrorist Attack September 11th, 2012 12:52 am Joe Conason “Newdocuments uncovered by investigative journalist Kurt Eichenwald show that despite repeated, urgent warnings from intelligence officials about an impending Al Qaeda attack, Bush did nothing because his neoconservative advisers told him that the threats were merely a “ruse” and a distraction.” http://www.nationalmemo.com/he-kept-us-safe-bush-ignored-repeated-warnings-of-terrorist-attack/2/
OR Why does he not hold Bush/Channey/Rice responsible for the deaths of over 4,000 Americans in the Iraq war which these three got us into by lying about weapons of mass destruction.
IOKIYAR plain and simple.
Hey, Senator Graham, I've got an idea. Read the Accountability Review Board (ARB) report on Benghazi: http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/202446.pdf